SECOND ACT HISTORIC THEATER GETTING A FACE LIFT.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer HOLLYWOOD - The giant neon dragons that have spent decades atop the marquee at Grauman's Chinese Theatre  The of this article or section may be compromised by "peacock terms".You can help Wikipedia by removing peacock terms. on Hollywood Boulevard For uses other than the original street, see Hollywood Boulevard (disambiguation). Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest to Vermont Avenue, where it straightens out were quietly slain Tuesday afternoon. Owners of the venerable theater permanently removed the eye-catching dragons as part of a $6.5 million renovation project aimed at returning the theater's appearance to that of its grand opening more than seven decades ago. The theater, with its famed cement forecourt of movie star footprints, handprints and signatures, will remain open during the renovation and movies will continue to be screened as scheduled. The renovation is expected to be completed by November. ``Everybody wants to bring it back to its glory days,'' said Rana Matthes, vice president of marketing for Mann Theaters. The dragons will be stored on the Paramount Studios lot for now, Matthes said, but their ultimate fate is not yet known. The restoration symbolically began with a name change back to Grauman's eight months ago. The landmark had been called Mann's Chinese Theatre Chinese theatre has a long and complex history. Today it is often called Chinese opera although this normally refers specifically to the popular form known as Beijing Opera; there have been many other forms of theatre in China. since its 1973 purchase by independent theater owner Ted Mann. The theater is now jointly owned by Paramount and Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . In addition to the removal of the dragons, a ticket booth has been removed from the front of the theater, making the tourist-attracting forecourt more accessible. Inside, there will be plush new seats, a larger screen and a state-of-the-art sound system. The theater's lobby and concession stand Concession stand is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, Stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties. will also be expanded, Matthes said. The Chinese Theatre was built for more than $2 million by legendary impresario Sid Grauman Sidney Patrick Grauman (March 17, 1879 - March 5, 1950) was an American showman who created one of Southern California's most recognizable and visited landmarks, Grauman's Chinese Theater. in 1927 and has since been Hollywood's clearest remaining link to its Golden Age. Jack Kyser, chief economist The Chief Economist is a single position job class having primary responsibility for the development, coordination, and production of economic and financial analysis. It is distinguished from the other economist positions by the broader scope of responsibility encompassing the for the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Economic Development Corp., said the restoration of the historic theater's facade is a critical part of establishing a real sense of architectural tourism in the area along with theaters as the Pantages, Egyptian and El Capitan El Cap·i·tan A peak, 2,308.5 m (7,569 ft) high, in the Sierra Nevada of central California. Its dramatic exposed monolith rises some 1,098 m (3,600 ft) above the floor of the Yosemite Valley. . ``I think you will have people who will go down to the area just to see what it looks like,'' Kyser said. ``I think it's going to be very powerful.'' The work on the theater is just one of many independent elements that are part of a major revitalization of Hollywood which is anchored by the $615 million TrizecHahn development at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. The development includes a theater that will play host to the Academy Awards beginning next year and also consists of a hotel and retail shops. Grauman's Chinese Theatre will be adjacent to that development which will also include a new Mann's six-plex theater. ``What's exciting is that different property owners are taking it upon themselves to invest in refurbishment and renovation,'' said Kerry Morrison, executive director of the Hollywood Entertainment District, a business improvement organization. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Workers remove a neon sign at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The signs are being removed as part of a plan to restore the famous facade to its original 1927 appearance. (2 -- color) A worker takes some of the neon tubing from a dragon in front of the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. David Sprague/Staff Photographer |
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