# H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D-L-A-N-D **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546 "2001-11-05T04:40:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546/1 "2001-11-05T04:40:52Z")
In numerous movies depicting LA before WWII, the famous HOLLYWOOD sign actually says HOLLYWOODLAND. (Part of the story of several is how the characters somehow destroyed the last four letters.) Did the sign truly ever say HOLLYWOODLAND, or is this another fiction from Hollywood? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546/2 "2001-11-05T04:45:17Z")
I think [this site](http://www.hollywoodsign.org/plotline/) may have an idea. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546/3 "2001-11-05T05:29:34Z")
## quote: ## …Originally miscast as a giant ad for real estate development, the Sign soon took on the role of giant **marquis** for a city that was constantly announcing its own gala premier. Of all the words for them to swap with a synonym… ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546/4 "2001-11-05T05:52:29Z")
Yep, it was an advertisement for a real estate development called “Hollywoodland” Here is a good shot from 1920 [http://jpg2.lapl.org/spnb1/00017193.jpg](http://jpg2.lapl.org/spnb1/00017193.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546/5 "2001-11-05T10:40:22Z")
**postcards** , don’t you mean a homophone? ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546/6 "2001-11-05T12:50:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ArchiveGuy \* > \*\ ***postcards** , don’t you mean a homophone? \*\* I have nothing against gay people! Oh, wait. Homo **phone**. Yeah, that **is** what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d-l-a-n-d/91546/7 "2001-11-05T13:05:55Z")
My favorite use of this sign is in the Disney film **The Rocketeer**. **Spoilers** “I’ll miss Hollywood,” says villain played by Timothy Dalton (as an Errol-Flynn type who really _is_ a Nazi spy). He straps the rocket-pack to his back, unaware that it is dangerously leaking fuel. He takes off, but the leaking fuel catches fire and he plummets to his death, striking the “LAND” part of the famous sign, making it read “Hollywood”. He certainly did miss “Hollywood”. He only hit the “-land” part.