One of my dream travel destinations is to see the Hollywood sign in all of its glory. As a pop culture blogger, I’m sure that comes as no surprise!
This evening, I started researching the O You! conference that is taking place in LA in October but ended up on the Hollywood sign website for the next 1/2 hour. This sign has significant history!
Did you know that in 1978, Hugh Hefner sponsored a gala event at the Playboy Mansion? The intention of the event was to auction off each of the sign’s nine letters for $27,700, which was enough to cover the complete refurbishment.
Here’s a list of the sponsors of each of the Sign’s 9 letters:
H Terrence Donnelly, Publisher, Hollywood Independent Weekly
O Giovanni Mazza, Italian movie producer
L Les Kelly, originator of the Kelly Blue Book
L Gene Autry, with his TV station, KTLA
Y Dedicated to Hugh Hefner
W Andy Williams, singer
O Alice Cooper, rock singer, in honor of Groucho Marx
O Warner Brothers Records
D Dennis Lidtke
