Hollywood Sign facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood Sign in 2015
Former names	Hollywoodland Sign (1923–1949)
General information
Location	Griffith Park, Mount Lee, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California
Country	United States
Coordinates	34°8′2.62″N 118°19′17.73″W / 34.1340611°N 118.3215917°W / 34.1340611; -118.3215917
Completed	1923; 103 years ago (1923)
Renovated	Repaired in 1949 Rebuilt in 1978 Repainted in 2005 Repainted in 2023
Cost	$21,000
Client	Woodruff and Shoults (Hollywoodland)
Technical details
Structural system	Wood and sheet metal (1923–1978) Steel (1978–present)
Size	45 ft (13.7 m) tall, 450 ft (137.2 m) long
Design and construction
Architect	Thomas Fisk Goff
Engineer	Cornelius A. Van Dam
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument
Designated:	February 7, 1973
Reference #:	111

The Hollywood Sign is a super famous landmark and a symbol of Hollywood, Los Angeles in the United States. It sits high up on Mount Lee in the Santa Monica Mountains, looking over the city. The sign spells out "HOLLYWOOD" in big white letters.

It was first put up in 1923, but back then it said "HOLLYWOODLAND." It was meant to be a temporary advertisement for a new housing area. But it became so popular that people decided to keep it! In 1949, the last four letters, "LAND," were removed. The sign you see today was completely rebuilt in 1978 with strong steel letters.

This iconic sign is one of the most recognized landmarks in California and the whole country. You often see it in movies and TV shows that are set in Los Angeles. It's protected and cared for by a group called the Hollywood Sign Trust.

The Famous Hollywood Sign

A Look Back: The Sign's Beginning

The Hollywood Sign first appeared in 1923. It originally spelled "HOLLYWOODLAND." Its purpose was to advertise a brand-new housing development in the hills above Hollywood.

The developers, Woodruff and Shoults, wanted to show off their "Hollywoodland" community. They described it as a wonderful place to live that wasn't too expensive.

They hired the Crescent Sign Company to build thirteen large letters facing south on the hillside. Thomas Fisk Goff designed the sign using wooden letters that were about 30 feet wide and 50 feet tall. The sign had around 4,000 light bulbs! It would flash "HOLLY," then "WOOD," then "LAND," and then the whole word. A searchlight below also helped grab attention. Mules helped carry the heavy poles for the sign up the steep hill. The whole project cost $21,000, which was a lot of money back then. Many workers helped clear paths and set up the huge letters, which now weigh over 200 tons.

The sign was officially opened on July 13, 1923. It was only supposed to last for about a year and a half. But as American movies became super popular in Los Angeles during the "Golden Age of Hollywood," the sign became famous too. So, it stayed up for more than 25 years, still spelling "Hollywoodland."

The lights on the sign were turned off around 1933 because the owners thought they were too expensive to run.

The original sign, reading "Hollywoodland"

Changes Over Time: Deterioration and Restoration

Over the years, the original wooden sign started to fall apart. By early 1944, the letter 'H' was damaged. Reports from the time blamed strong winds or even vandals.

In 1949, some local residents complained that the sign looked bad and wanted it taken down. But the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce stepped in. They offered to fix the sign. They made a deal with the City of Los Angeles Parks Department. The agreement said that the "LAND" part of the sign would be removed. This way, it would just say "Hollywood" and represent the famous district, not just the housing development. The repairs and removal of "LAND" happened in September 1949.

In the 1970s, the sign looked very worn out. This picture was taken just before it was rebuilt in 1978.

Who Helped Save the Sign?

The sign's original wood and sheet metal structure continued to wear down. After a big windstorm in February 1978, parts of the letters were broken, making the sign look very damaged.

So, in 1978, the Chamber of Commerce decided to replace the old sign with a much stronger, permanent one. Nine generous donors each gave $27,778, totaling $250,000. This money paid for new letters made of steel, supported by steel poles on concrete foundations.

The new letters were 44 feet tall and between 31 and 39 feet wide. The brand-new sign was revealed on November 11, 1978. This was part of a live TV special celebrating Hollywood's 75th anniversary as a city.

