San Francisco Rental Car and the Egyptian Theater
The Egyptian Theater is located in Hollywood, making it a good stop when in Los Angeles with your San Francisco rental car. It has recently undergone a $15 million renovation, helping it contribute to the revitalization of the City of Hollywood. Today, the Egyptian Theater is the home of the American Cinematheque.
Walk like an Egyptian: History and development
The Egyptian Theater was developed in 1922 by Charles Toberman and Sid Grauman. Toberman was one of the most important real estate developers in Hollywood. His idea was to bring a first-class motion picture theater to the area like those found downtown Los Angeles. Toberman was responsible for building El Capitan, Grauman's Chinese Theater, and the Roosevelt Hotel. All of these buildings were built in 1926 and are still standing today if you would like to visit them with your San Francisco rental car. Keep in mind that this theater was built five years before the famous Chinese Theater was built. Sid Grauman was largely responsible for helping to move the entertainment center from downtown Los Angeles to Hollywood Boulevard.
Part of the intrigue behind the Egyptian Theater is that Tutankhamen's tomb was found in 1922, causing an Egyptian craze to sweep across the United States. The first film to open here was Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks. It opened on October 18, 1922. The film reportedly cost over one million dollars, and tickets were $5.00 for the premier, with admission to other shows at $0.75 - $1.50. This movie was not shown in any other Los Angeles theater that year.
The theater fell into disrepair over the years, but as you will see when you visit Hollywood Boulevard with your San Francisco rental car, the area has been undergoing a renovation in recent years. Other locations that have also undergone this revitalization (and make good stops with your San Francisco rental car) include El Capitan, the Roosevelt Hotel, and the Hollywood Entertainment Museum.
What you can expect
When you visit the Egyptian Theater during the day with your San Francisco rental car, you can see the film "Forever Hollywood". This hour-long documentary on the history of Hollywood features some of Hollywood's biggest stars such as Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, and Kevin Spacey talking about what inspired their love for Hollywood and the movies. During the day there are also guided tours of the Theater available.
At night, Cinematheque features films on screen, including documentaries, independent films, classic films, and premiers in the 650-seat auditorium. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a film on a stage that was first built for the silent films and still used today.
Visiting the Egyptian Theater with your San Francisco rental car is a unique experience and makes your visit to Hollywood more complete. Along with some of Hollywood's other historic landmarks, the Egyptian Theater takes its place in the early history of this unique town.
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