娱乐英语新闻:Hollywood sign saved by Playboy founder Hefner

LOS ANGELES, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A year-long effort to raise enough money to buy and protect the 138-acres (55.8 hectares) land around the Hollywood Sign was capped by a final donation from Playboy magazine founder Hugh M. Hefner, a noNPRofit group announced in Los Angeles on Monday.

"My childhood dreams and fantasies came from the movies, and the images created in Hollywood had a major influence on my life and Playboy," said Playboy founder Hefner. "As I've said before, the Hollywood sign is Hollywood's Eiffel Tower and I am pleased to help preserve such an important cultural landmark."

A group of Chicago-based investors who own the land known as Cahuenga Peak offered to sell it to the Trust for Public Land for 12.5 million U.S. dollars if the money came in before the end of this month. Hefner donated final 900,000 dollars toward the 12.5 million dollars needed to close the gap.

File photo taken on March 1, 2006 shows the Hollywood sign (back) standing on a hill in Los Angeles, the United States.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, Olympic Gold Medalist Rafer Johnson and others made the announcement at a news conference at the base of the landmark.

As an early supporter of the effort, Governor Schwarzengger said, "Of all the iconic landmarks in the world, the Hollywood Sign is truly one of the most recognizable symbols of the California dream and land of opportunity ...

"I am proud we were able to come together and create a public- private partnership to protect this historic symbol that will continue to welcome dreamers, artists and Austrian bodybuilders for generations to come."

He thanked others who pitched in to save the land around the sign, including LaBonge, Aileen Getty, Tiffany & Co. jewelers and private donations from Hollywood luminaries Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.