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The history of the Hollywood sign, from public nuisance to symbol of stardom

  • Written by Leo Braudy, Leo S. Bing Chair in English and American Literature, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
The history of the Hollywood sign, from public nuisance to symbol of stardomGeorge Brich/AP Photo

Every year at the Oscars, the cameras pan to the famed Hollywood sign and its bold white letters.

Ask someone today what the sign symbolizes, and the same words will likely crop up: Movies. Stardom. Glamour.

But as I point in my book on the Hollywood sign, the sign didn’t always represent fame and fortune. As the city...

Read more: The history of the Hollywood sign, from public nuisance to symbol of stardom

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