Olson Visual recently placed all of the signage for the new movie, Gangster Squad at the classic TCL’s Chinese Theatre. The premiere was held Friday, January 11, 2013 with all star cast in attendance including Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Nick Nolte, Emma Stone, and two-time Academy Award winner Sean Penn.
Olson Visual created the visual spectacular by installing light boxes and the movie posters. The printing was also done all in house in their Hawthorne offices. These amazing graphics added to the glitz and glamour of this momentous occasion.
This historical landmark of 1968 has become the icon of Hollywood history but recently it has changed over to new ownership. Once named after Sid Grauman, who was one of three partners to build this 2million dollar piece of property in 1922 (Grauman was also the person who claimed to have thought up the cement footprints), the naming rights have been given to an LCD company. After eighty-five years of being the most known theatre in the world in the birth place of the silver screen, Chinese TV mogul, Hao Yi, bought the Hollywood Boulevard establishment. It is now called the TCL Chinese Theatre.
This is also the second time the establishment has undergone a name change. Ted Mann had bought the theatre and named it “Mann’s Chinese Theater”. In 1973, he filed for bankruptcy and Warner and Viacom acquired it.
This cultural destination has had a long standing influence from China. In the beginning of its construction, the U.S. government imported pagodas, Heaven Dogs, and other embellishments from China. Also, Chinese artisans worked on it’s construction to insure its authenticity.
This transformation of owners is actually great news for an 85 year old building. It has needed much renovation and now it will be given the upgrades it needs to survive the next eighty-five years.