Holiday Season Launched With Three Parades

If the Thanksgiving Day celebration of food, family and football weren’t filling enough, Sunday you can gorge yourself on three parades in and about Los Angeles.

Topping the menu is the 58th edition of the star-studded Hollywood Christmas Parade. As grand marshal, Sammy Davis Jr. will lead a procession of more than 100 celebrities, 20 floats, 15 bands, 12 equestrian units and a cluster of Circus Vargas acts, including “Colonel Joe,” the largest elephant to perform indoors.

“This year everything is going to be a little more spectacular,” said Johnny Grant, the parade’s executive producer, who is better known as Hollywood’s unofficial mayor.

The famed 3.2-mile route through the heart of Hollywood begins at 6 p.m. at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue, moves west on Sunset to La Brea Avenue, then north to Hollywood Boulevard and east to Bronson Avenue--the total route taking about two hours.

If you prefer your pomp and pageantry with a Latin twist, you’ll want to line up near Whittier and Atlantic boulevards for the start of the 14th annual East Los Angeles Christmas Fantasy Parade at 1 p.m. Co-grand marshals Edward Albert, best remembered for his performance in “Butterflies Are Free,” and Catherine Bach of “Dukes of Hazzard” fame, and popular actor Jorge Rivero headline a host of film, television and recording artists from here and Mexico.

And for those with less traditional tastes, the 14th annual Doo Dah Parade (organizer and founder Peter Apanel arbitrarily skipped the 13th installment) in Pasadena will again trumpet the values of unabashed originality and creativity. The only thing predictable about this ragtag assembly of gadflies and iconoclasts, which continues as a parody of the stately Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day, is its noon start at the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Union Street.

The Hollywood Parade continues to draw a pantheon of show business personalities. Although Davis is making his first appearance as grand marshal, the legendary entertainer has been performing as a dancer, singer, actor and mime for 60 years. His repertoire of famous songs includes “Hey There,” “Mr. Wonderful,” “I Gotta Be Me,” “What Kind of Fool Am I?,” and “Candy Man.”

“I’m thrilled to be honored in my adopted hometown,” said the New York native, “especially after undergoing treatment (for cancer) this year. I am really looking forward to riding with Santa. He’s been good to me.”

The peerless song-and-dance man will be joined by wife Altovise and 13-year-old son Manny, whom the couple adopted last year.

“It’s a first for all of us,” said Davis, who earlier this year penned “Why Me,” the second part of his autobiography, and co-starred with Gregory Hines in the movie “Tap.”

Trying to measure the impact of Davis’ participation in this year’s parade, Grant said: “I think you’re going to see an outpouring of love when you see him ride down the boulevard. It’s going to be a real love fest.”

While Davis symbolizes much of the history and heritage of Hollywood, stars from many of the current hit television shows will be making their first appearance in the parade. Among the newcomers are Stephanie Beacham of “Sister Kate,” Christopher Burke of “Life Goes On,” Neil Patrick Harris of “Doogie Howser,” Lee Horsley of “Paradise,” Robert Loggia of “Mancuso FBI,” Jack Scalia of “Wolf,” and Brook Theiss of “Just the Ten of Us.”

Other stars making their parade debuts include Jester Hairston, Sherman Hemsley and Anna Maria Horsford of “Amen,” and Nicole Dubuc, Chelsea Hertford, Whitney Kershaw, Gerald McRaney and Marissa Ryan of “Major Dad.”

Pop singer Tiffany and actor Sam Elliott, who is appearing in the Christmas film “Prancer,” also will be there for the first time.

And of course some of the veterans of the Hollywood scene, actor Ned Beatty, riding with his family; Steve Allen, Earl Holliman, Angie Dickinson and Norm Crosby are among those expected to ride and wave.

Last year’s grand marshal, Tony Danza (“Who’s The Boss?”), has confirmed his appearance as well.

“The grand marshal rarely returns to ride in the parade the following year,” Grant said, “but when Tony’s little girl found out he wasn’t coming back, his status changed in a hurry.”

Although the Hollywood Parade is considered the world’s premier celebrity parade, not everyone will be riding in the back of a convertible.

Group W’s Teen-age Mutant Ninja Turtles, Universal’s King Kong, the growing family of Disney characters (including perennial sweethearts Mickey and Minnie), and Charlie Brown and company from Knott’s Berry Farm’s Camp Snoopy will all be extending their yuletide warmth from a string of sparkling floats.

