Recent Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremonies

Hollywood Walk of Fame Recent Ceremonies

All Photographs by Bob Freeman
©Hollywood Chamber of Commerce 2008

Hollywood Walk of Fame 2006 Stars

"Remember, to be a player you first have to get in the game!"
Johnny Grant, Honorary Mayor of Hollywood
May 9, 1923 ~ January 9, 2008

CATE BLANCHETT HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
2,376th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Egyptian Theatre
Friday, December 5, 2008

Cate Blanchett was born on the 14^th of May, 1969, in Melbourne, Australia to a Texas Navy officer and a school teacher. Blanchett attended Melbourne’s Methodist Ladies College (where she became the school drama captain and appeared in various plays), and from there went on to Melbourne University to study Fine Arts and Economics. She decided to leave school to travel and to gain experience before deciding on a career. She later went on to graduate from Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art.

Cate Blanchett has worked extensively in the theater, with Company B, a loose ensemble of actors including Geoffrey Rush, Gillian Jones and Richard Roxburgh. Her roles include: Miranda (“The Tempest”), Ophelia (“Hamlet” –for which she was nominated for a Green Room Award), Nina (“The Seagull”) and Rose (“The Blind Giant is Dancing”).

For the Sydney Theater Company (STC) she appeared in “Top Girls”, David Mamet’s “Oleanna” (awarded The Sydney Theater Critics Award for Best Actress), “Sweet Phoebe”, “Kafka Dances” (also for The Griffin Theatre Company) for which she received the Critics Circle award for best newcomer.

Her television credits include lead roles in “Bordertown” and “Heartland,” both for the Australian Broadcasting Commission.

Cate’s film roles include “Paradise Road,” “Thank God He Met Lizzie,” “Oscar and Lucinda” opposite Ralph Fiennes. This role earned her an AFI nomination for Best Actress. She went on to work in the following films: “Pushing Tin,” “An Ideal Husband”, “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “The Gift,” “The Man Who Cried,” “Bandits,” “An Ideal Husband,” “The Shipping News,” “Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring,” “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” Our honoree went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama and a BAFTA for Best Actress in a leading role for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in the critically acclaimed “Elizabeth.” She also received a Best Actress nomination from the Screen Actors Guild and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

In 2002, Cate was also seen in the title role of “Charlotte Gray,” directed by Gillian Armstrong and based on Sebastian Faulks’ best-selling novel. Cate also appeared in “Heaven,” opposite Giovanni Ribisi and directed by Tom Tykwer, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival where the film was awarded the Golden Camera Award.

In 2003, Cate was seen in “Veronica Guerin.” Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and a nomination by the Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association for Best Actress. The film was released in October, 2003. She also starred in the Columbia Pictures’ thriller, “The Missing,” opposite Tommy Lee Jones for director Ron Howard. The film was released in November, 2003.

In early 2004, Cate appeared in the film “Coffee & Cigarettes”. In this United Artists release, Cate played two roles – herself and the role of her cousin. Her performances earned her a Best Supporting Female nomination for the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards.

In July, 2004, Cate returned to the Sydney Theatre Company to play the title role in Andrew Upton’s adaptation of “Hedda Gabler.” The play was a critical success earning her the prestigious Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Play. She also starred in her first Australian film in several years, “Little Fish,” directed by Rowan Woods, for which she was awarded Best Actress by the Australian Film Institute.

Cate received an Academy Award for her portrayal as Katharine Hepburn in “The Aviator,” directed by Martin Scorsese. She was also honored with the BAFTA Award and a SAG Award for her role in this 2004 release.

In 2006 Cate was seen in “Babel,” opposite Brad Pitt. The film received a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award and a SAG Ensemble Award. Cate was also seen in “The Good German,” costarring with George Clooney. She received a Golden Globe nomination, a SAG nomination and an Academy Award nomination for “Notes on A Scandal,” opposite Judi Dench. Also in 2006, Cate and her husband, Andrew Upton, were named co-directors of the Sydney Theatre Company. Their debut season begins in 2009.

