History of the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The boulevard before the stars
Much of Hollywood Boulevard’s film history predates the Walk. Musso & Frank Grill opened in 1919 and the Egyptian Theatre in 1922. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre opened on 18 May 1927, now the TCL Chinese Theatre, and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel opened the same year; the first Academy Awards dinner was held at the Roosevelt on 16 May 1929.
From idea to plan, 1953 to 1956
According to the official history, the idea came in 1953 from E. M. Stuart, then volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Plans were agreed in 1955 and submitted to the Los Angeles City Council in January 1956.
The demonstration stars, 1958
On 15 August 1958 the Chamber and the City unveiled eight stars on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue to show what the Walk would look like. The eight honorees were Olive Borden, Ronald Colman, Louise Fazenda, Preston Foster, Burt Lancaster, Edward Sedgwick, Ernest Torrence and Joanne Woodward.
Woodward is often called "the first star". She was one of these eight demonstration stars; the first star laid in the permanent Walk came later. The first star page sets out the distinction.
Building the Walk, 1960 to 1961
Construction began on 8 February 1960. The first star laid in the new Walk was Stanley Kramer’s, on 28 March 1960, near the intersection of Hollywood and Gower. The job was completed in spring 1961, when it was accepted with the first 1,558 stars.
The Chamber takes charge of new names, 1962
On 18 May 1962 the City made the Chamber its agent for adding names. The selection process that grew from this, with nominations, a committee of Walk of Famers and a sponsorship fee on selection, is described on the how-to-get-a-star page.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1953 | E. M. Stuart, volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, proposes the Walk |
| 1955 | Plans are agreed |
| January 1956 | Plans are submitted to the City Council |
| 15 August 1958 | Eight demonstration stars unveiled at Hollywood Blvd and Highland Avenue |
| 8 February 1960 | Construction begins |
| 28 March 1960 | Stanley Kramer’s star, the first in the permanent Walk, near Hollywood and Gower |
| Spring 1961 | The original Walk is completed with 1,558 stars |
| 18 May 1962 | The City makes the Chamber its agent for adding names |
| 20 July 1973 | Apollo 11 moon monuments dedicated at Hollywood and Vine |
| 13 November 1978 | Mickey Mouse becomes the first fictional character with a star |
| 1984 | Live Theatre added as a category |
Later additions
The Walk kept changing after the original build. The Apollo 11 moon monuments at Hollywood and Vine were dedicated on 20 July 1973. Mickey Mouse received the first star for a fictional character on 13 November 1978, at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. Live Theatre was added as a category in 1984, and Sports Entertainment is the newest of the six. Muhammad Ali’s star, with a ceremony date of 11 January 2002, was mounted on a wall at what is now Ovation Hollywood. The unusual stars page covers these in detail.
Administration and maintenance today
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the Walk on behalf of the City of Los Angeles, and the Hollywood Historic Trust helps maintain the stars. About two dozen to 30 new stars are selected a year, and the ceremonies that unveil them are open and free to the public. The Walk itself remains a public sidewalk that anyone can walk without a ticket.
Kramer’s star is near the Gower Street end and the demonstration stars were unveiled at Highland Avenue, so a walk between the two covers both ends of the early story.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Hollywood Walk of Fame created?
It was proposed in 1953, construction began on 8 February 1960, and the original Walk was completed in spring 1961 with 1,558 stars, according to the official history.
Who got the first star on the Walk of Fame?
The first star laid in the permanent Walk was Stanley Kramer’s, on 28 March 1960. Joanne Woodward was one of eight demonstration stars unveiled in 1958. See the first star page.
Who runs the Walk of Fame?
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers it on behalf of the City of Los Angeles, and the Hollywood Historic Trust helps maintain the stars.
Who came up with the idea?
E. M. Stuart, volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, proposed it in 1953, according to the official history at walkoffame.com.