Despite Kong’s colossal strength, the simian creature may be outweighed and overshadowed by “Colonel Joe,” a 9 1/2-foot tall, 11,000-pound elephant. The ponderous pachyderm will take his place alongside a cadre of clowns, jugglers, showgirls and trapeze artists furnished by Circus Vargas, which makes its winter home in Hollywood.

“This parade is a kid’s delight, a real family event,” Grant said. “And there’s no better place than Hollywood to keep one of America’s grand traditions alive.”

With an expected audience of up to 1 million, spectators are encouraged to be on the parade route by 4:30 p.m. The freeway off-ramps at Sunset and Hollywood boulevards will be closed at noon and 2:30 p.m. respectively.

Grandstand seating is available for $20 and $15. For tickets, call (213) 462-2394. The parade will be broadcast live on Channel 5 and will be rebroadcast Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. and Christmas at 10 a.m.

Like the Hollywood pageant, the East Los Angeles Christmas Fantasy Parade with its 19 gaily decorated floats boasts plenty of star power.

Ana-Alicia, the former “Falcon Crest” luminary, said she plans her acting schedule around the parade each year.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” the actress said. “There’s no way to express the feeling one gets from seeing the genuine love and affection that people have for this parade and community.”

Some of the television celebrities expected to participate are Ramon Franco of “Tour of Duty,” Tina Yothers of “Family Ties” and Carmen Zapata of “Santa Barbara.” Film stars include Lupe Ontiveros of “El Norte” and Jenny Gago of “Old Gringo” repute.

In addition, international recording star Martika (“Toy Soldiers”) and two of Mexico’s biggest box office draws--Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Armando Silvestre--will ride in the parade.

Fight aficionados can also cheer for former welterweight champion Carlos Palomino and 1984 Olympic gold medalist Paul Gonzalez.

“Every year the parade draws a huge family crowd,” said Maria Gutierrez, a member of the East Los Angeles Jaycees, which 15 years ago helped organize the parade with television station KMEX in response to the death of KMEX news director Ruben Salazar during the Eastside riots and a ream of bad publicity coming out of the community.

“It’s geared toward the kids,” Gutierrez continued. “They all come out after church in their Sunday best and get to see a long procession of role models who symbolize the success that they also can achieve.”

The expected audience of 250,000 people will be entertained by 20 high school bands, the Sally Savedra Dancers, Trinidad Tobago Carnival Players and Banda de Guerra, a Mexican drum and bugle corps from Oxnard.

Several concession booths will serve a variety of ethnic foods along the route of the parade, which begins at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Whittier Boulevard and winds up at Atlantic Boulevard and 6th Street in front of Garfield High School.

KMEX Channel 34 will provide broadcast coverage from 1 to 3 p.m.

Meanwhile, in Old Town Pasadena, the Doo Dah Parade has rounded up the usual number of suspects and a few new acts in what could best be described as Mardi Gras, Carnaval and Halloween squeezed into two frenzied hours.

As usual, the Doo Dah Parade has no theme, judges, prizes, marching order, animals or motorized vehicles.

“Because I don’t have control over the parade is the reason for its success,” said Peter Apanel, Doo Dah’s founder and perennial organizer. “I allow people to share in the ownership of it. There’s no critiquing, no judging, no censoring or screening of entries.

“In a way it’s a continuation of the Free Speech movement or what’s going on in East Germany right now. People are finding out that it’s OK to lift the controls, that things aren’t going to fall apart.”

Apanel disclosed that the “Return of the Revenge of the Baby Seals” will feature a new twist on an old theme. Instead of seals clubbing hunters, as in years past, the seals will vent their frustration on Exxon executives.

“We also have two Zsa Zsa entries,” Apanel said. “But don’t worry, I’ve already alerted the cops.”

The parade will zigzag its way north on Fair Oaks Avenue, east on Holly Street, south on Raymond, west on Colorado, south on Pasadena Avenue, east on Green Street and south on Fair Oaks.

A post-parade party at the Loch Ness Pub on Fair Oaks will feature the Doo Dah Parade’s first tortilla toss in the adjoining parking lot. The week-old tortillas will be rubber-stamped with the official Doo Dah logo.

“For a brief moment, we’re going to blacken the sky with a blizzard of corn and flour Frisbees,” Apanel said.

While Santa Claus will be the major attraction at the Hollywood and East Los Angeles parades, don’t hold your breath waiting for St. Nick to appear in Pasadena.

When he finally showed up last year, he was wearing red tights and roller skates.