In 2007, Cate reprised her role as Queen Elizabeth in Shekhar Kapur’s “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” for Universal. She was recognized with several award nominations for “Best Actress” by organizations including the Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Cate is one of only five actors in the history of the Oscars to receive a nomination for portraying the same role in two different films. Also in 2007, Cate co-starred with Christian Bale, Richard Gere and Heath Ledger in Todd Haynes’ “I’m Not There,” for which she was awarded Best Actress at the Venice International Film Festival. Additionally, Cate received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, an Independent Spirit Award for Best Actress and nominations by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, British Academy of Film, the Screen Actors Guild and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

This past summer, Cate was seen alongside Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf in the fourth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise, directed by Steven Spielberg. The film had its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. On December 25th, Cate will share the screen with Brad Pitt in Paramount’s release of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” directed by David Fincher.

SIR TIM RICE HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
2,375th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6243 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the historic Pantages Theatre
Thursday, November 20, 2008

A prolific lyricist and writer, Sir Tim Rice was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, in the fall of 1944. Rice pursued his university education at Lancing College and briefly at l'Universite de Paris - Sorbonne. He was considering a legal career around the time that he met Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1965. Three years later, the two young men composed a 20-minute pop musical that would eventually become Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The piece premiered in 1968 at the Colet Court School in the City of London. During the following months, Rice and Webber lengthened the show to 30 minutes, and a record album of 'Joseph' (with Rice singing the role of Pharaoh) was made at the end of the year.

Remaining in partnership with Webber, his next project was Jesus Christ Superstar. Introduced to the public as a concept album in 1970, the opera propelled Rice and Webber to international stardom. Staged versions appeared the following year, and their popularity led to the film Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). Following 'Superstar', Rice and Webber returned to their previous project, expanding it to its finalized form. The concept album for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was released in 1974.

The duo went on to collaborate in their third musical called Evita . Its concept album was released in 1976. Rice won two Tony Awards for the show.

Rice’s next work, Blondel, appeared in 1983. Set to music by Stephen Oliver, Blondel was arguably the most comic and witty of Rice's major works. The opera Chess followed, with its concept album arriving in 1984. Former Abba songwriters Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson provided the music for Chess, and the concept album was an international hit. Chess was staged in London in 1986 with great success.

In 1991, he was hired to finish the lyrics for the Walt Disney film Aladdin, and Disney subsequently teamed him with Elton John for The Lion King. Rice also composed additional lyrics for the stage version of Disney's film Beauty and the Beast, which opened on Broadway in 1994. A stage version of The Lion King opened on Broadway in 1997, as he was working with Elton John on two new projects - Aida, which opened on Broadway in 2000, and which won him the Tony Award and the Dreamworks film The Road to El Dorado.

Rice is also the recipient of three Oscars - all for Best Original Song in a motion picture:

A Whole New World from Aladdin (with Alan Menken) Can You Feel The Love Tonight from Lion King (with Elton John) You Must Love Me from Evita (with Andrew Lloyd Webber).

The 1991 to 2000 period also saw a flurry of activity for Tim Rice's earlier works. Major revival productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'and Jesus Christ Superstar were staged in many parts of the world. Additionally, there was the film Evita (1996), as well as the TV films Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar).

In 1994, Rice was knighted by HRH Queen Elizabeth II. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999 and was, in 2002, named a Disney Legend.

He released his autobiography Oh What a Circus - The Autobiography of Tim Rice in 1998, which covered his childhood and early adult life. He is currently working on a sequel.

Apart from theatre and film, Rice has written recurring columns for UK newspapers, as well as having shown up regularly on BBC Radio and Television. In 1973, he founded a cricket side - The Heartaches - for which he serves as a manager as well as a player. He also makes regular contributions to various cricket magazines.

He continues to have projects in development for the theatre and for film.

THE LATE PEDRO GONZALEZ GONZALEZ HONORED WITH POSTHUMOUS STAR
ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
2,374th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
1555 Vine Street near Selma Avenue next to the star of John Wayne, with whom Pedro co-starred in several films on Friday, November 14, 2008

It took the biggest state in the union to give us Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, but it took the biggest name in comedy to deliver him to the big screen.

