In this shot taken during the early days of Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre at 6708 Hollywood Blvd, there appears to be two locomotives on display in the forecourt. I suspect it was taken during the run of a 1925 John Ford movie, “The Iron Horse.” Back in October 2023, I posted a photo of the locomotive parked in the forecourt as a promotional stunt. But from this photo taken from across Hollywood Blvd, it looks like the promo included a second one, which is possible because the forecourt is quite large, but how they managed to park two locomotives into it is beyond me. In the background, we can see the Hotel Christie. When it opened a couple of years before this photo was taken, it was considered the height of luxury because it was the first hotel in Hollywood to feature a bathroom with every guest room!
Kevin W. says: “The one on the right looks like a dummy front end that has no boiler behind it.”
Mary M. says: “The trains were brought down the Boulevard on the streetcar track.”
This is how that view looked in August 2022. At the time, the Egyptian was still under restoration. Late in 2023, it reopened and looks marvelous. The building that once housed the Hotel Christie is now owned by the Church of Scientology.
I wonder if the building to the right is original building with all of that incredible stone work removed?
I don’t know for certain, but I think it is.
Great Photos! How terribly sad that so many beautiful buildings in Hollywood have been bought up by the Scientology group.
I do agree with the sentiment, but I also have to admit that some of the buildings they did buy are only still here because they did. What can you do?
Yes that’s the only saving grace. At least the Scientology people seem to be maintaining these Beautiful Hollywood Buildings. No telling what the inside of the Buildings are like. This group of people are so secretive about their going’s on inside their structures.
What exactly does the church do in all those rooms in that old hotel? I cannot imagine them needing all that space? When did the Pig & Whistle move into the space next to the theater?
Almost makes you think they went over to the Round House Cafe to get a short loan of their locomotive smokebox front and put a fake funnel on it.