Hollywood for Men

I like this. I bought it because of the reviews others have left. As someone posted in a prior comment, I also have no idea as to what notes I'm detecting in this. It does have a somewhat synthetic smell to me. And I say there's not one thing necessarily wrong with that. Many have pointed out that this fragrance is unique, which it certainly is. Let's see...it's unique, I like it, and it's insanely inexpensive. I'm going to call this a win. I have a feeling it will grow on me even more. Regarding the bottle, it's cute. The sort of thing you'd find in a kitschy souvenir shop. The cap is shaped like a star. And it says "Hollywood" at the base of the bottle. Somehow I can't help thinking of the Village People singing, "Everybody is a Star in Hollywood". And this makes me smile.

Drug store cheap fragrance that takes me back to my childhood. Imagine walking into a dark shop, incense burning, and the song Us and Them by Pink Floyd is playing in the background. The friendly older man behind the counter is rolling a cigarette with Job cigarette paper. Black light posters on the wall surround the premises. The air conditioner is a wall air conditioner, and there is a woman in the back of the store making popcorn with one of those old popcorn makers. Add the lavender and orange and you have Fred Hayman Hollywood for Men. You have nothing to prove. Be your 1970's self. I love this fragrance. The magic is in the drydown. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The most unique scent I've ever smelled. Not a bad sort of unique, but a good type of unique. Floral, spicy, a bit fruity sweet, and a touch of leather. Even though there are florals and sweets contained within this strange concoction, it is not feminine smelling fragrance. I'm 10-12 years older than I was when I once wore this, but after seeing it on ebay for less then $11, including shipping, I just couldn't resist. Sure, it's not my favorite scent of all time, but it's up there in the top 10, surely. It is certainly the most unique scent I've ever owned!

I don't understand how someone could not like this. It's a fun, fresh, young scent. I get a fresh spiced apple, rosemary, rain, pine vibe from it. I think the problem is people expect way too much from it. If it's not Calvin Klein or Versace don't expect it to compare.

I love it. Nostalgic, will always LOVE.

If one of the conceptual niche houses had released this scent, I suspect a fair number of folks would gush over how it was the perfect olfactory representation of Hollywood in the glamour days. Released as an utterly inexpensive scent in a gloriously kitschy bottle, and those same folks don't know what to make of it. Well, low price and camp bottle notwithstanding, this fragrance IS a delightful olfactory representation of Hollywood in the glamour days. I really like it for what it is and what it is not. What it is: a rather synthetic smelling blended citrus opening (and let me just point out that my note descriptions in this review are approximations, because the scent is entirely artificial--just like a Hollywood sound stage set) with some lavender and a bit of spicy greenery; followed by an intensifying of the lavender; then a spicy and sweet floral spray that has hints of plastic or celuloid somehow mixed in; and then, incredibly, an accord that smells like buttered movie theater popcorn. The base adds even more saccharine sweetness, a vanillic amber powder smell and, at the end of it all, a coarse, ever so vaguely gruff leather note. The popcorn note stays around during the 8 or so hour longevity and projection is about arm's length until the very end, when it drops away to a skin scent for the final 30 minutes. I should hate this scent, but in fact, I like it a lot. The bottle is made from tacky plastic, in the house style, apparently, as all of the Fred Hayman 273 Rodeo Dr. fragrances are also encased in cheap plastics. The bottle looks like a cheesy souvenir award with its star-shape top and obelisk shaped base. The atomizer is low quality. The prices at which this fragrance is available are frequently below $10/100ML. Titularly, this is the men's version, and there is a women's as well, but this scent is really unisex. This fragrance is just an exercise in wonderfully tacky fun and it really does smell both nice and interesting on skin even with its synthetic composition. What it isn't: taking itself at all seriously. If you bother to consider this fragrance intellectually, it does present a pretty good representation of Hollywood. There is citrus, like one sees and smells all around L.A. There are flowers: ditto. There is wackiness and kitsch, just like you see on Hollywood Boulevard. There is the smell of popcorn and celluloid, like in a classic movie palace. There is a lot of fake-smelling sweetness and underneath it all there is a hint of roughness and the suggestion that things aren't quite as gauzy and wonderful as they appear at first blush. This stuff is golden era, 1940s Hollywood depicted in fragrance. It is pretty impressive perfumery, actually. The fact that this olfactory image was created using inexpensive aromachemicals to hit a bargain price point is even more impressive. It shouldn't work. But it does. It works very well, indeed. I wear this scent for fun because it delights me. For what it costs, you should give it a try. It is a time travel vacation to the era of glamour and bigger than life stars in a smile-inducing bottle. Sometimes, everyone needs some frivolity in their life. Here's a way to get it for next to nothing and to have it available whenever times call for it. Recommended.

