MAKING HIS MARK; HOLLYWOOD DREAM COMES TRUE FOR TARZANA RESIDENT.Byline: Carol Bidwell Daily News Staff Writer When William F. ``Bill'' Hertz hitchhiked from the U.S. Army's desert training headquarters near Indio in 1941 to Hollywood, he couldn't wait to fit his boots into the footprints of William Powell This article refers to the American actor. For other people with the same name, see William Powell (disambiguation). William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was a three-time Academy Award-nominated American actor, noted for his sophisticated, cynical , Maurice Chevalier and Clark Gable in the forecourt of the Chinese Theatre Chinese theatre has a long and complex history. Today it is often called Chinese opera although this normally refers specifically to the popular form known as Beijing Opera; there have been many other forms of theatre in China. . Thursday, he had his handprints and footprints memorialized right alongside those of his favorite stars at the Hollywood Boulevard For uses other than the original street, see Hollywood Boulevard (disambiguation). Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest to Vermont Avenue, where it straightens out theater's entrance - even though he's never made a movie and never wanted to. The 75-year-old Tarzana resident has spent the past 53 years working for whichever company - there have been several, from Paramount to Mann - owned the theater. Since 1965, he's organized the forecourt ceremonies that have usually coincided with the opening of a star's latest movie. ``I am so honored,'' Hertz said. ``I never in God's green world thought this would ever happen to me.'' Hertz, who's now "Who's Now" was a daily series aired during SportsCenter throughout July 2007, in which viewers helped ESPN determine the ultimate sports star by considering both on-field success and off-field buzz. officially retired as publicity director of Mann Theatres, is the 200th person, and only the fifth nonactor, to leave his imprint in concrete at the theater. But he still works ``in a consulting capacity'' that leaves him time to serve on the board of directors of the William H. Parker Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Police Foundation and as a member of the Hollywood Entertainment District. He arrived for the ceremony in a white stretch limousine, generating a flurry of excitement among tourists gathered in the forecourt. Although there was no need to beat back the international paparazzi pa·pa·raz·zo n. pl. pa·pa·raz·zi A freelance photographer who doggedly pursues celebrities to take candid pictures for sale to magazines and newspapers. , Hollywood's unofficial mayor, Johnny Grant Johnny Grant is a radio personality, television producer and the honorary mayor of Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, which is an unpaid and unelected ceremonial position with no legal status, given that Hollywood is not a city, but rather a district within the City of Los Angeles. , who was the master of ceremonies, explained who Hertz is and that he was being honored both for his contribution to the theater chain and to the Hollywood community. Radio jokester Gary Owens and KNBC-TV (Channel 4) weatherman Fritz Coleman gave tributes, and Deputy Chief David Gascon Gascon inhabitant of Gascony, France; people noted for their bragging. [Fr. Hist.: NCE, 1049] See : Boastfulness and Hollywood Division Chief Connie Diol represented the Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . to honor Hertz for his work with the Parker Foundation. The other nonactors who got to leave their marks in concrete were the theater's original owner, Sid Grauman, who began the ceremonies as a publicity stunt; Hollywood's premiere gossip columnist, Louella Parsons; and former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and theater chain owner Ted Mann, who together left their handprints and footprints, plus a time capsule marking the theater's 50th anniversary, in 1977. Hertz admitted he was captivated cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. by the movies at an early age but never considered a career on screen. When he was 17, he was an usher at the Falls Theatre in Minneapolis, then moved across town to usher at the larger Orpheum, where such stars as Sammy Kaye and Mae West appeared on stage between films. After the war, he was hired by Fox West Coast Theatres in Glendale as assistant manager and quickly moved up the corporate ladder. But working at the Chinese Theatre was something he never imagined he would do. He still remembers his first glimpse of the architectural wonder, one of the few grand old theaters that have remained open and functioning since their debuts. ``I couldn't believe it,'' he recalled. ``The grandiosity of it, the magnificence of the Chinese - it was just something out of Hollywood like I'd never seen before.'' Hertz shared memories of his experiences planning the stars' forecourt ceremonies: His favorite was the 1965 ceremony honoring Frank Sinatra, who that year starred in ``Von Ryan's Express,'' ``Marriage on the Rocks'' and ``None But the Brave.'' ``Frank was a very personable PERSONABLE. Having the capacities of a person; for example, the defendant was judged personable to maintain this action. Old Nat. Brev. 142. This word is obsolete. guy, but he didn't like being harassed, as we all know,'' Hertz said. ``Well, we found that a young chap had climbed from the back of the theater to the roof and climbed down a rubber tree right over where Frank was putting his footprints, and he yelled at Frank. Frank looked up and said, `Drop dead!' and went on with what he was doing. It was wonderful.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos PHOTO (1 -- color) Tarzana resident Bill Hertz leaves his handprints in concrete at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday. (2) Bill Hertz's handprints and footprints are immortalized at Mann's Chinese Theatre. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Special to the Daily News |
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