Hollywood Walk of Fame

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is the iconic emblem of show business success. The seemingly endless sidewalk is embedded with more than 2,000 five-pointed stars made of terrazzo and brass featuring the names of celebrities, both real and fictional, honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for their contributions to the entertainment industry. For actors, performers, directors, singers, songwriters, and show-biz personalities, the sign that they have truly reached superstar status is when they are bestowed their own star on the Walk of Fame.

The Walk of Fame, in Hollywood, California, covers nearly three and a half miles, and was created in 1958 by southern Californian artist Oliver Weismuller, who was hired by the city to give Hollywood a "face lift." In 1978 the Walk of Fame was designated as a Cultural/Historic Landmark. The first star, awarded on February 9, 1960, went to Joanne Woodward. Today, celebrities can be nominated by anyone to get a star, as long as he or she agrees to attend a presentation ceremony to announce the award.

Before you begin your trek down the famous walkway, pick up a copy of The Walk of Stars Map and Directory in one of the souvenir shops. It tells you where to find each star and a little about each person honored. You can tell what field a celebrity is known for based on the symbol imprinted on each star. A motion picture camera for contribution to the film industry; a Television set for contribution to the broadcast television industry; a phonograph record for contribution to the recording industry; a radio microphone for contribution to the broadcast radio industry; and twin comedy/tragedy masks for contribution to live theater.

You may want to start out early, because it is easier to capture the stars on film in the morning light. On your way, stop in front of Mann's Chinese theater to see celebrity's hand and foot prints in the sidewalk. You may see people along the way dressed up as various celebrities, roaming the Walk for photo ops. If you're lucky, you'll be in town during a star unveiling ceremony, which is always open to the public. Check for dates and times as they can change.

Be aware that the Walk of Fame is not in the nicest part of town. The area is a bit seedy and run-down so it's not the best place to let kids roam around alone. The walk runs along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, then east to west on Hollywood Boulevard from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue and north to south on Vine Street between Yucca Street and Sunset Boulevard.