Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign as it appears today
General information
Location Hollywood, Los Angeles
Country United States
Coordinates
Construction started 1923
Completed 1923
Renovated rebuilt October 1978
Demolished August 1978
Technical details
Structural system Wood and sheet metal (1923–1978)
Steel (1978–present)
Size 45 ft (13.7 m) tall, 350 ft (106.7 m) long
Original: 50 ft (15.2 m) tall
Design and construction
Client Woodruff and Shoults (Hollywoodland)
Architect Thomas Fisk Goff
Designated: February 7, 1973
Reference #: 111

The Hollywood Sign is a landmark and American cultural icon in the Hollywood Hills area of Mount Lee, Santa Monica Mountains, in Los Angeles, California. The sign spells out the name of the area in 45-foot-tall (14 m)[1] and 350-foot-long (110 m) white letters. It was created as an advertisement in 1923, but garnered increasing recognition after the sign was left up.[2] The sign was a frequent target of pranks and vandalism but has since undergone restoration, including a security system to deter vandalism. The sign is protected and promoted by the Hollywood Sign Trust, a nonprofit organization.

From the ground, the contours of the hills give the sign its "wavy" appearance, as reflected in the Hollywood Video logo, for example. When observed at a comparable altitude, as in the photo shown here, the letters appear nearly level.

The sign makes frequent appearances in popular culture, particularly in establishing shots for films and television programs set in or around Hollywood, furnished the title for the film The Hollywood Sign,[3] and appears in the background of the current CGI fanfare logo of 20th Century Fox. Signs of similar style, but spelling different words, are frequently seen as parodies.

Contents

History

The sign was first erected in 1923 and originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND". Its purpose was to advertise the name of 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 newspaper, that the land syndicate in which he was involved make a similar sign to advertise their land.[4] 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".[5]

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 (9.1 m) wide and 50 feet (15 m) high, and the whole sign was studded with some 4,000 light bulbs. The sign was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923. It was not intended to be permanent. Restoration company Bay Cal Painting says on its website that the 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.

In September 1932 the body of Broadway actress Peg Entwistle was found in a ravine below the sign. She had been living at her uncle's house in Beachwood Canyon. A suicide note was found in a purse anonymously dropped off at the Hollywood police station. Police surmised Entwistle jumped to her death from the letter H.[6]

Deterioration

Over the course of more than half a century, the sign, designed to stand only 18 months, sustained a wide array of damage and deterioration.

During the early 1940s, Albert Kothe (the sign's official caretaker) caused an accident that destroyed the letter H,[7] as seen in many historical pictures. Kothe, driving while inebriated, was nearing the top of Mount Lee when he lost control of his vehicle and drove off the cliff behind the H. While Kothe was not injured, the 1928 Ford Model A was destroyed, as was the letter.

In 1949 the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce began a contract with the City of Los Angeles Parks Department to repair and rebuild the sign. The contract stipulated that "LAND" be removed to spell "Hollywood" and reflect the district, not the "Hollywoodland" housing development.[8] 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 sign's unprotected wood and sheet metal structure continued to deteriorate. Eventually the first O splintered and broke, resembling a lowercase u, and the third O fell down completely, leaving the severely dilapidated sign reading "HuLLYWO D".

Restoration

In 1978, in large part because of the public campaign to restore the landmark by shock rocker Alice Cooper (who donated the missing O), the Chamber set out to replace the intensely deteriorated sign with a more permanent structure. Nine donors gave US$27,700 each (totaling US$249,300) to sponsor replacement letters made of steel, guaranteed to last for many years (see Donors section below).

The new letters were 45 feet (14 m) tall and ranged from 31 to 39 feet (9.4 to 12 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,[9] 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.[10] Bliss sold the sign to artist Bill Mack.

Donors

Following the 1978 public campaign to restore the sign, the following nine donors gave $27,777 each (which totaled $250,000):

Location

The sign is located on the southern side of Mount Lee in Griffith Park, north of the Mulholland Highway.

