Iconic Hollywood Sign Gets Makeover for 90th Birthday

Celebrities and reality stars aren't the only ones who get makeovers.

The iconic Hollywood sign had yet another moment in the spotlight on Tuesday when the curtain went up showing off its new look, which is once again visible from much of the city.

During the refurbishment, workers removed all existing paint from the
sign's nine 45-foot-tall letters, which were then primed and repainted with two
fresh coats of white lacquer.

"The Hollywood Sign Trust is excited that Hollywood's leading lady
received two tons of makeup in time to celebrate her 90th birthday," said Chris
Baumgart, chairman of the nonprofit trust.

The project cost $175,000, with $140,000 covered by
which donated the paint for the iconic sign, Baumgart said.

Over nine weeks, existing coatings were removed almost entirely by hand
before painters applied more than 100 gallons of primer and paint.

Built by Los Angeles Times then-publisher Harry Chandler in 1923 to
trumpet his Hollywoodland real estate development, the sign quickly became a
giant billboard for a city forever linked to the American movie business.

Locally, Laguna Niguel has Hollywood connections including several Hollywood stars and starlets who once lived here and still do.

For example, the late Warner Bros. starlet Beverly Roberts was a longtime resident and once starred with some of the Hollywood's heavy male hitters including Bogart.

The former resides here and her kids go to the local schools.

Contributing

owns a home, and many films were made in the city most recently actors Annette Bening and Ed Harris were filming a new comedy.

John Travolta was in Dana Point a few times to film Savages and parts of The Perfect Storm starring George Clooney were also filmed in or near the harbor.

Both cities have many more ties, which you can read about soon on Laguna Niguel Patch.

The Hollywood sign is situated on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills area of the Santa Monica Mountains, the sign was initially supposed to remain in place for just 18 months.

It has been upgraded periodically since the late 1940s.

--City News Service contributed to this report.

Editor's note: This article originally was published by the Laguna Niguel-Dana Point Patch in California.