Hugh Hefner Makes $900K Contribution to Help Save Hollywood Sign

(HMG) – The plows won’t be taking under Hollywood’s famous landmark for now.  Playboy founder Hugh Hefner donated $900,000 to save the famous “Hollywood” sign from being surrounded by luxury buildings, five days before Friday’s deadline.  In a statement, Hefner who is known for his appreciation of Tinseltown’s film history, said the sign is “Hollywood’s Eiffel Tower.” A local grassroots effort raised, in total, $12.5 million to purchase the property and restore the sign; the company that previously owned it had initially sought $40 million for the land but negotiated the lower amount with the Trust for Public Land.  Hefner’s donation was one of the largest individual contributions in the effort to save the 138-acre property where it’s displayed.  Aileen Getty, a billionaire daughter of oil baron J. Paul Getty, and The Tiffany and Co. Foundation earlier contributed $1 million. Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Norman Lear, along with most studios also kicked in sizable contributions to keep the view of the iconic sign unspoiled.

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