Dolly Parton’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Was Vandalized as Repairs Began, After a Makeshift Memorial Built With Flowers and Cards Grew Outside the Landmark
HOLLYWOOD, CA — Repair work was underway Tuesday at Dolly Parton’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star, one week after her death and after someone apparently scratched across the singer’s name. The damaged star had become a gathering point for fans, who left flowers, cards and other tributes in the days after Parton died at 80.
Ana Martinez of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said the star had already been scheduled for maintenance because of cracks before the vandalism happened. Once the area was cleared for the planned work, someone took advantage of the opening and damaged the marker, she said.
How the damage was discovered at the memorial
Lore Corona posted a video Monday on social media showing the star with what appeared to be Parton’s name heavily scratched. In her post, Corona said she and her daughters had been visiting the site to leave flowers when they realized the damage had been done only minutes earlier.
She said a custodian at the scene told her that a woman had kicked around candles already left there and then used shards from them to scratch the star. In the video, Corona described the act as senseless, saying it seemed to have happened about 10 minutes before her family arrived.
Why the Hollywood Chamber had already closed the site
The Hollywood Historic Trust, which maintains the Walk of Fame stars, had been preparing to repair Parton’s marker because of preexisting cracks. Martinez said the star was on a list of locations set for work, which explains why it had been cleared before the vandalism was reported.
That timing made the damage especially frustrating for fans and caretakers alike, since the star had already become a temporary memorial after Parton’s death. The site’s condition now combines routine upkeep with the added task of restoring a celebrity landmark that had become part tribute spot and part repair job.
What’s next for the star and the tribute site
Martinez said repair work was moving ahead as planned, even with the vandalism layered on top of the original maintenance. The Walk of Fame star is expected to be restored by the groups responsible for preserving it, though officials did not say how long the work would take.
For now, the star remains one of Hollywood’s most visible reminders of Parton’s reach, drawing attention not just from tourists but from fans who saw it as a place to honor her life. The tribute materials placed there underscore how quickly a landmark can shift into a public memorial after the death of a major entertainer.
Chicago's music scene, one story at a time — Chicago Music Guide.
