Hollywood was a municipality of Los Angeles that was known for its celebrities and film productions before the Great War.
Background[]
Pre-War[]
Before the War, Hollywood was known for being the site of numerous film studios and productions, to the point that the word "Hollywood" itself was synonymous with the American film industry. Countless actors and directors found success in Hollywood, creating movies of all genres ranging from Westerns and noir dramas to romances and sci-fi or horror flicks. Hollywood was also known for its celebrity culture, being a gathering place for these film personalities; it was frequently associated with scandalous or borderline scandalous activities, such as the "compromising situation" seen by actor Keith McKinney between director Sergio Amore and fellow actor Vince Natali in a nightclub,[1] as well as paparazzi-level gossip.
By the 2070s, however, with wartime tensions and corporate power at an all-time high, some of the luster started to fade. Many figures in the film industry were either affiliated to communism or otherwise simply disagreed with the propaganda; whatever the case, they were all lumped together as radicals who opposed the United States. These supposed ties could cost people their reputations (such as with actors Charles Whiteknife and Cooper Howard),[2][3] if not their jobs (as with screenwriter Cadillac Bob), regardless of their accuracy. Some studios recognized the winds of public opinion and even rewrote entire films just to present themselves as patriotic, as with California Crest Studios and their box office-topping Western The Man from Deadhorse.[4]
Meanwhile, corporations began turning to Hollywood celebrities to further their business in promotional deals, celebrity endorsements and/or product enhancement. Cooper Howard became the public face of the Vault-Tec Corporation for some time (by October 23, 2077, he had been labeled as a communist and replaced with Vault Boy), while English actor Sebastian Leslie sold his vocal rights to RobCo for their Mister Handies, and the Nuka-Cola Corporation entered a deal with California Crest Studios to produce an entire seventeen-picture series of films featuring their mascots, Bottle and Cappy. The future, as Sebastian Leslie saw it, was entirely in products, and anyone who refused to acknowledge this would only be left in the dust.
Despite opposition from some on political or moral grounds, the commercialization of Hollywood did not end. By 2077, Hollywood itself (or at least its iconic Hollywood Sign) was sponsored by Nuka-Cola, with a prominent addition underneath the sign proclaiming as such.
Post-War[]
Hollywood was not spared by the bombs. By 2296, much of Hollywood Hills had been reduced to desert, like the rest of California. The KPSS radio station is located in Hollywood Hills, and is owned by DJ Carl, who uses its radio tower to broadcast his beloved fiddle music. At least part of Hollywood Boulevard was flooded, becoming infested by gulpers. The Hollywood Sign is still partially intact.
Hollywood ties[]
Various characters throughout the series have had connections to Hollywood. Vera Keyes, Gilda Broscoe and Keith McKinney were all famous Hollywood actors before the War.[5][6]
Raul Tejada recounts RobCo mastermind Robert House's fondness for Hollywood starlets during his pre-War life, a trait shared with Dean Domino and Frederick Sinclair.[7][8] Hubris Comics producer Aaron Babowski had a number of connections in Hollywood, who he threatened to call in to replace Tina Hopkins mid-production for the live-action adaptation of the Mistress of Mystery comics.[9] Xerxo (a post-War identity adopted by actor Elliot Manfield) also makes reference to Hollywood directors in association with the Blast Hannigan franchise.[10] Katherine Swan claims that the character Stella Skyfire was perfect for Hollywood because she was so thin.[11]
Notes[]
Hollywood is mentioned on the scoreboard of Shoot for the Stars, the thirteenth in-game season of Fallout 76.
Appearances[]
Hollywood appears in the Fallout TV series and is mentioned in Fallout: New Vegas and its add-on Dead Money, Fallout 4 and its add-ons Far Harbor and Nuka-World,[12] and Fallout 76.
Behind the scenes[]
- Hollywood is a real-world neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, which is famous for its movie industry.
