Gregory Peck’s star stolen from Hollywood Walk of FameLOS ANGELES (AP) — Gregory Peck’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was stolen by someone who cut it out of the sidewalk where it had honoured the actor for more than four decades, officials said Tuesday.
“They just left a big hole out there,” said Johnny Grant, 82, who serves as Hollywood’s honorary mayor and oversees ceremonies honouring star recipients.
“Somebody went out there with a cement saw and carved it out of the black terrazzo.”
Peck’s star is the fourth star to be stolen since the Walk of Fame was begun in 1960. Some 2,200 stars are now part of the walkway.
Years ago, stars honouring Jimmy Stewart, Kirk Douglas and Gene Autry disappeared after they were removed during construction projects but the stars for Stewart and Douglas were recovered, Grant said.
Peck, who died in 2003 at age 87, won an Oscar for his portrayal of upstanding Southern lawyer Atticus Finch in 1962’s To Kill a Mockingbird. He also was noted for his roles in Gentleman’s Agreement, which won the Oscar for best picture in 1947, The Guns of Navarone, Amazing Grace and Chuck, Cape Fear and Roman Holiday.
Peck’s star was part of the original group of some 1,500 set into Hollywood sidewalks before it was officially dedicated in 1960.
It apparently disappeared sometime between Nov. 17 and Nov. 22, Grant said.
― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)
Weird crime.
But we all know Peck was a Nazi, anyway.
― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)
"But we all know Peck was a Nazi, anyway."
Rubbish. He was as liberal as they come.
― Cavl31, Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:17 (twenty years ago)
That was a joke, guys. He was a Nazi in "Boys from Brazil."
― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)
I LOVE gregory peck. Often his films had social relevance. On the Beach, Judgement at Nuremburg, Mockingbird, etc. He was the real deal.
― andy --, Wednesday, 30 November 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)
In his youth, way more wooden than Keanu Reeves. Then played monuments of moral fortitude for about 40 years. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 18:22 (twenty years ago)
whew. I thought this was going to be about a grave robbery. SO it took 'em 5 days to notice it was gone?
― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)
Except he was wooden when he had to shoot and/or fuck Jennifer Jones.
Offscreen, certainly was one of the first Hollywood stars to visibly support the civil rights movement. (So was Charlton Heston.)
― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)
take that, lazlo panaflex.
― dabnis coleman's ghost (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)
No, Heston was reasonably liberal til after the RFK assassination; I guess he figured if only Bobby had been strapped...
― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)
gregory peck's performance in moby dick = possibly the most underrated performance in hollywood history (thanks a lot, pauline kael!)
― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 23:55 (twenty years ago)