Michigan stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

LANSING (WLNS):

Los Angeles might be a couple thousand miles away, but many Hollywood Stars began their journey right here in the Mitten State.

But to get their names on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, there is a process.

1. a person must be nominated under one of five categories: radio, motion pictures, live performance/theater, television and recording
2. A Walk of Fame Committee (made up of five people from the five categories of entertainment) votes on the nominee. There is a chairperson on the committee who only votes if there is a tie.
3. After nominees have been selected, the people who nominated the star will pay $40,000 to the cost of promotion, star ceremony and maintenance of the star.
4. Some of the money is given to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce as well.
5. After being selected for the Walk of Fame, the celebrity must decide whether they want to have a star on the sidewalk.
6. If the celebrity says yes, the ceremony must be scheduled within two years of the selection date

The 6 News Director, Jam Sardar recently took a small trip to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Here is a look at the famous singers, actors and musicians with Michigan ties that Jam captured.

You can watch the Oscar Awards on WLAJ Feb. 9 at 8pm EST / 5pm PST

Tim Allen – grew up in Michigan, attended Central Michigan University and transferred to Western Michigan University. He served as the voice of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story. Known for his role as “Tim the Toolman” on ABC sitcom Home Improvement. He is the voice of the Pure Michigan Ads that began in 2008.

Burt Reynolds – actor who was born in Lansing. Some of his memorable roles include Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby “Gator” McCluskey in White Lightning, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its 2005 remake respectively.

Earvin Magic Johnson (inducted June 21, 2001) – a retired American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers who was born in Lansing. Johnson announced his first retirement from his basketball career when he was diagnosed with HIV in 1991. Johnson won four championships with the Lakers in the 1980s.

Dick Enberg – legendary sports broadcaster who was born in Mount Clemens and earned his bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University in 1957. He voiced the first radio broadcast of the Little 500, a bicycle racing event that became well known after the film, Breaking Away.

Diana Ross – legendary musician, born and raised in Detroit and was part of the MoTown movement and helped create the sound of the Supremes. She launched her solo career Jan. 14, 1970. Ross has sold more than 100 million records.

James Caan – famous movie actor (perhaps most famous for playing “Sonny” in “The Godfather” series). Caan attended Michigan State University and graduated with an economics degree. He was even the Homecoming Grand Marshal in 1997.

William “Smokey” Robinson Jr. – R&B singer soul singer-songwriter, born and raised in Detroit, known as the “King of Motown.” Robinson delivered thirty-seven Top 40 hits for Motown between 1960 and 1987. 

Pat Sajak – Wheel of Fortune host who is currently chair of the board of trustees of Hillsdale College. Sajak began his broadcasting career as radio DJ and later transitioned into local radio news. He joined the U.S. army and served in the Vietnam war. He later worked for news stations in Nashville and Los Angeles.

Lucy Liu – Chinese-American actress who attended University of Michigan, where she earned a bachelor’s in Asian languages and cultures. Liu has appeared in Kill Bill (2003), Elementary (2012), Southland (2009) and Future World (2018), among many other films. She is also a director and producer.

Bob Seger – rock and roll musician born in Dearborn, one of the best selling artists of all time. Began “The Silver-Bullet Band” based in the Detroit area. In 1976, he achieved national fame with two albums, the live record Live Bullet, and the studio record Night Moves.

Luther Vandross – R&B singer who attended Western Michigan University pursuing music before dropping out. Vandross’ version of “One Shining Moment” continues to be used every spring as the celebration song for the winning university in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Stevie Wonder – born in Saginaw, Wonder is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist, blind shortly after he was born. He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist. 

Aretha Franklin – known as the Queen of Soul, Franklin has scored a total of 20 No. 1 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart. She also has the most million-selling singles of any female artist with 14. Between 1967 and 1982 .