Morris Day pulled up in a yellow Cadillac. Apollonia sashayed out of a silver Rolls-Royce. And Prince arrived in a purple limousine — of course it was purple — as 5,000 fans screamed outside Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
Clutching a long-stemmed purple flower for the world premiere of “Purple Rain,” the Minneapolis rocker — in a bespoke purple lamé trench coat, surrounded by bodyguards — marched straight into the famous movie palace on July 26, 1984, without a word. No acknowledgment or even eye contact with the fans. He ignored an MTV VJ conducting live interviews on the red carpet. Prince didn’t even look up at the 30-foot canvas painting of him hanging on the front of the theater.
But the paparazzi weren’t disappointed at the guest list: Eddie Murphy, Morgan Fairchild, Christopher Reeve, Lionel Richie, Little Richard, Pee-wee Herman, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Kiss, Talking Heads, Heart, Donna Mills, Kevin Bacon, John Mellencamp, Rickie Lee Jones, LeVar Burton and 12-year-old “E.T.” actor Henry Thomas, among others.
“I can’t believe all the stars,” Prince’s mother, Mattie Baker, told me as she made her way down the 25-yard gauntlet where no one else recognized her.
“Purple Rain” director Al Magnoli looked confident while co-producer Bob Cavallo paced nervously outside the theater. There had been test screenings in Denver and San Diego, and Warner Bros. had ambitiously placed “Purple Rain,” the movie featuring a first-time star, in 900 theaters nationwide, 200 more than originally planned. But the filmmakers were apprehensive.
At Mann’s, seats were assigned, including for 500 fans who paid $10 each alerted by a tiny newspaper ad. The faithful screamed when Prince’s image spread across the screen. They swooned when he kissed Apollonia. And they went crazy during his performances.
Prince slipped out before the movie ended. He had a party to attend at the nearby Palace Theater.
Predictably, the Palace was a study in purple — searchlights, balloons, streamers, napkins, flowers in centerpieces and purple orchids handed to women as they entered.