Hollywood Sign

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Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood sign as it appears today.
Building information
Town Los Angeles, California
Country United States
Architect Thomas Fisk Goff
Client Woodruff and Shoults (Hollywoodland)
Construction start date 1923
Completion date 1923
Structural system Wood and sheet metal (1923)
Steel (1978)
Size 45' high; about 200' long

The Hollywood Sign is a famous landmark in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California, spelling out the name of the area in 50 feet (15 m)[1] high white letters. It was created as an advertisement in 1923, but garnered increasing recognition after its initial purpose had been fulfilled.[2] The sign was a frequent target of pranks and vandalism, but has undergone restoration including a state of the art security system to deter vandalism. The Hollywood sign is protected and promoted by the Hollywood Sign Trust, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to physically maintain, repair and secure the Hollywood sign; to educate the world about its historical and cultural importance; and to raise the funds necessary to accomplish these projects.

From the ground, the contours of the hills give the sign its well-known "wavy" appearance. When observed at a comparable altitude, the letters appear straight-across.

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.

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 Avenue. He suggested to his friend Harry Chandler, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, that the 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."

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 ft (9 m) wide and 50 ft (15 m) high, and was studded with some 4000 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 but after the rise of the American cinema in Los Angeles, it became an internationally recognized symbol, and was left there.

It became so associated with Hollywood that in September 1932, actress Peg Entwistle committed suicide by jumping to her death from the letter "H", as she saw the sign as a symbol of the industry that had rejected her.

Contents

[edit] Deterioration

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 1940s, Albert Kothe (the sign's official caretaker) caused an accident that destroyed the letter "H", as seen in many historical pictures. Kothe was driving his car up to the top of Mount Lee drunk, lost control of the vehicle, and drove off the cliff behind the "H". While Kothe was not injured, the 1928 Ford Model A was destroyed, as was the "H".

In 1949, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce stepped up and began a contract with the City of Los Angeles Parks Department to repair and rebuild the sign. However the contract stipulated that "LAND" be removed to spell "Hollywood" and reflect the city, not the "Hollywoodland" housing development[3]. The Parks Department dictated that all subsequent illumination would be at the cost of the chamber, so the chamber 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 the first "O" splintered and broke off resembling a lowercase "u", and the third "O" fell down completely leaving the severely dilapidated sign reading "HuLLYWO D".

The sign from the Hollywood Hills.
The sign from the Hollywood Hills.

In 1978, due in large part to the public campaign to restore the landmark by shock rocker Alice Cooper (who donated the wholly missing "O"), the Chamber set out to replace the intensely deteriorated sign with a more permanent structure. For the contract of $250,000.00 nine donors gave $27,777 each to sponsor replacement letters made of Australian steel, guaranteed to last for many years (see Donors section below).

These new letters were each 45 ft (13.7 m) high and ranged from 31 to 39 ft (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, donated by Bay Cal Commercial Painting,[4] began again in November 2005, as workers stripped the letters back to their metal base and repainted them white. Also in 2005, the original 1923 sign was put up for sale on eBay by producer/entrepreneur Dan Bliss.[5] Bliss sold the sign to artist Bill Mack.

[edit] Donors

The letters on the sign today are 5 ft (1.5 m) shorter than the original
The letters on the sign today are 5 ft (1.5 m) shorter than the original

[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
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 of the sign can be reached by driving north up Gower Street from Hollywood Blvd. and then north along Beachwood Drive.

In 2000 or so, the LAPD installed a security system featuring motion detection and closed-circuit cameras. Approaching the sign any closer than 50 yards or so activates an alarm, and the Police are called.

The famous sign is actually visible from satellite[1].

Land in the vicinity of the sign remains privately owned, despite widespread belief that it is all public land. Much of it was owned by the estate of Howard Hughes, who had once planned a hilltop mansion at Cahuenga Peak; part of that tract was sold in 2002, and the new owners are interested in exploiting a route for a road to access the property granted in 1945 by the Los Angeles City Department of Water and Power. As a result, Los Angeles is considering buying the property, possibly by raising money from celebrities as was done for the restoration.[6]

[edit] Cultural Significance

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] Alterations

 This section does not cite any references or sources. (December 2006)
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

It is illegal to make unauthorized 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.
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.
  • 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.
  • PINKYWOOD - for the 1992 Don Bluth film Rock-a-Doodle during a chase scene around the "Pinky Pictures" studio back lot.
  • 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.

[edit] Imitations

 This section does not cite any references or sources. (December 2006)
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.
Mosgiel, New Zealand
Mosgiel, New Zealand
Braşov, Romania
Braşov, Romania
Think Blue sign in the mountains north of Dodger Stadium.
Think Blue sign in the mountains north of Dodger Stadium.

Numerous towns around the world have created their own signs that deliberately mimic the look of the Hollywood sign:

Other Southern California cities have imitated the sign in some way. In Duarte, California the Duarte D can be seen off the 210 freeway. Next to Dodger Stadium has a similar sign with the words "THINK BLUE". Rose Hills Memorial Park also has their own sign far from the main cemetery grounds with the simple words "ROSE HILLS". It is made with the same material as the actual sign as well as the same style, but glows neon pink in the evenings.

The Hollywood sign has been replicated on the side of a small hill next to a bar called "Legends" on Bradford Road in Batley, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

The video rental chain Hollywood Video uses a logo that includes an artistic rendering of the Hollywood sign.

The campus of Loyola Marymount University has its acronym LMU displayed on a hill looking down the Playa Vista and Marina Del Rey neighborhoods.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Renée Montagne (2002-10-28). The Hollywood Sign. Present at the Creation. National Public Radio Crime Library. Retrieved on 2006-09-20.
  2. ^ Hollywood Sign Trust (2005-05-19). The Hollywood Sign. A Beat-by-Beat Plotline. Hollywood Sign Trust. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  3. ^ "The Hollywood Sign, Present at the Creation", NPR, October 28, 2002. 
  4. ^ Hollywood Sign Restoration Project 2005. Bay Cal Painting. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  5. ^ Jessica Seid. "Buy a piece of HOLLYWOOD", CNN, 2005-11-17. 
  6. ^ Associated Press. "Chicago investors' sale puts famous Hollywood sign in jeopardy, residents say", Chicago Sun-Times, April 17, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-17. 
  7. ^ Map of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua Mexico
  8. ^ Ingvar Ericsson. "Bygget av jätteskylten över Hammarstrand är i full gång", Länstidningen, 22 September 2007. (Swedish) 
  9. ^ Map of South San Francisco, California

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 34°8′02.77″N, 118°19′18.10″W