Egyptian Theatre

Hollywood Boulevard

6712 Hollywood Blvd.

• Cost: Admission fee
• Reservations: Not required
• How Long: Depends on length of the film
• Best Time to Visit: Any time, but the film schedule is erratic.

< Film industry pioneer Sid Grauman staged the first-ever Hollywood premiere (Cecille B. DeMille's Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks) at the Egyptian Theater, which opened in 1922. A few years later, Grauman also built Mann's Chinese Theatre (then called Grauman's Chinese). Together, his movie palaces drew film-going audiences away from downtown Los Angeles. Miraculously, both of the grand movie theatres have survived, although the Egyptian Theatre's survival was in question for many years before an extensive renovation in the late 1990s.

The Egyptian Theatre regularly screens a 55-minute film called Forever Hollywood, specially produced by them to celebrate Hollywood history. Check their website for dates and times. American Cinematheque offers frequent themed mini-film festivals, screening classic films as well as modern independent productions at the Egyptian Theatre.

If you don't have time for a full-length film, they also offer 60-minute-long public tours and post a calendar on their website.

Egyptian Theatre Review

The Egyptian Theater boasts over 600 seats (many fewer than its original 1,760) in its main auditorium, with a restored 1922 theatre organ. Its Egyptian theme starts with the forecourt's massive Egyptian-style columns and continues inside.

Watching a film in this grand old movie house is a rare treat for a cinemaphile, and well worth planning the rest of your visit to be sure one is playing when you are there.

Getting to the Egyptian Theatre

6712 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA
323-466-3456
Egyptian Theatre website

You can park down the street at Hollywood and Highland for $2 for four hours, but you must take your Egyptian Theatre ticket stub to the Customer Service center to exchange it for validation, or ask the theatre to give you a Hollywood and Highland validation.