The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the most recognizable attractions of Los Angeles, and certainly one of the most prized tourist attractions. More than 10 million people come to visit the Walk annually.
Quite a few new celebrities have been added to the Walk in 2018, and this drew in a large number of curious individuals. The Walk has quite an interesting history, and anyone intrigued in the history of Hollywood’s most famous attraction wouldn’t want to miss out on these 7 cool facts about the Walk of Fame.
1. The Walk Was Conceived 7 Years Before It Was Born
The idea for the Walk of Fame was initially proposed by E.M. Stuart in 1953. At the time, he was the volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
It was 3 years, however, until a proposal was submitted for construction, and it was another 4 years after that until construction actually started.
2. Construction Was Delayed Due to Lawsuits
In 1958, the public was given an initial sneak peek of the Walk. Constructed was slated to begin shortly after this, but there were two lawsuits that got in the way.
The first lawsuit was instigated by people who owned property nearby. The construction of the Walk meant that there would be a tax assessment of over $1 million, which the neighbors weren’t happy with.
The second lawsuit was started by Charlie Chaplin, who asked for $400,000 because he was upset that his father didn’t get nominated for the Walk.
3. The Walk Considers Mohammed Ali a Performance Artist
While two people punching each other in the head may not typically be seen in the same light as theatre or juggling, boxing has indeed been deemed a viable type of performance art. Since this distinction, Muhammed Ali has been awarded a star on the Walk of Fame. This was in 2002.
4. You Can Be Nominated After You Die
Death doesn’t have to mean that you can’t still find your place on the Walk of Fame. 1 out of the 24 stars which are awarded annually is given to a star who has passed on – as long as they’ve been dead for at least 5 years.
5. You Can Be Awarded Multiple Stars
As long as they’re in different categories, celebs can be awarded multiple stars. In fact, some celebrities, such as Roy Rogers and Tony Martin, have stars in 4 different categories! The only individual to hold a star in each of the 5 different categories is Gene Autry.
6. Not Every Nominee Is Real
There are more than 16 made-up characters who have stars on the Walk, most of whom are the stars of various animated television shows. Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, the Rugrats and Shrek are a few examples of fictional characters who have ‘earned’ stars on the Walk of Fame. Minnie Mouse was the most recent fictional celebrity awarded a star in 2018.
7. Some Stars Get Stolen
As of 2005, 4 stars have been stolen from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The stars are generally replaced right away, though Gregory Peck’s was never recovered. The stolen stars of Jimmy Stewart and Kirk Douglas were found in the abode of one of the employees responsible for taking care of them.