It would be an understatement to say that Pedro was an unlikely candidate for Hollywood stardom. He was born in a small tent used by his family — a vaudeville traveling theater troupe in poor, rural Texas. Although he was known to knock ’em dead with his marimba number, played on frying pans, Pedro specialized in improvisational comedy, a talent that would come in handy as a contestant on Groucho Marx’s “You Bet Your Life,” where he famously stole the show in an unforgettable moment in TV history. He had no idea the flurry he had caused; he didn’t own a television and hadn’t seen the show.

With $350 in prize money, and a plane ticket to Hollywood - that, being a family man first, he would cash it in for a bus ticket instead so he could give the difference to his wife, Leandra, to take care of their three children - Pedro was hardly prepared for what came next: Hollywood’s dreamed-of knock at the door. His appearance on the show was such a huge success that it caught the eye of legend, John Wayne, who signed Pedro to a contract with his production company, BatJack Productions.

Pedro made his feature film debut alongside Van Heflin in Wings of the Hawk, and appeared in other films with John Wayne including William A. Wellman’s The High and the Mighty, Howard Hawk’s Rio Bravo, and Andrew V. McLaglen’s McLlintock!, Hellfighters and Chisum. Over the next 30 years, Pedro starred in dozens of movies, and more than 50 TV shows, from The Jimmy Durante Show and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet to Wanted Dead or Alive and American Family. This is especially impressive, since he could not read or write English or Spanish, as he never had the means to continue schooling beyond the second grade. His wife of 62 years would read him the scripts so he could memorize his lines.

Not having an education was always a regret to Pedro, he made sure he put his kids through school and became an advocate of education. He was awarded an Encouragement to Students Certificate from the South Side Independent School District Board of Education. Buena Vista School in San Antonio, Texas proclaimed December 9th, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez Day. Additionally, a scholarship fund from the Latin Business Association was set up in Pedro’s name last year to purchase books for students in the Los Angeles School District.

Pedro’s work in Hollywood extended far beyond the studio walls; he entertained to support organizations such as United Cerebral Palsy and the March of Dimes. Pedro also received the Nosotros Golden Eagle Hall of Fame Award, Latin Business Association’s Chairman Visionary Award, USC’s Variety Arts Headliner Award, Certificate of Merit by the Latino/Hispanic Heritage Subcommittee of SAG and AFTRA, and a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles, to name a few.

In the end, Pedro would be honored to know that the boy born dirt-poor in Aguilares, Texas earned his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

RICHARD DONNER AND LAUREN SHULER DONNER HONORED WITH RARE DOUBLE STAR CEREMONY ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
2,372nd and 2373rd Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The Egyptian Theatre
on Thursday, October 16, 2008

Popular film producers Richard Donner and Lauren Shuler Donner will be honored with a rare double star ceremony at the historical Egyptian Theatre.

Director/producer Richard Donner is the creative force behind some of the most popular movies of the last twenty years: “The Omen”, “Superman”, the “Lethal Weapon” series and “Maverick”.

After moving to Los Angeles, he won the assignment of directing his friend Steve McQueen for the television series “Wanted: Dead or Alive”. In 1961, he directed Charles Bronson in “X-15,” a melodrama about Air Force test pilots. He continued directing such television series as “The Twilight Zone,” “The Fugitive,” “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and “Kojak”.

During the 1970’s, Donner directed several acclaimed movies-of-the-week, and in 1975 directed his first successful major feature, “The Omen”, which was released the following year to record-setting business. He next took on the task of transferring the adventures of the most popular pulp hero in five decades to film. Under his direction, “Superman -The Movie” became one of the all-time biggest international hits.

Four films followed the success of “Superman”: “Inside Moves”; “The Toy” starring Jackie Gleason and Richard Pryor; “Ladyhawke”, by far his favorite for many reasons, (most importantly because he fell in love with producer Lauren Shuler, who later became his wife) and “The Goonies”, produced with Steven Spielberg.

