The Hollywood sign features a special tribute to the Los Angeles Rams after the team’s win in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13. (photo courtesy of the Hollywood Sign Trust)

The Hollywood sign was changed this week to RAMSHOUSE in celebration of the Los Angeles Rams’ win on Feb. 13 in Super Bowl LVI.

Crews began changing the sign on Monday and completed the alterations on Wednesday morning in time for the Rams’ victory parade in downtown Los Angeles. Plans called for the alterations to be in place for one day only on Feb. 16, and crews will return the Hollywood Sign to normal by Friday afternoon, said Jeff Zarrinnam, chairman of the board of trustees for the Hollywood Sign Trust, which oversees the sign for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Zarrinnam said the Hollywood sign has been altered by pranksters numerous times during its 99-year history, but the change to RAMSHOUSE was the first time it was an officially-sanctioned change. He said representatives of the team’s marketing department approached Mayor Garcetti’s Office and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which approved the change. It was not disclosed whether or how much the Rams paid for the sign alterations, although Zarrinnam said the Hollywood Sign Trust received no money related to the project. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also declined to provide specifics about the arrangement.

“A permission agreement was required as part of the chamber’s approval process,” said Nicole Mihalka, chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s Board. “Such agreements are confidential, and the chamber does not disclose the terms.”

Zarrinnam said the Rams’ win in the Super Bowl was an important reason to temporarily alter the sign, which he added was unprecedented.

“The Rams won, and it’s a celebration for the city,” Zarrinnam said. “It’s an important moment in the city of L.A. To have the Super Bowl in your city and have your team playing in your stadium is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and was something we couldn’t pass up.”

The sign was altered with translucent banners draped over the nine letters in HOLLYWOOD. Zarrinnam said it took crews two days to affix the banners to the letters in the sign, as they are located on a steep hillside and are approximately 50 to 60 feet in height. The Rams oversaw the project, but representatives of the Hollywood Sign Trust monitored as the work proceeded.

The Hollywood sign has been illegally altered over the years by pranksters, and Zarrinnam said each time, the trust quickly restored the landmark.

The sign is surrounded by fencing and security cameras are monitored 24 hours to prevent people from approaching the landmark. Still, pranksters have found ways to alter the sign.

The sign has twice been changed to HOLLYWEED – once in 1976 and again in 2017. In 1983, pranksters attempted to change the sign to read GO NAVY in conjunction with the Army-Navy football game, but didn’t cover all the letters, so it ended up reading GOLLNAVYD.

The Hollywood sign was also erroneously changed in 1985 by members of the band, The Raffeys, who changed it to read RAFFEYSOD, Zarrinnam said. In 1987, students changed it to read CALTECH, and the same year, an artist changed the sign to read OLLYWOOD in conjunction with Lt. Col. Oliver North’s involvement in the Iran-Contra Affair.

Other notable pranks over the years include the sign being changed in 1990 to read OIL WAR, following the U.S invasion of Iraq. In 1992, supporters of presidential candidate Ross Perot altered the sign to read PEROTWOOD, and in 1993, pranksters changed it to read JOLLYGOOD. The sign was last illegally altered in 2021 when pranksters changed it to read HOLLYBOOB.

Zarrinnam said the Hollywood Sign Trust is preparing to celebrate the sign’s 100th anniversary in 2023 and will announce plans at the beginning of next year.

While the RAMSHOUSE alteration was the first time the sign has been legally changed, he declined to rule out that it would be the last.

“Stay tuned,” Zarrinnam added. “Right now, there are no plans, but there have been many people who have approached us. Let’s see how it works out, and we’ll go from there.”