Timeline: the strange history of the Hollywood sign as it turns 100

What began as a real-estate advertisement has since been the site of tragedy, triumph and plenty of pranks

• The Hollywood sign at 100: how a hillside ad became an enduring monument

The Hollywood sign begins life as a temporary advertisement for a new housing development in the Hollywood Hills. Its precise date of construction is unknown: by the end of 1923, a few news reports in Los Angeles mention, in passing, a giant sign reading “Hollywoodland”, illuminated with electric lights.