I guess it’s true that in every trip, there are certain things that you are obliged to do. Even if you make it all the way to Hollywood California without tendencies in motion pictures or even celebrity spotting, visiting the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame seems a compulsory.
You may think that this place is secluded from the jam-packed area of Hollywood. But as described by those who live near there, your hunch is certainly a no-no. “If you start walking down the Hollywood Boulevard, before long you will simply become aware that there are star-shaped steps along the sidewalk beneath your feet,” says a near villager Red Mezz.
With all the glamour that surrounds this incredibly well-known attraction of Hollywood, there is certainly much more about this famous walkway. Dating back to its origins, the Walk of Fame began only as a part of Hollywood Improvement Program as a way to generate some business for a certain company in California. The proposal gained support, so the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce eventually chose 1,558 names from the worlds of radio, recording, television and film to become the first honorees. By 1994, more than 2,000 of the original stars were filled and additional stars extended the famed walkway.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame serves as an entertainment museum, a nearly three-and-a-half-mile (or equivalently 5.6 km) round-trip walk. It is currently embedded with more than 2,000 five-pointed stars. These stars feature the names of not only human celebrities, but also fictional characters honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for their contributions to the entertainment industry.
Each embedded star, which is actually the place’s trademark, consists of a pink terrazzo five-pointed star with bronze edges. Inside the pink star is the name of the honoree inlaid in bronze, below which is a round emblem indicating the category for which the honoree received the star.
The five main emblems with their corresponding categories are the following: Motion picture camera for contributions in film industry; Television set for broadcast television industry; Phonograph record for recording industry; Radio microphone for broadcast radio industry; and Twin comedy/tragedy masks for live theater industry. But there are a few exceptions like Disneyland’s star that has an emblem of a building, as well as the Apollo XI Mission crew with an emblem of four identical moons.
If you are wondering how to get into the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, then you must excel in one of the entertainment industries. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame Committee is responsible for selecting a new group of entertainers each year to receive stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In order for a celebrity to finally get that much-awaited-star, (s)he must attend a presentation ceremony and must give a current fee of $25,000 for the walkway’s maintenance and repair. (What a huge amount! :P)
Despite the strange fact about the nomination process, the Walk of Fame is also an excellent place to get cheesy Hollywood souvenirs. Shops along the Hollywood Boulevard actually sell almost everything – from salt shakers to coffee mugs.
The Walk of Fame obviously involves a lot of walking if you really want to enjoy the walkway’s setting. However, the tiresome walk may be outweighed by the awesome experience of walking on the same path where famous celebrities used to step on too. I bet you do not want to miss the witty photo moments with Mickey Mouse, Spider Man and Bugs Bunny along the classic Hollywood Walk of Fame, do you? :)
No comments:
Post a Comment