Hollywood Walk of Fame history

A jubilant Chill Wills kisses his star in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Feb. 8, 1960.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (William S. Murphy / Los Angeles Times)

On Nov. 17, 1987, Hollywood’s honorary mayor Johnny Grant presented the Ritz Brothers’ star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Robert Gabriel / Los Angeles Times)

Johnny Grant, center, honorary mayor of Hollywood, and Bill Welsh, far right, chamber president, with Swedish film personalities at star lift for director Mauritz Stiller on April 14, 1988.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Randy Leffingwell / Los Angeles Times)

Actor Martin Sheen received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Aug. 22, 1989.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Jeff Share / Los Angeles Times)

Actor Richard Dreyfuss kneels down, as he unveils his Walk of Fame star on Hollywood Boulevard on Oct. 10, 1996, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. Dreyfuss’ roles have included: “Jaws,” “The Goodbye Girl” for which he won an Academy Award, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “ Mr. Holland’s Opus.”

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Damian Dovarganes / AP)

Fred Rogers of the “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” show leans down to touch his star at its unveiling on Jan. 7, l997, in the 6600 block of Hollywood Boulevard. It was the 2,101st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Christopher Reeve, accompanied by wife Dana, son Will and about 500 fans and celebrity friends, received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 15, 1997.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Actor James Brolin and his wife Barbra Streisand share a proud moment on stage as the actor received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Aug. 27, 1998.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Don Knotts, right, and Andy Griffith kneel at the unveiling of Knotts’ star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Jan. 19, 1999. Knotts won five Emmys as Deputy Barney Fife on “The Andy Griffith Show” and appeared in many movies. He was also greeted by Louis Nye, Gary Owens and John Ritter, who starred in TV’s “Three’s Company,” in which Knotts had a recurring role.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

Singer Freddy Fender stands on his unveiled star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Feb. 4, 1999. In a long musical career, Fender rose to fame as a Latino pop star in the 1950s, ventured into country-pop in the 1970s and has been a member of the Grammy- winning Texas Tornadoes in the 1990s. Fender’s is the 2,129th star on the Walk of Fame.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Members of the rock band KISS, from left, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Paul Stanley, place well-heeled soles on their star during a ceremony on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame on Aug. 11, 1999. The group, known for theatrics onstage and off, has sold more than 80 million albums over a 26-year career.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Vince Bucci / AFP)

Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, right, and her friend, actress Elizabeth Taylor, pose after Sager was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, Feb. 14, 2000. Honors for Sager’s work include an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony, two Golden Globe Awards and induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Nick Ut / AP)

Actor and director Peter Fonda dances on his star that was placed on the Walk of Fame on Aug. 15, 2000.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Alex Quesada / Los Angeles Times)

Muhammad Ali receives the 2189th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame near the Kodak Theatre on Jan. 11, 2001, from Johnny Grant, Hollywood’s honorary mayor. Ali’s star hangs on a wall because the boxing great wants people to look up to see it.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Abigail Van Buren, a.k.a. Dear Abby, a.k.a. Pauline Phillips, stands with her daughter Jeanne Phillips after being presented with Dear Abby’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Feb. 14, 2001. Next to the star are her grandchild, J.J. Phillips, great-grandchild Daniela Phillips and grandchild Hutton Phillips.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Actor Kevin Bacon jokingly hushes his friends and family while getting photographed with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Sept. 30, 2003. His is the 2,238th star and is located at 6356 Hollywood Blvd.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Singer Britney Spears greets some of the nearly 2,000 fans who attended a ceremony honoring her with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard on Nov. 17, 2003. After her arrival, the pop star signed posters and magazines for her admirers. “This is something that I’ve dreamt about since I was a little girl,” Spears said. “I can’t believe I’m actually here with all of you amazing fans.”

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Vince Bucci / Getty Images)

Michael Eisner, chief executive of Walt Disney Co., waves to the crowd with Disney character Donald Duck, during a ceremony honoring Donald with the 2,257th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on Aug. 9, 2004.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

Posing with Los Angeles City Council member Eric Garcetti, Renee Zellweger received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard on May 24, 2005.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Stephen Shugerman / Getty Images)

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper, left, and film critic Roger Ebert posing for photographers following a ceremony in which Ebert was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 23, 2005, in Los Angeles.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Ric Francis / AP)

Samantha Rios touches the L.A.P.D. Hollywood star unveiled on March 10, 2006, on Hollywood Boulevard at La Brea Avenue honoring fallen officers, including Rios’ father, Officer Joe Rios, who died in 1993 of injuries from a 1992 on-duty traffic accident.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

(Left to right) Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger pose for photos as Winnie the Pooh receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the El Capitan Theatre on April 11, 2006, in Los Angeles.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Michael Buckner / Getty Images)

Hockey Hall of Fame announcer Bob Miller, the voice of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team, lies down next to his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after a ceremony on Oct. 2, 2006, on the 6700 block of Hollywood Boulevard.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jerry Buss, center, owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, with the Laker Girls, after being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on Oct. 30, 2006.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Actor Jeff Bridges holds a camera as he hugs actress Michelle Pfeiffer during a ceremony honoring her with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Aug. 6, 2007, in Los Angeles.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Nick Ut / AP)

The Munchkins from the classic film, “The Wizard of Oz,” were honored on Nov. 20, 2007, with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Margaret Pellegrini points to the star in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Hundreds of “Wizard of Oz” fans attended the ceremony. A Woodridge, Ill. theater owner enlisted the help of movie industry leaders to get a star for the Munchkins.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

(Left to right) Ray Simpson, Jeff Olson, David Hodo, Alexander Briley and Eric Anzalone, members of the disco group The Village People wave to the crowd upon their arrival for a ceremony honoring them with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard on Sept. 12, 2008.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Academy Award winning actress Mary Steenburgen poses next to her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Dec. 16, 2009.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Ringo Starr examine the entertainer’s new star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, which was installed on Feb. 10, 2010, at 1750 N. Vine St., in front of the Capitol Records Tower.

See more stars on the Hollywood Star Walk, the Los Angeles Times’ virtual tour of the streets of Hollywood.  (Bret Hartman / For The Times)