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Palm Springs Walk of the Stars
Sidewalk stars honoring Palm Springs area personalities From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Palm Springs Walk of the Stars is a walk of fame in downtown Palm Springs, California. Embedded in the sidewalks, the Golden Palm Stars honor notable individuals who have lived in the greater Palm Springs region, across fields such as entertainment, literature, civic leadership, design, athletics, and humanitarianism. The walk spans sections of Palm Canyon Drive, Tahquitz Canyon Way, Museum Drive, and La Plaza Court.
It was established in 1992 by Gerhard G. Frenzel and Barbara Foster-Henderson,[1][2]: 5 with the inaugural ceremony held on February 26, 1992 and included Walk of Fame chairman Johnny Grant.[3]: 13 The first five inductees were Earle C. Strebe, William Powell, Ruby Keeler, Charles Farrell and Ralph Bellamy.[3]: 13 Modeled after the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the program has since honored presidents of the United States, showbusiness personalities, literary figures (authors, playwrights, screenwriters), pioneers and civic leaders (early settlers, tribal leaders, civic personalities), humanitarians and Medal of Honor recipients.[2][4][5] As of 2025 nearly 480 stars have been dedicated.[6]
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History
Plans for a Palm Springs walk of fame began in the early 1990s, led by Frenzel and Foster-Henderson in collaboration with the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce and the City of Palm Springs. The first five Golden Palm Stars were unveiled during the February 26, 1992 ceremony. Early inductees included local figures like theater proprietor Earle C. Strebe and individuals prominent during the Hollywood Golden Age. By 1999, 139 stars had been installed,[2]: 185 and by 2006 the total reached around 300.[3]: 138
During the 1990s and 2000s, honorees included entertainment professionals and local leaders such as Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Liberace, Dinah Shore, and Sonny Bono.[3]: 13 [5]: 138 The Walk also recognized historical figures, like the chimpanzee “Cheeta” of Tarzan fame received a star in 1995, and President Gerald Ford in 1997.[5]: 138
In May 2017, installations were temporarily suspended while the Chamber and the City reviewed selection criteria amid concerns about the selection criteria.[7] Later that year they resumed with stronger guidelines.[8]
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Nomination and induction process
The program is managed by the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City of Palm Springs. Anyone may submit a nomination, subject to the nominee’s consent, for consideration by the Walk of Stars committee, which meets during the “season” (October–May). Typically 6–12 stars are approved and dedicated each season.[9]
Nominees must have significant affiliation with the area and notable achievements in designated categories: Entertainment; Literary; Civic/Pioneer; Humanitarian; Architect/Artist/Designer; Athlete; and Military. Approved nominees (or their sponsors) must pay a sponsorship fee of US$15,000 as of 2023,[10] covering the plaque, installation, ceremony, publicity, and an official city proclamation. Ceremonies are free public events held during the season, with honorees receiving a star replica and civic recognition.[11] A mobile app and online map help visitors locate stars and learn about inductees.[12]
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Honorees
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Medal of Honor recipients
Five Medal of Honor recipients from the Coachella Valley were honored during the 1999 Veterans Day holiday.[13]
- HM1 Robert E. Bush, US Navy
- Maj. Gen. James Lewis Day, US Marine Corps
- Capt. William McGonagle, US Navy, awarded for heroism during the 1967 USS Liberty incident
- Col. Lewis Millett, US Army
- Col. Mitchell Paige, US Marine Corps
Former presidents
These former presidents of the United States lived in the Palm Springs area after their retirement.
Showbusiness

Palm Springs has been famous as a winter resort and second-home community for personalities in showbusiness. These honorees include actors, cinematographers, directors, producers, performers, and writers of film, radio, stage and television.
- Chris Alcaide[14]: 188 [15]: 191
- Alexander family
- Richard Anderson
- Dane Andrew[16]
- Vic Armstrong[5]: 3
- William Asher
- Lauren Bacall
- Carroll Baker
- Kaye Ballard[15]: 377
- Malcolm Barbour
- Rona Barrett[3]: 37 [15]: 102
- Gene Barry[14]: 257 [15]: 313
- Ralph Bellamy
- Roberto Benigni
- Mr. Blackwell[14]: 22 [15]: 50
- Frank Bogert[17][15]: 67, 232, 240
- Cliff Bole
- Ray Bolger
- Mary Bono
- Ernest Borgnine
- Joyce Bulifant and Roger Perry
- Lynda Carter
- Lon Chaney Jr.
