Hollywood Boulevard

Infobox_nrhp | name =Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District
nrhp_type = hd

---

caption =Hollywood Boulevard as taken from the Kodak Theatre
location= 6200-7000 Hollywood Blvd., N. Vine St., N. Highland Ave. and N. Ivar St
Los Angeles, CA
lat_degrees =34 | lat_minutes =6 | lat_seconds =5 | lat_direction =N
long_degrees =118 | long_minutes =19 | long_seconds =36 | long_direction =W
area =
built =1939
added = April 4, 1985
refnum = 85000704

Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest to Vermont Avenue, where it straightens out and runs due west to Laurel Canyon Boulevard. West of Laurel Canyon it continues as a small residential street in the hills, finally ending at Sunset Plaza Drive. On the east side of Hollywood Boulevard it passes through the neighborhoods of Little Armenia and Thai Town.

The famous street was named Prospect Avenue from 1887 to 1910, when the town of Hollywood was annexed to the city of Los Angeles. After annexation, the street numbers changed from 100 Prospect Avenue, at Vermont Avenue, to 6400 Hollywood Boulevard. In 1946 Gene Autry rode his horse in the Hollywood Christmas parade and was inspired by the children yelling "Here comes Santa Claus, Here comes Santa Claus," to write the song "Here Comes Santa Claus" along with Oaklely Haldeman. Then, the boulevard was nicknamed "Santa Clause Lane".

In 1958, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which runs from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue, was created. The first star was placed in 1960 as a tribute to artists working in the entertainment industry. The walk of Fame recognizes celebrities and icons such as Walt Disney, Paula Abdul, Hugh Hefner, and many more. (The walk was later extended onto Vine Street.)

The Hollywood extension of the Metro Red Line subway was opened in June 1999 . Running from Downtown to the Valley, it has stops on Hollywood Boulevard at Western Avenue, at Vine Street and at Highland Avenue.Metro Local 217 and Metro Rapid 780 serve most of Hollywood Boulevard. An anti-cruising ordinance prohibits driving on part of the boulevard more than twice in four hours.

Revitalization

.

In the past several years alone, more than $2 billion has been spent on projects in the neighborhood, including mixed-use retail and apartment complexes and new schools and museums. This Hollywood renaissance represents a potential future for much more of Los Angeles, a sprawling, horizontal city where vertical, dense and mostly walkable neighborhoods with public transportation are increasingly in vogue. [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/26/news/hollywood.php] In February 2006, it was announced that the clothier H&M is opening a location just across the street from Hollywood and Highland, and in May 2007, it was announced that the Spanish retail chain Zara will be opening nearby the new Madame Tussauds scheduled to open in 2009. [ [http://www.hollywoodandhighland.com/press_releases_info.php?release=17 Hollywood & Highland Center - Press Releases ] ]

Interestingly, it is illegal to drive more than two thousand sheep down Hollywood Boulevard at one time. [cite web|url=http://www.insurancetrainers.org/PDF/California_Fun_Facts.pdf|title=California Fun Facts|accessdate=2007-01-05] The Famous Hollywood Christmas Parade, passes down Hollywood Boulevard every Sunday after Thanksgiving.

Landmarks include

*Bob Hope Square (Hollywood and Vine)
*Grauman's Chinese Theatre
*Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
*El Capitan Theatre
*Hollywood Sign
*Frederick's of Hollywood
*Hollywood and Highland
*Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
*Hollywood Walk of Fame
*Hollywood Wax Museum
*Janes House
*Kodak Theatre
*Madame Tussauds 2009
*Masonic Temple- Home of Jimmy Kimmel Live
*Musso & Frank Grill
*Pantages Theatre
*Pig 'n Whistle [http://www.pignwhistle.com/]
*Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium
*Capitol Records Tower

In popular culture

*The Kinks' song "Celluloid Heroes" is about Hollywood Boulevard and the personalities engraved therein. A number of landmarks are referred to.
*The 1984 film Angel is about a child prostitute who works on Hollywood Boulevard at night, while attending high school by day.
*In the film, "Pretty Woman", Richard Gere "picked up" Julia Roberts on Hollywood Boulevard.
*The Alcatrazz song Lost in Hollywood references Hollywood Boulevard and the unscrupulous nature of Hollywood itself.
*Hollywood boulevard is mentioned in the song Rockstar by Nickelback.
*Ryan Adams has a song titled "Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd" on the album Gold.
*The Boulevard was featured in the film Singing in the Rain.
*Hollywood Boulevard was film in an I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel attempt to steal the block with John Wayne's footprints in front of Mann's Chinese Theatre as a souvenir.
*Grauman's Chinese Theatre, which is a major attraction on the Boulevard, is also featured in the Walt Disney World theme park, Disney's Hollywood Studios.

References