Hollywood
was
initially
built
in
1923
by
Harry
Chandler
for
a
cost
of
$21,000.
It
was
built
to
advertise
the
area
"Hollywoodland".
Built
to
last
for
only
a
year
and
a
half,
it
lasted
for
more
than
eighty
years
and
is
still
going
strong.
In
'39,
there
was
a
small
white
dot
below
the
sign.
It
contained
four
thousand
twenty
watt
bulbs
to
light
up
the
structure
and
was
maintained
by
a
caretaker.
A
piece
of
Hollywoodland
was
sold
to
the
city
of
Los
Angeles,
which
included
the
part
of
land
that
had
the
Hollywood
sign
on
it.
In
'49,
L,
A,
N
&D
were
removed
and
H
was
helped
up
because
it
was
half
toppled
over.
This
form
of
the
sign
came
to
stay.
The
sign
deteriorated
to
wither
until
it
fell
under
its
own
weight
.It
was
brought
back
to
shape
by
generous
donors
in
'78
during
which
for
three
months
because
a
new
sign
was
being
put
up.
Hugh
Hefner
held
a
fundraiser
auctioning
off
each
letter
of
the
sign.
Alice
Cooper
sponsored
one
O.
Gene
Aunty
sponsored
an
L
and
Paul
Williams
a
W.
Then
in
'95,
to
maintain
the
sign
Hollywood
Sign
Trust
was
setup,
which
was
created
to
keep
the
Hollywood
Sign
in
top
shape.
The
Hollywood
Chamber
Of
Commerce
became
the
signs
image
and
licensing
manager.
The
sign
itself
became
the
property
of
the
city
of
Los
Angeles.
In
2000,
lightning
destroyed
the
signs
surveillance
booth
and
Panasonic
was
called
to
set
up
a
security
system
for
the
sign
with
microwave
triggered
motion
detectors,
external
alarms
and
a
close
circuit
television
network.
Recent
Stories
Scott
Stapp
marries,
found
drunk
the
next
day
Tom
Cruise
warns
biographer