In “Lethal Weapon”, Donner introduced two cops who would become the Cinema’s most popular crime fighting duo, played by Danny Glover and Mel Gibson. “Lethal Weapon 2” proved even more successful, and the two stars teamed up for “Lethal Weapon 3”, released in May of 1992, which went on to become one of the highest-grossing pictures of all time, earning more than $150 million. “Lethal Weapon 4”, with all the favorites, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Rene Russo and Joe Pesci, was released in July of 1998, this time introducing Chris Rock and Jet Li. The Lethal Weapon quartet has grossed close to a billion dollars.

Donner’s other films include: “Scrooged,” “Radio Flyer,” “Lost Boys,” “Maverick,” “Assassins,” “Timeline,” “Superman II, The Richard Donner Cut and Warner Bros.’“16 Blocks.”

In the past two decades, Lauren Shuler Donner has established herself as one of the most successful and versatile producers in Hollywood. To date, her films have grossed two and a half billion dollars worldwide.

Shuler Donner is having a particularly prolific year with four highly-anticipated films upcoming. Recently wrapped and in post-production is “X Men Origins: Wolverine,” starring Hugh Jackman, which is the next chapter in the successful “X Men” film franchise produced by Shuler Donner. 20^th Century Fox will release the film in May, 2009. Also currently in post-production is “Cirque du Freak,” a Universal film written by Paul Weitz who also directed the adaptation of the bestselling young adult's book series by Darren Shan.

The first of Shuler Donners’ four films to be released nationwide on October 17, is “The Secret Life of Bees” for Fox Searchlight, which is written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The film stars Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo and Paul Bettany.

Production has also wrapped on DreamWorks' "Hotel for Dogs” which stars Emma Roberts and is based on the 1971 children's book of the same name. The film is scheduled for release on January 23, 2009.

In 2000, Shuler Donner began a new franchise with “X Men”, and followed up in 2003 with "X2". The film was released by Twentieth Century Fox on May 2^nd and broke box office records with an opening weekend total of $86 million dollars nationwide. Not only did the film gross $406 million dollars internationally, it is also the only sequel of 2003 to receive critical acclaim as well. “X3- The Last Stand” was released in May, 2006 and a month later it was on its way to the half billion dollar mark for domestic and international box office.

Shuler Donner’s other films include: “Mr. Mom,” “Ladyhawke,” “Dave,” “Free Willy,” “You’ve Got Mail,” “ Any Given Sunday,” “Constantine,” “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “Pretty in Pink,” both of which garnered platinum records for their soundtracks. Together the Donners worked on the “Free Willy” trilogy.

Shuler Donner is a dedicated philanthropist who thrives on giving back to the community. She was on the Board of Directors for Hollygrove Children’s Home until it merged with EMQ in 2006. She has been on the Advisory Board of Women in Film, the Advisory Boards of TreePeople and Planned Parenthood and the Executive Committee of the Producer’s Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is serving currently on the Advisory Board of the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, the Advisory Board of the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Board of Directors for the Producers Guild of America.

Lauren and Richard were honored by The American Cancer Society in June of 2006 and were honored this past May by Lupus LA.

OSCAR® WINNING ACTOR TIM ROBBINS CELEBRATED 50^TH BIRTHDAY WITH
STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
Star Was Situated In Front of The Kodak Theatre Next To The Star Of Robbins’ Partner Susan Sarandon
2,370th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard
on Friday, October 10, 2008

I have known Tim Robbins for over 25 years. I met him at the Déjà Vu Coffee House. He is really tall…I literally looked up to him. He is really brave, smart and funny. I actually became his stalker because I wanted to be part of his world. He went on to say, is this a good location? Because I think you deserve a great piece of real estate. -- Jack Black
I have not known quite as long as Jack Black has but I do know him in the biblical sense. At least I hope Jack doesn’t know him that way. I am so pleased to be a part of his life and I want to present Tim’s best production, our three kids. … Its good to know that Tim has a great piece of real estate especially in the market today. -- Susan Sarandon
Thanks you all for being here. I am really honored to get this. I used to take the bus from here to Burbank to go to work and when the bus was late, I would walk up and down and thrown my cigarettes down and now I have the honor of having this done to my star. I also want to thank Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Darth Vader for being here (characters in front of Chinese Theatre who walked by). ... My kids are inspiring to me. Sometimes I stick my neck out by speaking but I have so much hope for the future of these young people. -- Tim Robbins

