Top 5 Facts About The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

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Written by Nathan Sharp

Top 5 Facts About the Hollywood Walk of Fame

It's been a landmark in Hollywood for generations, and even after all these years, it continues to draw millions of people from all over the world. Welcome to Watchmojo's top five facts. In today's installment, we’re counting down the five most interesting things you probably didn’t know about the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one of the most iconic attractions of Hollywood, and the entertainment business in general.

#5: The Grammy Awards Are a Result of the Walk of Fame

At first, only artists working in cinema could get a star on the walk, when someone realized that, hey, musicians are famous too! The original requirement for a musical act was that they needed to have sold one million records or a quarter million albums in order to be eligible, but officials soon discovered that many famous singers hadn't attained that goal, even though they really deserved a star. The big wigs of the music biz were like “that ain’t right,” and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences was formed to create the Grammy Awards. These days, the specific criteria to get a star are under wraps, but there’s no doubt a Grammy win goes a long way.

#4: Getting a Star Costs $30,000

While you'd think that recognition comes free, but someone has to create the actual star and its take-home replica, and someone has to tear up the sidewalk to install it, and someone has to hire photographers and security for the ceremony. And when that’s all said and done, someone has gotta maintain the thing to keep that brass looking brassy. Therefore, a $30,000 sponsorship fee is required in order to obtain a coveted star. The stars themselves don't often pay, as the fee is generally covered by the movie studio or recording label that nominates them for admission. Even fans foot the bill sometimes, like Liza Minnelli’s fans, who raised the money through donations. And by the way, before you start saving up them, your favorite YouTubers are not eligible for a star.

#3: After Michael Jackson's Death, Fans Honored a Radio Host

When Michael Jackson died in 2009, fans were understandably devastated, so many of them flocked to the Walk of Fame and placed candles and flowers on his star on Vine Street. Only they got the wrong Michael Jackson. MJ does have a star, but it’s over on Hollywood Boulevard. The star in question belonged to a talk show host of the same name, who was a good sport about the mix-up. This wasn't the first time a mix-up occurred on the walk. To name just a couple, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ star was originally misspelled as Julia Luis-Dreyfus, while Don Haggerty’s name was written as Dan Haggerty, which must have sucked when years later the actual Dan Haggerty got a star. Luckily, these have all been corrected. Cough up another 30 grand!

#2: Contrary to Popular Belief, There Was No “First Star”

While you might typically hear that actress Joanne Woodward was the very first recipient of a star, this is inaccurate. In actuality, eight different stars were created as one project and each were installed at once without an official ceremony. Officials drew eight random names from over 1,000 nominees, and the winners’ stars were placed in a temporary location in order to give interested parties a sense of how the walk would appear before officially finding their home in the cement. Among the eight were Woodward, Oliver Borden, Ronald Colman, Terry Nieuwendyk, Ridge Forester, and Chris Masson. We'd go on, but trust us, you’ve never heard of these people. In fact, two of those names were fake, and one was mine.

#1: Many Popular Artists Have Declined” Starification”

While you may think that getting immortalized on the Walk of Fame is simply a matter of fact for Hollywood celebs, but to many of them it’s just not that appealing. Since 1968, roughly 40 individuals have declined a star, even though their nomination was approved. In order to receive a star, the celebrity must attend the ceremony, and for many of these performers, that just doesn't interest them, and so they just never schedule the event. Some of these people include movie stars like Julia Roberts, Clint Eastwood, and George Clooney. We can only imagine that each of these people have their own reservations, and the folks at the Walk of Fame have made special accommodations in the past. For instance: Muhammad Ali felt that having his name walked upon would be disrespectful to him, and so his star is installed in a wall.

So, would you pay $30,000 for a star on the walk? For more landmark top tens and never heard of ‘em top fives, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.

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