13 Amazing Fun Facts About Hollywood You Won't Believe!

1. Hollywood Sign's Real Estate Origins

Lights! Camera! Real estate action! In what may be the most extra land promotion ever: The famous 'Hollywood' sign was originally put up in 1923 by newspaper publisher Harry Chandler as a ₹14 lakh ($21,000) billboard with 4,000 light bulbs to advertise his Hollywoodland housing development, complete with the 'land' part that got dropped faster than a rejected movie script.
Source => inshorts.com

2. Hattie McDaniel's Groundbreaking Oscar

Rolling down the red carpet and breaking through the racist oak: Hattie McDaniel nabbed the first Oscar ever awarded to an African American performer on February 29, 1940, for her role as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind." Not only did she own the night at Cocoanut Grove nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel, but she also stirred up controversies that lasted longer than Atlanta's burning scene.
Source => goldderby.com

Did you know that Charlie Chaplin once entered a Chaplin look-alike contest incognito and didn't make it to the finals? Discover the intriguing story behind this iconic actor's brush with identity theft in the world of silent films. 🎩 🎥

=> Fun Facts about Movies

3. 1929 Oscars: A Swanky Affair

Back in the roaring twenties, when $5 could buy you a swell night on the town, Hollywood hosted its own swanky soiree for its first-ever Oscars: The 1929 Academy Awards ceremony welcomed a mere 270 guests at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's Blossom Room, with tickets at just $5 a pop (around $87 today). Silent movie heartthrob Douglas Fairbanks hosted the shindig, which lasted a brisk 15 minutes - a far cry from today's star-studded Oscars extravaganza held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where over 3,400 guests fill the seats.
Source => insider.com

4. Hollywood Walk of Fame's Annual Pilgrimage

In an L.A. town where the streets are paved with stars, it's no wonder millions flock to walk among them: Approximately 10 million people visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame each year, where over 2,700 brass-embedded terrazzo stars honor entertainers ranging from actors and musicians to fictional characters, spread over a span of 15 blocks on Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks on Vine Street.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. The Glamorous Hollywood Stock Exchange

Ever wondered how to become the Wolf of Wall Street in Tinseltown? Well, you can try your hand at the ultimate speculative venture for the entertainment-obsessed: The Hollywood Stock Exchange - a virtual market where you can buy, sell, and trade virtual shares of celebrities, TV shows, studios, and movies using the glamorous Hollywood Dollar® currency. Start with H$2,000,000 in your pocket, test your talent-scouting skills and bask in the thrill of conquering the La-La land stock arena powered by the genius Virtual Specialist® technology.
Source => hsx.com

6. P-22: Mountain Lion of the Red Carpet

Forget "Urban Jungle": P-22 the mountain lion turned Hollywood into his personal Natural Kingdom, making a home for himself among the stars in LA's iconic Griffith Park: This famous feline has braved the city life since 2012, but recent signs of distress have led authorities to capture him for a health evaluation and possibly teach some life lessons to Leo DiCaprio on his next film project.
Source => npr.org

7. Toy Coup in Transformers Movie

When Optimus Prime took an unplanned retirement and Orson Welles tried his hand (or voice) at villainous shape-shifting, little did they know that the real villains were plotting a toy-line coup: In "The Transformers: The Movie" (1986), despite being a box office dud and facing criticism for its brutal character deaths, it has since garnered a cult following. Toy-maker Hasbro's attempt to revamp their line resulted in the demise of beloved characters, including Optimus Prime, triggering a letter-writing campaign by distraught fans. Unbeknownst to many, Orson Welles lent his voice to the antagonist Unicron shortly before his death in October 1985.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Chaplin's Look-Alike Contest Fumble

In an ironic twist of fate worthy of Chaplin's own slapstick comedy: the master of the "Tramp" persona, Charlie Chaplin himself, fumbled his way to 20th place in a 1915 look-alike contest and even scored a humble third in a 1975 competition – Apparently, there ain't no doppelganger like your own self! In spite of this uncanny faux pas, the legendary funnyman remains unsurpassed as a trailblazer in Hollywood's glamourous history.
Source => flashbak.com

9. Immortalized in Cement at Grauman's Theatre

Where celebrities stand in cement like they do in their opinions: Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood boasts a collection of over 200 hand- and footprints from famous stars, often hosting footprint ceremonies open to the public, and timed with significant movie releases.
Source => tripsavvy.com

10. Hollywood's First Silent Western

Before "lights, camera, action!" was even a glint in Hollywood's eye, and silent Western films were the OG talk of the town: "In Old California", directed by D.W. Griffith in 1910, was not only the first film to be shot in Hollywood but also dethroned the gabbing gossip of the day as the first-ever silent Western film, taking us back to California’s days under Mexican rule.
Source => wikiwand.com

11. Hollywood Sign's Prankster Problem

They say it's all fun and games until someone starts messing with the Hollywood Sign: Over the years, the iconic landmark has seen its fair share of pranks and vandalism, prompting a high-tech renovation complete with motion detectors, closed-circuit cameras, and police alerts for unauthorized shenanigans in restricted areas.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Munchkins vs. Toto: Oz Salary Showdown

Who needs a heart or courage when you're rolling in dough?: Turns out the Munchkins from "The Wizard of Oz" were earning a respectable $50 per week in their Technicolor heyday, according to Stephen Cox's "The Munchkins of Oz." In a fantastical twist, it was Toto and her trainer who laughed all the way to the Emerald Bank with a whopping salary of $125 per week.
Source => nationalpost.com

13. Edith Head: Fashion Trailblazer & Edna Mode Inspiration

Before Edna Mode dominated the superhero fashion scene with her fabulous yet functional ensembles, a real-life style maven took Hollywood by storm with her Oscar-winning wardrobe wizardry and monochromatic wardrobe choices: Edith Head, who dressed icons like Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, won eight Academy Awards for Costume Design while working at Paramount and Universal, and her trademark black, white, beige, and brown ensembles even influenced the creation of the bold character Edna Mode in Disney's The Incredibles.
Source => oscars.org