One of the brightest memories I have of the Christmas season was the day before Thanksgiving.
My mom would pick me up at my school (Hollywood Professional) and we’d drive down Hollywood Blvd. Across the street from the Pantages Theatre, KTTV (local station in L.A.) had their scaffolding up, lights were set, cameras ready for the Santa Claus Lane Parade that night.
Hollywood Blvd. strung Christmas decorations across the street from Gower Street to Orange Avenue (just past the Chinese Theatre). The parade was the official sign that the Christmas season was about to begin.
That night, I’d be glued to the TV set to watch the bands march by, the celebrities in cars stop and speak with Bill Welsh, with his 3-foot long microphone pole. (Welsh was a at that time a KTTV reporter/announcer and later played Santa in the parade when KTTV stopped airing the parade and KTLA took over.)
Of course the BIG thing was the arrival of Santa on a great big float.
Then during the week, Santa’s float would go down Hollywood Blvd during the first few weeks leading up to Christmas and a celebrity would be on the float with him.
The parade they now have is, well, not that great. I remember when we had stars (real ones!) in the parade. The so-called celebrities that populate the parade are nothing compared to what we had in the 1940s to early 70s. A lot of old stars would come out to be in it as paying respect to the business that was so good to them.
In 1968 I was thrilled to see one of my TV heroes – Martin Milner from ADAM-12 – in the parade.
B
ack then it was much different. In so many ways.
Here’s a bit of trivia: did you know the song Gene Autry wrote & sang, “Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane),” was inspired by the Santa Float going down the street?
Happy Thanksgiving!