Born October 16, 1958 in West Covina, California and raised in New York City's Greenwich Village, Tim Robbins has a long list of notable credits as an actor, director, writer and producer of films and theater.

Key acting roles are in such films as Mystic River,The Secret Life of Words, Catch a Fire, The Player and Short Cuts, The Shawshank Redemption, The Hudsucker Proxy, War of the Worlds, Arlington Road, Code 46, Human Nature, Five Corners, Jacob’s Ladder and Bull Durham. Robbins will next be seen in Fox Walden’s City of Ember, which opened nationwide October 10, 2008.

Robbins has won numerous awards for his acting including an Oscar®, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor for Mystic River, Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globe for Best Actor for The Player. He was nominated by the Golden Globes for Best Actor for Bob Roberts and by the Screen Actors Guild for Best Actor for The Shawshank Redemption. Warner Home Video will be releasing The Shawshank Redemption, which Robbins considers one of his four all-time favorite films in a magnificent new Blu-Ray Hi-Def version on December 2.

As a director, Robbins distinguished himself with Cradle Will Rock, which he also wrote and produced, winning Best Film and Best Director at the Sitges Film Festival in Barcelona and the National Board of Review Award for Special Achievement in Filmmaking in the United States.

Dead Man Walking, which he also wrote and produced, won multiple awards including the Academy Award for Best Actress for Susan Sarandon, the Christopher Award, the Humanitas Award and four awards at the Berlin Film Festival, as well as four Oscar nominations including Best Director and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay.

His first film, Bob Roberts, won the Bronze Award at the Tokyo International Festival and Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor at the Boston Film Festival.

Robbins also serves as Artistic Director for the Actors’ Gang, a theater company formed in 1982 that has over 80 productions and more than 100 awards to their credit. As a playwright he has been produced in London, Paris, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. His latest play, Embedded, played to sold out audiences for over four months at the Public Theater in New York before playing the Riverside Studios in London and embarking on a National Tour in the U.S.

Most recently he directed the Actors Gang in their shockingly relevant and wildly successful adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 which for the past two years has toured to over 40 states and to four continents.

From 2006 until the present, Le Petit Theatre de Pain's production of Embedded has been touring France, most recently playing at the Theatre du Soleil in Paris. In the US, Embedded was revived recently in productions in Chicago and Tampa Bay.

Robbins is also very proud to sponsor educational programs with the Actors Gang that provide arts education to Elementary, Middle and High School students in the L.A. area. The Gang has also worked for the past three years providing theatrical workshops to incarcerated inmates in the L.A. prison system.

FAMILY OF MOVIE AND TV MAKE UP ARTISTS, THE WESTMORES HONORED WITH
STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
2,370th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1645 Vine Street
near the famous corner of Hollywood & Vine on Friday, October 3, 2008

The Westmores, a legendary family dynasty of makeup artists have defined beauty and glamour and set the trends over the decades. George Westmore and his six sons, Monte, Ern, Perc, Wally, Bud, and Frank changed the face of Hollywood, literally.

Pioneers of their industry, the Westmores not only created, but they defined the role of makeup artists in Motion Pictures. George Westmore opened the very first makeup department at Selig Studios in 1917. Whether it was First National, Selznick, Eagle-Lion, MGM, or at Warner Brothers, Paramount, 20^th Century-Fox, and Universal, the brothers were responsible for creating the signature looks for stars like Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, and even the teenage fashion doll, Barbie.

Wally received acclaim for his work on Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde where he was able to create Neanderthal-like characteristics with wax and further evolve his actor gruesome transformation on film with the use of colored lens filters.

