Justin Bieber on the Walk of Fame
Since its beginning in 1960, the Walk of Fame has proved a perennial draw to tourists eager to see the stars. An estimated 10 million visitors come each year to the 18-block stretch. The Walk of Fame was conceived in the 1950s by business leaders in Hollywood as a way to beautify the area’s historic core. The groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 8, 1960 featured actresses Linda Darnell and Gigi Perreau, as well as veteran actors Francis X. Bushman and Charles Coburn, using shovels to scoop up the dirt. In addition, about 500 stars on the walk are currently blank, essentially acting as placeholders for future honorees. Although the area near the famed intersection of Hollywood and Vine had been a central point for the fledgling movie industry prior to World War II, the area’s glamour had long since faded by the time producer Stanley Kramer’s star became the first actually set into the sidewalk on March 28, 1960. The original plans called for 1,529 of the biggest stars of film, stage, radio, television and music to eventually be immortalized in the concrete using brass set in salmon-colored terrazzo stars surrounded by black backgrounds. As of March 2010, The Times found more than 2,300 stars on the walk, representing 2,100 individuals or organizations. How many different kinds of stars are there? Seven types of stars can be found on the Walk of Fame. The most common, by far, has been awarded for work in the field of motion pictures. Performers are also recognized for work in the fields of television, radio, live performance and recording. In addition, about 500 stars on the walk are currently blank, essentially acting as placeholders for future honorees. Fifteen “special stars,” have been awarded to events or companies, including the 1969 Apollo moon landing and news organizations such as the Los Angeles Times and Variety. There is even a star for well-known lingerie model Victoria’s Secret Angels which was granted in 2007 to the well-known lingerie wearing models. How are stars awarded? Anyone, including a fan, is allowed to nominate a candidate, however the celebrity must agree to be considered. If chosen, a star, or their sponsor, has to pay a fee for the ceremony, currently $25,000.The initial project cost about $1.2 million and was sponsored by the Hollywood Property Owners Assn. and the Hollywood Improvement Assn. A group of Hollywood heavyweights, including Cecil B. DeMille, Samuel Goldwyn, Jesse Lasky, Daily Variety editor Joe Schoenfeld, Walt Disney, Hal Roach, Mack Sennett and Walter Lantz chose the initial group of 500 inductees.
