Administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is an iconic honor for stars of the film industry. Consisting of a sidewalk plaque in the shape of a star, the names on the Walk Of Fame recall the glory days and best moments of one of America’s favorite pastimes, which has since become a global phenomenon.
The honorees include executives and contributors to radio and TV, as well as film. The Chamber recently commemorated the landmark 2,500th star. The Committee designated the 2,500th star to honor singer, actress Jennifer Lopez.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame attracts millions of visitors each year. In recent years, The Walk attracted about 10 million of which most were tourists. The Walk played a significant role in making tourism a leading industry for Los Angeles. Some come to attend honoring ceremonies for a favorite personality. Many come to gaze at the long rows of honorees and relish those with special significance. In the event of a special occurrence or tragedy, the star often becomes a place for public demonstrations of affection and concern. Such was the case in the sudden death of singer Michael Jackson whose star became a place of displays of mourning.
Located near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, the sidewalk stars fill the world-renown Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Committee has placed the stars on both sides of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. Recently the Committee and City extended the area an additional block, from Vine to La Brea. The large numbers of visitors add to the excitement of the area, as night and day the street is busy with tourists who stop to touch and photograph these emblems. As an outdoor activity, it is best to visit in dry, sunny weather, which in Southern California is a frequent occurrence.
A committee of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce selects recipients for the awards in a process of nomination and voting approval. The Committee bases awards on nominations, which are open for a specific period. The committee considers each nominee and votes for acceptance. Placed in 1960, the first permanent plaque honored Director Stanley Kramer. Among the 2014, honorees were posthumous awards to Phil Hartman and Tupac Shakur. Because the awards have grown according to categories, there are many honorees with stars in more than one category. Radio, television, music, production, and film are the current categories and one, Roy Rogers, has a star in each category. The Walk honored many stars in multiple categories.
Located on Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, The Walk is in an area which has other famous tourism and entertainment destinations including the famous landmark, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The area has superb dining venues and nearby points of interest. It is near other major Hollywood attractions, such as the Hollywood Gazebo. whose sculptures representing the diversity of the film industry. Modeled after Dorothy Dandridge, Mae West, Delores del Rio, and Anna Me Wong, the Gazebo is a popular destination. While visiting The Walk, tourists can also enjoy Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and see their favorite personalities in life-like replicas.