In 1931, Ern Westmore received the Academy Cup, the first award ever presented to a makeup artist for his work on Cimarron starring Richard Dix and Irene Dunne.

On the epic film, Gone with the Wind, it was Monte that made Vivian Leigh's hazel eyes appear green at the request of the Director, David O. Selznick.

In 1936, Paul Muni won the Best Actor award for The Story of Louis Pasteur. He thanked only one person, “Perc Westmore deserves as much credit as I for this award.”

Together, in 1935, the Westmore brothers opened the most prestigious salon of it's time, the House of Westmore on 6638 Sunset Strip.

Most notable of all of Bud's creations was the molded foam rubber suit he designed for the cult classic The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Bud was also the makeup genius behind The Munsters.

Frank, the youngest of the brothers, was the first Westmore to receive an Emmy award for his ground-breaking work on the television feature film, Kung Fu in 1972. He was nominated for the Kung Fu television series the following year and for his work in 1983 for A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story. He was also the makeup supervisor for the epic film, The Ten Commandments.

Currently, this family's remarkable achievements continue through the work of 3^rd and 4^th generation Westmore's as notable makeup artists, hairstylists, performers, and producers.

The youngest of Monte Sr.'s three sons, Michael, received an Oscar and a British Academy Award nomination in 1986 for his artistry on Mask, also nine Emmy statuettes and an impressive 42 Emmy nominations over the course of his career. To date, he holds the record for more Emmy nominations than any other makeup artist. Academy Award nominations include 2010, Clan of the Cave Bear and Star Trek: First Contact. Michael designed 18 years of the Star Trek Universe, the Rocky films and Raging Bull.

Marvin Westmore has a British Academy Award nomination for his work on the future noir film, Blade Runner (1983) and has six Emmy nominations for TV series and specials; The Rat Pack, Space Rangers,”V” The Rescue, “V” The Final Battle, Elvis, and Frankenstein. He is the Founder and CEO for both the Westmore Academy of Cosmetic Arts and The George Westmore Research Library and Museum in Burbank, California.

With 57 years experience in the industry, Monty Jr.'s remarkable work can be seen in films Where the Money Is, Se7en, The Shawshank Redemption, Jurassic Park, and The Towering Inferno. He was Oscar nominated for his work in 1991 for Hook and received Emmy nominations for The Late Shift and Who Will Love My Children .

Collectively, this family has delivered believable characters that we love in over 1,500 movies, television shows, and specials. Their artistic hand has influenced Hollywood in film and in television where stars were made, and most, were made up by the Westmores.

POP CULTURE MUSIC ICONS VILLAGE PEOPLE CELEBRATED THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
The star was unveiled one block north of the YMCA, between two other pop culture icons, Liberace and Betty Grable, directly in front of American Vintage Clothing Store
2,369th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6529 Hollywood Boulevard in front of American Vintage
on Friday, September 12, 2008

Village People forever changed the landscape of pop music and pop culture when the group’s first two mega hit singles, San Francisco/Hollywood in 1977 and Macho Man in 1978, became the anthems for a generation of teens and young adults seeking the freedom to dance, sing and express themselves with a new kind of music. The group has since sold more than 100 million albums and singles internationally, and remains as popular today as it was then. From faithful fans who were there in the beginning, to new, younger audiences who have found their own meaning in the music and performance, Village People continues to perform to sell-out crowds around the world.

MUSIC HISTORY IN THE MAKING:
In 1977, producer/composer Jacques Morali, with partner Henri Belolo, couldn’t help but notice Felipe Rose dancing in his Indian costume before an enthusiastic crowd in New York’s Greenwich Village. Rose’s performance, and the response he was getting, made a significant impression on Morali and Belolo. Later, they began to contemplate the entertainment impact and potential for success that a group of guys representing the many Village icons might have on a larger, mass audience.