- Hollywood is mentioned in the description of an Atomic Shop item in Fallout 76.[13]
- A faded version of a post-War poster used by the Vault 11 political party known as the Human Dignity Bloc can be seen painted on a pre-War building on Hollywood Boulevard, in the background of the Fallout TV series.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Gilda Broscoe: "He'll deny ever saying it, but Keith once told me he caught Vince Natali and Sergio Amore together at a nightclub in a compromising situation."
(Gilda Broscoe's dialogue) - ↑ Fallout Season 1 Episode 1: "The End," ~2:40; Bob Spencer calls Cooper Howard a "pinko."
- ↑ Fallout Season 1 Episode 6: "The Trap," ~8:25
Sebastian Leslie: Fucking Hollywood Reds. I'm telling you, radicalism is sweeping through Hollywood like a bad case of the clap. Even got your friend, Charlie Whiteknife.
Cooper Howard: Are you kidding me? Charlie?
Sebastian Leslie: Mm.
Cooper Howard: I served with that guy.
Sebastian Leslie: They have meetings and everything. It's a shit show. - ↑ Fallout Season 1 Episode 3, "The Head," ~2:57
Emil Dale: Bob's been fired, Coop.
Cooper Howard: What?
Emil Dale: Studio fired him.
Cooper Howard: Why?
Emil Dale: See, turns out... Bob's a bit of a communist.
Cooper Howard: A communist? Cadillac Bob?
Emil Dale: Yeah.
Cooper Howard: Cadillac Bob! The very one. Well, what a shame, he was such a great writer.
Emil Dale: Terrible shame. One of the best, but he had to go. Which is why this movie is so important.
Cooper Howard: Right.
Emil Dale: You see, it's a new kind of western. The power of the individual when the chips are down. The new America, it's why I'm telling you, so... that's why it'd be really great if you could just… shoot Jorge in the fucking head, yeah? - ↑ Dead Money loading screen: "Vera Keyes was a Pre-War Hollywood starlet. Her claim to fame was a number of poorly-written romances that nonetheless drew in large box office crowds - and poor reviews."
- ↑ The Sole Survivor: "What were you and Keith talking about when I came in?"
Gilda Broscoe: "Oh, that? We were rehearsing. Got to stay sharp if we are going to rebuild Hollywood. But Keith always gets flustered when he's upset."
(Gilda's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Can you tell me anything about Mr. House?"
Raul Tejada: "Just how old do you think I am, boss? Because I can pretty much guarantee I'm older than that. Let me tell you a story from before the Great War: Everybody knew Robert House. He was a genius. A superstar. Founded RobCo at 22, dated Hollywood starlets, the works. They say he saved Las Vegas. I was in Mexico City when the bombs dropped. Even from there, we could see House's defensive rockets shooting down the incoming missiles. Everybody assumed he died in the War. Maybe he did. But his robots are still out there, roaming the Wastes. And now, a Mr. House rules New Vegas."
(Raul Tejada's dialogue) - ↑ Dean Domino's blackmail evidence
- ↑ Hubris Comics terminal entries; manager's terminal, 10-16-77
- ↑ Vault Dweller: "What's the real story?"
Xerxo: "Well for one, Blast Hannigan isn't a real name. It can't be. What kind of monster would name their child "Blast?" Only a Hollywood director could conceive of such cruelty. The rest is more or less true to reality, except we were liberators, and the colonists were from Uranus. They always are. Meanwhile, Earthlings had nothing to do with the incident, and yet they still plaster their names all over the credits. Typical."
(Xerxo's dialogue) - ↑ A Vault Dweller: "Your thoughts on Stella Skyfire?"
Katherine Swan: "A character perfect for Hollywood. So thin you can barely make her out. If the writers know their history, maybe her name's a reference to Annie Jump Cannon, the astronomer who discovered stellar spectra. I just wish they gave her more lines so we could know for sure."
(Katherine Swan's dialogue) - ↑ Jesse's personal log
- ↑ Atomic Shop: "Lights! Camera! You! Give your C.A.M.P. or Shelter that silver screen shine with the Hollywood Floor Lamp."