This was a blind buy - mostly because I'm a huge fan of Fred Hayman's more famous creations Giorgio for Men and 273 for Men (the original 1990s version in the heavy ceramic flacon, not the ghastly abomination in cheap plastic that's around now). As for Hollywood for Men, I really like it. Seriously impressed, in fact. It was also ridiculously inexpensive. Quality greatly exceeds my expectations. Living in LA in the 1990s the contrast between the crumbling deco facades, the sleaze and drug-fuelled craziness beneath the glitzy artifice of "Hollywood" used to fascinate me. The cops would shut down Hollywood Boulevard every weekend because of all the drive-by shootings. A history obsessed friend used to revel in the sleaze of Old Hollywood ("that was where they found the Black Dahlia", "this is the table where Janis Joplin smashed a bottle of Jim Beam on Jim Morrison's head", "that's Lana Turner's house where Cheryl Crane stabbed Johnny Stompanato". "that was the club where James Dean became The Human Ashtray" etc etc). Hollywood has always been about illusion and fantasy. And here, the gaudy award-style flacon with shiny bits that look like metal (but are in fact plastic) is a fitting visual metaphor. Low price, high camp. Hollywood for Men is a surprisingly sophisticated, playful fragrance that's wearable in all seasons and smells a helluva lot more expensive than it is. Tried this on earlier today and a young lady rushing past stopped dead - just to tell me I smelled "really good". And I did. Opens with a soft citrus overture, then there's a hint of lavender and not sure what else, becoming slightly green, slightly vanillic, slightly amber-woody. It really is a sensory experience, a mosaic of notes that elicit familiarity yet elude recognition and combine to create something quite wonderful. Akscent's review below captures this perfectly - and he's absolutely right: there is a buttery popcorn accord and something that suggests celluloid - and leather - and the effect is very unusual yet manages to be both elegant and mesmerising. Can't think of anything else like it. You could easily wear this to the office, to the gym, to a funeral or on a date. Performance and longevity are above average too. Quite simply one of the best in its price range.

I bought this not knowing what it smells like because it was very cheap and I like the art deco style design and shelf presence of the bottle. It is a pleasant little surprise of a scent that to me opens with a summery citrus blast and then turns into what I can only describe as canned peaches crossed with shaving cream and dryer sheets. Very fresh indeed. I do not get any 'popcorn' scent. Not even a little bit. If I had to describe it in one word, I guess that word would be 'fun'. I'll use this for around the house when I'm hanging out in the springtime once we hit "open the windows" weather but personally, this isn't something I could see a grown man in a nice tailored suit wanting to spray on their body. At around 4 hours, it lasts about as long as you'd expect it to last at this price point, which can sometimes be a good thing if you want to switch up scents throughout the day, maybe starting with this in the morning, refreshing it around lunch and then turning to a more after-dark frag later for a date or time spent with the wife. While it isn't the most amazing scent I've experienced, I can honestly say that of all the many fragrances I've smelled over the year, I don't think I've ever come across one quite like this before. And with it's low price point, you owe it to yourself to snag a bottle if you're into trying new scents without risking too much $$, especially in this economy. Because the fact is, every nose is different, so fragrance reviews can only tell you so much. You have to be your own judge. 🍋

This is quite impressive. I think I get the note described by some users here as 'popcorny'. I'm not sure if what I smell is popcorn, but there is indeed a funny little note that is highly unusual and surprisingly pleasant (although not instantly and not for everyone). It's the same kind of vibe you get from sniffing petrol, some people love it, others loathe it. To me it's weird at the beginning, and then after a while I can't get enough of it. What's more, I applied one spray on the wrist and this little devil radiated like there's no tomorrow. This lasted for about 3 hours, then it became closer to the skin - which is fine by me. Generally it reminds me a bit of Nostalgia by Santa Maria Novella - they're similar in many departments. To sum up this fragrance in three words: intriguing, unique, funny (in a good way). Thumbs up!