Village People quickly became both a major recording and live concert success. Their biggest hit records include YMCA, Macho Man, In The Navy, Can’t Stop the Music, Go West and San Francisco/Hollywood. YMCA is, to date, their best selling single, amassing sales of over 12 million units worldwide (three million in the U.S. alone). Their catalog of combined LP’s and singles has topped 100 million in worldwide sales. Both Madonna and Michael Jackson have performed as opening acts for the group.

Celebrating 30 years as international disco music icons, Village People continues to perform to sold-out audiences around the world, entertaining ardent fans and followers from the early days to new, younger fans who are discovering the group and their music for themselves. This year alone, the group has performed in Brazil, Finland, Ireland, South Africa, France, Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland and Canada; and many states in the U.S., including California, Michigan, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Tennessee, Minnesota, Arizona, Nevada, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey.

Today, the Village People legacy endures and continues to be reinvented through the six performers who don the iconic costumes that first captured and captivated the world’s attention in 1977.

They are:
Ray Simpson, who replaced Victor Willis as the group’s lead singer/Cop character in 1979, beginning with the group’s cult hit film Can’t Stop the Music. He is the brother of Valerie Simpson, of the legendary songwriting/recording team Ashford & Simpson.

Felipe Rose, who is the one and only Indian, and was the basis for the creation of the group. He is half-Native American and half-Puerto Rican. Felipe is active in Native American affairs.

Alexander Briley, the one and only G.I./Military Man.

David Hodo, the original Construction Man (he took a leave from the group for a few years in the mid-1980’s).

Jeff Olson, who replaced Randy Jones as the Cowboy in 1980, just after Can’t Stop the Music.

Eric Anzalone, who became the group’s Biker/Leatherman in 1995, after the death from lung cancer of original member Glenn Hughes.

With a global fan base and a worldwide tour schedule that attests to the group’s enduring and increasing popularity, Village People is proud to be recognized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for their contribution and influence on contemporary music and media, and American pop culture.

DEAL OR NO DEAL STAR HOWIE MANDEL WAS HONORED
ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME Celebrating 30 years in Show Biz
2,368th Star at 6366 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Improv Olympic West
(Near the stars of fellow comedians, Rodney Dangerfield, Chris Farley and the star of John Belushi which is across the street) Unveiled Thursday, September 4, 2008.

While Howie Mandel has remained a constant force in show business for over 30 years, he has been thrust back in the spotlight as the host of the national phenomenon "Deal or No Deal" on NBC. The show has become a huge hit and is consistently one of the most watched programs each week. Season 4 of “Deal or No Deal” will premiere on August 25^th. In addition to the primetime show on NBC, all new half-hour episodes of “Deal or No Deal” will debut five-days a week in national syndication beginning September 8^th. The syndicated version will include all of the popular features of the primetime show; Howie, the banker, big cash prizes, and models, but will move at a much quicker pace. Howie recently received an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Reality/Competition Host.” Along with the other four nominees in this first time category, Howie Mandel will co-host the 60^th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

Howie Mandel’s versatile career has encompassed virtually all aspects of the entertainment spectrum, including television, film and stage. From his work on the Emmy-Award winning “St. Elsewhere,” to the international animated children’s series “Bobby’s World,” Howie has become a mainstay of the American comedy scene.

Howie started his career on a dare during a trip to Los Angeles in 1979. He was at the legendary Comedy Store on amateur night and Howie was coaxed by his friends to get up and try his luck. As fate would have it, there was a producer in the crowd who immediately hired him to appear on the comedy game-show “Make Me Laugh”. His appearance on the show led to talk show appearances, a stint as Diana Ross’ opening act and eventually to the television series, “St. Elsewhere,” where Howie spent six seasons as “Dr. Wayne Fiscus” on the award-winning NBC drama.

Howie’s Emmy Award-nominated animated children series, “Bobby’s World”, ran eight seasons on FOX and now appears in syndication six days a week in 65 countries. As the series’ creator and executive producer, Howie was closely involved in its writing, as well as providing the voice of Bobby, Bobby’s dad and other characters. Howie attributes the show’s success to drawing the story lines from real life.

