Hollywood Gatehouse

10/31/07

Where is your favorite?

by netter1 at Citysearch

I don't really have a favorite...which is why I always oooh and aaah almost every few feet when walking around Hollywood Blvd. Even though you will see the names of movie stars and television giants, you'll also see stars for musicians and theater professionals. If you dedicate time to actually walk the ENTIRE walk you might actually be really underwhelmed. I have been. I distinctly remember being dragged around as a teenager by a friend who idolized the dancing skills of Gene Kelly...up and down Hollywood Boulevard...again and again as we searched for good ol' Gene. It wasn't until we got in front of the (in)famous Pussycat Theatre that we found him...right there under the center of the marquee. These days I only visit the stars in front of the Pantages theater as I wait in line to see Wicked...again...or as I'm showing visiting friends/relatives the forecourt of the Chinese theater near Hollywood and Highland. Although it seems old hat these days...I must say, it is still worth a smile to see whose hands/feet I can fit in at the Chinese.

09/16/07

People watching paradise!

by maxstuh at Citysearch

Hello everyone. I recently moved very close to the walk of the stars, and I absolutely love it. I don't love it because it is nice, fancy, or clean. I like it because it is what it is, and it is extremely...interesting. haha. There's something about waking up, walking down the street and passing three Jack Sparrow impersonators, a Chuckie impersonator (so scary!), a couple Spidermen, some crazy good dancers, a half-naked man with fake snakes, Batman, Elmo, Catwoman, the Little Mermaid, Shrek, Charlie Chaplin, weird demons, people of all colors, shapes and sizes, etc. And all that time you have the stars under your feet. It's like an added bonus. I encourage everyone to go to the walk of the stars AT LEAST once because I guarantee you will leave with crazy stories each time. If you are someone who is looking for famous people and everything upscale, this might not be the place for you, although there are occassional celebrity sightings. But, if you are a person who loves to people watch and experience new things, this is for you! Just look at it as an adventure. You never know what you will see on the walk of the stars.

10/17/05

I saw Legolas.

by tooschoolforcool at Citysearch

I'm in Hollywood quite often and am always finding new stars on the floor. I don't think the walk of fame will ever be complete without a star honoring Tim Curry. And that's my story.

03/05/04

Forget the Oscars: The real benchmark of celebrity is the sidewalk.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Background
Always anxious to pat itself on the back, the city of Hollywood conceived its Walk of Fame in 1960. Since then, more than 2,000 sidewalk stars have been awarded to some of the biggest (and not-so-big) names in the business. Clark Gable and Cary Grant are neighbors at 1608 and 1610 Vine Street. Audrey Hepburn is a little further down the way at 1652 Vine. And the very first star awarded, to Joanne Woodward, is at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.

The Experience
On a street filled with landmarks, the sidewalk itself actually becomes something of a thrill--notable names jump out one after the other, mixed in with the names of obscure individuals whose faded celebrity is a reminder that fame is indeed fleeting. But don't forget to look up: otherwise, you'll walk right past Mann's Chinese Theatre, the Capitol Records building and, of course, Frederick's of Hollywood.

02/06/03

Hollyrundown

by womble75 at Citysearch

I know so many people who've landed in LA and rushed to Hollywood and Vine to see the stars and the glamor - and all they found was a pretty shabby neighborhood. Once you see the walk of fame, Mann's Chinese Theater and the stack-of-45s-inspired Capitol Record building, you're done though the new Hollywood and Highland complex has smartened up a bit of an otherwise scruffy neighborhood. Tip: if you don't mind walking a bit, you can often find unrestricted free parking up the side streets a few blocks away during weekdays.

• Pros: LA's gotta-see (once)
• Cons: Seedy surroundings, Busy tourist season

09/14/02

Free and Part

by heavenbee at Citysearch

I lived in california for 4 years before i got to come see this historical amusment.At first i was very disapointed because i was expectiing so much more then what i saw. Dirty streets and names or people i never heard of but then in the end i decided that it was worth the trip. If you have never been to california you should at least give it a shot. Its once of those spots that you hear people talk about all the time so go have a looksee for yourself. It's part of what makes california "hollywood" so why miss it? oh and its free.. enough said

09/03/02

see the stars? YES, but thats it!

by budd_e_bev at Citysearch

If you come to LA 'just' for this, lets say you're trip could be MUCH better! I've walked this 'walk of fame' twice for some friends who came in from out of town. Don't expect it to be clean, because it's located on Hollywood Blvd, which is SO dirty! The facilities are dirty as well! The only big 'HIP' things about this is that you get to see the name of stars on the grounds, as well as hand and foot prints in front of the 'Chinese Mandarin Theatre' Other than that, there are NO restaurants, but GREAT souveneer shops! If you're looking for something to walk on that has great eatery, try melrose. Melrose has a LOT of clothing, shoe, record shops, and eatery as well. Or even the Beverly Center, which isn't so far away!

• Cons: dirty

07/09/02

Walk the Walk atleast once.

by Lee611 at Citysearch

If you are even remotely a film buff, you will enjoy the Walk of Fame. Walked it during the day and had no problems or ever felt I was in any danger. Also, how can you beat the price?

06/17/02

Celluloid Heroes

by taradelis_citysearch at Citysearch

Ray Davies hit the proverbial nail on the head when he wrote the Kinks song "Celluloid Heroes:" You can see all the stars as walk down Hollywood Boulevard/Some that you recognize/Some that you've hardly even heard of/People who worked and suffered and struggled for fame/Some who succeeded and some who suffered in vain." Yep, that about says it. For every Greta Garbo there's a Joe Schmo. But regardless of who you actually see out there on the streets of Hollywood, it's the adventure of walking along and watching people, and watching people watching you. It's a timeless L.A. thing to do, whether you're a tourist or a native. And the Hollywood and Vine area is much nicer and safer than it was even a couple years ago. Best of all, it's 100% free (well, unless you've got to pay for parking).

• Pros: timeless L.A. thing, completely free
• Cons: too many vendors

06/12/02

Hollywood Nostalgia

by izelmorena at Citysearch

True, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is in a shady neighborhood, but that shouldn't stop you from at least visiting part of it. The Walk spans several blocks. But there are sections of it that you can definitely take it and visit other landmarks; Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum and many more. So there is WAY more than just the walk of fame. I will agree with the other's...Don't let this place be your only impression of Los Angeles, or Hollywood for that matter. Best of all, it's free!

• Pros: Location, Hollywood Nostagia, Free
• Cons: Shady Neighborhood