- Carol Channing[17][15]: 377
- Chevy Chase
- Cheeta, the Chimp
- Linda Christian[14]: 15
- Iron Eyes Cody
- John Conte
- Pierre Cossette
- Patrick Curtis[2]: 135
- Keisha D
- Michael Dante
- Kal David and Lauri Bono[3]: 63
- Beryl Davis[14]: 257
- Eddie Dean
- William "Bill" Demarest[14]: 256, 278 [15]: 336, 365
- Catherine Deneuve
- Kem Dibbs
- Marlene Dietrich
- Phyllis Diller
- Morton Downey Jr.
- Tom Dreesen
- Ellen Drew
- Denise DuBarry
- Wesley Eure
- Charlie Farrell[14]: 148 [15]: 32, 159
- Alice Faye
- Frank Ferrante
- Rhonda Fleming
- Peter Fonda
- Phil Ford & Mimi Hines
- The Four Freshmen
- Karrell Fox
- John Frederick[2]: 12 [18]
- Kathy Garver
- Larry Gelbart[14]: 248 [15]: 325
- Harry W. Gerstad[14]: 277 [15]: 364
- Debbie Gibson
- Buddy Greco[nb 1][3]: 87
- Earl Greenburg[nb 2][19]
- Jimmy Greenspoon
- Kathy Griffin
- Merv Griffin[17]
- Harry Guardino
- Val Guest[14]: 254 and[nb 3]
Yolande Donlan[14]: 255 [15]: 315 - James "Gypsy" Haake
- Buddy Hackett
- Monte Hale
- Ron Hale
- Monty Hall[3]: 99
- George Hamilton[14]: 56, 79
- Phil Harris[20]
- Richard Harrison[5]: 57 [14]: 16, 151 [15]: 145
- Mary Hart
- Susan Hart
- Horace Heidt[14]: 109 [15]: 186
- Bob Hope[17][15]: 39, 144, 151–52, 238, 245, 357
- Dolores Hope[17]
- Lena Horne[21]: 34 [15]: 122
- Clark Howard
- Huell Howser[15]: 234
- Rock Hudson[15]: 112
- Tab Hunter
- Betty Hutton[14]: 147, 249 [15]: 142, 328
- Leo Jaffe
- Dennis James
- Herb Jeffries
- Beverly Johnson
- Al Jolson[14]: 173 [15]: 178
- Charles "Buck" Jones[2]: 143
- Jack Jones
- James Earl Jones
- Sean Kanan
- KC and the Sunshine Band
- Howard Keel
- Ruby Keeler
- Burt Kennedy
- Udo Kier
- Dorothy Kloss
- Gail Kobe
- Stanley Kramer – film director and producer
- Art Laboe
- Alan Ladd[14]: 63 [15]: 74, 186, 213
- Sue Carol Ladd[14]: 111
- Frankie Laine
- Sue Ane Langdon
- Mario Lanza[14]: 80 [15]: 89
- The Layne Family
- David Lee – cowriter and producer of The Jeffersons, Cheers, Wings and Frasier
- Peggy Lee
- Ruta Lee[3]: 119 [15]: 44, 114
- Andrea Leeds[14]: 85, 119 [15]: 131, 210
- Liberace[17]
- Hal Linden
- Roberta Linn[2]: 60 [22]
- Rich Little
- George Lopez
- Trini Lopez[3]: 127 [15]: 71
- Sophia Loren
- Carole Cook
- Pierce Lyden
- James MacArthur
- Gavin MacLeod
- Fred MacMurray needs citation
- Guy Madison[15]: 379
- Johnny Mann
- Harpo Marx[15]: 369
- Susan Fleming Marx
- Michael Masser[14]: 171 [15]: 165
- Ross Mathews[23]
- Dan McGrath
- Ann Miller[14]: 94 [15]: 119
- Whitey Mitchell[nb 4]
- Marilyn Monroe[17][nb 5]
- Montie Montana
- George Montgomery[14]: 165, 244 [15]: 73, 173, 284
- Gloria Monty
- Jan Murray
- George Nader[14]: 72 [24]: 90 [15]: 112
- Ricky Nelson
- Wayne Newton, Musician
- Leslie Nielsen
- Ron Nyswaner
- Donald O'Connor[14]: 69 [15]: 103–104
- Andrew P. Ordon, M.D.[nb 6][25]
- William T. Orr
- Colonel Tom Parker[14]: 58 [15]: 105
- Charlie Pasarell
- "Papa" John Phillips[14]: 53 [15]: 128, 172
- Mary Pickford[nb 7][15]: 88
- Eileen ("Mike") and Robert ("Bob") Pollock[15]: 89
- Diana "Mousie" Powell (née Lewis)[15]: 129
- William Powell[14]: 65 [15]: 129
- Elvis Presley[26][15]: 19, 56, 75, 77, 105, 205
- Victoria Principal
- Frankie Randall
- Della Reese[15]: 220
- Debbie Reynolds[3]: 167 [15]: 49, 127, 318
- Jody Reynolds
- Buddy Rich[15]: 83
- The Ritz Brothers
- Pat Rizzo
- Charles "Buddy" Rogers[nb 8][15]: 88
- Ginger Rogers
- Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
- Tristan Rogers
- Mickey Rooney
- Sandler and Young[14]: 254
- John Schlesinger[24]: 146–49 [14]: 261 [15]: 342
- Ettore Scola
- Randolph Scott
- Ken Seeley
- Dinah Shore[17][15]: 73, 173
- Del Shores[27]
- Ginny Simms[14]: 208, 261 [15]: 252, 321
- Barbara Sinatra[17][15]: 381
- Frank Sinatra[17][15]: 143, 381
- Frank Sinatra Jr.
