10 Surprises in the Hollywood Walk of Fame Rule Book
Entertainment
In addition to being one a world-famous tourist attraction, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a high-profile honor. “This is the only award that can be shared with the fans,” Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies, tells Billboard. “The Oscar, the Grammy, the Tony is in somebody’s home. This one is on the sidewalk. [Fans] can sit next to it. They can pose with it. It’s an interactive award.”
The Walk of Fame, which originated in 1960, consists of more than 2,700 stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Los Angeles.
The Walk of Fame awards stars in six categories – motion pictures, television, radio, recording, live theatre/performance and sports entertainment. The Walk of Fame committee receives an average of 200 applications a year, according to Martinez, from which it accepts between 24 and 30.
Martinez, whose formal title is vice president of media relations, has been at the Walk of Fame since 1987. (Her clever tag line under her name on news announcements: “Handling the stars for many moons.”)
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the 2024 class of Hollywood Walk of Fame inductions. Nominations opened on Friday, April 28 at 12 p.m. PT and will close on Friday, May 26 at 12 p.m. PT. All nominations will be considered at the annual Walk of Fame committee meeting to be held in June. New selections will be announced in mid-to-late June.
Since a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a world-famous form of recognition, we dug into the rules and regulations that govern the awarding of stars. Here are 10 surprises in the Hollywood Walk of Fame rule book:
Anyone can nominate a star, but be forewarned: A lot is required.
From the website: “Anyone, including a fan, can nominate a celebrity … Whether nominating an individual or group, the sponsor must submit a photo, a brief bio (no more than two pages) and the nominee’s qualifications as well as a list of contributions to the community and civic-oriented participation.”
So far that’s not too much to ask, especially of a big fan. But there’s more.
From the website: “There is a $250 application fee to submit an application … The application is effective for two years. If, after two years, the nominee is still not selected, the applicant can file a new application or send a letter requesting that the application be reinstated.”
That would entail a new application fee, at the prevailing rate at the time, which would buy another two years of consideration.
That one would separate the casual fan from the superfan, but most superfans would find a way. But there’s more. These next two requirements would be challenging for even superfans: Applications have to include a written promise from the star or his/her representative to attend the star unveiling if approved. And the applicant has to agree to financially sponsor the star presentation. (See next two items for more details on these last two requirements.)
The star must agree to attend the star unveiling. (It’s known as the “Springsteen Clause.”)
Image Credit: Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images
From the website: “Potential nominees must sign off in writing on the nomination forms and agree to attend the event to accept the honor if selected … A letter of agreement from the nominee or his/her management must be included with the application … If there is no letter of agreement included from the celebrity or his/her representative, the committee will not accept the application.”
Martinez calls that the “Springsteen Clause.”
“Many, many, many years ago, Bruce Springsteen was nominated by a fan and was selected,” she says. “We didn’t have that rule where you had to have something in writing. Mr. Springsteen declined, so I created a policy that they have to sign off that they are in agreement with the nomination and that they will attend if selected.”
This is in part because the Walk of Fame doesn’t want to have a star unveiling without the star in attendance. “And you don’t want to push somebody else out who could’ve gotten that star [who would have wanted it],” Martinez says.
Walk of Fame stars aren’t cheap.
From the website: “Due to rising costs, sponsorship fee will increase to $75,000 for all accepted nominations starting with the class of 2024.”
This represents a jump from $55,000 last year. The sponsorship fee has increased astronomically in the past 36 years.
“When I started in 1987, I think it was about $3,500,” Martinez says. “Then it went up to $5,000. It would go up every few years. The last time we had a big increase, was probably almost 10 years ago – it went from $40,000 to $50,000. Then it was $55,000. Everything is astronomical right now. Everything has gone up since we’ve been back from COVID.”
Some of the costs the sponsorship fee covers include the creation and installation of the star (they are made of terrazzo and brass); the costs associated with the star unveiling ceremony, which is free and open to the public; maintenance of the star in instances of cracking or vandalism (Donald Trump’s star was whacked more than once); and the presentation of a large floral arrangement on the day the honoree dies.
The Hollywood Historic Trust, not the city of Los Angeles, takes care of Walk of Fame repairs and the floral arrangements. “They get a portion of the sponsorship fee,” Martinez says. “The trust was formed to maintain the look of the Walk of Fame and they do other things as well. During COVID, I believe they did a $3 million repair because nobody was on [Hollywood] Blvd. so it was a perfect time to do it.”
When it is suggested that the requirement to commit to sponsor the star would put this out of reach for even most superfans, Martinez replies, “You would be surprised. When Liza Minnelli was selected, she was nominated by fans. They had movie nights at somebody’s house and they would sell baked goods. That’s how they raised the money. For Dean Stockwell, he was very much into the environment. His fans collected newspaper [for recycling; what used to be called paper drives] and got money for that. So, they have their ways. And nowadays, they have GoFundMe and things like that.”
