Hollywood Sign

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The Hollywood sign as it appears today

The Hollywood Sign is a famous landmark in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, spelling out the name of the area in 50-foot^[1] (15.2 m) high white letters. It was created as an advertisement in 1923, but garnered increased notoriety after its initial purpose had been fulfilled. The sign is a frequent target of pranks and vandalism, and has undergone periodic restoration over the years. The sign is now a registered trademark and cannot be used without the permission of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which also manages the Walk of Fame.

1 History
2 Donors
3 Location
4 In popular culture
5 Alterations
6 Imitations
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

[edit] History

The original "Hollywoodland" sign in the 1920s

The sign originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND," and its purpose was to advertise a new housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. H.J. Whitley had already used a sign to advertise his development Whitley Heights, which was located between Highland Avenue and Vine. He suggested to his friend Harry Chandler, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, that a land syndicate he was involved in make a similar sign to advertise their land. Real estate developers Woodruff and Shoults called their development "Hollywoodland" and advertised it as a "superb environment without excessive cost on the Hollywood side of the hills."

The sign from the Hollywood Hills

They contracted the Crescent Sign Company to erect thirteen letters on the hillside, each facing south. The sign company owner, Thomas Fisk Goff (1890-1984) designed the sign. Each letter of the sign was 30 feet (9 m) wide and 50 feet (15 m) high, and was studded with light bulbs. The sign was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923. It was not intended to be permanent. Some sources say its expected life was to be about a year and a half. In September of 1932, actress Peg Entwistle committed suicide by jumping to her death from the letter "H."

Official maintenance of the sign ended in 1939 and it rapidly began to deteriorate.

According to the summer 2006 edition of "The Beachwood Voice," during the early 1940´s, Albert Kothe (the sign´s official caretaker) caused an accident that destroyed the letter "H," as seen in many historical pictures. This established a contrary notion to the story that the consonant was beaten down by the weather. On page 10, it was published that Kothe, on a drunk night, was driving his car up to the top of Mount Lee, when he lost control of the vehicle and stumbled off the cliff behind the "H." While Kothe had no injuries, the 1928 Ford Model A was destroyed, as was the "H."

In 1949, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce stepped in, offering to remove the last four letters and to repair the rest. Because the city dictated that all subsequent illumination would be at the cost of the Chamber, it opted not to replace the light bulbs. The 1949 effort gave it new life, but the wooden and sheet metal sign continued to deteriorate in the open air of the Hollywood Hills. Eventually a trailing "O" splintered and broke off, resembling a lowercase "u." The object was becoming somewhat of an eyesore.

In 1978, the Chamber set out to replace the intensely deteriorated sign with a more permanent structure. Nine donors, including actor Gene Autry, publisher Hugh Hefner, singer Andy Williams, and rock star Alice Cooper, gave $27,700 a piece to sponsor replacement letters made of Australian steel, guaranteed to last for many years. These new letters were each 45 feet (13.7 m) high and ranged from 31 to 39 feet (9.3 to 11.8 m) wide. The new version of the sign was unveiled on Hollywood's 75th anniversary, November 14, 1978, before a live television audience of 60 million people.

Refurbishment began again in November 2005, as workers stripped the letters back to their metal base and repainted them white. Also in 2005, parts of the 1923 sign were being auctioned on eBay, with a starting bid of $300,000.^[2]

[edit] Donors

The letters on the sign today are
five feet shorter than the original.

H - Joel Ruiz
O - Giovanni Mazza
L - Les Kelley
L - Gene Autry
Y - Hugh Hefner
W - Andy Williams
O - Warner Brothers Records
O - Alice Cooper, in memory of Groucho Marx
D - Dennis Lidtke

[edit] Location

View from West Hollywood, near Santa Monica Blvd. a few blocks south of Hollywood Blvd. The historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is visible on the left.

The sign is located on the southern side of Mount Lee in Griffith Park, north of the Mulholland Highway. A good viewpoint within 100 yards (90 m) of the sign can be reached by driving north up Gower Street from Hollywood Boulevard and then north along Beachwood Drive.

34°08′02.56″N, 118°19′18.00″W
Altitude 1,578 feet (478 m)
Map of the location of the Hollywood sign (GlobalGuide)

[edit] In popular culture

Metal band System of a Down spoofed the Hollywood sign for the cover of their 2001 album Toxicty.

