The Hollywood Sign History

The Hollywood sign, or Hollywoodland, as the sign originally said. The large white letters that clung to the side of the hills have become an iconic landmark. Tourists love to take souvenir snaps of this sign, yet the purpose behind them is nearly forgotten.

The sign was originally built in the 1920’s to advertise a real estate development.
In 1949, the sign was given a much-needed makeover. Not only had the development been completely sold, but the residents had started to complain about its disrepair. As part of the makeover, the “Land” part was dropped.

In 1978, the sign was attacked by arsonists and termites. The cost of the repairs was estimated to be $250,000. To help save the iconic landmark, Hugh Hefner steps forward and hosts a gala auction at the Playboy Mansion. Actioning the letters of the sign at $28,000 each. Hugh sponsored the “Y”, Alice Cooper sponsored an “O” in honor of Groucho Marx, singing cowboy Gene Autry sponsored an “L” and Andy Williams sponsored the “W.”

Hollywood sign evolves

Nearly 90 years after its original installation, the 50-foot-tall letters are getting a complete refurbishment. Each letter is currently getting all its paint removed to the base metal and getting a fresh covering.

Looking back at the concept of installing letters on a hillside reveals a number of logistical issues. 90 years ago, the issues wouldn’t necessarily have been around. The Original letters were wooden construction, which is why they needed to be refurbished a few times. The new installation is concrete and steel. From a distance, the letters do their job. However, if they were ordered by a customer today, would they accept lettering that wasn’t inline and with so many visible supports?