I thought I’d end 2024 on a vibrant color shot of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. This one was taken during the run of Warner Bros’ “Giant.” The film had a huge premiere on October 17, 1956. (Go here and scroll down to see the jaw-dropping list of celebrities who attended.) In my view, the most interesting feature of this image is how prominently Edna Ferber’s name is displayed on the enormous marquee. She was a popular novelist at the time (she also wrote “Show Boat”) but the fact that her name takes up a fair chunk of marquee real estate indicates that she could help sell the movie almost as well as Rock, Liz, and James. “Giant” had the longest run for any movie playing at Grauman’s Chinese in 1956 – 10 weeks. Only “The King and I” came close with 9 weeks.
Color photo of “Giant” playing at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, circa late 1956
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Thanks, Martin. Outstanding movie, and may have inspired tv’s DALLAS. James Dean was nominated for an Oscar, and probably didn’t win because Hollywood thought he had a long career ahead of him, right? Always politics at play. When Sid Grauman opened the theatre in 1927, KING OF KINGS, the premier movie at the time, may have beat out GIANT in terms of shear popularity. A couple of doors down at 7021 Hollywood Blvd is the site of the old Garden Court Apartments. Built years before Graumans Theatre, home to many stars. Torn down in the 80s, known as “Hotel Hell,” because it was in shambles. What happens when owners change hands in Hollywood, some just buying up real estate for an investment. The notorious name inspired several horror flicks!
Quite a list, and it naturally has the man who turns up everywhere, including “Matinee” years on…that’s a hint. Can you guess who? The Shamrock Hotel in Texas reportedly influenced Ferber’s big gathering scene of oil and land money. Some serious bucks were blown the green gargantua. But it was poorly located when built and later became a Hilton property. Gone with the golden geese.