Since his debut in the original Donkey Kong arcade game, Nintendo’s Mario has appeared in more titles and generated more money than both Tom cruise and Tom Hanks. So why shouldn’t the diminutive, mustachioed Italian have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? That’s the question being raised by Nintendo to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
Nintendo is asking that the Chamber of Commerce create a new Interactive Entertainment category that would find room on Hollywood Blvd. for video game characters and their creators, especially now that the game industry is outpacing the movie biz in terms of revenues.
An actor in a Mario costume yesterday delivered the proposal to honorary Hollywood Mayor Johnny Grant, accompanied by fans carrying signs calling for Mario’s induction. Nintendo also took out ads in the Hollywood trade magazines hoping to build support for the movement. In addition, more than 3,300 video game fans from all over the world have signed an online petition at www.petitionspot.com/petitions/walkoffame.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame currently honors careers in film, television, music, broadcasting and theater. A hurdle facing the games industry is that video game characters are not real people, though the Hollywood chamber of Commerce has been known to grant stars to classic toon icons such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
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