Time of the sign: Hollywood landmark lights up as it hits 100
- For the first time in decades, the Hollywood sign – at least a little bit of it – was illuminated on Friday to celebrate its 100th birthday
- Shock rocker Alice Cooper led a campaign to restore the sign to its former glory, donating US$28,000
The landmark word has loomed over Tinseltown since before films started talking, becoming a symbol of the entire film industry.
For the first time in decades, the Hollywood sign – at least a little bit of it – was illuminated on Friday to celebrate its 100th birthday.
Like the actors and actresses it looks down on, the sign has been in its fair share of films.
Directors who want to let their audience know a film is set in Los Angeles have an easy establishing shot, while a filmmaker who wants to signify the destruction of America can set their special effects team loose on the sign.
It has also seen real life tragedy: British-born actress Peg Entwistle took her own life by plunging from the top of the letter H in 1932.
The sign, a must-see for any film buff or tourist visiting Los Angeles, initially read “HOLLYWOODLAND,” having been constructed in 1923 as an advertisement for an upscale property development.