ATLANTA - Tinseltown goes holly-jolly Nov. 26 with the 75th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, a glittering event that inspired cowboy crooner Gene Autry's 1947 classic "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)."
Before the man in red brings up the rear, there will be floats, marching bands, equestrians, circus animals, exotic cars and nearly a hundred celebrities from film, TV and the music industry.
The procession will be led by Grand Marshal George Lopez and Diamond Jubilee Honorary Grand Marshal Regis Philbin, who also celebrated his 75th birthday.
Lopez follows in the footsteps of other entertainers who have served as grand marshal, including Jimmy Stewart, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Ron Howard and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is the first time an honorary grand marshal has been named.
More than half a million people are expected to line the parade route that begins at 5 p.m. at Grauman's Chinese Theatre and continues along a 2.5-mile route.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce launched the parade in 1928 to attract holiday shoppers to Hollywood Boulevard, which was renamed Santa Claus Lane for the occasion. That first parade featured only one actress, Jeanette Loff. Hundreds of celebrities since have waved to the crowd. Though the parade was suspended for three years during World War II, its mainstay, of course, has been Santa Claus.
Autry was riding his horse, Champion, in the 1946 parade "when, hearing the crowds of children gleefully crying, 'Here comes Santa Claus!' he was inspired to write a song," his official Web site ( geneautry.com ) reports.