The sign makes frequent appearances in popular culture, particularly in establishing shots for films and television programs set in or around Hollywood. Signs of similar style, but spelling different words, are frequently seen as parodies.

[edit] Film and television

The sign is used as the dancing stage for the opening credits by S Club 7 of "Hollywood 7".
The sign appears in the background at the beginning of 20th Century Fox's current opening logo animation.
In the film Career Opportunities, the epilogue features Frank Whaley as Jim residing in Hollywood and seeing the sign turn into one reading "Jimwood."
In the film 10.5, the letters "L" and "W" fall off and slide down the mountain.
In the film Ed Wood, the Hollywood sign is featured both at the start and at the end of the film in a wide-angle pan.
The 2003 remake of The Italian Job features the main villain, Steve Frazelli (played by Edward Norton) flying past the sign to track a car chase below.
In the film 1941, an alternate explanation is given to how the sign lost the letters that spell out "LAND", being destroyed by P-40 pilot "Wild Bill" Kelso.
In the film The Truman Show, the enormous dome containing the town of Seahaven was located just north of the sign.
In the film Austin Powers in Goldmember, Dr. Evil's secret lair was in the hill behind the sign.
A mural of the Hollywood sign was used on the turntable from September 2002 until March 2003 during the thirty-first season of The Price is Right.
In the film The Day After Tomorrow, the sign is destroyed by a tornado.
The film The Day of the Locust has a scene set at the base of the sign where a tour guide relates the story of "Camille McRae, 1929 Clam Queen of Pismo Beach" leaping to her death from "the great H" in 1932.
The film Demolition Man begins with an overhead shot of a violence-wracked Los Angeles, zooming out from behind a burning Hollywood sign.
In the film Earthquake, the sign is destroyed in the quake and the letters fall down the mountain.
In the film Superman, the Hollywood Sign leans over during the earthquake.
In two episodes of the sitcom Ellen, Ellen DeGeneres hung out in the sign to get away from stressful situations.
An episode of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends features a sign that reads "HOKEYWOOD".
The film RKO 281, set before the last four letters were removed, begins with an establishing shot of the sign, complete with those letters.
In the film The Rocketeer, another explanation is given for how the sign lost the letters that spell out "LAND", when villain Neville Sinclair (played by Timothy Dalton) crashes into them with a faulty rocketpack.
The film Shrek 2 features a "FAR FAR AWAY" sign, similar in appearance to Hollywood's.
The animated television series The Simpsons parodies the sign with their own giant set of white letters, spelling out "SPRINGFIELD", on the hills above the fictional town from the series. In another episode, Silicon Valley has their own version of the sign.
In the film SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2, an immortal kid who never grows a second older has a secret lair inside the "H" in "HOLLYWOOD".
In the film Volcano, it can be seen when the tower falls down to dam the lava.
In the film The Wizard of Speed and Time, an impact distorts the sign to read "WHOLLY ODD".
In the 2006 film, The Black Dahlia, the sign which in 1940 still read HollywoodLand, was the site for the infamous murder of an actress.
In an episode of Chappelle's Show, Hollywood is portrayed as the Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz. The Hollywood sign can be seen prominently next to the tall green buildings.
The film Orgazmo opens with a shot of the Hollywood sign. After a few beats of just the sign, a caption fades up indicating "Hollywood, USA".
In a poster for the film Bean, Mr Bean is seeing carrying one of the O's from the sign down a Los Angeles street, with the sign in the background saying 'HOLLYWO D'.

[edit] Video games

In SimCity 4, players can "purchase" the sign and place it in their game city as a landmark.
In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a similar sign on a hill reads "VINEWOOD" in the area of Vinewood, Los Santos (take-offs of Hollywood and Los Angeles respectively).
In Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, based in the city of Los Angeles, California, the sign appears in the Bronson section of the Hollywood area of the city. This can be seen from the game's beginning. Later in the game, one of the goals requires players destroy the sign, the pieces of which are shipped to the skate park. The sign's letters are changed to read "WASTELAND".
Need for Speed: Underground 2 takes place in the fictional city of Bayview. A sign on a hill reads "BAYVIEW".
In Civilization IV, it is featured as one of the many wonders of the world.
In Crimson Skies, it apperas on the "Studio" map. Players can even fly the plane through the "O"s of the sign.
In We Love Katamari, the sign can be rolled up on the bird-and-elephant level when the player is trying for the largest katamari possible. The letters are rearranged when the player is trying to finish the katamari as fast as possible.
In Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge, it appears in the second mission of the Allies single player campaign. It has been taken over by Yuri, who has placed Gatling cannons on either side of it as a defense for his base.
In "The Movies", the sign can be seen in the background during the game.
In "Twisted Metal: Head On", there is a similar sign the reads: "LA WOOD".

