Mann's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Arnold Schwarzenegger Forecourt ceremony, Thursday, July 14, 1994. The Chinese Theatre Forecourt ceremony has become one of the world's most famous honors for motion picture figures. Fans and the press crowd around to watch the imprinting.
The Chinese Theatre is famed around the world for its “Forecourt of the Stars.” This collection of film celebrity imprints, begun by Sid Grauman and continued by the present owners, is one of the major tourist attractions in the Los Angeles area. No matter who you are, there is someone in the Forecourt who means a little something to you. It is an amazing adjunct to film history.
Right now, there are 321 individuals placed in the Forecourt. There are:
Most People to be imprinted at once: Seven, for the cast of Star Trek.
Honoree with the smallest block:Jerry Maren; 24 x 24 inches or 4 square feet.
Honoree with the largest block:Greer Garson; 70 x 93 inches or 45 square feet.
Who started the idea?
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Douglas Fairbanks / Mary Pickford Forecourt ceremony,Saturday, April 30, 1927. Two unidentified men watch as Frairbanks is imprinted by cement artist Jean Klossner. Mary Pickford holds Fairbanks steady.
Sid Grauman, like all good showpeople, enjoyed creating a sense of mystery about himself and his theatre. When asked about how he got the idea to make these impressions of film folk, he told different versions of the story to different people. They all revolve around someone stepping into wet cement; only the person changed. There are at least five different versions:
1. Norma Talmadge did it. According to the souvenir booklets published since the 1960s, it was while on a tour of the as-yet unfinished theatre, that Grauman, along with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, saw Talmadge getting out of a car and stepping into wet cement, giving Grauman the idea. Grauman told this story many times, which is why we are listing it first.
2. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford did it. Author Gary Carey in his 1977 biography Doug and Mary tells of how, after the purchase of “Rancho Zorro” near San Diego in 1926, Doug and Mary had put their handprints in an irrigation dam they had built on the property. Carey suggests that Grauman, preparing his Chinese Theatre, “needed a gimmick;” Doug and Mary told him about their handprints on the dam and voila!
3. Sid Grauman did it. In A Temple to Art, the souvenir book sold at the theatre throughout the 1940s, Sid Grauman did the stepping into wet concrete, developing the idea until the opening of the theatre.
4. Somebody’s cat did it. We recall a story about how someone’s cat ran up the wet concrete stairs on the west side of the Forecourt leading up to Grauman’s office, and it was this cat who gave Grauman the idea.
5. Jean Klossner did it. Klossner, a mason working on the theatre, was leaving his handprint in the traditional way for a mason to sign their work. Upon seeing this, Grauman asked Klossner to develop a cement mixture which would be smooth enough for imprints and signatures, which would also dry hard enough to endure more than 100 years of foot traffic. Klossner would go on to make all the cement blocks in the Forecourt from the theatre's opening in 1927 until his retirement in 1953.
Charles Chaplin cement inscription dated April 21, 1918. Originally located at the Chaplin Studio in Hollywood, California. Removed circa 1960. On permanent display at the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy, Vincennes, Indiana. Photo courtesy of Mark Kratzner, curator of the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy.
6. Charles Chaplin did it. Sometime after opening his own studio in Hollywood, Charles Chaplin signed his name in a hunk of cement which was part of some stairs leading to the main entrance to the studio and dated it, April 21, 1918. Chaplin and Grauman had known each other for years and years, so Grauman must have seen this cement autograph, and this, combined with observing Klossner's handprint, got Grauman to thinking. Chaplin's block remained at the Chaplin Studio until the early 1960s; when the lot was purchased by comedian Red Skelton, he removed the block, displaying it at his home in Palm Springs. Upon his death in 1997, Skelton's widow, Lothian Skelton, donated it and other blocks Red Skelton executed, to the University of Vincennes in Skelton's hometown of Vincennes, Indiana, where they remain on display to this day in the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy. After Jim Henson Productions moved into the Chaplin Studio in 2000, a casting was made from the original block so that a replica could be created and installed where the original had been.
Grauman’s previous theatre, the Egyptian, had a long forecourt leading from the street to the theatre entrance. The Chinese was designed to have a wide area for people to use during intermissions. The original blueprints for the theatre say that the Forecourt should be surfaced with “stained (colored) cement paving, irregular marking.” Photos of the Forecourt from the very earliest days show that this idea was carried out; when a new block was needed, a section could be cut out and filled in with cement for imprinting. We feel that the theatre and its Forecourt was designed with this purpose in mind from the beginning. Part of what makes the oldest blocks interesting is the fact that they are all different shapes, sizes and colorings. As a display of a “collection” of things, it is unparalleled.
