Hollywood’s honorary mayor has died
Thursday, January 10th, 2008
If you’ve ever gone to see the Hollywood Christmas parade, then you’ve probably seen Johnny Grant. He was a cheery, round little man who was nearly hyperactive in the Hollywood scene, and he will be dearly missed by all Angelinos.
Here’s a little history on the man for you: Johnny first came to Hollywood while on leave during World War II, and became enamored of the city. When the war was over he came back to try his luck, and over the years he morphed from disc jockey to celebrity interviewer to part of the very essence of Hollywood glitter. It was Grant’s idea to make a star’s addition to the Hollywood Walk of Fame a big deal, to draw more people to the city and get more press for the Tinseltown that had started to slip into a sort of Cracktown. He refused to give up on the idea of Hollywood as a chic and glamorous city of dreams, and I think we all have to thank him now for being so dogged and keeping the city afloat like he did.
Johnny even managed to have his own star on the Walk of Fame, in the prime spot just in front of Mann’s Chinese Theater, and lived in a penthouse in the Roosevelt Hotel, a place crawling with Hollywood history. The first Academy Award ceremonies were held in the Roosevelt, and since then it’s been a home away from home for the top celebrities.
Johnny Grant was an amazing man who proved that the American Dream was still alive and well. He came here determined to make something of himself and ended up running the place (even if it was only from an honorary position), and you should really read more of his life’s works here. He even took place in the first telethon with no less than Frank Sinatra! A pure Hollywood class act.
