American Beauty Rose

In 1928, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce came up with a brilliant idea to drive up shopping traffic along their big commercial corridor of Hollywood Blvd.  A Christmas Parade!!!

So they got America's Sweetheart to do a little advance press and Viola!  Hollywood Blvd. magically became Santa Claus Lane.


Decorations festooned the corridor and crowds gathered for what, as it turned out, wasn't much of a parade.


That first year, aside from the lovely decorations, the 'parade' consisted of what you see above, one sleigh pulled by a couple of union reindeers from the Screen Reindeers Guild and the loot in the sleigh was a little known starlet named Jeanette Loff and.......Santa Claus.

Well Santa Claus was the star of this show, and he delivered the shoppers, and so the Santa Claus Lane Parade became an annual tradition.  Santa's appearance was always the climax of the parade that sent the crowds into paroxysms of glee.  It grew every year until it included big-named stars by the score.  And there is the famous story of Cowboy Star Gene Autry riding in the parade just in front of Santa in 1946.  After a couple of blocks of hearing children shrieking "Here Comes Santa Claus! Here Comes Santa Claus", Autry gets a notion and, a new Holiday Carol is born.

So the parade is only one night but for almost a month each year, Hollywood residents and visitors alike have been treated to a sweet and magical "Santa Claus Lane"


Just Look!:







No matter how seedy and downtrodden Hollywood ultimately became, the old girl still got tarted up and stirred a little sparkle.  By the mid 1980s, when Hollywood and the Boulevard were little more than an open air drug bazaar, and looked like Beirut on a rough day, from Thanksgiving on at least, there was still a little shiny-shiny going on:



At the beginning of the new century, the word was: Hollywood is experiencing a rebirth!  And Santa Claus Lane jumped on board tying together Holidays and the Cinema!:



So by 2012, you must be thinking, it's got to be STUPENDOUS!  Well, brother, would you ever be wrong.  I took this picture today from the northeast corner of Hollywood and Cahuenga looking west and, as you can see, zilch!


It could be any ol' day of the year, but certainly not smack in the middle of the Holiday Shopping Season!  Why even the sky looks like it's going to cry.

So Hollywood Chamber Of Commerce, what are you doing with aaaaallll that money you charge folks to be members, that you can't string up a few damn lights and a strand or two of tinsel?  Huh?

Dateline:  Los Angeles, Thanksgiving Week


I just checked the weather.  Mid 70s to low 80s all week and through the weekend.

Are you visiting here?  Do you live here and have friends or relatives in for the holiday?  Or are you having a life-as-usual week and looking for a little something to brighten it up?  Well then this is probably the ideal week to find out exactly what "The Best Hollywood Walking Tour" is all about!

It's brainy, it's funny, it's fascinating and there's not a cheesy tourist-trap on the whole darn thing.  I will be closed on Thanksgiving day because even a researcher likes a little cranberry sauce but, other than that - tours, tours, tours!


So why not join Fred, Rita, Van, Me and all the other spirits that we'll awaken from the legendary days of Film, Radio, TV and Records for a walk.  You could use a walk in the fresh air with all you'll be eating this week anyhow.

......Meantime, get busy!

Ann Savage wishes us all a joyful Halloween without any Detours!

...comes to, in the same spot she passed out last night, looking fresh as a daisy to wish us all a Happy New Year!

I must ask her how many toilet seat covers it took to do those stairs.

And for my friends who don't observe the holiday, here's hoping you enjoy that other fine yuletide tradition:  Going to a movie and then eating Chinese!

Barbara thinks Joan is a "Gorgeous Hussy"

Bet when Joan got to LA in January of '63 she and Barbara had lunch at the Y.

Letter found here

Just kidding.  You know who the real sponsor of this blog is, dontcha:

Fancy lettering by Cool Cookie!

And now just in time for the Holidays (or any day) you can give the gift of Felix!
That's right, beautiful Gift Presentation Certificates are available from
The Felix In Hollywood Tour Company!!!

"At last, Hollywood History is at hand.....On Foot."

Everybody loves a present.  Now you can purchase a tour pass for one or up to eight people.

*Here's the answer for that "hard to buy for" friend, family member, boss or associate.

*Know someone who's planning a trip to Southern California?  This makes a perfect bon voyage present.

The best part is, the certificate is valid for use for the next three months.  That way the recipient can schedule their tour at their own leisure.

If you're buying a certificate, go straight to the "Buy Your Ticket" tab.  Then just send an email to philip@felixinhollywoodtours.com and give me the name of the recipient(s), the name of the gift giver(s), and whether you want me to email the certificate jpeg, or have me mail a printed copy to you.

Pretty snappy idea, huh?

Nancy and I would really like to know.