Jean Klossner
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Jean Klossner, Saturday, August 14, 1943. Klossner is shown smoothing out the imprints made the day before by Gary Cooper. Photo via Valleygirl.
Jean Klossner (1875-1965) was born in France, where his family had been masons for generations. Arriving in Los Angeles in time for the 1920s building boom, he is credited with working on LA landmarks like the Egyptian Theatre (where Grauman might have seen Klossner’s handprinting), the Hollywood Masonic Lodge and the First National Bank. But the cement Klossner used for the Chinese Forecourt was no ordinary cement. He formulated a recipe for the cement which he kept written in code, in a safe. It has been claimed that it took three days to prepare. In the early photos, Klossner is usually seen holding on to someone’s leg while impressing a shoe into the cement.
He rarely looks at the cameras, and is dressed in work clothes — boots, sun hat, shirt with a tie. By the mid 1930s, Klossner had abandoned his working outfit for a velvet artist smock and baret, but he got so razzed about it, that by the late 30s, he was back in working clothes (with baret). All of the Klossner blocks were done in situ — in place — except for three.
It might seem odd now, but a frustration of Grauman’s was that there was no way to monetize the footprints. Grauman directed that the ceremony for Jean Harlow in September 1933 should be done onstage in the theatre — before a paying audience. The block was imprinted in what looks like a very happy occasion, but somehow, after Harlow left and the cement hadn’t hardened, the block was damaged beyond repair (probably by the crew accidentally dropping it). Only three days after the stage ceremony, Grauman asked Harlow to come back and do a conventional in situ ceremony. The block is still there today.
Grauman and Klossner had better luck with imprinting musical stars Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald in December, 1934. The blocks were done ex situ onstage and successfully transferred to the Forecourt. One would think this might continue, but the very next subject, Shirley Temple, was done in situ in the Forecourt in March 1935, before the largest crowd of onlookers ever.
Grauman and Klossner had a rocky relationship due to several things, but primarily over the issue of Klossner’s fee. During one such falling out, Grauman decided to proceed with a Forecourt ceremony for the Dionne Quintuplets, who were imprinted in abstentia by their movie doctor, Jean Hersholt. Another cement contractor was called in to do the work in October 1938, but the block began to crack almost immediately. It was replaced by Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour’s blocks in February 1943 with Klossner on hand. Jean Hersholt was given his own ceremony in October 1949, Klossner presiding.
Hammering out the old cement.
Smoothing the hole.
Laying down the rebar.
An usher helps unload the cement.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Photos of Jean Klossner working on the Forecourt block for Don Ameche, January, 1938, appearing in the May 1938 issue of Screen Guide.
Klossner’s technique was fancifully detailed in the May 1938 issue of Screen Guide, where he is shown working on the block for Don Ameche in January 1938. If you ever decide to make your own hand and footprints, hear Mr. Klossner’s advice on the matter: “Each finger must be pressed into the cement with the same pressure and then the wrist. The foot must be rolled around so the edges of the shoe make an impression.” Jack Benny was nice enough to help mix the cement for his block in January 1941. Klossner made it a habit to collect a $1 dollar bill from each of his subjects and had them autograph them. We do not know where these are today.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Don Ameche Forecourt ceremony, Thursday, January 27, 1938. Jean Klossner impress the hand of Don Ameche in the wet cement.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Jack Benny Forecourt ceremony, Monday, January 13, 1941. Benny lends a hand mixing Klossner's secret formula.
DeMille Turns Tables on Grauman
When Sid Grauman decided to finally imprint the director Cecil B. DeMille in August 1941, the man was in the middle of filming Reap the Wild Wind at Paramount studios, and was "too busy" to take the time for a full Forecort ceremony. So Grauman and Klossner took a block of wet cement to DeMille. The block was installed in the Forecourt later.
Paramount Pictures, Hollywood, California. Cecil B. DeMille imprint ceremony, Thursday, August 7, 1941. Sid Grauman observes as Cecil B. DeMille signs his autograph whil Martha O'Driscoll and Susan Hayward look on.
