The Genesis of Hollywood and the Birth of Hollyweird

The name "Hollywood" is synonymous with the global film industry, yet it has an interesting and complex history. This article delves into the origins of the name and how it came to represent the entire film industry, with a focus on the famous Hollywoodland sign and the early development of the area.

From Hollywoodland to Hollywood

The story of Hollywood begins with a housing development that was being built nearby. In the 1920s, a sign reading "Hollywoodland" was erected to advertise this new real-estate development. The sign was part of a larger housing subdivision, named after the town of Hollywood in Illinois, but the "land" part eventually fell away, leaving just "Hollywood" standing. Today, this iconic sign is recognized worldwide as a symbol of the film industry.

A Metonymy for the Film Industry

The term "Hollywood" has evolved into a metonym, or a figure of speech, where a place or thing closely associated with a larger concept stands in for the concept itself. For example, "the Kremlin says" refers to the Russian government, and "the White House says" refers to the U.S. President's position. Similarly, "Hollywood" now represents the mainstream U.S. film industry, despite many film operations being decentralized.

Early Development of Hollywood

Today, Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the United States with a population over 5 million, but it was quite different in the late 19th century. Most of the area was uninhabited cattle ranching and citrus orchard land. One of the ranches in this area, consisting of 18 families, was purchased by real-estate developer H.J. Whitley in the 1890s. He subdivided the land, seeing it as a potential suburb of Los Angeles, and began selling one-acre plots. It was during this time that the name "Hollywood" was given to this development.

The name "Hollywood" itself has deep roots. Daeida Wilcox Beveridge, one of Whitley's backers, heard the name of a wealthy family's estate in Illinois and thought it sounded nice. She was also a bit superstitious and believed that "holly," the poisonous vine associated with Christmas, brought good luck. Thus, the name "Hollywood" was born.

The Early Film Industry's Move to Hollywood

The new film industry, which in its earliest days was centered in New York City and its environs, shifted its focus to Hollywood beginning around 1912. This move was driven by several factors:

Ideal weather conditions for outdoor filming. The desire to distance themselves from Thomas Edison and his patents controlling film production. Accessibility to the natural beauty of the area, which offered unique and diverse shooting locations.

The film industry's move to Hollywood significantly accelerated the development of the area. By the 1920s, Hollywood had become not just a place, but a symbol of the global film industry. The iconic Hollywoodland sign became a landmark, signifying the heart of the movie industry.

A Fitting Conclusion to the Early Days of Hollywood

As the film industry flourished, so did the area. The annexation of the Hollywood development into the city of Los Angeles in 1910 marked a turning point. The subdivision, now fully developed, stood as a testament to the area's rapid growth and the importance of the film industry. The name "Hollywood" continued to grow in significance, eventually becoming a global symbol of cinema.