Hollywood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hollywood
Neighborhood of Los Angeles
Hollywood as seen from the Hollywood Sign
Nickname(s):  Tinseltown
Map of the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, as delineated by the Los Angeles Times
Hollywood Location in Los Angeles
Country	United States
State	California
City	Los Angeles

Hollywood (pronounced HOL-ee-wuud) is a famous neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. It's known around the world as the heart of the U.S. film industry. Many historic movie studios are located here. Because of its connection to movies, Hollywood is sometimes called Tinseltown.

Hollywood started as a small farming community in 1870. It became its own town in 1903. Later, in 1910, it joined with the city of Los Angeles. Soon after, the movie industry grew very quickly here. It became the most famous film industry in the world.

Hollywood's Story: From Farms to Film Studios

How Hollywood Began

In 1853, there was only one small adobe hut in this area. It was called Nopalera, named after the Nopal cactus. By 1870, it had become a busy farming community. The area was known as the Cahuenga Valley.

A man named H. J. Whitley, often called the "Father of Hollywood," visited in 1886. He was on his honeymoon and looking at the valley. He met a Chinese man hauling wood. The man said, "I holly-wood," meaning he was 'hauling wood.' Whitley had a great idea and decided to name his new town Hollywood. He wanted "Holly" to represent England and "wood" for his Scottish background.

Whitley bought a large ranch and planned to build a town. Other people, like Daeida Wilcox Beveridge, also became interested. In August 1887, Daeida's husband, Harvey Henderson Wilcox, officially recorded the name "Hollywood, California" for land he sold. Even though a real estate boom ended that year, Hollywood slowly started to grow.

Early Buildings and Growth

By 1900, Hollywood had a post office, a newspaper, a hotel, and two markets. Los Angeles was about 10 miles away. A streetcar line connected the two, but it was a slow, two-hour trip. An old fruit-packing house became a stable, which helped with transportation.

The Hollywood Hotel opened in 1902. H. J. Whitley built it to attract people to buy land. This hotel became very famous and was a central place for stars and social events for many years. Whitley also helped bring electricity to the area and built a bank. He even built a road into the Cahuenga Pass.

Becoming Part of Los Angeles

Hollywood officially became a town on November 14, 1903. In 1904, voters decided to ban alcohol sales in the city, except for medicine.

In 1910, Hollywood voted to join Los Angeles. This was mainly to get a better water supply and access to the city's sewer system. After joining, Prospect Avenue, a main road, was renamed Hollywood Boulevard.

The Rise of the Movie Industry

Why Movies Came to Hollywood

By 1912, many big movie companies were setting up their businesses near Los Angeles. In the early 1900s, Thomas Edison held most of the patents for making movies. He would often sue filmmakers in New Jersey. To avoid these lawsuits, filmmakers started moving west. Here, Edison's patents were harder to enforce. Also, California had great weather all year and many different landscapes for filming. This made Los Angeles the perfect place for the film industry.

First Films and Studios

D. W. Griffith was the first director to make a movie in Hollywood. His short film, In Old California (1910), was filmed for the Biograph Company.

The first movie studio in Hollywood was the Nestor Company. It opened in October 1911 in a building at 6121 Sunset Boulevard. The first film made by a Hollywood studio was shot on October 26, 1911. It was filmed at the Whitley home, using their groves as a set.

By the 1920s, Hollywood's movie industry was the fifth largest in the entire nation. Big film companies like Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., RKO Pictures, and Columbia Pictures had studios here. Hollywood became known as Tinseltown because of the bright, glittering image of the movie business.

Hollywood's Famous Landmarks

The Hollywood Sign and Walk of Fame

The Hollywoodland sign in 1923.

In 1923, the famous Hollywood Sign was put up in the Hollywood Hills. It originally said "HOLLYWOODLAND" to advertise a new housing area. In 1949, the "LAND" part was removed. This made the sign say "HOLLYWOOD" and represent the whole area, not just a housing development.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame was created in 1958. It honors artists and others who have made big contributions to entertainment. The Walk of Fame officially opened on February 8, 1960.

New Buildings and Transportation

The Capitol Records Building was built in 1956. In 1999, the Metro Red Line subway opened. It has stops along Hollywood Boulevard, making it easier to get around.

The Dolby Theatre opened in 2001. It is located at the Hollywood & Highland Center mall. This theater is now the home of the Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. The mall stands where the historic Hollywood Hotel once was.

Bringing Hollywood Back to Life

In the 1980s, Hollywood faced some tough times. Many famous buildings were at risk of being torn down. But since 2000, Hollywood has been getting a fresh start. Many old buildings are being fixed up, and new businesses are moving in. This has helped Hollywood become a lively place again.

Where is Hollywood?

Hollywood is located in the central part of Los Angeles. It is surrounded by other neighborhoods. To the north are the Hollywood Hills. To the east is East Hollywood, and to the west is West Hollywood.

The main streets that mark Hollywood's borders are:

• North: Hollywood Boulevard and Franklin Avenue
• East: Western Avenue
• South: Melrose Avenue
• West: La Brea Avenue or the West Hollywood city line

In 1918, H. J. Whitley had an architect design Whitley Heights. This was a Mediterranean-style village built on the hills above Hollywood Boulevard. It became the first community where many celebrities lived.

Other areas within Hollywood include Franklin Village, Little Armenia, Spaulding Square, and Thai Town.

	Hollywood Hills West	Hollywood Hills	Los Feliz
	West Hollywood		East Hollywood
		Hollywood
	Fairfax	Larchmont and Hancock Park	East Hollywood

It's interesting to know that the famous Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee is not actually in Hollywood itself. It's located just north of Hollywood in the Hollywood Hills.

Who Lives in Hollywood?

In 2000, about 77,818 people lived in Hollywood. This means it's a very crowded neighborhood, with many people living close together. By 2008, the population had grown to about 85,489. The average age of residents was 31.

Hollywood is a very diverse place, meaning people from many different backgrounds live there. In 2000, about 42% of residents were Latino or Hispanic, and 41% were Non-Hispanic White. About 54% of residents were born outside the United States. Many came from Mexico and Guatemala.

The average household income in Hollywood was lower than the average for Los Angeles. Most people in Hollywood rent their homes or apartments.

Famous Places to Visit in Hollywood

Special Events in Hollywood

• The Academy Awards: These famous awards, also known as the Oscars, celebrate the best films of the past year. They are held in late February or early March each year at the Dolby Theatre.
• The annual Hollywood Christmas Parade: This parade happens every November. In 2006, it was the 75th parade! It travels down Hollywood Boulevard and is shown on TV.
• The Hollywood Half Marathon: This running event takes place in April each year. It includes a half marathon, 10K, 5K, and a Kids Fun Run. It helps raise money for youth homeless shelters in the area.

Images for kids

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  Hollywood Post Office building, 2015

• 

  Hollywood High School, 2008

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  The Chinese Theatre before 2007

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  The Dolby Theatre

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  Walk of Fame

See also

In Spanish: Hollywood (desambiguación) para niños