The legendary sidewalk is continually adding new names. The public is invited to attend dedication ceremonies; the honoree - who pays a whopping $15000 for the eternal upkeep - is usually in attendance. Contact the Hollywood Chamber of Commence (323/469-8311), for information on whos being honored this week.

When the Hollywood honchos realized how limited the footprint space was at Graumans, they came up with another way to pay tribute to the stars. Since 1960, more than 2000 celebrities have been honored, along the worlds most famous sidewalk, with a bronze medallion, set into the center of terrazzo star. Although about a third of the names are now obscure, millions of visitors thrill to the sight of names like James Dean, John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong and Eddie Murphy.

The sight of bikers, metal-heads, homeless wanderers, and hordes of disoriented tourist all treading on memorials to Hollywoods greats makes for a bizarre and tacky tribute. But the Hollywood Chamber of Commence is doing a terrific job sprucing up the pedestrian experience with filmstrip crosswalks, swaying palms, and more.

The Hollywood Sign

These famous 50-foot-high white sheet-metal letters have come to symbolize the movie industry and the city itself. The sign was erected on Mount Lee in 1923 as an advertisement for a real-estate development. The full text originally read HOLLYWOODLAND, lined with thousands of 20-watt bulbs around the letters. The sign gained notoriety when actress Peg Entwistle leaped to her death from the H in 1932.

Tip: Beachwood drive does not lead to the sign, as it appears to. If you want to reach the sign on foot, it requires a rather arduous 5-mile round-trip hike on the Brush Canyon Trail in Griffith Park - the trail head is at the end of Canyon Drive. (323/913-4688)

The LAND section was damaged by a landslide, and the entire sign fell into major disrepair until the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce spearheaded a campaign to repair it. The 450-foot-long installation is now protected by a fence and motion detectors. The best views is from down below, at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Bronson Avenue.

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