Image Credit: Eichner/Retna Ltd.; Hefner: Albert L. Ortega/PR PhotosPlayboy founder (and silk pajama enthusiast) Hugh Hefner has donated $900,000 to a conservation group attempting to save the landmark Hollywood sign from being affected by a nearby development project. Hefner’s gift was the final amount of money needed for the Trust for Public Land to purchase the adjacent lot next to the sign (the total price tag was $12.5 million). Other celebrity contributors to the fund were Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. Hefner usually prefers to invest in more youthful projects, as evidenced by watching E!’s The Girls Next Door, but that did not seem to be an issue in this decision.
Apr 26
2010
03:55 PM ET
Hugh Hefner donates $900k to save Hollywood sign
- Comments 10
- Add comment
Latest News
- 'Awake' finale: Replay Kyle Killen chat
- 'Revenge' boss fields burning Q's!
- JoAnna Garcia joins 'Animal Practice'
- 'Transformers the Ride 3-D': A fun one!
- Grant Bowler: Richard Burton to Lohan's Liz
- 'Men in Black 3' poised to KO 'Avengers'
- Elijah Wood joins cast of 'Red vs. Blue'
- 'Twilight': Three new character posters
Most Commented
Top 5 Most Read
- ‘Revenge’ season finale: Creator Mike Kelley answers burning questions!
- Bodies of Work: 46 Unforgettable Nude Scenes
- Cannes: ‘The Paperboy,’ starring Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman, proves that ‘Precious’…
- 'Duets' series premiere recap: Just Me, Myself, and You
- 'American Idol': Who REALLY Won Each Season?
Good for Hef! Thank you, sir
EVERYONE GET NAKED.
What a weird thing to donate to.
Why is that weird? Ive lived in Hollywood for the last 15 years and that sign is a major symbol for the city itself. I couldnt imagine looking up and not seeing it there, and im sure everyone that lives here feels the same. Most likely why it’s called a ‘landmark’, turbo…
He’s pretty much the reason it’s still there in the first place if I remember right. He donated the money to fix it up when it was falling apart years ago. Say what you will about Hef, but his heart’s generally in the right place about things like this.
I’ve actually been surprised that this hadn’t been paid off before this. The hollywood sign is part of moviedoms history, it’s their biggest symbol. I expected someone to pay this off like a week after I first read about it. Look at Spielberg buying the Rosebud sled and donating it. Heck, Cameron coulda paid for the sign just cleaning out his couch of fallen Avatar coin.
I too wondered why it took so long for this to happen– and why it took a conservation group to make this happen. Maybe I’m too optimistic but I really expected the big Hollywood studios to pitch in together and buy the sign and land as a demonstration of their respect for the history of the state and town that has made them all wealthy.
Was part of the condition to to replace the “Y” with the playboy logo?
In all seriousness, very nice of him. Though it seems very “Hollywood” that the view of the sign would be in danger due to development. How soon before a movie based on that plot, staring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks?
Except for today they’d use Katherine Heigl (sp) and Gerard Butler. Not exactly the same, huh?
When I lived out in Hollywood I depended on the Sign as a Landmark to keep me in the right direction. Ever driven in LA? Woo what a mess!!