Looking west along Hollywood Blvd past Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to the Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, February 1954This photo looking west along Hollywood Blvd was taken from the corner of a street that no longer exists. Orchid Ave used to run from north of Franklin to Hollywood Blvd where it formed the eastern side of the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre parking lot, which we can see at the forefront. I assume the “20” we can see in the sign refers to a 20-cents-an-hour parking fee. 20th Century-Fox’s “Kings of the Khyber Pass” starring Tyrone Power played Grauman’s the whole month of February 1954, but I wonder who was playing at the marvelous Cinegrill cabaret room at the Roosevelt Hotel.

This is what that stretch of Hollywood Blvd looks like now. Orchid disappeared when the Hollywood and Highland development (which includes the Dolby Theatre where the Oscars are held) came along. This image is from December 2020.