Dog is Member of Fire Department -- January 27, 2024

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 29-January-1924

Fireman Jiggs is ready for his shift with the Hollywood Fire Department. 

Grauman's Chinese #24 -- March 18, 2013

In July, 2012 we paid a return visit to Hollywood and Grauman's Chinese Theater.  Sid Grauman was a San Francisco showman who came to Los Angeles and built three major houses, the Million Dollar, the Egyptian, and the Chinese. The theater has hosted many film premieres, but is most famous for the hand and footprints (and hoofprints and nose prints and other types of prints) in the forecourt.

Actor Monty Wooley left his hand and  beard prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 28-Mayh-1943. I love The Man Who Came to Dinner. 

Grauman's Chinese #23 -- February 20, 2013

In July, 2012 we paid a return visit to Hollywood and Grauman's Chinese Theater.  Sid Grauman was a San Francisco showman who came to Los Angeles and built three major houses, the Million Dollar, the Egyptian, and the Chinese. The theater has hosted many film premieres, but is most famous for the hand and footprints (and hoofprints and nose prints and other types of prints) in the forecourt.

Musical star Alice Faye left her hand and footprints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 20-March-1938 (I think).  She was 20th Century-Fox's big musical star till Betty Grable replaced her.  Alice Faye went on to marry Phil Harris and star with him in a successful radio show.

I have always loved her version of "You'll Never Know." 

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel -- July 24, 2012

On our trip to Southern California, we drove down I-5 and stopped at the Hollywood and Highland mall in Los Angeles.We had lunch with family at the Hard Rock Cafe then visited Grauman's Chinese and walked around.  I took this photo of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which hosted the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929. 

Grauman's Chinese #16 -- November 19, 2010

Grauman's Chinese Theater opened in 1927. Sid Grauman was a San Francisco showman who came to Los Angeles and built three major houses, the Million Dollar, the Egyptian, and the Chinese. The theater has hosted many film premieres, but is most famous for the hand and footprints (and hoofprints and nose prints and other types of prints) in the forecourt. The first 15 entries in this series showed some of them:

http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Grauman's%20Chinese

I'm sad to say this is the last entry in the series, at least until our next visit to Hollywood. I took this photo on 18-July-2009.

It started to rain today.

Grauman's Chinese #15 -- October 17, 2010

Movie mogul Adolph Zukor left his hand and foot prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 05-January-1953. Zukor was one of the founders of the Famous Players Film Company ("Famous Players in Famous Plays") in 1912. Famous Players eventually evolved into Paramount. Zukor was still chairman emeritus when he died in 1976 at 103. DSCN4153.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

It rained in morning and early afternoon.

We had dinner at Tommy's on Geary Street, across from Saint Monica's. Most of the family was there and it was good to see them. They are nice people.

The Phillies beat the Giants 6-1. I'm sad.

Grauman's Chinese #14 -- September 18, 2010

Beloved performer Jimmy Durante left hand and schnozzola prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 31-October-1945. Jimmy began his show business career as an excellent ragtime pianist. He was a member of an early New York jazz band, the Original New Orleans Jazz Band. He went on to star in vaudeville as a singer and a comedian. Over the years, he starred in radio, movies, and television. He was famous for many catch phrases including "Ha-cha-cha-chaaaaaaa," "Dat's my boy dat said dat," "Everybody wants ta get inta the act," and "Umbriago!" DSCN4150. I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #13 -- August 18, 2010

Widely loved singing cowboy Roy Rogers, the King of the Cowboys, left his hand, foot, and revolver prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 21-April-1949. His trusty steed Trigger left his hoofprints. Roy's wife Dale Evans wrote his theme song, "Happy Trails." DSCN4149.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #12 -- July 19, 2010

Comedy team Bud Abbott and Lou Costello left hand and foot prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 08-December-1941, the day after Pearl Harbor. My daughter and I have done "Who's on First" together since she was very young. DSCN4148. I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #11 -- June 18, 2010

Joan Blondell, widely loved Warner Brothers star, left her hand and high-heeled shoe prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 10-February-1937. Her upstairs neighbor is Hearst gossip columnist Louella O(ettinger) Parsons. DSCN4147. I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #10 -- May 19, 2010

Jack Benny, star of stage, screen, and radio, left his footprints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 13-January-1941. "My heart belongs to Mary (his wife, Mary Livingstone) but my feet belong to Grauman." I love his radio show. DSCN4146. I took this on 18-July-2009.

