Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is on Mount Lee, above Beachwood Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. It was originally erected in 1923 as a temporary advertisement for a local real estate development, and spelled out "HOLLYWOODLAND" in 50-foot-tall (15.2 m) white uppercase letters in a word 450 feet (137.2 m) long. Due to increasing recognition, the sign was left up; the last four letters "LAND" were removed in 1949. The sign was entirely replaced in 1978, using 45-foot-tall (13.7 m) letters in a more durable all-steel structure with concrete footings.

Among the best-known landmarks in California (and in the United States as a whole), the sign makes frequent appearances in popular culture, particularly in establishing shots for films and television programs set in Los Angeles. Signs of similar style, but spelling different words, are frequently seen as parodies. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce holds federally registered trademark rights for a stylized "HOLLYWOOD" wordmark used on specific classes of merchandise (e.g., apparel, souvenirs). These registrations do not confer rights over the physical landmark itself, which is owned by the City of Los Angeles. A point of legal and public confusion arises because the trademark spells the same word as the landmark, the trademark's lettering style resembles the landmark's, yet the landmark and the trademark are under separate ownership.

The Hollywood Sign is promoted, protected and preserved by the Hollywood Sign Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was originally formed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in 1978; the trust was modified in 1992 to add two members appointed by the city of Los Angeles. The Hollywood Sign Trust operates closely with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, as they have similar missions to promote and protect historic Hollywood. The trust is made up of nine volunteers, appointed by three organizations: the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the office of Los Angeles's 4th City Council district, and the City of Los Angeles. The trust has been responsible for installing a surveillance system on the sign, painting and maintaining it, and celebrating its landmark anniversaries.