To be honored with a star in Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, the world’s most famous sidewalk, is a tribute as coveted and sought after as any of the entertainment industry’s equally prestigious awards -- including the Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Mike or Tony.  And, because it recognizes a life-long contribution of both public and peer appreciation, it is an honor uniquely in a class of itself, a permanent monument of the past, as well as the present. 

Envisioned in 1958 as a lasting tribute to the personalities who helped make Hollywood the most famous community in the world, the Walk continues today as a superior asset to the city, perpetuating the aura that has made the name “Hollywood” synonymous with glamour, and remains one of the city’s most widely - seen tourist attractions.

Administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce  the Walk of Fame was designated, in 1978, as a Cultural/Historic Landmark by the City of Los Angeles.  Through the efforts of the Hollywood Historic Trust, a continuing, self financing program maintains the quality of the Walk of Fame and the historic lure that is Hollywood.

A chronological history of the Hollywood-based entertainment industry, including the behind-the-scenes people as well as the most famous and instantly recognizable personalities, the Walk of Fame encompasses five acres of bronze stars, embedded in pink terrazzo and surrounded by charcoal terrazzo squares.  Inside each star is the bronze-engraved name of each artist and a distinctive emblem identifying in which of the five categories -- Motion Pictures, Television, Radio, Recording or Live Theatre -- the recipient has been honored.

The Walk of Fame lines both sides of Hollywood Boulevard from Gower to La Brea, and both sides of Vine Street, from Yucca to Sunset.  Official groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted February 9, 1960 and in sixteen months, when construction was completed, 1,558 luminaries were forever immortalized in the sidewalk.  Since then, approximately one to two stars per month have been added and stars dedicated in 1994 pushed the total over the 2,000 mark.  However, even at this rate, it will be many years before the stars in the famed walk will be completely occupied, assuring the continued presence of Hollywood in the world’s media, and remaining a highly visible and lasting tribute to a unique city.

CHAIRMAN OF THE WALK OF FAME

Presiding over the ceremonies used to be Hollywood’s celebrity Mayor, Johnny Grant who was also the Chairman of the Walk of Fame committee which is made up of four other members, all experts in one of the five categories. Mr. Grant passed away on January 9, 2008. He had been the Chairman since 1980. It's too soon to have a replacement and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is not actively pursuing any applications.

NOMINATION PROCEDURE

Nominations are accepted by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce during a scheduled 60-day nomination period announced to Hollywood’s entertainment trade publications and print and broadcast media.  Nomination of an individual or group must be approved by the Walk of Fame Committee, sometimes requiring several annual nominations before a nominee is selected to receive a star. The ten to fifteen most qualified artists nominated are eligible for a star to be installed in the Walk during the subsequent year.  Those not selected for the current year are requested to resubmit for the following nomination period. The criteria for receiving a star consists of the following: professional achievement, longevity of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected. Posthumous awards require a five-year waiting period.  After the Walk of Fame Committee has made its selections, the Chamber’s Board of Directors also vote to approve the star and then for a final vote, the names are submitted to the City of Los Angeles’ Board of Public Works Department.

Hollywood citizens and tourists alike look forward to each dedication ceremony with eager anticipation.

The official nomination period is announced in the Hollywood Entertainment Trade publications and an appropriate news release is disseminated to the Los Angeles area print and broadcast media.

The Walk of Fame Committee meets annually. Nomination of an individual or group does not automatically equate to approval of a star in the Walk of Fame. Several hundred applications are reviewed annually, from which an undetermined number is selected. All nominated artists are carefully and objectively evaluated. Those not selected the first year will automatically roll over for a second review the following year. If it is not approved in the second year, nominees must be resubmitted

When nominating an individual or group, the sponsor must submit the nominee’s qualifications as well as contributions to the community and/or civic-oriented activities. The application must be accompanied by a biography (not exceeding two pages) and photograph of the nominee. Non-returnable samples of the nominee’s work may also be submitted (i.e. in the recording category – a music CD; Motion Picture – a DVD). After the Walk of Fame Committee has made its selections, the artist must be approved by the following agencies: the Board of Directors of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles City Board of Public Works, with the final approbation being the Los Angeles City Council.

Criteria for Star on the Walk of Fame
1. Professional achievement
2. Longevity of five years in the field of entertainment
3. Contributions to the community

The recipient must agree to attend the dedication ceremony.

In case of a fan nomination, a letter of agreement must be sent by celebrity management.

There is a five-year waiting period after death for nominations of deceased individuals. The Committee does not necessarily select posthumous honorees each year.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce makes every effort to schedule a dedication ceremony on the date requested by the honoree. A 60-day lead period is needed for required permits, the manufacturing of the star, and advance publicity.

Please be advised that if your nominee is selected and the induction does not take place within five years of the selection date, the nominee must be re-submitted during another voting period.

The sponsorship fee is $25,000*.
The Committee does not accept signature petitions, postcards or letters.
Deadline for nominations is Friday, May 30, 2008**.
For more information call (323) 469-8311.

Send submissions to:
Hollywood Walk of Fame
7018 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028

To request an application to make a nomination send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Walk of Fame Committee, 7018 Hollywood Blvd., 2^nd Floor, Hollywood, California, 90028.

TRADEMARK

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a trademark of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.  Any commercial usage of the Walk of Fame must receive prior approval.  For licensing information, call Global Icons at (310) 820-5300.

* Sponsorship fee subject to change.
** Although the deadline is May 31, 2008, applications are accepted all year long. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible before the deadline date. Due to the large number of last minute applications we receive at the deadline, we cannot guarantee confirmation of receipt. If you turn in your application in the months prior to the deadline, we can immediately confirm receipt of your nomination and let you know if it contains all the necessary information.