[edit] Other

Think Blue sign in the mountains north of Dodger Stadium.

In the Mickey's Toontown area of Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland there is a sign that reads "TOONTOWN" on the side of a hill.
James Ellroy's 1987 novel The Black Dahlia mentions the sign and its history as a former real estate advertisement.
The Ludacris video Number One Spot, spoofs the Austin Powers appearance by hiding the evil lair behind an "ATLANTA" sign.
The video rental chain Hollywood Video uses an image of the sign as part of its logo. It is scaled to how it would normally be viewed; it shows the perceived up-and-down curve, which happens because of how high up the sign is.
System of a Down's album Toxicity features the band's name in the up-and-down style of the sign.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, in the mountains north of Dodger Stadium, have a similar sign reading "THINK BLUE", a longtime slogan of the team. The sign is viewable beyond left field from within Chavez Ravine.
Despite the name change, the song Mary C Brown and the Hollywood Sign by American singer/songwriter Dory Previn appears to refer directly to the suicide of Peg Entwistle. First appeared on Previn’s 1971 album Mythical Kings and Iguanas and again (in a different version) as the title track of her next album in 1972.
In the Mariah Carey video "Shake It Off" as she drives away from Hollywood. The sign is appeared as "Hollyhood".
In the Marvel comic book series Runaways, Gertrude Yorkes is buried underneath the Hollywood sign.
A similar sign can also be found in Six Flags Mexico, located in Mexico City.
In the Stone Sour video for Through Glass, a slightly altered sign reading HOLLOWOOD can be seen behind the band performing.

[edit] Alterations

It is illegal and highly dangerous to make alterations to the sign. Although the city has occasionally allowed it in the past for commercial purposes, current policy does not permit changes to be made. This is largely due to neighborhood opposition and to past accidents. However, the sign has been unofficially altered a number of times, often eliciting a great deal of attention. Some of the more famous modifications have included:

The Hollywood Sign, altered to read "GO UCLA" before 1993 UCLA-USC Football game.

HOLLYWEED - January 1976, noting new state marijuana law.
HOLLYWEED - December 1983, for the opening scene of the film Hollywood Hot Tubs.
HOLYWOOD - April 1977, For Easter sunrise service, viewable from the Hollywood Bowl.
GO NAVY - November 1983, before that year's Army-Navy Game at the Rose Bowl stadium.
RAFFEYSOD - January 1985, reportedly done by a band called "The Raffeys", who were trying to drum up publicity.
HOLLYWOOD II - April 1986, to mark the revitalization of area.
FOX - April 1987, for promotion for the TV network.
CALTECH - May 1987, on Hollywood's 100th birthday.
OLLYWOOD - July 1987, during the Iran-Contra hearings.
HOLYWOOD - September 1987, for Pope John Paul II's arrival.
HOLYWOOD - Marilyn Manson used this as a title for his album "Holy Wood [In The shadow of the Valley of Death].
USCWOOD - Fall 1987, for the annual USC-UCLA football game.
For the 1992 film Cool World, a giant cartoon character (named "Holli Would") from the film was installed, appearing to sit on the sign. This was designed as publicity for the movie, and it remained there for a long time.
OIL WAR - 1991, for the Persian Gulf war.
PEROTWOOD - During the 1992 Presidential election, showing support for candidate Ross Perot.
GO UCLA - Fall 1993, for the annual UCLA-USC football game. Twenty members of UCLA's Theta Chi Fraternity achieved the prank, and were subsequently charged with trespassing. This incident prompted the installation of a $100,000 security system in 1994, complete with video surveillance and motion detection.
PEROTWOOD - (again) During the 1996 Presidential Election in support of candidate Ross Perot. The pranksters were apparently able to disable the security system.
JOLLYGOOD - when Virgin Air began flying nonstop from LA to London
On January 1, 2000, the sign was lit up in an array of flashing colors in celebration of the New Millennium.