With those remarkable opening credits of the “Hollywood” show on Netflix, I went looking for a close-up photo of the 50-foot-tall letters to see if it was actually possible to climb and stand on top of them. I found this photo taken just after the sign was completed in 1923. It looks like some letters would have been easier to climb than others, standing on them would have been pretty much impossible.
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Paint job looks kinda ratty. After completion, before painting, perhaps?
Yep, that’s what I’m thinking – post-completion, pre-final-paint-job.
Prior to the 1978 rebuilding one could park on the neighbouring residential streets and walk to the sign. Know cause I did so. At that time there was zero security. No gates, cameras or guards. As the sign originally had light bulbs their must have been ladders attached to the back of the letters to replace the burnt out bulbs. Can’t recall if there when I went, but as the sign was then in very poor repair wouldn’t have climbed them if they had been there. Do recall the letters still had holes everywhere for the bulbs. At that time the sign seemed a very desolate abandoned place.
Wow, Matt, you managed to get up there before security really got beefed up!
Security wise, a different world pre 9-11.Suspect Mr. Marmel was “spot on” in his assumption sign brand new pre painting.The confirmation, for me, was no lightbulb holes covering the letters.