- Nancy Sinatra
- Keely Smith[3]: 183 [15]: 158, 335 [nb 9]
- Elke Sommer
- Randy Sparks and The New Christy Minstrels
- Robert Stack[14]: 131, 236 [15]: 298
- Susan Stafford
- Connie Stevens[17]
- Larry Storch
- Alvin Taylor
- Elizabeth Taylor[15]: 117
- Judy Tenuta
- Ruth Terry
- Richard Thorpe[15]: 269 and[nb 10] Jerry Thorpe[14]: 265
- Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner[14]: 99 [28][15]: 121
- Bill Torrance
- Don Tosti[14]: 207 [15]: 249
- Jerry Vale
- Rudy Vallée[14]: 69 [15]: 20
- Mamie Van Doren
- Dick Van Patten
- Lisa Vanderpump
- Ken Venturi[nb 11]
- Russell Wade[2]: 127 [15]: 222, 252
- Lindsay Wagner[29]
- Fred Waring
- Dionne Warwick[30]
- Jerry Weintraub[14]: 240 [15]: 290
- Adam West
- Dan Westfall[16]
- Natalie Wood[14]: 231
- Jane Wyman[17][31][15]: 33, 117
- Loretta Young[17][15]: 271
Pioneers, civic leaders and other contributors
Early pioneers and other contributors to the community are also honored.
- Tony Aguilar, Jr. – civic leader and creator of the Greater Palm Springs Celebrity Golf Classic
- William F. "Bill" Austin – founder of Starkey Laboratories and philanthropist[5]: 4
- John Bianchi – manufacturer of leather goods, National Guard Major General[32]
- Annette Bloch – philanthropist and author[33]
- Sonny Bono – comedian, singer, actor, former mayor, and congressman.[15]: 60, 278, 285, 299
- Timothy Ray Bradley Jr. – WBO and WBC boxing champion
- Dr Paul & Dr Patricia Bragg
- Michael Bush – 2007 NFL draft professional football player
- Pierre Cardin – fashion company
- Jim Casey – businessman
- Ruth & Joseph Chiriaco – entrepreneurs and philanthropists
- Harry L. Coffman, M.D. – pioneer physician[2]: 63 [34]
- Nellie Coffman – community pioneer[2]: 45 [34][15]: 197, 205
- Michael Costello – fashion designer
- Larry and Jo Ann Davis – civic leaders[35]
- Sir Alfred J. DiMora – luxury car manufacturer
- Martha Mae Edgmon – public servant
- Arthur Elrod – designer
- Barbara Foster – civic leader and spouse of Mayor Foster[36]
- William "Bill" Foster – mayor of Palm Springs[2]: 85
- Gerhard Frenzel – theater producer and community leader[5]: 11, 43 [nb 12]
- Helene Galen – philanthropist
- Tim Hanlon – President of Wells Fargo Foundation and Executive VP of Wells Fargo [37]
- Col. Thomas Henry – combat veteran and cofounder of Delta Force[38]
- Earl and Miriam Hoover – philanthropists[39][nb 13]
- Al Lerner – banker and philanthropist
- Donna & Cargill MacMillian
- Michael McCarthy – Merrill Lynch executive, AMEX and NYSE governor, community leader[5]: 89 [15]: 160
- Pearl McCallum McManus – pioneer and community developer[40]
- Richard Milanovich – chairman of the Agua Caliente Band[2]: 164
- Albert T. Milauskas – ophthalmologist and philanthropist
- Raymond Moore – tennis player and ATP Tour developer[5]: 98
- Chester and Patricia Moorten – established the Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium[14]: 224
- Ron Oden – mayor of Palm Springs
- Richard & Janice Oliphant – developer, philanthropist and politician
- Arnold Palmer – golfer and restaurateur[15]: 380
- Charlie Pasarell – tennis player and director of the BNP Paribas Open
- Flora Agnes Patencio – Cahuilla Indian elder[2]: 79
- Ray Leonard Patencio – Cahuilla Indian leader[41]
- George S. Patton – World War II general
- Countess Bijou Perez – drag queen and community activist
- Alphine Pettit
- Jennette Rockefeller – socialite and former First Lady of Arkansas[17][42][15]: 133
- Refugio "Cuco" Salazar – 1920s community pioneer[5]: 117
- José Julio Sarria – drag performer and political activist [43]
- Earle C. Strebe – businessman[2]: 1
- Dr Sharron Stroud – spiritual leader
- Sidney Williams – former American diplomat and NFL player
- George Zander – LGBTQ+ rights activist
Cultural
These honorees include architects, authors, playwrights, screenwriters, singers, composers and musicians.
