Hollywood Sign's Secrets

The "Hollywood" sign, which has become an iconic symbol of the entertainment industry, was originally intended to be a temporary advertisement for a real estate development known as "Hollywoodland." Despite its intended temporary status, the sign became so popular that it was made a permanent fixture in the Los Angeles landscape. The sign was lit by thousands of light bulbs in the 1920s, and a man lived in a small cabin near the sign to change the burnt-out bulbs. However, the sign fell into disrepair and was ultimately torn down for three months in 1978. Playboy's Hugh Hefner helped fund its restoration with a $250,000 fundraising campaign, and he later donated $900,000 to save it again in 2010.