Marie Osmond To Grand Marshal Hollywood Christmas Parade, Airs 12/18

The 80th Anniversary Hollywood Christmas Parade will be televised nationally and around the world during the current holiday season. Erik Estrada (World's Funniest Moments; CHiPs) and Laura McKenzie (World's Funniest Moments; Laura McKenzie's Traveler) will serve as broadcast hosts of the telecasts, along with Dean Cain ("Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," "Ripley's Believe It or Not!") serving as host of the music segments in the parade. Marie Osmond, Television/Film Star and Grammy Award Nominated Recording Artist, ("Paper Roses," "Donny & Marie Show," "Dancing With The Stars," Children's Miracle Network) serves are the parade's Grand Marshal.

Locally in Los Angeles, CA, the parade will be aired on KTLA-TV (Channel 5) from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) on Sunday, December 18, 2011. Thereafter, the parade also scheduled to air on additional days and times throughout the holiday season on the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel and in syndication across the country. For exact air dates and times, please check local television listings and visit the websites, www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.com and www.hollywoodchristmasparade2011.com. The parade will also be telecast via the Armed Forces Network to servicemen stationed at U.S. bases around the world.

Elizabeth Stanton ("Elizabeth Stanton's Great Big World") and Rob Pinkston ("Punk'd," "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide") will serve as the parade's Roving Reporters. The parade features 130 film, television and stage celebrities and VIPS, 16 award-winning bands, nine equestrian units, 11 features/floats, 18 balloons, 20 characters/novelties and 28 performers, including Landau Eugene Murphy; Jr., Judith Hill; Ace Young; Cody Simpson; Diana DeGarmo; Farrell Dillion; Jack Wagner; Jasmine V; Jimmy Bennett; Los Angeles Gospel Choir; Manika; Richard Marx; Savannah Robinson; Stefano Langone and dancers; Cirque du Soleil's "Iris;" Ed Alonzo – Master of Illusion – LIVE!; General Hospital's Port Chuck Band featuring the leading men, Bradford Anderson, Brandon Barash, Steve Burton and Scott Reeves; Sha Na Na featuring Tim Butler, Gene Jaramillo, Paul Kimbarow, Jocko Marcellino, Screamin' Scott Simon and Donny York; Jabbawockeez and Rider Kiesner, Three Time World Champion Trick Roper. This year's parade also includes some vintage footage from the former Hollywood Christmas Parade's over the last 80 years, as well as some recollections of the parade from former Parade Grand Marshals like Larry King and Susan Lucci.

The national and international televised broadcasts of the parade are executive produced by Emmy Award winning producer and director, David McKenzie of Associated Television International. The live parade, which was presented in Hollywood, CA on Thanksgiving Weekend, was produced by Hollywood's Santa Parade LLC, consisting of William Lomas, President and Debbie Scheibel, Vice-President, Administration and presented by The City of Los Angeles and Associated Television International.

Sponsors of The 80th Anniversary Hollywood Christmas Parade include: Hallmark Channel as a Media Partner. The Official Charity of this year's parade is the Marine Toys for Tots. The American Humane Association is a National Sponsor. Community Sponsors of The 80th Anniversary Hollywood Christmas Parade include: Metro, Steve Moyer Public Relations, Author Services, Galaxy Press, 93.1 JACK-FM, Asira and Wendy's. Beverage Sponsors include Solsticio Argentine Wine and Firestone Beer. For updates and further information about The 80th Anniversary Hollywood Christmas Parade Benefiting Marine Toys for Tots, please visit the parade's official websites, www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.com and www.hollywoodchristmasparade2011.com.

The Hollywood Christmas Parade is presented annually by Hollywood's Santa Parade LLC, in association with The City of Los Angeles and Associated Television International. In celebration and observance of the Hollywood Christmas Parade's 80th Anniversary this year, Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and other Los Angeles City Officials have issued proclamations, certificates of congratulations and the like. In addition, the parade was honored in an episode of the television show, "Cupcake Wars" dedicated to the Hollywood Christmas Parade, which aired nationally on The Food Channel on Sunday, December 11, 2011. William Lomas, producer of the live Hollywood Christmas Parade served as a guest judge of the episode.

Since 1928, the Hollywood Christmas Parade has been an American tradition for over 80 years! There were three years during wartime when the parade wasn't presented. This year marks the historic occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the parade. Grand Marshals, Celebrities and VIPs who have appeared in The Hollywood Christmas Parade during the last 80 years include: Buzz Aldrin, Rosanne and Tom Arnold, Bob Barker, Michael Bolton, Beau Bridges, Kristin Chenoweth, David Copperfield, Tony Danza, Sammy Davis, Jr., Cecil B. DeMille, Peter Fonda, City of Los Angeles Council President Eric Garcetti, Louis Gossett, Jr., Johnny Grant, Kathy Griffin, David Hasselhoff, Charlton Heston, Bob and Delores Hope, Ron Howard, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Shirley Jones and Marty Ingels, Toby Keith, Larry King, Eartha Kitt, City of Los Angeles Councilmember Tom LaBonge, George Lopez, Susan Lucci, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Frankie Muniz, 98 Degrees, Edward James Olmos, Hayden Pantierre, Regis and Joy Philbin, Helen Reddy, Roy Rodgers and Dale Evans, Mickey and Jan Rooney, Antonio Sabato, Jr., Santa Claus, John Schneider, Arnold Schwarzenegger, William Shatner, Jimmy Stewart, The Simpsons, Ashley Tisdale, City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood and many others.

The Hollywood Christmas Parade was originally called the Santa Claus Lane Parade. When the American performer Gene Autry, who was known as The Singing Cowboy, was riding on his horse down Hollywood Boulevard in the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade, he heard parade spectators in the crowd exclaim, "Here comes Santa Claus!" This incident became the inspiration for Autry to compose the traditional perennial Christmas holiday song, "Here Come's Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)," which he co-wrote with Oakley Haldeman in 1949. Gene Autry first recorded the song in 1947. The song was released as a single by Columbia Records, and became a #5 country and #9 pop hit at the time. Gene Autry is the only celebrity to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one in each of the five categories, Motion Pictures, Radio, Recording, Television and Live Theater. Today the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue, where the Hollywood Christmas Parade begins its two and a half mile route, is named Gene Autry Square.

To post a comment, you must register and login.