Spoony Singh

Originally from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in 1964 Singh was approached by investors who were interested in opening a wax museum in the United States and went on a two-week scouting trip to Los Angeles where he toured famous attractions on Hollywood Boulevard devoted to celebrities. After realizing that he had not seen any actual celebrities at these attractions save for their foot and handprints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Singh decided to create a place where fans could see them. After buying and refurbishing an empty brassiere factory and luggage shop, he inaugurated the Hollywood Wax Museum on February 25, 1965, to a big crowd of visitors. It has been considered the longest-running wax museum in the United States and it is still owned and operated by his descendants. Singh died four days shy of his 84th birthday at his home in Malibu, California.