Pro Handyman Blog

Replace a Hollywood Light Fixture

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I got a call from a customer who wanted to replace their Hollywood light bar. These folks liked the light fixture, but felt it was cheap and outdated.

This particular light fixture is somewhat unusual in that the builder doesn’t usually install a junction box behind it. Instead, they will take a hammer and break open a hole in the wall, which will be covered by the light fixture anyway. It is usually the case that if you want to replace the Hollywood bar with a different fixture that you have a problem. Then you need to repair the drywall and install a junction box for the new fixture to mount to.

With a Hollywood bar, the fixture is mounted in several places along the length of the bar. They can be fixtures commonly from 3 bulbs to 10 bulbs. Removing the old fixture is a matter of unscrewing the bulbs and then pulling off the decorative retaining rings around the sockets. This will allow you to remove the decorative bar, leaving only the support and wiring behind it.

With the power off, you can remove the wire nuts and separate the wires. You will also see the screws that hold the support bar to the wall, so when you remove the screws the bar will come off of the wall as well. You can install the new bar in the reverse order, just make sure the bar is level.