Mann's Chinese Theatre

• On January 5, 1926, at 7pm, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, brainchild of Sid Grauman, had its ground breaking ceremony.
• Almost a year later, on December 28, 1926, the spectacular building was completed, and opening night, May 18, 1927, treated an estimated 50,000 fans to a most spectacular sight, in particular, the host of celebrities who paid $11 a ticket to see the Los Angeles premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's King of Kings.
• The first star to place her footprints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre was silent-picture actress Norma Talmadge (1897-1957). She accidentally stumbled onto a freshly laid cement sidewalk in front of the theater in 1927.
• Other first celebrities to imprint their mark in cement on the curb of Hollywood Boulevard were Sid Grauman, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, on April 15, 1927.
• Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks were the first official blocks to receive a full-blown ceremony, on April 30, 1927, almost three weeks before the Theatre opened.
• The practice of posing for photographs, and imprinting foot, and hand impressions, as well as a witty saying and an autograph, began on that day, and continues to this day.
• Norma Talmadge's, on May 18, 1927, was the second ceremony. Her unique block boasts TWO sets of footprints.
• The third ceremony honored Norma Shearer, on August 1, 1927. That next month, on September 29, Shearer became the wife of Irving Thalberg.
• The fourth was for Harold Lloyd, on November 21, 1927. Autographed, "My Best Wishes Always to Sid, Harold Lloyd," small print underneath identifies "hand and foot prints of H.L. Nov-21-27". Above his autograph (written most neatly and deliberately, and most definitely highlighting his penmanship, which was almost feathery in its whimsy), is a drawing of the trademark glasses which made him famous.
• Next to Lloyd's footprints, however, are the most notable feature of Lloyd's block: his handprints. Due to his right hand having only three fingers (resultant from his bomb accident; see February's Article of the Month for the whole story), Harold had to wear gloves, and on both hands, to assure similar impressions.
• The theatre changed its name to Mann's Theatre after it was sold in 1979.
• The facade consists of the imported pillars of a Chinese temple.
• There are 190 celebrities' foot and hand prints. More than 2 million tourists come every year to witness these prints.
• John Barrymore, left an impression of his high profile, William S. Hart of his gun, and Gene Autry of the hoofprints of Champ, his horse.
• Directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have left sneaker prints.
  

Sources: www.asb.com/usr/helloharold/foot.htm and www.dynastytour.com/html/mannchinese.html