Grauman's Chinese Theatre opened in May 18, 1927, after a construction period of 18 months. The principal architect of the theater was Raymond M. Kennedy of the firm Meyer and Holler. Built to resemble a giant, red Chinese pagoda, the architecture features a huge Chinese dragon across the front, two stone lion-dogs guarding the main entrance, and the silhouettes of tiny dragons up and down the sides of the copper roof. Among the theater's most distinctive features are the concrete blocks set in the courtyard that bear the signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the present day. In 1968 Grauman's Chinese Theatre was declared a historic and cultural landmark; it continues to serve the public as a first-run movie theater. Exterior view of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where a premiere is taking place. A large banner to the right of the theater announces the film, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."
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