Gigi Perreau and Linda Darnell help shovel dirt during the Walk of Fame 
groundbreaking ceremony.

Official groundbreaking for the Hollywood Walk of Fame project took place on
February 8, 1960. Joanne Woodward’s name was one of eight drawn at random,
contrary to popular belief there was no “first” recipient. The original stars were
installed as a continuous project with no individual ceremonies. As of January
25, 2013, the Walk consists of 2,489 stars. Approximately twenty new stars are
added to the Walk each year.

The man credited with the idea for creating a Walk of Fame, was E. M. Stuart,
who served in 1953 as the volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of
Commerce.

Joanne Woodward and E.M. Stuart

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James Anderson DePreist (November 21, 1936 – February 8, 2013)

DePreist was one of only a few African-American conductors. He had been the
director of conducting and orchestral studies at the Juilliard School and laureate
music director of the Oregon Symphony. DePreist underwent heart surgery in
March of 2012. He died today at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. No further
details of his passing were available.

James DePreist Conducting the Oregon Symphony