It's a sign
The Hollywood Sign is one of the most globally recognised and iconic landmarks in Los Angeles. Standing proud at 44-feet tall and situated on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills area of the Santa Monica mountains. The Hollywood Sign was originally an advertisement for a local real estate development, and at that time read as HOLLYWOODLAND. Today it is the backdrop for many films and TV shows, and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood Sign was officially dedicated in 1923, losing its last 4 letters, and was originally intended to stay standing for just another 18 months or so. But during this time American cinema in Los Angeles entered its Golden Age, and so it was decided that the sign will stay standing.
The restoration project
In 1978 Hugh Hefner led a public campaign to have the Hollywood Sign restored against deterioration. Nine donors, each donated $27,777.77. The donors were: H – Hugh Hefner (founder of Playboy) O – Giovanni Mazza (Italian movie producer) L – Les Kelley (founder of the Kelley Blue Book) L – Gene Autry (actor) Y – Terrence Donnelly (publisher of the Hollywood Independent Newspaper) W – Andy Williams (singer) O – Warner Bros. Records O – Alice Cooper (singer) D – Dennis Lidtke (businessman)
Other interesting facts about the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles
- The letter H of the Hollywood Sign was destroyed in the 1940s when Albert Kothe was driving inebriated, lost control and drove off the cliff directly behind the letter
- The Hollywood Sign stretches to 352-feet wide
- In 1932, actress Peg Entwistle committed suicide by climbing a ladder to the top of the ‘H’ of the Hollywood Sign and jumping to her death
- Due to the shape of the hills the Hollywood Sign appears to be a wavy shape, but is in fact reasonably straight
