Have you ever gazed at the iconic Hollywood sign and noticed something peculiar about one of the letters? Well, you’re certainly not alone! In this article, we’ll reveal the hidden mistake that many people miss and once you spot it, you won’t be able to unsee it!
Spot the Mistake!
The chair of the Hollywood Sign Trust, Jeff Zarrinman, loves to point out this apparent blunder. If you’ve never noticed it before, brace yourself – because it may forever change your perception of the sign. Take a close look at the shape of the “W.” Do you see it? The left-hand side of the “W” actually has a narrower gap than the right-hand side.
According to Zarrinman, visitors to the sign often stand and stare at it, completely oblivious to this intriguing detail. But once he points it out, they’re amazed. “One of the ‘V’s in the ‘W’ is wider than the other by a significant margin,” he explains. Once you become aware of this irregularity, it becomes impossible to overlook.
The Origins of the Hollywood Sign
Back in 1923, a visionary real estate developer named Harry Chandler, who also happened to be the publisher of the Los Angeles Times, came up with a brilliant idea. He wanted to create a grand, eye-catching sign that would allure people from downtown Los Angeles to a newly developed area called Hollywoodland. Chandler’s ingenious concept was to build an iconic sign that could be seen for miles, capturing the attention of potential property buyers.
For years, the Hollywoodland sign served its purpose, attracting attention and enticing potential homeowners to the area. However, as the 1920s turned into the 1930s, the Great Depression cast a dark shadow over the country. Property sales plummeted, and the economic downturn hit the Hollywoodland development hard.
Due to financial hardships, the maintenance of the sign began to deteriorate. The developers could no longer afford to keep it fully lit, and some of the letters deteriorated over time. In 1944, the responsibility of maintaining the sign was taken over by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. They made the decision to remove the “land” from the end, transforming it into the iconic “Hollywood” sign we recognize today.
Preserving the Hollywood Sign
By 1949, the Hollywood sign was in dire need of restoration. Originally constructed as a temporary installment for the Hollywoodland development, neglect had taken its toll. However, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce recognized the sign’s cultural significance and assumed responsibility for its preservation.
In 1970, it became evident that a complete reconstruction was necessary. The sign would need to be taken down and rebuilt from scratch. To fund this ambitious project, Jeff Zarrinman, along with the Chamber of Commerce, organized fundraisers that successfully gathered the $250,000 required.
“The sign had fans, and the community wanted to help,” recalls Zarrinman. In April 1978, the Chamber formed a “save the sign committee” and enlisted the support of notable celebrities like Hugh Hefner, Alice Cooper, and the Warner Brothers. Each celebrity sponsored a letter, with Hugh sponsoring the letter “Y” and Alice Cooper taking the letter “O.”
