You won't be able to ‘walk on by’ LA's pavement tribute to the stars that make Hollywood great.
Do famous actors and singers want their names in lights? Most do, but they know they've really made it when their name is embedded on a coral-pink terrazzo five-point star rimmed with brass on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In June, major celebrity Jennifer Lopez was honoured with star no. 2500.The Walk of Fame runs just over 2 kilometres east to west on Hollywood Boulevard and is one of the few pavements in LA where people aren't in a hurry to get somewhere. More than 10 million people come here every year to see the famous names. Since 1960, the city has been immortalising its stars, and the first eight big names included Burt Lancaster and Joanne Woodward.While household legends dominate the Walk of Fame, there are also many stars that commemorate people who have worked behind the scenes. On all the stars, below the name of each honouree, is one of five symbols representing the part of the entertainment industry where they made their mark: a motion-picture camera, a television set, a radio microphone, a theatrical mask or a music record.Some entertainers have excelled in multiple categories, so they have received multiple stars. 33 people, including Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra have stars in three categories, while Michael Jackson has two: one as a soloist and one as a member of The Jackson 5. Two fictional characters have two stars each: Kermit the Frog and Big Bird, each have an individual star and one with The Muppets.The stars don't all face the same way, so that people can come from both directions which helps with the flow of pedestrian traffic. As you look down, also have a look up and see the numerous celebrity impersonators, all looking for you to part with a few dollars.
