There, front row left, adjacent to the star-studded sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard, are the deep handprints and footprints of the man who played Hannibal Lecter. Shirley Temple as a child and an adult. Hollywood has always slid between fact and fiction, between what fans see and what they think they see. But big-time investment in new shows and theaters and the restoration of legendary landmarks is narrowing the credibility gap. From the ground up, Hollywood is tidying its tattered act.
Vacant storefronts have new tenants.
Sidewalks are scrubbed every night. At a glance, even Frederick's of Hollywood manages to look comparatively innocent. Construction on mega-entertainment centers, like the TrizecHahn project on Hollywood Boulevard, resembles the blockbuster reform of Times Square. A 3,300-seat auditorium, opening in November, will be the new home for the Academy Awards when the ceremonies return to Hollywood in March 2002. But wholesome has its own reality-check.