Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Buskers perform on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Buskers perform on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California that serves as an entertainment hall of fame. It is embedded with more than 2,000 five-pointed stars featuring the names of not only human celebrities but fictional characters honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for their contributions to the entertainment industry. The Walk of Fame is maintained by the self-financing Hollywood Historic Trust. The first star, awarded on February 9, 1960, went to Joanne Woodward.

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[edit] Characteristics

The Walk of Fame runs west on Hollywood Boulevard from Gower Avenue to La Brea Avenue and north to south on Vine Street between Yucca Street and Sunset Boulevard. The Walk of Fame is nearly a three and a half (3 1/2) mile round trip walk. Locations of specific stars are permanent, except when occasionally relocated for nearby construction or other reasons. To be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is considered to be as sought after as the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, BAFTA and Golden Globe awards.[citation needed]

Each star consists of a pink terrazzo five-pointed star rimmed with bronze and inlaid into a charcoal square. Inside the pink star is the name of the honoree inlaid in bronze, below which is a round bronze emblem indicating the category for which the honoree received the star. The emblems are:

  • Motion picture camera for contribution to the film industry
  • Television set for contribution to the broadcast television industry
  • Phonograph record for contribution to the recording industry
  • Radio microphone for contribution to the broadcast radio industry
  • Twin comedy/tragedy masks for contribution to live theater

There are a few exceptions. Disneyland's star has an emblem of a building, and honorary mayor of Hollywood Johnny Grant's star depicts the Great Seal of Hollywood. Former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley has a star depicting the seal of the city of Los Angeles. [1] Also, the crew of the Apollo XI mission are named in four identical moons at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine.

Nominations are submitted annually by May 31, and the Walk of Fame committee meets the following month to pick the next year's group of honorees. Star ceremonies are open to the public and formerly were led by honorary Hollywood mayor Johnny Grant prior to his death in 2008.

[edit] History

An example of a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, for the puppet/Muppet Kermit the Frog.
An example of a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, for the puppet/Muppet Kermit the Frog.

The Walk of Fame was created in 1958. Many honorees received multiple stars during the initial phase of installation for contributions to separate categories; however, the practice in recent decades has been to honor individuals not yet represented, with only a handful of previous honorees being awarded additional stars. In 1978, the City of Los Angeles designated the Walk of Fame as a Cultural/Historic Landmark.

The Walk of Fame began with 2,500 blank stars. A total of 1,558 stars were awarded during its first sixteen months. Since then, about two stars have been added per month. By 1994, more than 2,000 of the original stars were filled, and additional stars extended the Walk west past Sycamore to La Brea Avenue, where it now ends at the Silver Four Ladies of Hollywood Gazebo (with stars honoring The Beatles and Elvis Presley).

[edit] Firsts

  • Gene Autry is the first and only person to have been honored with all five possible stars, for his contribution in each of the five categories.[1]
  • Diana Ross is one of only a handful of celebrities to have two stars in the same category, one as a member of The Supremes and one as a solo artist.
  • In 2002, the Walk of Fame broke tradition with Muhammad Ali's star. His star is displayed on a wall of the Kodak Theatre, due to Ali's request that he not be walked on.[2]
  • In 1960 Jimmy Boyd became the youngest singer to receive a star on the Walk Of Fame at only 20 years old. In 2003, Britney Spears became the second youngest singer to receive a star on the Walk of Fame at only 21 years old. Coincidentally, both were born in McComb Mississippi forty years apart. Spears tied with former Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Gilbert for being the second youngest person to accept a Walk of Fame star.[3]
  • In 2005, companies became eligible for Walk-of-Fame-type stars; the first recipient was Disneyland, in honor of its 50th anniversary. Company awards are on private property near the Walk, and not part of the Walk itself. Companies must have a strong Hollywood presence and be at least fifty years old to qualify for this award.[citation needed]
  • In February of 2006, Judith Sheindlin (better known as Judge Judy) became the first (and so far only) television judge to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[4]
  • On January 24, 2007, Los Angeles television station and CW network affiliate KTLA-TV (Channel 5) became the first television service (station or network) to be honored with a star on the Walk of Fame. The picture on KTLA's star shows a satellite dish, denoting a television broadcast station.[5]
  • On November 18, 1978, in honor of his 50th anniversary, Mickey Mouse became the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star is located on 6925 Hollywood Blvd.
  • On March 14, 2008, Vince McMahon got his own star. He is the first professional wrestling promoter or anyone from sports entertainment to receive a star. [2]

[edit] Star nomination process

In order for a person to get a star on the Walk of Fame, he or she must agree to attend a presentation ceremony within five years of selection, and a $25,000 fee must be paid to the Trust for costs such as security at the star ceremony; a 2003 FOX News story noted that the fee is typically paid by sponsors such as film studios and record companies, as part of the publicity for a release with which the honoree is involved.[citation needed] On other occasions, the fee is paid by a fan club or the nominating person or organization.

Controversy and mystery surrounds the way the stars are nominated and approved, as discussed in a 2001 ABC News story that interviewed honorary Hollywood mayor Johnny Grant.

[edit] Stolen stars

Four stars have been stolen from the Walk of Fame. Those of James Stewart and Kirk Douglas, which had been removed during a construction project, were stolen from the site on Vine Street. The culprit was a contractor who was later caught with the two stars, damaged and unusable, but not until after they had been replaced. One of Gene Autry's stars was also taken from another construction project. It was later found in Iowa. On November 27, 2005, thieves sawed Gregory Peck's star out of the sidewalk near Gower; the star has been replaced as of September 2006 but the thieves have not been caught.

Surveillance cameras are being placed in the walk district to catch thieves.

[edit] List of stars

Main article: List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

[edit] Gallery

Bob Hope's Star for television on the Walk of Fame

Bugs Bunny's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Kermit the Frog's star for television on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Jerry Lewis' star for film

Humphrey Bogart's star

Some people vandalize the unassigned stars by writing their own names.

One of four identical moons honoring the astronauts of Apollo XI at the corner of Hollywood and Vine.

For a music achievement, the band itself will usually be named, rather than each member.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gene Autry. geneautry.com.
  2. ^ Jet Magazine, March 9, 2007; pg. 39.
  3. ^ Hollywood landmark honours Spears. BBC (November 18, 2003).
  4. ^ http://alumni.american.edu/content.cfm?id=113
  5. ^ TV pioneer KTLA gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. sfgate.com (January 24, 2007).

[edit] External links

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