Keep walking

Because the damage is concentrated in the area of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue above the Red Line subway, Grant suspects tunnelling by the MTA in the 1990s may be to blame. The problem has become serious enough that Councilman Eric Garcetti introduced a motion this month calling for a study of what is ailing the silver-flecked terrazzo that surrounds the 2,240 stars. MTA officials said they do not believe they are at fault. 8216;8216;We8217;ve looked at this many times,8217;8217; MTA chief Roger Snoble said.

Grant estimates that around 20 million people visit the Walk of Fame each year, which, if correct, would make it more popular than Disneyland, which drew 13 million people last year.

Stars are given in five categories: movies, radio, television, music and theatre. The walk was dedicated on February 9, 1960, with 1,558 names. Chadwick said she once ran into Jane Russell making her way down by herself to check out her star.

In the 1970s, the chamber changed its rules to say celebrities had to be nominated. Each June, a committee picks about 20 names from the 200 or so submitted.LAT-WP