Planet Hollywood

The Forces Behind the Restaurant

Planet Hollywood is the brainchild of businessman and entrepreneur Robert Earl. After establishing several themed eateries in England in the 1970s, he turned his attention toward developing several Hard Rock Cafe locations in the United States during the 1980s. But Earl wanted more; he wanted to capitalize on the appeal of television, film and celebrities -- in other words, all that is Hollywood.

Within a few years, Earl teamed with film producer Keith Barish, and together, put forth their idea of an entertainment industry-themed restaurant. In 1991, the first Planet Hollywood opened its doors in New York City. Within five years, more than 45 locations had opened worldwide.

Celebrity Endorsements

To get the restaurant off the ground, several Hollywood mongrels lent their support in the form of endorsements and cash to put Earl's dream on the map. Initial investors included:

• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Sylvester Stallone
• Bruce Willis
• Demi Moore

Singer Jewel and actor Freddie Highmore at the Times Square location for a special Arthur and the Invisibles movie promotion in January 2007.

These celebrities, who have since pulled out of the venture, would occasionally stop by one of the restaurants to greet fans. The chance of possibly meeting one of them was one of the company's biggest draws. Customers would wait in line for hours for this slim opportunity. Over the years, other notables have thrown their support into the Planet Hollywood ring. They include:

• George Clooney
• Tom Cruise
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Britney Spears
• Don Johnson
• Charlie Sheen
• Cindy Crawford
• Justin Timberlake

Memorabilia

Another huge appeal of the restaurants is the decor, which includes some of the world's more valuable and authentic television and movie memorabilia. Each restaurant has large screens throughout, each showing a collection of movie clips. Each location also has its own film memorabilia collection, as well as different themed rooms.

• At the Niagara Falls, Canada location, the Ferris wheel from Steven Spielberg's film, 1941 is suspended from the ceiling.
• In the London restaurant, John Travolta's original leather jacket he wore as a T-Bird in Grease is on display.
• Dorothy's dress, that Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz, and James Dean's motorcycle grace the New York City establishment.
• Celebrity hand prints cast in concrete are mounted on the walls of several of the locations.

Planet Hollywood Locations

Actress Alexis Bledel donated an outfit she wore in the 2005 movie, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants to Planet Hollywood, Times Square.

Finding a Planet Hollywood is becoming more difficult, but they are still in some of the largest cities in the world.

Restaurants

There are 20 of these Hollywood-themed restaurants, most of which can be found in:

• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
• New York City, New York (Times Square location)
• Orlando, Florida
• Paris, France
• London, England
• Tokyo, Japan
• Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
• Guam
• Cancun, Mexico
• Madrid, Spain

Casinos

One of Planet Hollywood's prime locations is in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since the restaurant business is booming there, why not add a casino/hotel? After years of planning, as well as delays in the building process, the bankrupt Aladdin Casino and Resort will soon open as the Planet Hollywood Casino and Resort . Construction is expected to be finished by the end of 2007. The upgraded facility will include an expanded casino, a new restaurant, retail space and a new nightclub. The hotel will house more than 2,500 rooms, each decorated with movie themes.

The Hard Times

Memorabilia from the movie, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants graces the Times Square location

Since its inception, 87 restaurants have opened, but about 65 have already closed their doors. In 1999, because of declining interest and revenue, Planet Hollywood International, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. Stocks, which once sold for more than $30 a share, plummeted to less than $1. Two years later, in true Hollywood fashion, the company once again filed for bankrupty. This time, company officials said the effects of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks caused a decline in tourism, which in turn meant a big drop in revenue. In 2001, more than 40 restaurants shut their doors. Closed locations include:

• Beverly Hills, California
• Sydney, Australia
• Washington, D.C.
• San Diego, California
• Barcelona, Spain
• Cape Town, South Africa (destroyed by terrorist bombing in 1998)
• Chicago, Illinois
• Dallas, Texas

Rocketing Back to Success?

Not much has been publicized about the company's future plans. Right now, officials are focusing their efforts on the Las Vegas location.

Fun Facts

• Pins and shot glasses are the most-wanted collectibles from closed restaurants.
• Several drinks on the menu are named after movies: Pretty in Pink, Home Alone and Far and Away.
• Planet Hollywood merchandise can be purchased at seven of its locations.