Hey Hollywooders! Welcome back to HollyGOOD Tuesdays where we review the stories and facts you never knew about the crazy town of Hollywood.
This week we are covering the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Have you ever wondered how celebrities get a star at this famous tourist attraction? Well, you’re about to find out (hint: it isn’t easy). But first, let’s start with the backstory behind the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
A star is born – the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, E.M Stuart, originally came up with the idea for the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1953. He thought this would be a great addition to Hollywood to “maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world.“Although this idea sprouted in the early ’50s, it was not until 1960 that the project came to fruition.
On February 9th, 1960, the official groundbreaking ceremony took place and the Academy award-winning actress Joanne Woodward was the first to receive a star.
#OnThisDay in 1960
The #Hollywood Walk of Fame
gets it’s 1st #Star Honoring
Actress Joanne Woodward!#ActorsLife #IMDB #ThursdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/2oNZl49kQm
— iFLM Newsfeed (@IFLMnewsfeed) February 9, 2017
The Hollywood Walk of Fame began with four categories and eventually, a fifth was added in 1984. Each category honors celebrities in different sectors of showbiz. The categories include:
? Classic film camera representing motion pictures.
? Television receiver representing broadcast television.
? Phonograph record representing audio recording or music.
? Radio microphone representing broadcast radio.
? Comedy/tragedy masks representing theater/live performance (added in 1984).
To this day, the only celebrity to ever receive a star in all five categories is Gene Autry. In 2003, The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce placed a special plaque on Gene Autry’s star, recognizing his five-star achievement.
Gene Autry is the only entertainer to have all 5 stars on the #Hollywood Walk of Fame, one each category:
⭐️ Radio
⭐️ Recording
⭐️ Motion Pictures
⭐️ Television
⭐️ Live Performance/Theatre
~Who knew??#SingingCowboy #LTBU #LAAngels pic.twitter.com/zPqHiRhkOD— Alan Wickstrom (@Alan_Wickstrom) December 9, 2018
You have to pay the price to be a Hollywood star
In order to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrities need to be nominated by someone. Let me tell you, the nomination process is no joke, and once accepted, celebs need to pay a hefty price. In 2020, the price was raised to a sponsorship fee of at least $50,000 (yes, you read that right).
Half of this money is used to create the star, and the other half is given to the Hollywood Historic Trust. It’s no wonder celebrities take such pride in having a star and have ceremonies dedicated to receiving a star. Here are some of our favorite celebs beaming next to their well deserved star.
Like Mother Like Daughter! Here is a collage of the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies of Jayne Mansfield (1960) and @Mariska (2013). #jaynemansfield #mariskahargitay #hollywoodwalkoffame #mothersanddaughters #familyfirst #familygoals #womeninhollywood #badasswomen #peterhermann pic.twitter.com/dsvHbrUjxY
— Mariska Magic (@MariskaMagic) January 23, 2019
Jack Black cuddles his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame https://t.co/XvYnRw8nz6 pic.twitter.com/RmyzYsl5Aa
— Variety (@Variety) September 18, 2018
Niecy Nash looking gorgeous with her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. #niecynash #ootd #celebs #hollywood #star #walkoffame pic.twitter.com/8vG5Bs6bKs
— Rella Magazine (@RellaTheMag) July 11, 2018
Some of my favorite pictures of Cate Blanchett? #TCMParty #31DaysOfOscar pic.twitter.com/tnYkkRdiIt
— Dr. Dani Sanchez,MFA, PhD. (She/They) (@analgesicsleep) April 4, 2021
Godzilla has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Just throwing that in. #TCMParty pic.twitter.com/CK7TvIwn5Z
— Elise (@TeamRickandIlsa) April 1, 2021
To this day, The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Hollywood, spanning close to 1.5 miles down Hollywood Boulevard. If you’re planning to visit Tinseltown, going to the Hollywood Walk of Fame is practically a rite of passage. Find out more about this special place here.
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