Hollywood Walk of Fame
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[[Image:Hollywood Walk of Fame.jpg|thumb|right|[[Busking|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]]. Designed by local artist Livier Wesmoulder, the Hollywood Walk of Fame represented one of a number of improvements the city undertook at the time. It is embedded with more than 2,000 five-pointed stars featuring the names of not only human [[celebrity|celebrities]] but [[fictional characters]] honored by the Hollywood [[chamber of commerce|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]].
== 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]].{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
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. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_lohdan/2303230119/] 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 [[Mayor of Hollywood|honorary Hollywood mayor]] [[Johnny Grant]] prior to his death in 2008.
== History ==
[[Image:Kermit the frog hollywood walk of fame.jpg|right|thumb|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 [[Los Angeles, California|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]]).
=== 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geneautry.com/geneautry|title=Gene Autry|publisher=geneautry.com}}</ref>
* [[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. [[Michael Jackson]] was the first to achieve this, through his solo career and as a member of [[The Jackson Five]].
*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.<ref>Jet Magazine, March 9, 2007; pg. 39.</ref>
* 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3279455.stm|title=Hollywood landmark honours Spears|publisher=BBC|date=November 18, 2003}}</ref>
* 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.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
*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''.<ref>http://alumni.american.edu/content.cfm?id=113</ref>
*On [[January 24]], [[2007]], Los Angeles [[television]] station and [[The CW|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/01/24/state/n104631S41.DTL|publisher=sfgate.com|title=TV pioneer KTLA gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame|date=January 24, 2007}}</ref>
*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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/overtheropes/news/walkoffame|title=Triple H, Shane McMahon to speak at Mr. McMahon's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony|publisher=wwe.com}}</ref>
* Colombian singer/song writer [[Shakira]] has been announced to be receiving a star in 2009. She will be the first Colombian to be awarded the honor.
== 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 [[United States dollar|$]]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 studio]]s and [[Record industry|record companies]], as part of the [[publicity]] for a release with which the honoree is involved.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} 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, the late [[Johnny Grant]], who died on January 9, 2008.
== Stolen stars ==
Four stars have been stolen from the Walk of Fame. Those of [[James Stewart (actor)|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|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.
==List of stars==
{{main|List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame}}
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Bob_Hope_Walk_of_Fame_4-20-06.jpg|[[Bob Hope]]'s Star for television on the Walk of Fame
Image:Bugs_Bunny_Walk_of_Fame_4-20-06.jpg|[[Bugs Bunny]]'s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Image:Kermit_the_frog_hollywood_walk_of_fame.jpg|[[Kermit the Frog]]'s star for television on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Image:Jerrylewisstar.jpg|[[Jerry Lewis]]' star for film
Image:Humphrey bogart star walk of fame.JPG|[[Humphrey Bogart]]'s star
Image:Starhollywood.JPG|Some people vandalize the unassigned stars by writing their own names.
Image:HollywoodWalkOfFameMoonAtHollywoodAndVine.JPG|One of four identical moons honoring the astronauts of [[Apollo XI]] at the corner of [[Hollywood and Vine]].
Image:Tom Petty Walk of Fame.JPG|For a music achievement, the band itself will usually be named, rather than each member.
</gallery>
==See also==
*[[Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong]]
*[[Avenue of Stars, London]]
*[[Hollywood and Vine]]
*[[Grauman's Chinese Theater]]
*[[Canada's Walk of Fame]]
*[[St. Louis Walk of Fame]]
*[[Hollywood's Rockwalk]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons|Category:Hollywood Walk of Fame|Hollywood Walk of Fame}}
*[http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/icons/index.asp Hollywood Walk of Fame official website]
*[http://www.seeing-stars.com/Immortalized/WalkOfFame.shtml Hollywood Walk of Fame] at Seeing-Stars.com
*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,104660,00.html Hollywood Boulevard's Price of Fame], a December 2003 article from the [[FOX News]] website
*[http://pr.caltech.edu/periodicals/336/articles/Volume%205/05-19-05/stars.html ''Scientists' Walk of Fame''] - a prank by [[Caltech]] students on May 4, 2005
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[[Category:Halls of fame]]
[[Category:Hollywood Walk of Fame| ]]
[[Category:Hollywood history and culture]]
[[Category:Landmarks in Los Angeles, California]]
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