Thanks to the reopening of a key hiking trail, a lot more people will now get to take pictures of the famous Hollywood sign. It wasn’t always like this. Over the years, the iconic word-on-a-hilltop has been altered by everyone from pot heads to protestors to say things other than “Hollywood”. Some of them are pretty funny.
The Los Angeles Times just published a little round up of all the edits to the Hollywood sign in it’s 92-year-long existence. One of them is obviously Hollyweed. The others run the gamut from destruction from storm damage (1949) to destruction from sports fans (1983). Like all good American signs, the sign was even used as paid advertising (1987) and political campaigning (1992). In fact, the sign was originally an advertisement for a real estate development called Hollywoodland (1923).
Without further ado, here’s the list of all 15 things the Hollywood sign has said besides “Hollywood” — although the switch from Hollywoodland to Hollywood is included for continuity’s sake. Click through for photos and more details:
- 1923: Hollywoodland
- 1949: Hollywood
- 1976: Hollyweed
- 1983: Go Navy
- 1985: Raffeysod
- 1987: Cal Tech
- 1987: Holywood
- 1987: Fox
- 1990: Oil War
- 1992: Perotwood
- 1993: Go UCLA
- 1993: Jollygood
- 2010: Sollywood
- 2010: Sallywood
- 2010: Save the Pood
- 2010: Save the Peak
The historic sign is worth a visit, even though it now says “Hollywood” like it’s supposed to. Good luck finding it though. People just won’t stop trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps. [LAT]