Hollywood Walk of Fame: how long is it, how to get a star, how many stars in Los Angeles - was Trump’s removed?

Actress Courteney Cox has been hailed as a “really good human and an extraordinary friend” as she was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

Friends stars Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow credited Cox for creating “one of the closest, most loving and supportive casts in the history of television”.

Cox is well known for playing the neurotic but loveable Monica Geller in the hit US sitcom, alongside Aniston and Kudrow, who played Rachel Green and Phoebe Buffay respectively. She is also a renowned producer and director.

But what exactly does getting a star on the Walk of Fame mean, how do you get one, and has a star ever been removed from the landmark? Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark made up of more than 2,700 five-pointed stars embedded in 1.3 miles of pavement along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

The stars, which bear the names of a variety of actors, directors, producers, musicians, theatrical/musical groups, fictional characters, and others, are permanent public monuments to achievement in the entertainment industry.

They are spaced at 6-foot intervals, with many of them placed at specific locations, rather than being arbitrarily placed. For instance, the Dolby Theatre, where the annual Academy Awards ceremonies take place, typically has the stars of Oscar winners near it.

Sometimes, stars’ locations are picked for ironic or humorous purposes, such as Mike Myers’ star, which is positioned in front of the International Love Boutique adult store, an association with his Austin Powers roles - Roger Moore and Daniel Craig each have stars at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard.

Although honourees are permitted to request a specific location for their star, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce - which holds the trademark rights to the Walk of Fame - retains the final say.

How do you get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

The selection committee for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame receives 200 nominations on average each year. Anyone, including fans, can nominate anyone working in the entertainment industry, as long as the nominee or their management agree to the nomination.

A minimum of five years of experience in the category for which they are nominated, as well as a track record of "charitable contributions," are requirements for a person’s nomination. Posthumous nominees must have been deceased for at least five years.

Nominees’ expertise must fall within one of five entertainment categories (motion pictures, broadcast television, audio recording or music, broadcast radio, and theatre/live performance), but the selection committee has been known to adjust interpretations of its rules to justify a selection.

For instance, there are four round Moon landing monuments that officially recognize the Apollo 11 astronauts for “contributions to the television industry,” and the committee approved Muhammad Ali’s star after determining that boxing qualified as a “live performance.”

Ali’s star is also the only one mounted on a vertical surface, as the boxer requested his name not be walked upon, because he shared a name with the Prophet Muhammad. There are, of course, stars dedicated to fictional characters too, such as Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Kermit the Frog.

The committee chooses 20 to 24 celebrities at a meeting in June each year, with one posthumous award also given. Living recipients must agree to personally attend a presentation ceremony within two years of selection, and if they cannot commit to this, a new nomination must be submitted. Posthumous presentations must be attended by a relative of the deceased recipients.

How many stars are there on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

Located at 6284 Hollywood Boulevard and awarded in the category of television, Courteney Cox’s star is the 2,750th on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Has a star ever been removed?

For many years, an urban legend claimed that American actor Dan Haggerty was the only honouree to have had a star removed from the Walk of Fame. This myth came about because film and television actor Don Haggerty’s star originally incorrectly displayed the first name "Dan". The mistake was fixed, but years later, Dan Haggerty (of no relation to Don) also received a star.

A number of stars have been removed or damaged as acts of vandalism, including that of ex-president Donald Trump. The West Hollywood City Council unanimously approved a resolution in 2018 requesting Trump’s star’s permanent removal due to ongoing vandalism, but since the council has no legal authority over the Walk, the resolution was purely symbolic.

Groups have also demanded the removal of stars honouring people like Trump, Bill Cosby and Kevin Spacey, whose personal and professional lives have become controversial in the years since they were added to the Walk.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has responded to such campaigns in the past, saying that because the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historical landmark, "once a star has been added... it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame" and cannot be removed.