Norma Talmadge and the Footprints at Grauman's Chinese Theater
Did you know that the famous footprint ceremonies at Grauman's Chinese Theater were accidenta l ly created by silent film star Norma Talmadge? Norma Talmadge (1894-1957) After his success with the Egyp tian Theatre, establis hed in 1922, s how man Sid Gra uman asked real estate developer Charles E. Toberman to secure a lease on a property at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard . Tober man su bsequen tly contacted the a rchiture firm Meyer & Holl er, respo nsible for the Egyptian, to desi gn a "p a lace type th e atre" of Chinese infl uence. Grauman financed and owner one-th ird interest in the theatre, while his part ners — Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Howard Schenck — owned the remain der. Under the guidance of principal architect Raymond M. Kennedy, the Chinese Theatre was built over a p eri od of 1 8 mo nths, star ting in Jan uary 1926. Many of the fitti ngs were im ported from China and Chinese artisan s w ere hired to create a number of sc ul ptures th...