A soft creamy, powdery and pleasantly unique scent from a spiky, painful to use bottle. This makes a welcome break from most of today's citrusy male scents though for me I get an unlisted definite peachy vibe. This is a real true original that hasn't been copied (by anyone else that I know of) and owns a well-deserved place in anyone's collection as an all year rounder.

I have no words how to describe this, definitely the weirdest fragrance i’ve ever smelt. Very synthetic and fresh. woody and kinda spicy. A touch of orange and lavender and leather definitely makes a weird smell that’s somewhat pleasant. I sold my bottle of this not long ago, might pick another one up in the future.

It's cheap and smells cheap but I still like this. I agree that this is very unique. I can detect the buttery note slightly but other than that I have no idea to describe what I'm smelling. The bottle is laughably cheap and tacky.

this is my go to scent when i don't know what to put on. i love how fresh it is. i reccomend this to kids at the age of 9 - 15. this smells crazy fresh. ugh, love it so much.

smells like a sno-cone/shaved ice the kind with loads of food coloring and sugar. very sweet. at first i hated it but after a few tries i can enjoy the scent somewhat as a room spray, but would never wear it. had to double check to make sure it was the men's version, the box even reassured me there was a masculine quality to the scent. i can't see a man of any age actually wearing this

Trash. And I’m not saying that because it’s cheap. I adore some bargain basement stuff like Diesel Plus Plus, “R” by Revillion and even Zirth Ikon. But this is just a soapy, garbage hair spray scent that’s comprised mostly of carnation and chemical leather. Of course I can’t speak for any original formulation, but this current bottle that I have is where it begins and ends for me. Buttered popcorn, sweetness, movie theaters, wood paneling, incense and black light posters?? Rubbish. Maybe to your nose, but not to mine. I can’t even find a drop of citrus here. Guys, If you’re in the market for a cheap, soapy fragrance that actually has character, go for Alfred Sung Homme; not this Aqua Net, Avon reject. Hollyweird by Fred Hayman should have been a part of Jack Nicholson’s, Joker’s line-up of “new and Improved Joker products” from the 1989 Batman film. Although after testing for the first time, you’d never hear me say, “Love that Joker!”

I didn't like it. It smells like a cheap fragrance you'd buy at a drug store (the ones they keep in the isle because they know nobody would ever steal them). It smells strong, outdated and just plain bad. I've liked Fred Hayman's fragrances over the years but this one let me down. The reason I own it is because I just saw the name "Fred Hayman" and thought it'd be great like his other stuff so I bought it w/o trying it. Big mistake.

I had it years ago. I put three sprays on, and me nor my wife could take the smell. Maybe my skin type. Not saying it stink. Just saying try it first. However, it is cheap enough to blind buy.

UPDATE: After doing a normal wearing I feel that this is quite good. It doesn't have as much of the popcorn quality like this and after the opening largely dissipates is very interesting, with distinct facets that smell natural. There is a soapy quality, a woody one (incense-like), a citrus one, the buttery popcorn one, and an overall one, which is a little sweet. It's not clear for what social occasion this is meant, and the blue color and bottle design (which I'd guess Liberace would have loved, or probably did if he had seen it) are not appealing to me, but the scent itself is surprising, being a niche-like idea though with not quite top shelf ingredients. Projecton comes in occasional wafts but it does last well. A true hidden gem, but not for the causal scent buyer. My original review: Was this originally marketed at Spencer's? Seriously, why create an opening that smells like burned popcorn? Anyway, if that doesn't bother you then the drydown, which takes perhaps an hour to arrive, isn't bad at all. It's still rather odd smelling, and quite blended as well. If you smell it up close on the skin the burned popcorn type thing is still there. All things considered, it doesn't smell "synthetic," and it's rather light at this point. I'll definitely have to give this one a normal wearing and see how it performs that way. I have no idea what that will be like, but I'll update this review when I get around to wearing it again. Will a niche company buy up the remaining stock and rebottle it with a name like Saturday Matinee? I wouldn't be surprised !

