Egyptian Theater

The Egyptian Theater is one of the most iconic historical buildings in Hollywood. Sid Grauman looking to draw moviegoers from the theater district in down town Los Angeles, built the first major movie theater on Hollywood Blvd. in 1922.

The Egyptian Theater was constructed for a cost of $800,00 dollars and feature an ancient Egyptian decor influenced by the recent discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1920.

Hieroglyphic murals fill walls along the courtyard and massive columns mark the entry. During the theater's golden age, the forecourt held various animals in cages and staff in Egyptian costumes showed movie goers to their seats.

The Egyptian opened in October of 1922, with Hollywood's first movie premiere for "Robin Hood" staring Douglas Fairbanks. This is where Hollywood as we know it began. With the first star studded movie premiere ever staged.

Sid Grauman invented the movie premiere. Bringing in photographers and search lights, lining the first red carpet with movie fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite Movie Star. The lavish event set the standard of Movie premiere one hundred years ago.

The Egyptian was the first movie theater wired for sound in 1926, adding innovative new technology with pre recorded sound tracks with music and sound effects.

In the 1950's Hollywood introduced wide screen cinema and the Egyptian was equipped with special wide screen projectors and screens to pull audiences away from their new television sets.

Long a favorite of Hollywood, the Egyptian hosted an amazing number of movie premiers from the 1920s to the 1960s featuring some of the biggest movies in motion picture history.

But after years of decline and damage from an earthquake the theater closed its doors and was left empty and abandoned. Threatened with demolition, the Egyptian was restored to its original grander after a $15 million renovation.

Today, the theater hosts new movie premieres and a mix of foreign films, Indies and film festivals in all formats. A hundred years after its first opening, the Egyptian has been returned to its golden age splendor as a culture landmark helping in the rebirth of Hollywood itself.