Hollywood Sign
The Sign was originally cast as a spectacular $21,000 billboard for “Hollywoodland,” an upscale real estate subdivision located at the end of Beachwood Canyon just below what is now Mount Lee. The development was funded by a syndicate composed of Eli Clark, General Moses Sherman, Tracy Shoults, Sydney Woodruff and Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler. Initially the project was run by Shoults (who oversaw sales) and Woodruff (who spearheaded development and construction), but when Shoults unexpectedly passed away on July 6, 1923, Woodruff was named the lead for all phases of the project.
It’s fitting that the Hollywood Sign, the worldwide symbol of the entertainment industry, was conceived as an outdoor ad campaign for a suburban housing development called “Hollywoodland.” After all, despite the high profile of the film biz, real estate has always been Hollywood’s primary economic driver.
Although the Sign’s appearance and purpose have evolved over the years, its basic aspirational message remains the same:
This is a place where magic is possible, where dreams can come true.
Back then, the dream was a beautiful home and lifestyle. Today, the Sign’s promise is more subtle and can only be described as the parade of images, desires and ideas conjured by the word “Hollywood.”
Come explore the fascinating past and present of this icon, town, industry, and idea in our detailed History of the Sign.
