How to Get a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- It's Not Just for Celebrities Anymore!

You know you've made it in show business when you get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But the Walk of Fame is not just for movie stars. Celebrities from numerous entertainment fields are honored every year at an average rate of two per month.

History
The Walk of Fame began as a beautification project for the city of Hollywood in 1958. It was created by artist, Oliver Weismuller as a tribute to honor celebrities in the fields of motion pictures, television, radio, theater and music. The Walk of Fame originated with 2,500 blank stars made of pink and charcoal terrazzo. As stars were inducted into the Walk of Fame, the blank stars are removed and replaced with a star bearing the celebrities name and area of show business. The stars run down Hollywood Boulevard between Gower Street and LaBrea Avenue. They also run up Vine Street between Sunset Boulevard and Yucca Street.

Symbols on the Stars
Each star has a different brass symbol representing the category in which the celebrity received his or her star. The symbols are:

1. Movie Camera - for contributions to the motion picture industry
2. Record - for contributions to the recording industry
3. Microphone - for contributions to the radio broadcast industry
4. Television - for contributions to the television broadcast industry
5. Theater Masks - for contributions to theater

Criteria for Getting a Star on the Walk of Fame
The criteria for getting a star on the Walk of Fame are fairly simple. For consideration, a nominee must:

1. Have a record of professional achievement within the nominated field.
2. Have worked in the entertainment industry for a minimum of five years.
3. Have made contributions to the community, typically through charitable activities.

The recipient must also agree to attend the dedication ceremony. In addition, a sponsorship fee of $25,000 must be paid. Non-human and fictional characters are also eligible for stars on the Walk of Fame. Kermit the Frog, Big Bird, Rin Tin Tin and Lassie all have stars.

Process for Getting a Star on the Walk of Fame
Nominations for getting a star on the Walk of Fame are announced in the entertainment trades. The nominations must be submitted by May 31 to the Walk of Fame Committee, which is division of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Although the deadline is May 31, applications are accepted year round.

Sponsors of the nominees must fill out a very simple nomination form listing the nominee's qualifications for inclusion in the Walk of Fame. Chances are your very first job application was more complicated than this form, which you can download in PDF format HERE. Sponsors can also submit non-returnable samples of the nominee's work.

The committee receives a few hundred nominations a year and out of these typically chooses a couple dozen inductees. Once the Walk of Fame Committee has selected a nominee, the celebrity must be approved by the Board of Directors for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the Los Angeles City Board of Public Works and finally the Los Angeles City Council.

The induction ceremony is presided over by honorary Hollywood mayor, Johnny Grant, and is open to the public.

Walk of Fame Facts

Anyone can nominate a celebrity so long as the celebrity agrees to the nomination.

One posthumous award is presented each year.

An application for induction is valid for two years, and if accepted into the Walk of Fame, a celebrity has five years to schedule his or her ceremony.

Celebrities can get more than one star on the walk of fame. Singing cowboy Gene Autry has five stars on the Walk of Fame, which is more than any other celebrity.

Why Have Some Very Famous Stars Not Been Included?
Sometimes the selection process can be puzzling. Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford do not have stars on the Walk of Fame. And yet, Donald Trump, Pee Wee Herman, Magic Johnson and Vanna White do. The reason for this is not that the aforementioned celebs have been snubbed. To be considered for a star, a celebrity must be nominated. No nomination, no star - it's as simple as that.

In recent years the trend has been for music and movie companies to sponsor actors and musicians to get stars that somehow coincide with movie and cd releases. Unfortunately this has led to a number of questionable nominees, but then -- that's show business.

Upcoming Walk of Fame Inductees

The following individuals are scheduled to receive stars in 2007:

Motion Pictures: Michael Caine, Matt Damon, Lauren Shuler Donner, Jamie Foxx, John Goodman, Michelle Pfeiffer and late director Robert Altman

Television: Erik Estrada, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry Stiller, Barbara Walters and producer Dick Wolf

Recording: Mariah Carey, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Crystal Gayle, The Doors, Tim McGraw, Leann Rimes and Shania Twain

Live Theater/Performance: Sir Tim Rice and Lily Tomlin

Radio: Stu Nahan and Rodney Bingenheimer