Synthetic?.. mmmaybe. Clean, Powdery, Super-Fresh, a tad fruity and unique?? YEP! Most Definately! Yeah Hollywood for men certainly smells like a creation of the 90's, but so many magnificent fragrances are from that decade and are STILL being worn and highly regarded today as should Hollywood for Men, and I feel that if more folks would get their noses on Hollywood for men it would definately get talked about more. The only fragrances that comes to mind whenever I smell HollyWood is Alfred Sung (Purple Bottle) but that's definitely NOT to say that these two smell alike at all teally, its just that the soft, "Fresh-Spiciness" is done in a similar "90's way" but these smell quite differently from eachother for sure. Now, from my brand-new bottle im getting average longevity (bout 5 hours on skin) with strong initial projection of around one hour and it then becomes much softer and more of a skin scent at around hour 3, but Maturation is definately a thing, so Ill be back for an update on the performance. For now tho? A very nice 7 outta 10 cheapy-hidden gem for folks over 25yrs old imo! Trés Bien!!

Incredibly good, this one have everything together and well blended, a buttery popcorn accord,fresh blue shower gel, nice and beautiful lavender, honeyed tobacco, is powdery-sharp /fresh - dense, and a grounding note, resembling wet concrete and waterfall underneath (this one is hard to get, I perceived after long time) , is very 90's but authentic and pleasant, remarkable. Nothing here is bad or cheap, but isn't rich neither classy(maybe), just good , refreshing , well made , another category , have a sense of happiness to me. Nothing here had the intention to be a representative of European fashion , and sometimes wear those low cost American perfumes are the best option to me,they are not overbearing,don't try to be sexy,dark or anything else like that, just uplift your mood in a humble way

A fresh and I must say a very well blended, beautifully put together citrus fragrance. The longevity is very weak. I had to layer this with rosemary essential oil to get the longevity that I truly desire. Smells playful, youthful, fresh, vintage, soft, fun, & casual at the same time. Doesn't smell rugged/masculine with that gentleman aura to it. This is something I won't necessarily grab for. 1) Hanging with the fellas. 2)Going on date. 3)Clubbing. 4)Attending a formal affair. 5)Evenings. 6)Trying to get noticed. 7)Colder Months. I would wear this for. 1)Job/office. 2)Gym. 3)Cookout. 4)Running some errands. 5)Family gatherings/sporting events. 6) Spring, summer, & early fall. 7)Being outside most of the day. A lot of the notes in this fragrance, flies & mosquitoes don't really care for.

Wanna hear something strange?? This smells JUST like David Yurman. Due to the fact that its for men, its a bit heavier and glazed over with masculinity (leather and tobacco). There is definitely a difference in notes and share none in common that I know of, but somehow this is like David Yurman for men. IS it really far-fetched? Bvlgari BLV Notte is a reinterpretation of Fred Hayman's Indigo.

this fragrance is not designed to be a best seller. It is not for everyone. But i think its wonderful and unique. I hate the bottle though. Its hard to describe, it has a very complex mix in it. I would really love to have it again. Its clean, and has a kind of sweet freshness with dry sensation. I love how risky it is. Since almost no one has it, it is great to make it your personal aroma.

Been wearing this for 3 days now and I really like it. Not too "clean" generic smelling but rather interesting in a new sort of way unlike anything ive smelled before. Not my favorite but i like it alot anyway. cant beat the price either! i actually like this better than 273!!!

I used to wear this in high school in the late 90s. It's a really nice underrated fragrance. It's green, sweet, fruity floral with a sweet woody drydown. It's pretty unisex which is my favorite category. If you like jasmine you'll like this.

This fragrance is truly unique and oddly addictive. It stands out from everything else in my collection, and I can't find anything remotely similar. At under $20, it's worth a try!