Classic cartography it might not be, but these maps to the residences of Hollywood stars sell. One star map maker sells 10,000 maps a year, a map that is regularly updated to reflect who’s hot and who’s not. The New York Times has a lengthy story on the making and selling of these star maps.

“The evolution of the maps, which may be legally sold in Los Angeles County but not in Beverly Hills proper, mirror both the Hollywood publicity machine and real estate and tourism development . . . . Although it is not known for certain who published the first map, by the mid-1920's everyone had one, from studios like Paramount, which published the names and addresses of its stars, to greeters at hotels, mothproofers and storage companies, which distributed them as a promotional gimmick.”

Sources for addresses of the stars, however, are a closely garded trade secret. Nevertheless, expect to see a Google Maps mashup that not would not only provide directions to the stars but would also enable viewers to see what their backyards and houses are like from the air.

By way of Archinect.

Update (5 March 2006): Google Earth Blog provides a link to the Google Earth community where someone has posted a kmz file for Google Earth that marks the homes of the stars.