Protesters Tire of North Fans, Kick H Out of HOLLYWOOD

As a protest against the “Olliemania” that has swept much of the nation since Lt. Col. Oliver L. North’s testimony in the Iran- contra hearings, four self-described environmental artists altered the HOLLYWOOD sign to read OLLYWOOD early Monday.

“People are blindly making a hero out of someone who did something very wrong. The nation needs to re-evaluate its values if it idolizes North,” said furniture manufacturer Danny Finegood, 32, who with three friends draped two sheets of black plastic over the H on the world-famous sign.

Short-Lived Stunt

Even though the city park workers had restored the sign by 10 a.m., the prank’s architects said their $300 effort was not a waste.

“The public got the idea: The change was an attempt to mock these people,” Finegood said. “We elect Congress to do a job, and what he did was in direct opposition to Congress. The American people have embraced him, and as environmental sculptors, we felt it necessary to utilize our canvas one more time.”

Finegood said he and his friends, who would not give their names, had changed the 45-by-450-foot sign twice before. On New Year’s Day in 1976, Finegood and company altered the sign to read HOLLYWeeD, marking the day California’s present marijuana law took effect. Then on Easter that same year, he altered the sign to read HOLYWOOD.

Enter the Students

In mid-May, student pranksters altered the sign with sheets of plastic to read CALTECH.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the keeper of the sign, was not amused by Monday’s prank.

“This is a serious offense,” said Bill Walsh, the organization’s president. “Someone could be injured or killed trying to alter (the sign).”

Walsh said there are plans to install additional fencing around the sign, as well as an alarm system.

Hollywood police said the pranksters could face misdemeanor trespassing charges.