LYNDA HIRSCH ON TELEVISION -- Q AND A by Lynda Hirsch on Creators.com

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LYNDA HIRSCH ON TELEVISION -- Q AND A

Q: When I heard Jeanne Copper died, I ran out and bought her autobiography. It was great. I read it in one three-hour sitting. She seemed thrilled that she had a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. Is it really a big deal? Are there many soap opera actors with a star? -- Simone in Toronto

A: It is a very big deal. With over 2,400 stars placed on Hollywood Boulevard, only 24 percent are those who work in television. Of that number, only five actors who toil in daytime are the names that over 10 million people a year walk on. Cooper aside, Susan Lucci (Erica on “All My Children”), Eric Braeden (Victor on “Young and Restless”), John Beradino (Steve Hardy on “General Hospital”) and Kate Linder (Esther on “Y&R') have stars.

In 1960, the walk placed its first stars. In a prototype, Joanne Woodward was the first actor to have a star and the first to pose for the photo.

In the beginning, it was PR gimmick for the Hollywood area. In the early years, a star did not have to be present to get the star. In 1980, a no-show meant no star. And it has been that way since. The walkway stretches over a mile and a half. In the beginning, it cost $1,200 to get that star. By 2011, it rose to $30,000. The fee pays for the more than 300-pound terazzo five-pointed star, the ceremony and maintenance.

Twenty stars are issued each year. The competition is tough.

 Each year, an average of 200 nominations are submitted to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame Selection Committee. Anyone, including fans, can nominate anyone active in the field of entertainment, as long as the nominee or his or her management approves the nomination (a letter of agreement from the nominated celebrity or representative must accompany the application).

Nominees must have a minimum of five years' experience in the category for which they are nominated and a history of "charitable contributions." Posthumous nominees must have been deceased at least five years. At a meeting each June, the committee selects approximately 20 nominees. Those not selected two years in a row are dropped and must be re-nominated to receive further consideration.

Living recipients must agree to personally attend a presentation ceremony within five years of selection. A relative of deceased recipients must attend posthumous presentations. Presentation ceremonies are open to the public.

As for Cooper's book, “Not Young but Still Restless” is a great memoir by a great broad. She dishes about her off-screen affairs with her “Y&R” co-stars, is very vocal about her philandering husband and gives great dish but is never cruel. In fact, the person who gets the hardest review is Cooper herself.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators web page at www.creators.com.