The whole world knows the name of Hollywood, because it is there that the most famous films are made, which are then shown on the screens of movie theaters around the globe. But in the foreseeable past it was just a village, and nothing even hinted at a brilliant future destined for this place …
The history of Hollywood began with a small piece of land in the vicinity of the small town of Los Angeles, which in 1886 acquired a modest family of American immigrants Wilcox. They called this place “Hollywood” – from the words “holly” – holly (holly) and “wood” – forest. The famous HOLLYWOOD inscription on the slope of Mount Lee was installed about a hundred years ago, in 1923. This is not a city, as some say. This is the most famous area of Los Angeles, where a huge number of film studios are located, and, of course, many famous movie actors live here. Initially, the famous inscription was longer – HOLLYWOODLAND. And it was just an advertisement for the new residential neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Until the end of the 19th century, farmers lived here, who were attracted to fertile lands. On the site of the legendary stronghold of film studios were fields, pastures and fruit groves. One of the founders of the “dream factory” was Luis Bart Mayer, a native of Minsk, who was then part of the Russian Empire. Movie historians find it difficult to give an exact date of his birth: in some documents the year 1884 is indicated, in others – 1885. During the Second World War, the Oscar figurines were made of plaster. All the people who got a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame paid a tidy sum for this. Each year, one candidate is selected from several dozen, and the winner must pay a $ 30,000 contribution to the local chamber of commerce.
The term “Hollywood smile” appeared thanks to the dentist Charles Pincus in the thirties of the last century. In order for the teeth of movie stars to become snow-white, Pincus developed special ceramic pads and received the title of “star dentist” – almost all movie stars of that era used his services. Over time, the letters on the Hollywood sign began to disappear. To restore it, in 1978, Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner organized a letter auction. This auction was held for three months. Rock musician Alice Cooper sponsored the restoration of the letter “O”, Gene Autry and Paul Williams sponsored the restoration of the letters “L” and “W”. It was originally planned that the famous Hollywood sign would be dismantled 18 months after installation. Hollywood Digital Laboratory – this is the name of the first Hollywood studio, which appeared in 1911. Prior to this, the film studio was an ordinary roadside diner. The first Hollywood movie was a work by director David Wark Griffith called “In Old California.” The film was shot in 1910. The first stars on the famous Walk of Fame appeared in 1960. All the stars on the Alley are on the pavement, however, one of them is located on the wall. This star is in honor of Mohammed Ali. In total, there are about 2500 stars on the Alley. Previously, the inscription “Hollywood” was highlighted day and night, but now the backlight works only during the day. The first letters in the HOLLYWOOD inscription had a height of 15 meters. After reconstruction, their height was reduced to 13.7 meters. In fact, there is only one movie studio in Hollywood County. This is a 26-hectare Paramount studio. All other labels have already moved to other parts of Los Angeles.
In November 2001, the Kodak Theater was opened in the heart of Hollywood, accommodating more than 3,000 spectators. This theater was the first permanent venue for the Academy Award – Academy Award. Many Hollywood stars have Russian roots. For example, the grandmother of Leonardo di Caprio was born in Perm. And her surname is very common in our country – Smirnova. Stephen Seagal also repeatedly stated that his paternal grandfather was born in Russia. The actor even received Russian citizenship. Today, most of the film industry is dispersed in neighborhoods such as Westside, but much of the supporting industry, such as editing, effects, props, final editing, and lighting, remains in Hollywood. The first eight stars on the Walk of Fame appeared simultaneously on February 8, 1960. Stars on the Walk of Fame were received not only by people, but also by cartoon characters, such as Mickey Mouse. The idea of the Hollywood Walk of Fame quite by accident brought the silent movie star Norma Tolmidge. Leaving Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Norma stepped into wet cement, leaving a footprint. Now the Walk of Fame attracts about 10 million visitors annually. Among all the directors of Hollywood, there is one who has never really existed: one Allan Smitty. However, this does not prevent the mythical personality from appearing regularly in the credits. It’s just that real directors have a tradition: if for some reason they want to remain incognito, this name is written in the credits.
