Did you know that Maurice Chevalier was once an electrician? That Jennifer Aniston and Michelle Pfeiffer worked as waitresses? Other stars started in the proverbial mail room, as file clerks, employees at Disneyland... and of course, as tour guides! You may be surprised -- and amused -- to read the back stories of those who made it big!

Filled with laughs and surprises, this behind-the-scenes guide to Tinseltown includes insider photos, little-known secrets, and a boatload of inspiration for anyone who has ever dreamed of stardom!

Introduction:

They come from all over the world.

Every year, thousands of aspiring actors, writers, directors, musicians, technicians, artisans and performers of every possible persuasion arrive in Hollywood to pursue their dreams.

They arrive with their ambitions, their talent, their training. And they arrive without a clue.

How do you survive in this town while you're chasing that brass ring?

How do you keep body and soul together in a hyper-competitive world where as many as a thousand people are vying for a single role, a single spot in the band, a single writing assignment for a single episode of a series that may anyway be cancelled in a matter of weeks?

Folks, it ain't easy.

And nobody knows that better than the Studio Tour Guides of Universal Studios Hollywood. For the past 40-plus years, their ranks have served as a haven for aspirants to virtually every creative profession in Hollywood.

With that in mind, these veterans of the Hollywood survival struggle have compiled a "Roadmap to Hollywood's Ground Floor" to pass on a little guidance and perhaps a note of humor to aid those who have embarked-- or are considering embarking upon-- their own journey through the Hollywood minefield.

Or, after reading this book, should you choose to keep that screenplay hidden in your desk, scratch that itch to perform with a turn on the boards of your local community theater, or opt out completely to pursue a career as an insurance agent, the Universal Studios tour guides hope they will have provided you with a few moments of vicarious struggle, a glimpse into a world that might have been.

Break a leg!