Bill Mack Recreated the Pizzazz of Hollywood, By Sandy Zimmerman

Bill Mack is a man with multiple talents, known as the finest sculptor of his time and renowned artist, but that was not enough for him. As an art collector, (2007), Mack became interested in the remnants of the famous Hollywood sign, once the symbol of magical, amazing Hollywood, California. He probably saw the frayed, broken parts of the sign as a challenge, a new puzzle yet a part of the history of Hollywood where dreams come true.

The Original Hollywood Sign was built with telephone poles, steel, and barn roofing in 1923 for $21,000 and after years of weather, breakage and disintegration, each of the 50-foot letters were finally splattered across the hill in pieces. These were all placed in storage waiting for years until purchased by noted collector of rare and unusual memorabilia, Bill Mack, in 2007. He became inspired and treated the shattered parts with the respect they deserved.

With all of Bill Mack’s experience throughout the years, he was the right man for this project. Just take some fragments, pieces of metal, and more to see what an amazing result.

Since Mack usually prepared mega 2-and-3-dimension relief sculptures, he understood how to re-create the character and pizzazz of this exciting new subject! Keeping the symbolism of the letters, and other pieces he used metal facing from the old sign as his canvas, where he reproduced some of the famous movie stars from the Golden Years of Hollywood. This was significant because the metal had become a lucky symbol to new actors and actresses.

It was an enormous project to restructure the sign in manner that would honor the entire entertainment industry.   They say, “Mack succeeded in “giving the World a whole new way to look at it.”  

Taking the leftovers of old, crumbled letters, Mack revived the essence of Hollywood in the letter H. He worked a beautiful tribute into the H, very difficult separated in the middle. Thinking ahead, Mack built this new model to tour, to take anywhere in world. Bill Mack explained during our interview, “We have been to Scotland and London just to see how they like the presentation. This weighs 1,000 pounds.   

In three years, the Hollywood sign will be celebrating its 100^th anniversary, my idea is to bring it out into the world, restored: 1923 to 2023.”

SZ: “You used all of your talents to create an original way of putting these pieces together and even adding video to the project. This has become more than just a letter, it is an important, vivid representation of the history and the pizzazz of the Golden Era of Hollywood. Soon you will be traveling around the world sharing this with everyone!”

About Bill Mack and The Hollywood Sign:

1.)   https://youtu.be/UPThUoqOEPE

2.)   https://youtu.be/HKZvXSxj_bQ

For additional information visit: www.billmack.com  and regarding his relief sculptures: info@signaturegalleries.com https:// www.signaturegalleries.com/artist/bill-mack  

Award-winning Sandy Zimmerman produces television programs, documentaries, TV commercials, filmed a Cattle Drive in Reno, Nevada, travel specials in the US and around the world. Photographer/ Videographer/ Editor/ Talk Show Host of Sandy Zimmerman’s Las Vegas TV television program, airing 6 X’s each week and “Discover the Ultimate Vacation” travel specials. Sandy is a syndicated columnist featuring Show/ Dining reviews, travel, spas, luxury and more. Suggest topics for articles, for information or questions call
702-515-0846 or write sandyzimm2003@yahoo.com.  

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