In November 2005, the sign got another makeover. Workers stripped the letters down to their metal and repainted them bright white.

The sign was rebuilt with metal letters and a strong steel frame.

Donors for the 1978 Rebuild

After the public campaign to rebuild the sign in 1978, these nine donors each gave $27,700:

• H: Terrence Donnelly (a newspaper publisher)
• O: Giovanni Mazza (an Italian movie producer)
• L: Les Kelley (who started Kelley Blue Book)
• L: Gene Autry (a famous actor)
• Y: The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, honoring Hugh Hefner
• W: Andy Williams (a singer)
• O: Warner Bros. Records (now Warner Records)
• O: Alice Cooper (a singer), who donated in memory of comedian Groucho Marx
• D: Dennis Lidtke (a businessman)

A satellite image shows how the sign follows the shape of the hillside.

The Original "H" Letter

People thought the original 1923 sign was gone forever. But in 2005, a producer named Dan Bliss put parts of it up for sale online! Artist Bill Mack bought the sheet metal. He used it to create paintings of famous stars from Hollywood's Golden Age. In August 2012, Mack even built an exact copy of the original 'H' letter using some of the metal. On August 9, 2012, city officials from Los Angeles recognized Mack for his efforts to save and preserve parts of the sign.

Visiting the Sign: Access and Views

Many people want to see the Hollywood Sign up close. This has led to a lot of visitors in the neighborhoods near the sign, like Beachwood Canyon. Residents there have worried about traffic and safety because the winding roads weren't built for so many cars and people. The Los Angeles Fire Department also says that Griffith Park, where the sign is, has a high risk of fires because of the dry plants. Some residents even put up fake "no access" signs to try and keep people away.

In 2012, city officials asked GPS companies like Garmin and Google Maps to send tourists to better viewing spots. They suggested places like Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood and Highland Center. These places have better facilities for visitors, like parking and restrooms. The Hollywood Sign Trust also recommends these viewing spots. Other map services, like Apple Maps and Bing Maps, now do the same. Some people felt this was misleading because the hike from Griffith Observatory can be long, and these spots are further away from the sign.

A walking trail at the edge of a neighborhood. This is as close as most people can get to the Hollywood Sign. Signs here say public access to the sign is not allowed.

A view from behind the Hollywood sign in 2003.

In 2015, the city made some streets in Beachwood Canyon "preferential parking districts." This means only residents can park there, which helped reduce tourist traffic.

In 2017, a popular walking trail entrance, the Beachwood Drive gate, was closed to the public. This happened after a lawsuit. The court decided that too many tourists were interfering with a nearby horse ranch's business. So, the city had to close that specific access point.

Some groups tried to get the Beachwood Gate reopened, but the court sided with Los Angeles in 2018.

Ideas for the Future

There have been many ideas for how to make it easier for people to visit the sign. One idea is an aerial tramway (like a cable car) to the top of Mount Lee. In 2018, Warner Bros. offered to pay about $100 million for a tramway from their studio to a new visitor area near the sign. Other ideas include building an official visitor center, offering public shuttle services, or even putting up a second sign on the other side of Mount Lee. The Hollywood Sign Trust proposed a Visitor Center in late 2025 and shared some design ideas with the media.

Where is the Hollywood Sign?

The sign is located on the southern side of Mount Lee within Griffith Park. It's north of the Mulholland Highway and south of the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) cemetery.

A view from West Hollywood, near Santa Monica Boulevard. The historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is on the left.

The area around the sign is rough and steep. There are barriers to stop people from getting too close without permission. In 2000, the Los Angeles Police Department installed a special security system. It uses motion detectors and cameras. If anyone moves into the restricted areas, an alarm goes off and alerts the police.

The sign sits at an elevation of about 1,578 feet (481 meters) high.

The Hollywood Sign seen from Runyon Canyon Park, with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background.

Right behind and to the right of the sign, there's a building and a tower. This is the City of Los Angeles Central Communications Facility. It helps all the cell phone, microwave, and radio towers used by the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments, schools, and other city groups. This spot was once home to the first TV station in Los Angeles, W6XAO (now KCBS-TV), from 1939 to 1947. That's why the mountain is called Mount Lee!

