Ironically, the Chinese was not initially booked to open Star Wars on May 25 because of a prior commitment to William Friedkin's Sorcerer. But because the film was tied up in delays, Owner Ted Mann agreed to show Star Wars at his Chinese Theatre until Sorcerer was ready to open.
After Star Wars grossed $19,358 on opening day (with an average ticket cost of $3.74) and $672,552 in its first month at the Chinese, Mann was hard-pressed to let the blockbuster engagement go due to his contractual obligation to Sorcerer. He decided to move Star Wars two blocks east to his Hollywood Theatre, posting signs for disappointed theatergoers to make the walk down to the less prestigious venue. It looked as though Star Wars' reign at the Chinese was over, ending a glorious 30-day run at Hollywood's premiere theater.
When Sorcerer began to perform less than expected a few weeks into its run, plans were made to bring Star Wars back to the Chinese. As if to tempt back good fortune, Star Wars again opened on a Wednesday morning, the first movie in the Chinese's 50-year history to make a return run.
On the morning of August 3, a crowd of 8,000 had gathered in front of the theater to witness the historic immortalization of three intergalactic icons placing their feet into wet cement, a long held tradition at the Chinese. Star Wars t-shirts and "May the Force Be With You" buttons were seen everywhere, with many in homemade costumes inspired by their favorite characters. John Williams' omnipresent soundtrack blared from loudspeakers while a disc jockey announced the arrival of three of Star Wars' most recognized denizens, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Darth Vader.
Star Wars Producer Gary Kurtz and Vice President of Publicity Charles Lippincott were on hand to help the three in and out of the cement, with Kurtz even penning the signature of the dexterously-challenged Artoo. Anthony Daniels returned shortly after sans costume to scribe his own name above that of his alter-ego, then moved into the confines of the lobby for prearranged press interviews. If the country had any question about the impact of Star Wars on pop-culture, they now found the answer written in quick-set stone.
