Hollywood is full of wannabes. The nearest most of them will get to fame is Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame, dressed as Superman or Wonder Woman. The characters are a big tourist attraction and are now the subject of a documentary. David Willis went to meet some of them.
Superman stubbed out a cigarette and started searching for his keys. Adjusting his blood-red cape, he
flashed a final glance at a web camera pointed at Hollywood Boulevard.
It was a hot summer’s day and tourists were spilling out of gaily painted buses and flooding the strip.
The superhero descended from his one-bedroomed apartment two stairs at a time, stopping briefly to banter with his Mexican neighbours before striding for the boulevard a block away.
Christopher Dennis was once an unemployed actor working at a hamburger joint across the street.
After several diners told him he looked like Christopher Reeve, he made himself a Superman costume and spent a day posing for pictures on the Walk of Fame.
That was 17 years ago. He earned $600 in tips that day alone and has not worked as a waiter since.
It was not long before Superman was joined by Elvis Presley and Charlie Chaplin, and nearly two decades later, the community that Chris founded has mushroomed to more than 80 characters.
Batmen by the busload
It’s not like it used to be,” he lamented, running the gauntlet of a squealing group of school kids, some of whom approached for a high-five: “There’s a lot of animosity.”
As word has spread of how lucrative the business has become, one of the most famous streets in the world is now a mecca for out-of-work actors.
Chris says at one point there were 16 Spider-Men (at least one of whom was homeless and living in his car) and Batmen arriving by the busload.
And as competition among this anarchic mix of comic characters has grown increasingly cutthroat, so too has the rivalry and resentment.
The boulevard has seen fist fights and a series of arrests for aggressive pan-handling. Not long ago the police carted away a belligerent Batman after he picked arguments with several tourists who did not tip him.
The caped crusader was charged with disorderly conduct and banned from the boulevard (news of which generated headlines such as “holy handcuffs Robin!”) only to attempt a surreptitious return as Minnie Mouse. This promptly resulted in his re-arrest.