In 1940, Howard Hughes bought land near the sign. He planned to build a mansion for actress Ginger Rogers. But their engagement ended, and the land stayed empty. In 2002, Hughes' estate sold the property to a developer who wanted to build luxury homes. This land is to the left and above the sign. In 2008, it was put up for sale again for $22 million. The City of Los Angeles thought about buying it, maybe with help from celebrities, just like they did for the 1978 restoration.

The sign in February 2010 during a campaign to raise money to protect the land around it.

Environmental groups were worried about building houses so close to the sign. In April 2009, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) made a deal to buy the 138-acre property for a lower price of $12.5 million. To help raise money, on February 11, 2010, they covered each letter of the sign with banners that said "SAVE THE PEAK." On April 26, 2010, the Trust for Public Land announced they had raised enough money. Hugh Hefner donated the final $900,000, and later gave another $100,000. After the purchase, this land became part of Griffith Park.

The Sign in the Spotlight: Special Changes

The Hollywood Sign has been changed for special events over the years:

• It was lit up for the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles.
• In 1987, the sign briefly read "FOX" for five days to promote the launch of the Fox network.
• For the movie Cool World (1992), a 75-foot-tall cutout of a character named Holli Would was placed on the sign. This change caused some people to be upset.
• For the millennium celebrations in Los Angeles, the sign was lit up and had a laser show for the year 2000. It was lit in different colors, which is rare for the sign. This was done instead of fireworks because of fire concerns in the dry area.
• Between February 14 and 16, 2022, the sign read "RAMS HOUSE" to celebrate the Los Angeles Rams winning Super Bowl LVI. Bad weather delayed the changes, so for a while, it read "RALLYOUSE" before it was finished.
• In 2022, the sign was lit up for the first time in 22 years! Laser projections cast rainbow colors onto the sign to celebrate Pride Month. A few days later, digital projections were beamed onto the sign for the 2022 BET Awards.
• The sign featured in a film for the handover of the Olympic Flag from Paris to Los Angeles (the host of the 2028 Summer Olympics) at the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. In the film, Tom Cruise was shown climbing the sign and changing it to include the Olympic Rings in place of the double 'O's.
• On October 30, 2024, the letter "D" was lit up blue with a white outline to celebrate the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the 2024 World Series.

Ideas for the Future

• Disney once asked to put spots on the sign to promote their movie 101 Dalmatians (1996), but they later changed their mind.
• In 2022, the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, signed an order to light up the sign. However, the next mayor, Karen Bass, canceled the order 10 days later due to concerns about whether it was legal.

What About the Name "Hollywood"?

It can be a bit confusing because the Hollywood Sign is a famous landmark owned by the City of Los Angeles, but the word "HOLLYWOOD" itself, when written in a special style, is a registered trademark. This trademark is owned by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Think of it this way: the physical sign on the mountain is a public monument. But the specific way the word "HOLLYWOOD" looks, especially on things like T-shirts or souvenirs, is protected by the Chamber of Commerce. They have registered this special look for certain products.

When you see the Hollywood Sign in movies, photos, or art, it's usually just showing a real place. This is generally allowed and doesn't break any trademark rules. The Chamber of Commerce has tried to protect the sign's image more broadly in the past, but it's mainly the stylized word "HOLLYWOOD" for merchandise that they have trademark rights over.

Signs Around the World: Imitations

Many other places have created signs that look like the Hollywood Sign:

