THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN TURNS 101 YEARS OLD: HOW IT ALL BEGAN

The famous Hollywood sign in California turns 101 years old. It was installed on July 13, 1923. But initially, he was not a symbol of the Hollywood film industry. Everything was much more banal. It was an advertisement for the suburban residential complex Hollywoodland. And this word was written on the sign. When people moved in, the sign was no longer needed. It began to gradually decay and collapse. In 1973, Los Angeles declared it a landmark. However, the sign was already in a deplorable state. But still she was saved. Wealthy sponsors helped. In 1978, a foundation called the Hollywood Sign Trust was created. It was then that the dilapidated sign was replaced with a new one, which was simply the word Hollywood. The opening ceremony took place on November 14, 1978, Hollywood’s 75th anniversary. It was watched live by 60 million viewers. In the years that followed, the mark became a symbol of the American film industry. And it is constantly being restored. In 2022, on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the badge, it was updated. It took almost 950 liters of white paint and primer. The repair lasted two months. In general, the 13-meter-high sign is repainted every ten years. The reason is that it is constantly affected by the sun, wind and rain. The sign is located on the slope of Mount Lee Hill at an altitude of 491 meters above sea level.