- Mildred L. Brown – author
- Truman Capote – author[24]: 174–78 [44][15]: 158
- James Casey – philanthropist[45]
- Steve Chase – director of the Advocacy for Social Justice and Sustainability
- William F. Cody, F.A.I.A. – architect[46]
- Carol Connors – singer, wrote lyrics to Rocky theme song "Gonna Fly Now"
- Velma Wayne Dawson – puppet maker and puppeteer
- Fleet Easton – musician
- Bill Feingold – columnist
- Albert Frey – architect[14]: 124, 144
- Ruth Gibson – singer, songwriter, musician and talent agent[3]: 83
- R. C. Gorman – Native American artist, referred to as "the Picasso of American Indian artists"[47] by The New York Times
- Harry Grey – creator of "Noodles' Aaronson"
- Ted Grouya – musical composer[14]: 190 [15]: 232
- Lalo Guerrero – guitarist, songwriter and labor activist
- Melvin Haber – author and host
- Earle Hagen – composer
- Elizabeth "Beth" Edwards Harris – Architectural historian
- Richard A. Harrison – architect
- Moya and Joe Henderson – author (Moya)[20]
- Robert Imber – architect
- A. Quincy Jones – architect
- Hugh M. Kaptur – Mid-Century modern architect[48]
- Allan Keller – operatic tenor and philanthropist[5]: 70 [49]
- Terri Ketover – Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce
- Murray Korda – violin virtuoso and orchestra leader[2]: 177 [14]: 217 [50][15]: 250
- William Krisel – architect[14]: 245
- Frederick Loewe – musical composer[15]: 24
- Josephine Lombardo – operatic soprano[5]: 82
- Bill Marx – musician[3]: 135 [nb 14]
- Jim Murray – Los Angeles Times sportswriter, established the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation[51]
- Andrew Neiderman – novelist[14]: 264
- Richard Neutra – architect
- Darryl Ponicsan – writer
- Diane Schuur – jazz musician
- Sidney Sheldon – author[14]: 55, 86 [15]: 94, 131–133 [nb 15]
- Julius Shulman – photographer
- Billy Steinberg – songwriter
- Ed Thrasher – photographer and art director[52]
- Dionne Warwick – musician
- Donald Wexler – architect[17]
- Paul R. Williams – architect[17]
- E. Stewart Williams – architect[17]
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See also
Notes
- With spouse Lezlie Anders
- With life partner David Peet
- Yolande Donlan and Val Guest were spouses
- Mitchell is the author of one of the references. His listing in the reference was written by his wife, Marilyn Mitchell.
- Monroe's Star was rededicated on June 1, 2012.
- Talk show host for The Doctors
- Spouse of Charles "Buddy" Rogers
- Spouse of Mary Pickford
- Was once married to Louis Prima
- Jerry Thorpe is the son of Richard Thorpe. They share the Star.
- In 2004 controversy arose between Gerhard Frenzel, the founder of the Walk of Stars, and the City of Palm Springs over the placement of Venturi's Star. See: "Palm Springs Walk of Stars Under Dispute." AP Online. Press Association, Inc. 2004.
- Earl was an executive with The Hoover Company and Miriam was a major contributor to the Center on Halsted in Chicago.
- and adopted son of Harpo Marx and Susan Fleming
- Spouses Jorja Curtright (deceased) and Alexandra Sheldon each have stars.
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References
Further reading
External links
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