Hollywood Travel Pictures

Illustrated Travel Guide to Hollywood. Part 3

El Capitan and Egyptian

Right across the street from Hollywood and Highland center is El Capitan Theatre. It was built in 1926 and now is operated by The Walt Disney Company and hosts Walt Disney Picture’s movie premiers. Below the theater is a small exhibit space, often used to display props from the films, such as costumes or set pieces.
Next door is the adjacent Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store, where patrons can purchase ice cream themed to the film currently playing in the cinema next door. A wide variety of Disney and movie merchandise is available there.

A couple of blocks east another landmark historical movie theater is located - Grauman's Egyptian Theatre. It is the oldest among all Holywood Blvd theaters as it was opened in 1922 and was a host to venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere. The film was Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks. The theater architecture is in the Egyptian Revival style. It is probable that this was due to public fascination with the multiple expeditions searching for the tomb of Tutankhamun by archaeologist Howard Carter over the preceding years. The exterior and interior walls contain Egyptian-style paintings and hieroglyphics. The theatre's main entrance is marked with the four massive columns. Theater also has large courtyard in the front, complete with a fountain and queen palm trees. This is actually the "entrance hall" (the theatre doors used to open directly into the auditorium) and was specifically designed to host the theatre's famous red carpet ceremonies. Now this historic movie theater is operated by American Cinematheque, an independent, non-profit cultural organization dedicated to movies.

Hollywood Travel Pictures

Illustrated travel guide to Hollywood. Part 2

Hollywood Walk of Fame

Walk of Fame begins at intersection of La Brea Avenue and Hollywood blvd. It is marked with sliver gazebo topped with a vertical sign that read “Hollywood” supported by statues of four actresses in evening gowns. They are Mae West, Dolores Del Rio, Dorothy Dandridge and Anna May Wong.

As you walk east along the boulevard you will see historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel which hosted the presentation of the 1st Academy Awards in 1929 at its small ballroom. Later ceremonies were much larger than this banquet for 250, so there was never an attempt to host the awards at the hotel a second time.

Further down the boulevard a probably main Hollywood tourist attraction is located: Grauman's Chinese Theatre (also known as Mann's Chinese Theatre). Theatre is one of the oldest movie theaters in Hollywood and was opened May 18, 1927. In its early years it used to host Academy Awards ceremonies. Nowadays it hosts major movie premieres, so if you plan to visit the area check with entertainment news, during the premiere the area is usually closed for regular people and is reserved for celebrities and movie stars. Chinese Theatre is also famous for its courtyard paved with the concrete blocks, which display the signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the present day.

The sidewalk in front of Chinese Theatre is always crowded with tourists. A costumed Hollywood characters a lined up along the sidewalk and available for photo opportunities. Usually you need to tip them and they can be quite annoying at busy times.

Next to Chinese Theatre are Kodak Theatre and Hollywood and Highland hotel, shopping and entertainment center. Since its opening on November 9, 2001, the theatre has been the home of the annual Academy Awards Ceremonies (The Oscars), which were first held there in March 2002, and is the first permanent home for the awards.