The sign is located on rough, steep terrain, and is encompassed by barriers to prevent unauthorized access. In 2000, the Los Angeles Police Department installed a security system featuring motion detection and closed-circuit cameras. Any movement in the marked restricted areas triggers an alarm that notifies the police.[11]

Surrounding land

Land in the vicinity of the sign was purchased by Howard Hughes in 1940, who had planned to build a hilltop mansion at Cahuenga Peak for actress Ginger Rogers. Before long Rogers broke up their engagement and the lot remained empty. Hughes Estate sold the property which lies to the left and above the sign for $1.7 million in 2002 to Fox River Financial Resources, a Chicago developer, who were interested in building luxury mansions along the ridgeline.[12] They put the property on the market in 2008 for $22 million. As a result, the City of Los Angeles considered buying it, possibly by raising money from celebrities as was done for the 1978 restoration.[13]

Environmentalists and preservationists were concerned about the possibility of real estate development in the area. In April 2009 The Trust for Public Land (TPL) signed an option to buy the 138 acres (0.56 km2) property for a discounted price of $12.5 million. On February 11, 2010, as part of a campaign to help raise money the organization, with the full blessing of both the city and the Hollywood Sign Trust, covered the sign with a large banner reading "SAVE THE PEAK".[12][14] By April 26, The Trust for Public Land announced it had raised enough money, with Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner stepping forward to donate the final $900,000.[15][16] Hefner later gave an additional $100,000 donation. After the purchase the parcel became part of the nearby Griffith Park as an extension.[17]

Alterations

It is illegal to make unauthorized physical 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. Among the more famous modifications:

Imitations

Other areas

Other cities have imitated the sign in some way.

Use in popular culture

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce claims trademark rights over the sign's image and demands license fees for commercial use.[32] In several films and television shows, the Hollywood Sign is seen getting damaged or destroyed from the events of a particular scene. It is an example of national landmarks being destroyed, a common feature seen in many disaster movies to increase the drama and excitement. Examples include:

