“Mayor of Hollywood” Johnny Grant, 84
Posted: Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 11:20 pmJohnny Grant, the avuncular honorary mayor of Hollywood, died Wednesday at his suite in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. He was 84.
Grant, who died of apparently natural causes, was perhaps best known as the jolly host of the ceremonies in which he inducted more than 500 celebrities into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The lifelong bachelor lived in a 14th-floor suite at the hotel.
Grant’s mission in life was bringing the Hollywood story to everyone. He hosted red-carpet Oscar arrivals and Walk of Fame festivities, appeared in bit parts in movies and produced Hollywood’s annual Christmas Parade. …
Over the years he emceed numerous premieres with Daily Variety’s Army Archerd, and he presented Archerd with his own star in front of the Chinese Theater in 1984. On Jan. 3, he told Archerd that he recently helped arrange a star ceremony for Suzanne Pleshette, skedded for Jan. 31. … Read full obituary
