L.A. Tourism celebrates 100 years of The Hollywood Sign

Los Angeles Tourism is commemorating the centennial anniversary of the city’s most prolific and globally recognized symbol – The Hollywood Sign. 

The iconic letters have stood as an American landmark for 100 years, perched atop the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking the City of Angels. 

The sign is synonymous with the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown and emblematic of a century’s worth of Hollywood history, from the notable to the notorious. 

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Today, the sign is an enduring symbol of Los Angeles, beckoning travellers to come experience a place where magic is possible and dreams come true. 

In conjunction with this historic anniversary, the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is highlighting the wealth of entertainment options for visitors to enjoy, including exciting studio tours and live television tapings throughout the city.

“From the Golden Age of Hollywood to the beating heart of today’s entertainment industry, The Hollywood Sign has presided over a century of Los Angeles history and allure,” said Adam Burke, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. “We are eager to welcome visitors from around the globe to come celebrate The Hollywood Sign in its 100th year and revel in all the exceptional experiences that can only be found in Los Angeles.”

"Hollywoodland" history

On Dec. 8 in 1923, 4,000 light bulbs first illuminated the 45-foot-high white letters atop Mount Lee, which originally read “Hollywoodland” as an advertisement for an upscale real estate subdivision. 

Through the years, the sign remained a treasured landmark and demonstrated its staying power by capturing the imagination of Angelenos and the world at large. 

In late 2022, the Hollywood Sign Trust, the nonprofit trust formed to protect and preserve the cultural and historic landmark, partnered with Sherwin-Williams on an extensive refurbishment of the monument in preparation for the centennial celebrations. 

The sign was  primed and painted in Sherwin-Williams Emerald Rain Refresh in Extra White SW 7006 (Hollywood Centennial White).

In honour of The Hollywood Sign’s centennial anniversary, Los Angeles Tourism invites guests to experience the entertainment and excitement that has defined Hollywood since the monument’s advent in 1923. 

Several other Los Angeles icons are celebrating 100 years in 2023, including Warner Bros. and The Walt Disney Company. 

From classic films to the latest blockbusters to icons of the small screen, Los Angeles is home to countless studios and production stages that are at the heart of where the Hollywood magic happens. 

Go behind-the-scenes with iconic studio tours or on set for a live TV taping at these not-to-be-missed Los Angeles experiences.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES STUDIO TOURS

• Warner Bros. Studio Tours | Available Thursday - Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

3400 West Riverside Drive, Burbank

Celebrating their centennial anniversary in 2023 with new slogan “100 Years of Storytelling,” Warner Bros. is still one of the busiest working studios in Los Angeles, granting visitors a glimpse behind the curtain of what makes Hollywood tick. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour invites guests to get closer than ever to the films and shows they love at the studio that has been entertaining the world for a century. The tour allows guests to wander the Gilmore Girls’ hometown of Stars Hollow, the iconic Friends coffee shop Central Perk Café, or various locales where the film classic Casablanca was shot.

• Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour | Available daily during theme park hours

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City 91608

Hosted on video by Jimmy Fallon, The Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour explores four acres of the sprawling studio lot, including the largest set construction project in studio history built with creative consultation from Steven Spielberg. The tour takes guests to see the locales that star on the screen, including the plane crash from War of the Worlds, Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane, the legendary Bates Motel of Psycho fame, and the set of Jaws.

• Paramount Pictures Studio Tours | Available daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

5515 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles 90038

Founded in May 1912, Paramount Pictures Studio is the longest operating studio in Hollywood. Cecil B. DeMille, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Marlene Dietrich, Mae West, Gary Cooper, the Marx Brothers, and Elvis Presley have all filmed at the iconic studio lot. Paramount Studios is also home to an elaborate New York Street backlot that can transform into 10 different NYC neighborhoods — making a visit to Paramount the fastest and cheapest way to travel across the country!

• Sony Pictures Studio Tours | Available Monday-Friday at 11:00 a.m.

10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City 90232

At Sony Pictures, take a walking tour that offers a glimpse of the soundstages where iconic films like The Wizard of Oz, Men in Black and Spider-Man were captured; and beloved game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are currently taped. The lot is also home to a studio museum and is the permanent home of the Breaking Bad RV. The Sony Pictures Studio lot took over what used to be MGM, and many of the buildings still boast the same Art Deco styling that dates back to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

• The Walt Disney Studios | Available via third party private tours

The most exclusive of all the studio tours, Walt Disney Studios in Burbank – also celebrating its centennial anniversary 2023 – does not regularly open to the public. For those that are truly committed to the Disney experience and want to walk these hallowed grounds, private tours are available through D23 Events, Disney Movie Insider Awards and Adventures by Disney.

ON-SET TELEVISION TAPINGS

• The Voice | Universal Studios Hollywood

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City 91608

The four-time Emmy-winning musical competition series The Voice is one of the most popular shows on television today, boasting undiscovered talent and superstar caliber coaches, including the likes of Blake Shelton, John Legend, and Gwen Stefani. Ticket requests are required in advance and attendees must join the line an hour ahead of the six-hour taping. Attendees also must be fully vaccinated and tested for COVID-19 and wear appropriate face coverings.

• Jimmy Kimmel Live! | El Capitan Entertainment Centre

6840 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 90028

Long-running late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! is conveniently filmed right on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The show accepts ticket requests for its studio audience, but requests are processed on a first come, first served basis. Fans will need to arrive 30-45 minutes prior to the check-in deadline if selected and must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and masked.

• The Kelly Clarkson Show | Universal Studios Hollywood

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City 91608

American Idol’s first and most famous winner, Kelly Clarkson has hosted her eponymous variety talk show since 2019. Free tickets to attend a taping of the multiple Emmy Award-winning Kelly Clarkson Show are available approximately a week in advance, with 200 tickets released for each of two tapings per day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and some Fridays.

Other tapings include American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars, Jeopardy!, The Price Is Right, and Wheel of Fortune.

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