Wave Staff Report
HOLLYWOOD — The 92nd Hollywood Christmas Parade will be held Dec. 1 with “Hawkeye” star Jeremy Renner serving as grand marshal.
Renner, 53, is an award-winning actor and philanthropist whose RennerVation Foundation is a youth-focused nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for at-risk youth and children in foster care. The star of films including “The Hurt Locker” and the “Avengers” series, as well as the TV show “Mayor of Kingstown,” Renner has frequently channeled his influence toward philanthropy.
A popular holiday tradition in Southern California, the Hollywood Christmas Parade features movie cars, bands from around the country, colorful equestrians, character balloons, floats and specialty acts. It will all be topped off with an appearance by Santa Claus.
This year’s parade will feature 90 celebrities, 16 performers, 12 bands, 13 large-than-life four-story character balloons, five floats, and 75 novelty acts and movie cars.
The parade will travel along a 3.2-mile U-shaped route starting at Orange Street and Hollywood Boulevard traveling east on Hollywood Boulevard to Vine Street, turning south on Vine Street to Sunset Boulevard, and then turning west on Sunset Boulevard traveling back to Orange Street.
The parade will be hosted by Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie, with Montel Williams and Elizabeth Stanton.
“We look forward to bringing holiday cheer to all this year with the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade which has a charitable mission of bringing attention to Marine Toys for Tots and other organizations which help underprivileged people during this important giving season,” McKenzie said. “Come be a part of this magical event where entertainment and philanthropy unite.”
Previous grand marshals have included Jeanette Loft, Joe E. Brown, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Bob Hope, Art Linklater, Lawrence Welk, Charlton Heston, Dale Evans and Roy Rogers, Danny Thomas, Mary Pickford, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Vaughn, Pat Boone, Fred McMurray, Buddy Ebsen, Walter Matthau, Ernest Borgnine, Johnny Mathis, General Robert E. Cushman Jr., John Wayne, Gen. Omar Bradley, James Stewart, and Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood.
Others include Ron Howard, George Peppard, Michael Landon, William Shatner, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Tony Danza, Sammy Davis Jr., Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Arnold and Roseanne Barr, Bob and Dolores Hope, Louis Gossett Jr., David Hasselhoff, Robert Urich, Beau Bridges, Dennis Hopper and Frankie Muñiz, Peter Fonda, Mickey Rooney, Johnny Grant, Magic Johnson, Antonio Villaraigosa, George López, Bob Barker, Joy and Regis Philbin, Susan Lucci, Larry King, Marie Osmond, Joe Mantegna, Buzz Aldrin, Stevie Wonder, Penn & Teller, Olivia Newton-John, Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, Nancy O’Dell, Mario Lopez, Sheryl Underwood, Danny Trejo and Col. Paris D. Davis.
“Access Hollywood” host Mario Lopez will receive the Humanitarian Award. The TV personality, whose new film “Once Upon a Christmas Wish” debuts Dec. 7 on the Great American Family Channel, will ride in the parade along with his wife, actress and TV personality Courtney Lopez, and his children.
The parade starts at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 and will be taped for broadcast on the CW Network at 8 p.m. on Dec. 14.
