Johnny Grant

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Johnny Grant is a radio personality, television producer and the honorary mayor of Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, which is an unpaid and unelected ceremonial position with no legal status, given that Hollywood is not a city, but rather a district within the City of Los Angeles. The honorary mayor is present at Hollywood community functions, including the unveiling of new stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[1]

Grant was born May 1923 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, [2] and made his show business debut on the radio in 1939 as a local newscaster there. According to publicity released by the third annual Hollywood Film Festival in 1999:[3]

He received national recognition for his unprecedented coverage of North Carolina's Irby Holmes murder trial. Mr. Grant convinced the judge to allow him to stand in the courtroom doorway and broadcast live periodic reports of the progress in the trial. According to court and station officials, this was the first time that a live microphone had been allowed in a courtroom. The defendant, a part-time preacher, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He asked the judge for permission to preach a final sermon and was refused, but he was allowed to write his sermon and Mr. Grant delivered it on the air.

Grant went into the Army Air Corps during World War II, when he hosted a daily radio show in New York City for servicemen and women in which, among other duties, he did interviews with entertainment stars who were in the city. He stayed in New York after his discharge and worked as a reporter for station WINS. Along with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, Grant co-hosted the first national telethon ever produced, a fund-raiser to help send America's Olympic athletes to Helsinki in 1952.[4]

He is a retired major general in the California State Military Reserve, a volunteer backup and support force of the California National Guard. He is the only person ever to twice receive an Order of California, the state's highest honor. He was the first recipient of the highest honor awarded by the USO, the United Service Organizations. He has been chairman of the Los Angeles City Fire Commission, the Los Angeles County Social Service Commission and the Burbank, California, Police Commission,[5] Most recently he has been a member of the Los Angeles City Cultural Heritage Commission.[6]

Grant has won the Emmy Award twice.[7] He was also chairman of the "Hollywood Christmas Parade and head of the Hollywood Walk of Fame committee.[8] Grant is a member of the Los Angeles City Cultural Heritage Commission.[9]