Paramount Pictures, Hollywood, California. Sid Grauman imprint ceremony, Wednesday, October 20, 1943. Cecil B. DeMille observes as Sid Grauman places his hand in the cement while Laraine Day and Gary Cooper look on.
Sharpening his largest needle, DeMille had Grauman come to the studio on some false pretext, only to show Grauman the way to a wet cement block of his own. With Gary Cooper and DeMille on hand, Grauman made his mark: DeMille had had his friendly revenge.
No one knows where the block is today.
Sid Grauman was the sole arbiter of who was given a Forecourt ceremony and who was not. His last selection was that of John Wayne who was imprinted in January 1950. After Grauman’s death in March 1950, Fox West Coast Theatres management selected the honorees. The last ceremony Klossner did before retiring was for Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe in June 1953. That's 26 years and 119 ceremonies for Klossner.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. John Wayne Forecourt ceremony, Wednesday, January, 5, 1950. Standing, left to right: Major Gordon West, USMC, Lieutenant Colonel C. A. Youngdale, USMC, and Colonel J. O. Brauer, USMC. Front Row, left to right: Private Inga Boberg, USMC, John Wayne, and Sid Grauman.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe Forecourt ceremony, Friday, June 26, 1953. An enourmous crowd witnessed this event, taking thousands of pictures. This one is pretty good. . .
John Tartaglia
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. John Tartaglia, Friday, June 3, 1964. Tartaglia is shown smoothing out the imprints made that day by Peter Sellars.
After Klossner’s retirement, a major remodeling of the Chinese was undertaken for the premiere of the first CinemaScope picture, The Robe. The construction manager overseeing the renovations was a Fox West Coast Theatres man named J. Walter Bantau, who was asked if there was a man who could carry on with the footprinting masonry work. Bantau suggested his assistant, John Tartaglia.
Tartaglia had been doing construction on decorative work for Fox West Coast Theatres, whose president at the time was Charles Skouras. The Skouras brothers, Charles, Spyros and George were at the time involved in the building of the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Normandie Avenue near Pico. John Tartaglia also worked on this elaborate project.
Tartaglia willingly agreed to do the work for the Chinese Theatre Forecourt, developing his own cement formula. Since he was employed by FWCT, Tartaglia considered doing the footprints a part of his job, never asking for extra pay for doing them. At first, there was the feeling that Klossner might return, but Targatlia did all the ceremonies starting with Jean Simmons in September 1953 up to Eddie Murphy in May 1987, surviving the change of ownership of the Chinese from Fox West Coast Theatres, to the National General Corporation, to Mann Theatres.
Tartaglia's last ceremony done as a Mann Theatres employee was the re-do of Mickey Rooney's block in February 1986; he then retired. When asked to do the honors for Eddie Murphy in May 1987, Tartaglia agreed and presented Mann publicity vice president William "Bill" Hertz with a bill for his services. According to Tartaglia family lore, Hertz flipped out over being billed, reluctantly paid it, and never called on Tartaglia again. That's 34 years and 64 ceremonies for Tartaglia.
Ex situ imprinting
Beginning with Tom Cruise in June 1993, a new way of doing the blocks was implimented. The cement was placed inside of a metal tray, which was then sunk into a large platform which covered the front of the Forecourt on the west side. This allowed much more room for photographers and the public, who sat in bleachers across the street, to actually see what was going on.
Mann's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Richard Gere Forecourt ceremony, Monday, July 26, 1999. Gere hits a pose for the bank of press photographers, making the Chinese Theatre Forecourt selection among the most visible PR event around the world.
Mann's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Richard Gere Forecourt block. Executed by unknown, Monday, July 26, 1999. 48 x 42 inches.
All of the blocks done in this manner — from Tom Cruise to Morgan Freeman — are large blocks, pretty much the same size of 4 by 3 feet. The top edges of the trays are visible, as are the lifting holes in the corners, which helped to move them into position when installing them in the Forecourt.
After the 2001 remodeling of the theatre, the block imprinting was done on platforms before the front entrance, since the metal canopy had been removed. This approach has been carried on to the present day.
As the Chinese imprints more and more celebrities each year, it has become obvious that the Forecourt will run out of room for new blocks. To counteract this, beginning with the Korean actors Ahn Sung-ki and Lee Byung-hun in June 2012, the blocks are now a uniform size of 2 feet by 3 feet.
After Tartaglia? Mystery Masons
Mystery Mason #1 (left),
Harrison Ford and
Mystery Mason #2 (standing left)
Mann's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Harrison Ford Forecourt ceremony, Thursday, June 4, 1992.