From the website: “The Hollywood Walk of Fame does not encourage or endorse online campaigns for fundraising for a star prior to selection. Such initiatives do not impact the selection process for a star on the Walk of Fame.”
From the website: “The nominator must promise to sponsor the star presentation if it approved. Please submit completed nomination application and a commitment to sponsor the star.”
Martinez amplifies on that point. “We are a non-profit. We cannot pay for it.”
That said, the Walk of Fame brings in quite a bit of money. At the new rate of $75,000 per star presentation, and assuming 27 presentations per year (the midpoint in the 24-30 range Martinez cites), the presentations bring in $2,025,000 per year. At $250 per application, and assuming 200 applications a year, applications bring in an additional $50,000. (Note that applications buy two years of consideration, so that second figure may be more like $25,000 per year.)
If you still want to go through with this, visit the Walk Of Fame Nomination Dashboard.
Stars have a two-year window to schedule their ceremony.
From the website: “Those selected for stars have a two-year time frame in which to set their ceremony date. The selections expire upon the two-year anniversary of being chosen.”
“They used to have five years to do their ceremony,” Martinez says. “We changed it to two years a couple of years ago. We wanted them to really go forth and set it up with us right away. I’ve had issues where five years later a publicist is no longer with that client. I’ve had people say ‘I didn’t know I was selected.’ So, we just want to get it done as soon as possible.”
There are special rules for posthumous honors.
From the website: “One posthumous award may be given each year … Posthumous nominations have a two-year waiting period after the date of the star’s death, before they can be nominated.”
The idea behind the latter rule is is to try to reduce the role of sentimentality in voting. If there was no “waiting period,” some more marginal stars might be swept in by emotion in the immediate wake of their deaths.
There are additional requirements for duo/group stars.
From the website: “The names of all group members, past and present, must be included on the nomination form. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to condition award and installation of any star honoring a duo or group on its discretionary satisfaction with the sponsor’s arrangements regarding honorees and the induction ceremony. The sponsor must provide proof of insurance naming the Hollywood Chamber and City of L.A. as additionally insured.”
“I cannot name the group,” Martinez says, “but there was a musician that was no longer with the group. It had been like 25 years that he was not with the group. His wife was an attorney and was not happy that her husband was not getting a star with the group he was no longer with. So she filed a lawsuit. They lost. It has been an issue where [group members] feud and we have to have protection. We don’t want to be sued.”
The Walk of Fame requires a mere five years of activity.
From the website: “The criteria for receiving a star consists of the following: professional achievement, longevity in the category of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected.”
The requirement for just five years of activity is low, compared to other awards and honors. The Songwriters Hall of Fame first considers songwriters for induction 20 years after their first notable song. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame first considers artists for induction after 25 years of activity. The National Recording Registry insists that recordings be at least 10 years old to be considered. The Grammy Hall of Fame insists that recordings be at least 25 years old to be considered.
Insisting on just five years of activity allows the Walk of Fame to install current, buzzy acts at the peak of their popularity, but it also denies the committee the chance to see how the acts would hold up, both commercially and creatively, over a longer period of time.
After the selection committee votes, two more groups must approve their choices (but they almost always do).
From the website: “After the Walk of Fame Selection Committee has made its selections, the Hollywood Chamber’s Board of Directors also votes to approve the star, and then for a final approval, the names are submitted to the City of Los Angeles’ Board of Public Works Department.”
Martinez can recall just one time the city rejected a selection that was put forward by the Chamber – ABC Studios. “They wanted a star. We don’t give stars to companies, so it was rejected.”
(Let’s dig more into that. See next item.)
Companies can’t receive stars (but there’s an asterisk).
“We do something different called Awards of Excellence,” Martinez says. “Those are done on private property. They look like a Walk of Fame star, but they don’t use the emblem or the font that we use. At the El Capitan [Theatre], there is a star for the Disney Company, but that’s on private property. It’s adjacent [to the Walk of Fame], but it’s not on it. We have a couple more: Princess Cruises has an Award of Excellence. We also have one for L’Oreal. Those are at Ovation Hollywood, which used to be called Hollywood & Highland. Those are also on private property.”
The Walk of Fame has a lot of rules and requirements, but it tries to be transparent.
There are a lot of rules and demands, but the Hall isn’t trying to deceive anybody. “Everything is written in here,” Martinez says. “We encourage them to read everything.”
From the website: “Read the FAQ before submitting your form.” There’s also this: “We encourage that you read and fully understand the nomination and selection process on our website www.walkoffame.com.”