The Hollywood Boulevard is known not only as a cultural and historical center but also for the famous “Hollywood Walk of Fame.” It is the place where a special selection committee lays down the “star” of various actors on the walkway. Almost all renowned actors from the last 50 years have their own named star on this walkway.
The criteria for obtaining a star are not very strict – one just needs to be a successful actor for five years (the criteria for success are determined by the committee) and then pay a fee of 2.5 million rubles for the production and installation of the star directly on the sidewalk.
However, some popular actors managed to lose their stars—some willingly renounced the spectacle, while others had their stars stolen. Some even caused a scandal and lost the right to their star. Here are a few examples.
Clint Eastwood
While the majority of actors are willing to pay organizers just to immortalize their names in granite on the main boulevard of the country, there is an actor who repeatedly refused this “honor.” Clint Eastwood has long earned his place on the Walk of Fame, and major studios have repeatedly offered to organize a ceremony at their expense.
However, Eastwood consistently rejected the offers without explaining the reasons. In total, he was offered his own star in the most prominent locations on the boulevard about six times. Each time, Eastwood simply ignored the proposal. Thus, if you find yourself in Hollywood, you will see about three thousand “stars,” but not a single one for Eastwood.
Al Pacino
Another brilliant actor, capable of outshining any contemporary performer, also declined to have his own star on the Walk of Fame. However, if Eastwood simply didn’t care about another ceremony, Pacino had a more pragmatic reason not to get involved in another award paid for with his own money.
Yes, it was all about the money. The actor was offered to organize the ceremony several times. However, Pacino always responded with a refusal, only later making it clear why. It turned out he had saved $30,000 and decided not to spend the money on Hollywood freeloaders. Instead, he directed all the money towards his family, where he had recently welcomed another child.
Kirk Douglas
The renowned actor and father of another equally famous actor, Michael Douglas, also ended up without his star on the Walk of Fame. However, not through any fault of his own. The award ceremony went according to plan, and the actor’s star was unveiled with honors. However, a few years later, some enterprising citizen attached legs to an entire granite slab with the actor’s name.
During the reconstruction of a nearby building, all the nearest stars were removed for storage. When the work was completed, Kirk Douglas’s star mysteriously disappeared. It was only a few weeks later that it was found at the home of one of the workers. It turned out he not only took Douglas’s star but also pocketed Jimmy Stewart’s star. The thief intended to sell them at a secret auction but didn’t succeed.
Gregory Peck
The star of the movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” received his own star on the Walk of Fame back in 1960… and lost it 45 years later. Similar to the previous case, someone very skillful stole the expensive piece of granite. However, if earlier stars were stolen at least without witnesses, this time it was much bolder.
The actor’s star was literally cut out of the sidewalk with a chainsaw… and no one saw the culprits. When the police arrived, there was no one there. Stars, by the way, were also gone. As a result, Gregory Peck’s named star was never found. However, the actor was given a new one. The original is currently in the collection of an unknown person.
Muhammad Ali
The great boxer was also immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame due to his outstanding achievements in sports and show business. However, unlike the other three thousand actors, writers, etc., Ali’s star is not on the actual Walk but in a slightly different location.
Initially, Ali refused his own star because of religious beliefs. He didn’t like the idea of people stepping on the name Muhammad. So, the organizers accommodated him and embedded the boxer’s star in the wall next to the others. Thus, Muhammad Ali is the only one whose star on the Walk of Fame is not on the sidewalk.