See also

References

  1. ^ Renée Montagne (October 28, 2002). "The Hollywood Sign". Present at the Creation. National Public Radio Crime Library. http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/hollywoodsign/index.html. Retrieved September 20, 2006. 
  2. ^ Hollywood Sign Trust (May 19, 2005). "The Hollywood Sign" (PDF). A Beat-by-Beat Plotline. Hollywood Sign Trust. http://www.hollywoodsign.org/pdf/HOLLYWOOD%20PLOTLINE.pdf. Retrieved August 12, 2007. 
  3. ^ The Hollywood Sign at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ^ The Father of Hollywood by Gaelyn Keith (2006)
  5. ^ Williams, Gregory. "The Story of Hollywoodland". Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association. http://www.beachwoodcanyon.org/HISTORY.htm. Retrieved April 27, 2010. 
  6. ^ "Suicide Laid To Film Jinx". Los Angeles Times: pp. A1. September 20, 1932. 
  7. ^ Long, Raphael F. (Summer 2006). "Tommy Lee and the Hollywoodland Sign". Beachwood Voice 9 (2): 10–11. http://www.beachwoodvoice.com/zzArchive/Summer%2006/Page_10_Tuesday___Final.pdf. Retrieved April 30, 2010. 
  8. ^ "The Hollywood Sign, Present at the Creation". NPR. October 28, 2002. http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/hollywoodsign/index.html. 
  9. ^ "Hollywood Sign Restoration Project 2005". Bay Cal Painting. http://www.baycal.com/hsrp/index.html. Retrieved January 1, 2008. 
  10. ^ Jessica Seid (November 17, 2005). "Buy a piece of HOLLYWOOD". CNN. http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/17/news/newsmakers/hollywood_sign. 
  11. ^ "Hollywood Sign". Hollywood Sign Trust. August 2, 2009. http://www.hollywoodsign.org/signsecurity.html. Retrieved August 2, 2009. 
  12. ^ a b "Preservation campaigners cover Hollywood sign". KABC-TV. February 11, 2010. http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7272149. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  13. ^ "Chicago investors' sale puts famous Hollywood sign in jeopardy, residents say". Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press. April 17, 2008. http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/900498,hollywood041708.article. Retrieved April 17, 2008. 
  14. ^ a b "Behind the Sign: The Great Cover-Up". Save Cahuenga Peak. February 2010. http://www.savehollywoodland.org/homepage/pictures-of-the-hollywood-sign-during-the-wrapping/. 
  15. ^ "Hugh Hefner is Final Donor, Land Around Hollywood Sign Saved". Save Cahuenga Peak. The Trust for Public Land. April 26, 2010. http://www.savehollywoodland.org/homepage/hugh-hefner-is-final-donor-land-around-hollywood-sign-saved/. Retrieved April 27, 2010.  Archived version April 27, 2010
  16. ^ "Original Benefactor Hugh Hefner Returns as Final Donor to Save Land Surrounding Hollywood Sign". Hollywood Sign Trust, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and City of Los Angeles. April 26, 2010. http://www.hollywoodsign.org/savethepeak.html. Retrieved April 27, 2010.  Archived version April 27, 2010
  17. ^ [1]
  18. ^ a b c d Nelson, Valerie J. (January 28, 2009). "Danny Finegood, who found fame with "Hollyweed" stunt, dies at age 52". The Seattle Times. http://hightimes.com/news/dan/3790. Retrieved September 18, 2009. 
  19. ^ . London. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2004/jun/11/. 
  20. ^ a b Los Angeles Times (September 22, 1990). "Hollywood Sign Gets New Look—Briefly". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1990-09-22/local/me-655_1_hollywood-sign. Retrieved March 20, 2010. 
  21. ^ Laura Fitzpatrick (November 2008). "Nerd Humor Meets California Landmark". Time. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1839579_1839578_1839531,00.html. Retrieved November 24, 2008. 
  22. ^ Schoch, Deborah (July 6, 1992). "Hollywood Residents Can't Shroud Anger Promotion: Paramount Pictures defends attaching a movie cartoon character to the famous sign. Citizens fear a tourist invasion and say that the landmark is being commercialized.". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61039169.html?dids=61039169:61039169&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jul+06,+1992&author=DEBORAH+SCHOCH&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Hollywood+Residents+Can't+Shroud+Anger+Promotion:+Paramount+Pictures+def. Retrieved September 22, 2008. 
  23. ^ "Cartoon Character Opens Landmark Rift". Associated Press. San Jose Mercury News. July 7, 1992. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB719DF2E0AA62A&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GoogleP. Retrieved September 22, 2008. 
  24. ^ Chazanov, Mathis (July 7, 1992). "'D' as in Disagreement Cartoon Character Atop Landmark Sign Sets Off Protests". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61039484.html?dids=61039484:61039484&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jul+07,+1992&author=MATHIS+CHAZANOV&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=`D'+as+in+Disagreement+Cartoon+Character+Atop+Landmark+Sign+Sets+Off+Pr. Retrieved September 22, 2008. 
  25. ^ Glas Javnosti: Holivud na Rudniku
  26. ^ Tamara Race (May 23, 2008). "Iconic Hollywood Sign Comes East". The Patriot Ledger. http://www.patriotledger.com/news/x1880507947/Iconic-Hollywood-sign-comes-east. Retrieved November 16, 2008. 
  27. ^ Lashley, Brian (August 14, 2009). "Hollinwood sign mystery solved". Manchester Evening News (Manchester, England). http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1131796_hollinwood_sign_mystery_solved. Retrieved September 9, 2009. 
  28. ^ "Wellingtonians rejoice at Wellywood U-turn". ONE News. tvnz.co.nz. June 01, 2011. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/wellingtonians-rejoice-wellywood-u-turn-4202654. 
  29. ^ The Guardian (Wednesday 17, 2010). "Upset racecourse officials with Hollywood-style sign stunt". London. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/mar/17/paddy-power-sign-cheltenham-festival. 
  30. ^ Fundación para la Cultura Urbana (2010). "Valla de Caurimare, Protección de Espacios Urbanos". http://fundamemoria.blogspot.com/2008/04/municipio-baruta-parroquia-el-cafetal-6.html. 
  31. ^ Sue Cummings (May 1986). "Dollywood: The Wait is Over". Spin magazine. http://books.google.com/books?id=ELfnhp4T-T4C&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=%22hollywood+sign%22+dolly&source=bl&ots=gmHwJ7Iopa&sig=XSilZXyNQAzSit2aVKwUk8AnS7s&hl=en&ei=pdVGTqTcFMbJgQfS-p3SBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22hollywood%20sign%22%20dolly&f=false. Retrieved August 12, 2011. 
  32. ^ "Licensing Inquiries". Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/index.php?page=17. 
  33. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319262/synopsis
  34. ^ at 0:13. Youtube.com (December 29, 2009). Retrieved on July 13, 2011.
  35. ^ The Runaways : Cinemalogue :: Entertainment Reviews, News and Interviews. Cinemalogue (March 19, 2010). Retrieved on July 13, 2011.

External links