After John Tartaglia's departure, who has been the master mason at the Forecourt ceremonies? It is murky. There have been three gentlemen who are depicted in ceremony photos since 1989, but they are anonymous as can be. Help us discover who these unsung heroes are. Ready? Here goes:
MYSTERY MASON # 1, is a fellow with a receeding hairline (we think it is fair to identify him as such), wearing dark glasses with a mustache. He was master mason beginning with Star Trek in December 1991, but his tenure as master mason did not last long. The last ceremony he is depicted in was for Tom Cruise in June 1992 (he may have been responsible for developing the ex situ imprinting technique). His assistant at the Harrison Ford ceremony in June 1992 is:
MYSTERY MASON #2. This man has done the Forecourt ceremonies for some time. He appears to be the master mason beginning with Arnold Schwarzenegger in July 1994.
Mystery Mason #2 had an assistant, who makes his first appearance at the Anthony Hopkins ceremony in January 2001. Let's call him Mystery Mason's #2's Assistant. He makes his last appearance at the ceremony for Will Smith in December 2007. Mystery Mason #2's last appearance is at the Robert Duvall ceremony in January 2011. That's 12 years for Mystey Mason #2.
MYSTERY MASON #3 begins appearing in the photos starting with the ceremony for Christopher Walken in October 2004. He is shown working with Msyetry Mason #2 and Mystery Mason #2's Assistant. Mystery Mason #3 drops from the ceremony photos sometime in 2014, but he might still be doing the job. If so, that's 16 years for Mystery Mason #3.
Left to right: Mystery Mason #3, Mystery Mason #2,
Christopher Walken and Mystery Mason #2's Assistant
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Christopher Walken Forecourt ceremony, Friday, October 8, 2004.
Selection and Removal of Blocks
During Sid Grauman’s tenure, he did all of the selecting himself. Today, it is done, according to the latest history book put out by the theatre, by a “Select Committee.” Before the actual ceremony, honorees are given a practice run with signing their names in a smaller wet cement sample. Some of these samples have been retained by the theatre and hung in the lobby areas of the Chinese 6-Plex next door.
A persistant question has been: "Have blocks been removed over the years?" The answer is yes, it has happened. As noted above, the block for the Dionne Quintuplets began to crack dangerously after it was done in October 1938, and was replaced with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour's blocks in February 1943.
A ceremony and block was done for the actor Edmund Purdom, star of The Egyptian, in August 1954. Purdom, a relative newcomer, had been forced to make his footprints to promote the picture by 20th Century-Fox president Darryl F. Zanuck, but the actor always regretted it. The block was replaced by the block of Yul Brynner, done ex situ at the Fox Studio along with Deborah Kerr in March 1956.
Many people ask about Charles Chaplin. Rumors have circulated for years that the actors' block had been removed during the Hollywood Blacklist Era. Checking in with the Chaplin Estate, one comes to the conclusion that there never was a Chaplin block or ceremony. The Chaplin Estate has no record of such an event. No photos, no press clippings — nada. Although Grauman and Chaplin were great friends, and while it does seem odd that Chaplin was not given a Forecourt ceremony, the facts so far indicate that no ceremony ever took place, and hence, no removal. If anyone has any documentation on a Chaplin block or ceremony — we would love to see it!
"Unofficial" Ceremonies
TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, Hollywood, California. The Big Bang Theory Non-official Forecourt ceremony, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. From left to right: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyal, Mayim Bailik and Melissa Rauch.
Many times
visitors are disappointed by not finding the blocks for Britney Spears or the cast of The Big Bang Theory. This is because they were done in what are called "Unofficial" ceremonies. They look exactly like the "Official" ones, with the same global media coverage, except that the resulting blocks are not installed in the Forecourt. These events are promotional events and have happened a number of times:
Additionally, TCL Chinese Theatre management has held a number of promotional ceremonies eslewhere. Ceremonies have taken place in the Chinese Theatre Sixplex for music figures David Guetta on December 3, 2011, and Afrojack on October 4, 2013. The TCL Chinese Theatre has licensed its name and footprinting idea to their sister theatre TheatreBox in San Diego, where Pitbull's block done in the Forecourt in Hollywood was installed on December 15, 2018. Forecourt Honorees Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes did additional imprints in San Diego on July 19, 2019. William Shatner was imprinted on July 21, 2022.
