The idea emerged in 1953 from E. M. Stuart, volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Some say he was inspired by the Hollywood Hotel, which displayed stars on its dining room ceiling above tables favored by famous patrons. A prototype unveiled in February 1956 featured a caricature inside a blue star on a brown background. The final design came a month later: coral-pink terrazzo rimmed with brass against a charcoal background. Committees that included Cecil B. DeMille, Walt Disney, and Mack Sennett selected 1,558 initial honorees. Construction began in 1958, delayed by lawsuits from property owners challenging the $1.25 million tax assessment. The stars were installed as a continuous project with no individual ceremonies.

Location matters on the Walk of Fame. The blocks outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel are prime real estate. Michael Jackson refused to attend his unveiling unless his star was placed outside Grauman's Chinese. Roger Moore and Daniel Craig have their stars at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard - a nod to James Bond. Carol Burnett chose the spot in front of Warner Brothers Theatre where a manager had once fired her from her usherette job and humiliated her by stripping the epaulets from her uniform. Twenty-six years later, she stood on that exact spot for her star's unveiling. Muhammad Ali's star is the only one mounted vertically in a wall rather than the sidewalk - he did not want people walking on the name of the Prophet.

Mickey Mouse received a star in 1978, making him the first fictional character most people recognize on the Walk (though technically Lassie was included in the original 1,558). Godzilla became the first kaiju honored in 2004. Batman became the first superhero in 2024. The Apollo 11 astronauts share four circular moon monuments - not stars - on each corner of Hollywood and Vine, officially recognized for their contributions to the television industry, which chairman Johnny Grant acknowledged was a bit of a stretch. Three real dogs have stars: Rin Tin Tin, Strongheart, and Lassie. Eight inventors are honored, including George Eastman and the Lumiere brothers. The largest group represented by a single star is the estimated 134 Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz.

Once unveiled, a star cannot be removed. The Chamber clarified in 2017 that because the Walk is a historical landmark, every star is considered part of the historic fabric. This permanence has made some stars targets. Donald Trump's star has been destroyed multiple times with pickaxes and sledgehammers, repaired each time. Charlie Chaplin was unanimously voted into the original 1956 group but excluded due to his left-leaning political views; he was finally added in 1972. Gregory Peck's star was stolen in 2005 using a concrete saw. Four stars remain misspelled to this day, including Auguste Lumiere (rendered as August). In 2010, Julia Louis-Dreyfus's star was constructed reading Julia Luis Dreyfus; she was reportedly amused, and it was corrected.

Despite its fame, the Walk receives mixed reviews. Visitors often describe it as dirty and gritty, surrounded by homelessness and aggressive street performers in superhero costumes. It has been called the Walk of Shame and the world's worst tourist attraction. Vendors sell bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Buskers demand tips after posing for photos. A 2019 plan proposed $4 million in renovations including wider sidewalks and new landscaping. Yet ten million people still come each year, more than visit the Sunset Strip, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Queen Mary, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art combined. A time capsule buried in 2017 contains a piece of Elvis Presley's star and the script for Casablanca, scheduled to be opened in 2060.