Gene Autry has Five Stars on Hollywood Boulevard

by Rev Halofan on Jan 10, 2008 12:54 AM PST in News Comment 17 comments

More Anti-Angel bias at the L.A. Times?

A little dig at Gene Autry in Johnny "Mayor of Hollywood" Grant's obituary:

Most of Grant's on-air work was for Gene Autry, who owned KTLA-TV and KMPC-AM. The two had met during the war. Grant hosted a celebrity interview show and reported Hollywood news on KTLA, and was the disc jockey on KMPC's long-running "Freeway Club" program. He served as KTLA's director of public affairs from 1971 to 1992. The two men's association lasted 42 years, and it is no coincidence that Autry has five stars on the Walk of Fame, more than anyone else.

Gene earned his stars. I don't see no damn Plaschke star on the Walk 'o Fame...

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Damn straight

Gene did earn his stars. He was a gifted entertainer, and a very popular one. When Bing is covering your hits, then you're big. Besides, Johnny Grant didn't have the power to grant stars. A typically cheap shot from the Times, exhibiting the usual lack of knowledge of the town's history.

I'm saddened to hear of Grant's passing. We saw him a few years ago at a KMPC reunion put on by LARadio.com, and he was wickedly, blisteringly funny, and sharp as a tack. He said that Gene Autry was a loyal friend, and that for an Army buddy the sky was the limit. According to him, he was still on Gene's payroll!

". . .and the young lions will lock horns!" -- Ron Fairly, from an Angels telecast

by rspencer on Jan 10, 2008 7:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

payroll

Him and Mo Vaughn!

by Rev Halofan on Jan 10, 2008 8:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Laughing out loud here

but don't you mean Kevin Appier?

". . .and the young lions will lock horns!" -- Ron Fairly, from an Angels telecast

by rspencer on Jan 10, 2008 12:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Feh

Even if it's "no coincidence", so what? Autry earned those stars, unlike a lot of people who just paid the Chamber of Commerce fee to get one. How many times have you walked over a star on Hollywood Blvd. and not had the faintest clue who it was?

It's a stretch to call this a dig on Autry.

Hoping Ervin Santana turns it around in Salt Lake. Go, Ervin!

by scareduck on Jan 10, 2008 10:44 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Don't really follow you

your second paragraph doesn't seem to follow fron your first.

The "no coincidence" remark is a weasel's way of saying that Autry only got his five stars because of Grant's intercession, which infers that Autry's career did not reflect this level of achievement. Absent any supporting evidence, this is indeed a gratuitous and mean-spirited dig not only on Autry but on Grant as well.

The inclusion of the "no coincidence" remark, a baseless comment arising from ignorance of our town's history, is just plain bad journalism of a kind that is all too typical of the LA Times nowadays. Don't they have editors there anymore?

". . .and the young lions will lock horns!" -- Ron Fairly, from an Angels telecast

by rspencer on Jan 10, 2008 12:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Feh

Feh is a Hebrew letter in its alphabet. Peh precedes it.

for those academics visit http://paperesearch.blogspot.com/

by roidrage on Jan 11, 2008 11:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You're nothin' till you have a statue in the

Wax Museum.

"We're still in the information-gathering process," Reagins said.

by 44FAN on Jan 10, 2008 12:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Did the Movieland

Wax Museum in Buena Park close? I know it was in financial trouble a few years back.

Angels fan since '67

by red floyd on Jan 10, 2008 12:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, it closed.

There is still the one on Hollywood Blvd.

"We're still in the information-gathering process," Reagins said.

by 44FAN on Jan 10, 2008 1:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Movieland obit and reason

As a Buena Park resident, I sometimes frequented the Starbucks which shared the parking lot with MWM. Both businesses shared a common hallway where one could either buy tickets or turn right into the Starbucks.

I've lived in B.P. for many years and can honestly say that the MWM had but few patrons over the years, and the land was sold to make way for a Best Buy, thus destroying the Beach Blvd. corridor which includes other tourist attractions such as Medieval Times, a Pirate attraction and other such businesses including the flagship Knott's Berry Farm.

These businesses, part of the BPD, or Buena Park downtown, which includes the failing BP mall, are all hurting and failing except for Knotts.

One can understand why as the City relies on ancient city council members who are reelected year after year. The average age of these rubber stampers is short of Moses. Ruining the Beach Blvd. entertainment corridor by allowing Best Buy to move in and spending millions on fixing up the BPD area which lacked any flagship stores, shows why the city has many gang problems.

The council neglects its obligations to its residents, especially in the south of the city where Cypress is just across the street. Cypress property values are ten to fifteen percent higher then the BP housing values, even though the houses are identical.

for those academics visit http://paperesearch.blogspot.com/

by roidrage on Jan 11, 2008 10:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I worked at Movieland

in 1981. It was packed nearly every day - busloads of tourists on the weekdays and jammed on the weekends. Around the Holidays they had cops directing traffic to get into and out of the parking lot.

Missus HF and I went in 2005 (just before they announced the coming closure) and much of it was still familiar, but it was E M P T Y ! ! !... that just seemed so weird...

Who can forget the PALACE OF LIVING ART next door, though?

by Rev Halofan on Jan 11, 2008 12:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

That's why I asked. I was there in '05 as well, and it was empty. I think it was 3 weeks before it closed for good, if I remember what the staff said. A damned shame, if you ask me.

Didn't the pirate place used to be Buffalo Bill's Wild West Revue?

Angels fan since '67

by red floyd on Jan 11, 2008 5:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Buffalo Bill's

The only good thing on that side of the street is the Fuddruckers. They don't serve buffaloes.

At the other end of the street is the Claim Jumper. Target opened where the bowling alley and health club used to be next to the Black Anus.

But don't drink the O.C. water. It is officially recycled sewer water.

for those academics visit http://paperesearch.blogspot.com/

by roidrage on Jan 12, 2008 12:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

what yellow journalism...

that's some weak-ass reporting. to have a jab like that about two great men who past away is amateurish. and autry's stars really has nothing to do with the story but it had to be inserted. i'm shocked they didn't try to draw any conclusions about grant being a "life-long bachelor." wouldn't put it past them.

by thejd on Jan 10, 2008 12:33 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

the absolute worst/best wax museum is...

this little shithole in downtown st.louis. here's a snapshot of it:
-jackie robinson and flip wilson were the same black guy w/different thrift store clothes on.
-queen elizabeth had an eye lash that fell-off and was in her
eye and a her name of a piece of paper push-pinned on
the back of her hand.
-steve mcqueen was on a motorcycle w/with a cardboard sign
around his neck with a sign written in crayon "he liked to
ride motorcycles."

by thejd on Jan 10, 2008 1:31 PM PST reply actions 0 recs