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“…Names written in concrete…
those who worked and struggled for fame…
some who succeeded …
and some who struggled in vain”
(“Celluloid Heroes”)
Once, it was considered the glitzy center of the entertainment
world.
A publicity-fueled spin machine, a gigantic booster club selling
glamorous dreams.
“Screwy, ballyhooley” “phony, super Coney” Hollywood!!
Let’s face it. It’s a real challenge to keep such momentum going, in
this diversified, competitive modern age.
As early as the 1950’s there were ominous signs. Precious space
around Grauman’s Chinese theater was being reserved for true movie
land royalty only
Over martinis at the Brown Derby, anxious movers and shakers
exchanged ideas for jump-starting a sluggish tourist trade. As the
story goes, someone remembered that the old Hollywood hotel had
attracted crowds by painting pictures of movie A-listers on the
ceiling.
Visitors were spending too much of their time on buses.
Let’s do something for camera-toting sidewalk sightseers?
Worth a try, everyone agreed. Decision-makers created the Walk of
Fame.
Tinseltown began a decades-long revitalization effort. Though in
truth, property owners never organized a really big push until the
1990s.
There were ups and downs, a war or two, a recession or two,
periods of good times, but too many dormant years.
Varying at times, as one cynic put it, from “ghetto fabulous to
Banana Republic cashmere.”
As people became more celebrity-driven, the Walk expanded to
seventeen blocks along both sides of Hollywood boulevard. At its
1960 dedication, eight stars were awarded, but only three were
easily recognizable, Joanne Woodward, Ronald Colman, Burt Lancaster.
In a 16-month star burst, the number mushroomed to 1558; even avid
fans began to lose count.
Maybe it was inevitable that the magic would fade.
Certainly the Wall lost exclusivity with a bewildering number of
recipients.
 With a
current roster in excess of 2300 “stars,” using the word “legendary”
can be a real stretch. Fame depends a lot, on who’s during the
nominating, and who’s paying the $15,000 fee.
Last summer, while visiting my daughter who lives in Hollywood, we
spent an afternoon on the walk. Though I’d been in LA many times as
a television producer-writer for NBC News, it had been years since I
“big footed” a star.
Names jumped out of the bronze plaques embedded in pink and charcoal
terrazzo squares. Many were long ago and far away, and a surprising
number of “you hardly hear of's…”
Minor TV personalities. Local DJ’s, animated characters, an entire
basketball team, a ski quartet, even two live dogs.
There is no way I can list them all.
It ‘s now come down to a multi-untalented Paris Hilton dreaming the
impossible dream. While petitioners want to add video games to the
“big five” categories, films, recordings, radio, television and the
stage. Mario waits in the wings.
Along the Walk, I sampled tourist opinion: “Over-rated” “The area
still looks neglected” “No matter what, it’s still a ‘must see’” “A
bit seedy except for the stars”
“Neat to look at” “Chilling to see the history stars” “It’s
surprising to see how many names I never heard of”
As we wound up the afternoon, my daughter dug out a few interesting
tidbits from a guidebook
--Singing cowboy Gene Autry holds the record for stars, five, one
for each of the categories
--There have been four plaques stolen, one of Autry’s, Jimmy
Stewart, Kirk Douglas, and the most recent, Gregory Peck last year.
Surveillance cameras are now in place.
--At Hollywood and Vine, special stars commemorate the Apollo Eleven
astronauts and their mission team
--Seven Hollywood police officers killed in the line of duty are
also honored.
The stroll ended
I paused, thinking about the movie greats of yesteryear. And
especially those unfamiliar names in the passing parade.
Obscured by the movement of time and tide. Struck down by the hit
and run years of fleeting fame.
This too, is their Hollywood ending.
At least, here:
“Everybody’s a dreamer, and everybody’s a star.
No matter who you are.”
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Gene Farinet, an award winning veteran newsman, spent much of his long
career at NBC News as a writer and producer working with Frank McGee,
Ed Newman, John Chancellor and Tom Brokaw, covering space, politics
and special projects everywhere in the world.
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WALK
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