Howie has done countless comedy specials both on cable and network television. He has also hosted his own syndicated talk show, The Howie Mandel Show," and continues to be a mainstay on the talk-show circuit. He frequently appears on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno performing his signature hidden-camera bits. He also is one of the first people that Regis calls to fill in for him when he takes a vacation from “Live with Regis and Kelly.” Howie also continues to perform as many as 200 concerts a year throughout the US and Canada.

LEGENDARY ACTOR CHARLES DURNING HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME - Durning Recently Emmy Nominated For His Role In “Rescue Me”
In honor of Durning’s role on “Rescue Me” Los Angeles Fire Fighters from Hollywood’s Station 27 participated in the festivities
2,366th Star at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard next to Durning’s idol, James Cagney
on July 31, 2008

All his life, Charles Durning has beaten the odds. As a World War II hero, he has been honored by being the recipient of three Purples Hearts and one Silver Star for his bravery. He was the only member of his unit to survive the Omaha Beach “D-Day” siege on June 6^th, 1944. He was taken prisoner a few months later at the Battle of the Bulge, the war’s bloodiest battle, and survived a mass execution of prisoners. Even though his legs had been strafed by machine gun fire, he went on to become a professional dancer and received his first Academy Award nomination for the film “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” where he sang and danced his way through the movie.

Not only did Charles Durning become a good actor as well, he became one of the most critically lauded, steadily working character actors of our generation, appearing in over 200 films and television shows! And this year… he was honored with the prestigious SAG Life Achievement Award.

One of the most versatile actors of our time, Durning has received two Academy Award nominations for his comedic turns in “To Be or Not To Be” and “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”. He won a Tony Award for his interpretation of Big Daddy in the 1990 Broadway revival hit of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and also won a Golden Globe Award for “The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys”. Charles Durning has been nominated for nine Emmy Awards including one for his current work in the FX Network show “Rescue Me.” Pretty good for a guy who once had a stutter and has been quoted as saying he lacks confidence at times.

Yes, all his life, Charles Durning has beaten the odds.

Despite his busy schedule, this World War II hero has never forgotten his fellow veterans. Every year for the past 15 years, Charles Durning goes to Washington DC to dedicate his time to perform in a Memorial Day Concert dedicated to all the veterans, past, present, and future.

AWARD-WINNING COUNTRY RECORDING ARTISTS BROOKS & DUNN HONORED WITH
STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
2,367th Star on 7021 Hollywood Boulevard, across the street from Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, on August 4, 2008

Brooks & Dunn are an American country music duo, consisting of singer-songwriters Kix Brooks (born Leon Eric Brooks III, May 12, 1955 in Shreveport, Louisiana) and Ronnie Dunn (born Ronald Gene Dunn, June 1, 1953 in Coleman, Texas). Both Brooks and Dunn had worked as singer-songwriters before the duo’s formation, charting singles of their own in the 1980s before releasing their first album as a duo in 1991.

Brooks & Dunn were an immediate success, with their first four singles all reaching the top of the Billboard country music chart. Their debut album, Brand New Man, became a sales blockbuster, now RIAA-certified for sales of six million copies. Brooks & Dunn have remained a dynamic force in country music, releasing more than 40 singles, twenty-three of which have reached number one on the country charts, including such hits as “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “My Maria,” “Only in America,” and “Play Something Country.” Their album discography includes two greatest-hits compilations, a Christmas collection, and ten studio albums – most recently, Cowboy Town.

The best-selling country duo of all time, Brooks & Dunn have sold more than 30 million albums. They have more than 80 industry awards to their credit, including two Grammy Awards and seven American Music Awards. Brooks & Dunn are also the most awarded act in Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association history, collectively named Entertainer of the Year four times by the ACM and CMA.

The duo has consistently remained among country music’s most popular touring acts, a testament both to their showmanship and to their status as one of the true bedrock artists of contemporary country music. They recently took their show to Australia for the first time, attracting sellout crowds throughout their stay. This summer, they are on tour for a string of nearly 20 dates in the U.S. and Canada with music icons, ZZ Top.

Besides their busy schedules, Brooks & Dunn still find the