The Only Two Women With Three Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars
Two women have achieved a rare feat on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, standing out in a field where men dominate. Discover who they are and why their recognition matters.
Touching down in Los Angeles, it’s hard to miss the iconic Hollywood sign perched above the city. But for many, the real heart of Tinseltown is the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where the names of entertainment legends are set in stone—well, terrazzo and brass—along the footpaths. While the Walk is meant to honour the best in film, telly, music, radio, and theatre, it’s also a bit of a mirror for the industry’s long-standing gender imbalance.
Take, for example, the world of animated characters. Mickey Mouse nabbed his star back in 1978, but Minnie Mouse had to wait another forty years for hers. It’s a small detail, but it says a lot about how recognition has been handed out over the years, and how women have often been left waiting in the wings.
Three Stars, Two Women
There’s another stat that really drives the point home. Out of 33 people who’ve scored stars in three different categories, just two are women. Blokes like Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye, and Jack Benny have all been celebrated for their work across multiple fields, but only a pair of women have managed to join their ranks. It’s a rare achievement, and one that deserves a closer look.
The first is Dinah Shore, a true all-rounder. She made her mark in radio, television, and music, and even found time to write cookbooks and host her own celebrity golf tournament. Her career kicked off in the 1950s and ran through to the 1990s, picking up nine gold records, ten Emmys, and a Peabody along the way. Her three stars—one each for TV, music, and radio—are spread out along the 6900 block of Hollywood Boulevard and the 1700 block of Vine Street.
Gale Storm’s Versatile Career
The only other woman to pull off the triple is Gale Storm. Born Josephine Cottle in Houston, she made her way to Hollywood at 17 and quickly became a household name. Her film career ran from 1940 to 1952, but it was her roles in the telly hits My Little Margie and The Gale Storm Show during the 1950s that really made her a star. On top of that, she racked up a string of top ten hits as a singer, making her one of the most popular entertainers of her time.
Storm’s three stars, like Shore’s, recognise her work in TV, music, and radio. It’s a rare honour, and one that puts her in a very exclusive club—just two women among 33 people in total.
Recognition and the Road Ahead
It’s hard not to notice the gap. While men have dominated the list of triple-star recipients, Shore and Storm stand out as exceptions. Their achievements are a reminder of both the talent women have brought to the industry and the hurdles they’ve faced in getting their due.
As for animated characters, the fact that Minnie Mouse had to wait decades for her star is a bit of a joke—one that says a lot about how slow progress can be. At this rate, she might be waiting until the next century to catch up with the blokes.