It was muggy all day and it started raining lightly at lunch time.

Grauman's Chinese #9 -- April 19, 2010

The Four Marx Brothers were working for Paramount when they left their hand and footprints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 17-February-1933. The photo is a little hard to make out, but starting in the upper left corner and going clockwise, we see Groucho's footprints, then Harpo's (he appears to have been barefoot), then Chico's, then Zeppo's. Youngest brother Zeppo left the act after their next movie, Duck Soup. DSCN4143.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #8 -- March 23, 2010

John Barrymore was a member of a famous American acting family. He was the leading man in countless movies and stage shows. He always had what the Irish call a weakness.

He left hand, foot, and profile prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 05-September-1940. DSCN4142. I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #7 -- February 20, 2010

Raoul Walsh started out as an actor who also directed. He played John Wilkes Booth in DW Griffith's Birth of the Nation and the Marine in his own Sadie Thompson, opposite Gloria Swanson. After an auto accident in which a rabbit hit his windshield, he lost an eye and gave up acting. He went on to direct many talkies, including The Roaring Twenties, High Sierra, and White Heat.

He left hand, foot, and eye patch prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 14-November-1930. DSCN4141. I took this on 18-July-2009.

Hollywood Walk of Fame -- February 8, 2010

Today the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce started celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I took this photo of Harold Lloyd's star, which is rather well-worn, on 18-July-2009.

Today I had a vacation day. I took my daughter to Half Moon Bay for lunch. After we visited Bay Books and picked up a few volumes, she waited patiently while I looked for firehouses and Ocean Shore Railroad stations to take photos. Granada Station was hard to find. She was amused that Kelly Street Station in Half Moon Bay was being used for a Jazzercise class. I'm grateful that my family puts up with my interests.

I have mixed feelings about the tunnel to replace Devil's Slide. I'll miss the view.

Grauman's Chinese #6 -- January 19, 2010

Singing cowboy Gene Autry and his horse Champion left hand, foot, and hoof prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 23-December-1949. DSCN4140.

Gene Autry was a hillbilly music recording artist, a pioneering singing cowboy, a WWII veteran, a radio and television performer, and owner of the California Angels for many years.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

During the night, there were strong winds and lots of rain. I drove slowly to the BART station. The skies cleared around noon, so I took a walk around the block. Later in the afternoon, we had lightning and thunder with heavy rain. When I left, it was sunny. BART was delayed. It was raining when I got to Colma station.

Grauman's Chinese #5 -- December 19, 2009

Marion Davies left her hand and footprints and a nice compliment to Sid Grauman in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 13-May-1929. DSCN4139.

Her movies were hard to find for a long time, and people got her mixed up with the character Susan Alexander in Citizen Kane. Actually, Davies was a talented actress. I have enjoyed all the movies in which I have seen her.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #4 -- November 23, 2009

Harold Lloyd left his hand and footprints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 21-November-1927. I don't know what the occasion could have been -- this was between the release dates of The Kid Brother and Speedy. DSCN4138.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #3 -- October 24, 2009

Some accounts say that Norma Talmadge started the tradition of leaving hand and footprints in the forecourt of Sid Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood when she accidentally stepped in wet cement. Her current set of footprints are dated 18-May-1927, while those of Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks, a partner in the theater, are dated April, 1927. DSCN4151.

Norma Talmadge was a popular actress who is not well remembered today. She was mean to her brother-in-law, Buster Keaton.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

Grauman's Chinese #2 -- September 21, 2009

Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks were the first people to leave hand and footprints in the forecourt of Sid Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, on 30-April-1927. No one was paying attention to Miss Pickford, but some people were looking at Doug, perhaps thinking about Hedley LaMarr's last words in Blazing Saddles. DSCN4144.

I took this on 18-July-2009.