The grande dame of tinsel town: Iconic Hollywood sign turns 100
Agencies – Sudan Events
The sign initially read ‘HOLLYWOODLAND, having been constructed in 1923 as an advertisement for an upscale real estate development. For the first time in decades, the Hollywood sign at least a little bit of it was illuminated on Friday to celebrate its 100th birthday.
The nine-letter sign is officially a centenarian but, as with many an aging grande dame in Hollywood, looks as fresh as ever. Like the actors and actresses it looks down on, the sign has been in its fair share of films.
Directors who want to let their audience know a movie is set in Los Angeles have an easy establishing shot, while a filmmaker who wants to signify the destruction of America can set their special effects team loose on the sign.
Unlike most global landmarks, the Hollywood sign is not usually lit up at night, partially because of objections from people who live nearby. But, said Zarrinnam, it might start shining again.
“What we are working on is a plan to hopefully light the sign on very special occasions,” he said. “We have some very important sporting events that are coming to Los Angeles like the FIFA World Cup, we have the Olympics coming (in 2028) so those are the types of events that we would probably want to light the Hollywood sign in the future.”