• Springfield, the town in The Simpsons, has its own sign spelling "SPRINGFIELD." It first appeared in a 1991 episode.
• The band System of a Down changed the Hollywood Sign to "SYSTEM OF A DOWN" on their album Toxicity, released in 2001.
• In the video games Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) and Grand Theft Auto V (2013), the Hollywood sign appears as "Vinewood," a funny version of Hollywood.
• In 2008, a company in Massachusetts got permission to combine "Hollywood" with "East" to create "Hollywood East." They plan to build a permanent sign in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
• In 2009, a "Hollinwood" sign was put up next to a highway in Hollinwood, England. It celebrated Manchester being twinned with Los Angeles. But it was taken down because it distracted drivers.
• In March 2010, Wellington Airport in New Zealand planned a "Wellywood" sign to celebrate its film industry. But many local people didn't like the idea. In 2012, they put up a sign that says "Wellington" with some letters blowing away, showing off Wellington's famous wind.
• In November 2010, the town of Renca in Chile put up a sign on Renca Hill that says "Renca la lleva" (meaning "Renca rocks").
• In 2010, the town of Basildon in England put up a sign with its name to attract new businesses.
• In 2010, an Irish betting company called Paddy Power put up a huge Hollywood-style sign that said "Paddy Power" on Cleeve Hill in England.
• In 2011, a 20-foot tall copy of the sign was built on Monarch Hill Renewable Energy Park in Pompano Beach, Florida. It was used in the movie Rock of Ages.
• Singer Dolly Parton has often said the Hollywood Sign inspired her to create her own theme park, Dollywood.
• In 2014, Druskininkai, Lithuania, opened a sign to celebrate being voted the most "Likeable Lithuania" place on social media.
• In 2015, the album cover for Dr. Dre's album Compton showed the back of the Hollywood sign changed to the album's title.
• There's a copy of the sign in Hollywood, County Wicklow in Ireland.
• Another copy is above the Harbor in Keelung, Taiwan.
• There's a copy of the sign near Szastarka, Poland.
• There's a copy of the sign on Mount Tâmpa in Brașov, Romania, put up in 2004. Another one is near Râșnov Citadel.
• There's also a copy of the sign in Marseille, France, put up in 2016 to promote the Netflix series Marseille.
• There's a sign near Osage Beach, Missouri, that says "Lake of the Ozarks" to welcome visitors. It was installed in 2012.
• There's a copy of the sign in Medora, North Dakota, behind the stage of the Burning Hills Amphitheatre.
• There's a copy of the sign in Anguillara Sabazia, near Rome, Italy.
• There's a copy of the sign at Westview Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on a hill known as "Garbage Hill."
• There's a copy of the sign over the town of Hatta, United Arab Emirates.
• In 2001, there was a copy of the sign near Palermo, Italy, for the Venice Biennale.
• In 2022, the city of Dundee, Scotland, installed a sign on the Dundee Law that said "BEANOTOWN." This was a reference to The Beano comic, which is published in the city.
• In 2024, the city of Detroit, Michigan, installed a sign inspired by the Hollywood Sign for the 2024 NFL draft.

The Hollywood Sign Trust: Protecting a Landmark

The Hollywood Sign Trust is a special non-profit group created in 1978. Their main job is to protect, maintain, and preserve the Hollywood Sign. They make sure this famous landmark stays in good condition.

The Trust is responsible for keeping the sign physically maintained, making repairs, repainting it, and improving it. They also make sure the sign is secure and teach people about its important history and culture.

In 2000, the Hollywood Sign Trust put in the first advanced security system at the sign. This system was updated in 2005 and again in 2022. It includes security cameras, two-way radios, and infrared cameras that watch the sign and its surroundings. The Los Angeles Police Department monitors these cameras.

The Hollywood Sign Trust has overseen the repainting and care of the sign. Most recently, they organized the cleaning and painting of the Hollywood Sign in 2022. This was done to get ready for the sign's 100th anniversary in 2023.

Other important projects include helping to raise money in 2010 to buy Cahuenga Peak (the land around the sign). They also organized the 80th (2003), 90th (2013), and 100th (2023) anniversary celebrations for the sign. They are currently planning a Hollywood Sign visitor center with the City of Los Angeles and Rec & Parks.

In 2023, the Hollywood Sign Trust received the Preservation Award from the Los Angeles Conservancy. This award recognized their amazing work in protecting historic places in Los Angeles County.

Who are the Trustees?

The Hollywood Sign Trust is made up of nine volunteers. They are chosen by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the City of Los Angeles, and the Office of Los Angeles's 4th City Council district. As of 2024-2025, the board members are Jeff Zarrinnam (Chair), Marty Shelton (Vice Chair), Brian Lane (Secretary), Andrea Conant, Jerry Neuman, Stefanie Smith, Darnell Tyler, Ed Tom, and Dana Pesce.

See also

In Spanish: Hollywood Sign para niños

• Hill figure
• Hillside letters