Who'll reign for Hollywood?

By Bob Pool

March 17, 2008 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Bodacious billboard queen Angelyne wants to become the next star of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Not with a bronze plaque embedded in Hollywood Boulevard’s terrazzo sidewalk. But as the person who presides over Tinseltown’s biggest tourist tradition.

Civic leaders are searching for a new honorary mayor who can help choose Walk of Fame honorees and then stage glitzy star unveilings in a way that makes celebrities and onlookers alike feel special.

Longtime Honorary Mayor Johnny Grant had that knack during the 28 years he helped run the Walk of Fame and emceed its sidewalk ceremonies for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. He died Jan. 9 at age 84.

Though the selection could be months away, three front-runners have emerged: Angelyne, longtime Hollywood radio personality Gary Owens and “Let’s Make a Deal” game-show host Monty Hall.

With these three Hollywood veterans, “change” is not exactly a buzzword in this race.

Angelyne, whose billboards picture her pouting provocatively, began campaigning for the honorary mayor’s job after Grant’s death.

She describes herself as “ageless” -- although she’s 46, according to Los Angeles County voter registration records, or 50, according to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb).

Hall, 86, received his star on the Walk of Fame in 1973. Owens, 71, got his in 1980. Angelyne does not have one.

So far, no younger names have been mentioned -- even though Hollywood in the last decade has been transformed into a hip district of trendy nightspots and upscale restaurants favored by young stars such as Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.

Chamber of Commerce officials say they will take their time picking Grant’s replacement -- even though they face a long list of scheduled Walk of Fame ceremonies.

For now, chamber President Leron Gubler is serving as master of ceremonies for unveilings, including the most recent one last Friday: TV wrestling show pioneer Vince McMahon received his star near the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

“There’s no urgency,” Gubler said. “The board decided they weren’t doing anything about Johnny’s replacement until after his memorial service March 6. Now they’re just brainstorming.”

Gubler said he had heard Owens and Hall mentioned for the Walk of Fame emcee job.

“Angelyne? That’s one I hadn’t heard. That’s not to say she’s not in the running.”

But Angelyne is already on the campaign trail. She’s promoting her run on her website and has won the support of some members of the Hollywood Political Action Committee, a neighborhood activist group.

Angelyne became locally famous in the early 1980s when billboards featuring her in sexy poses popped up around the city. She became something of a Hollywood icon when images of the billboards appeared in what she describes as “hundreds” of films.

She was one of 135 candidates in the 2003 gubernatorial recall election (she finished 28th).

“I’d definitely promote Hollywood in a much brighter light. It needs more flash -- pink flash,” said the buxom blond, who tools around town in a pink 2004 Corvette with the personalized license plate ANGLYNE.

“When people think of Hollywood, they think of Angelyne,” she said. “For goodness’ sake, I was born for the job. Ceremonial suits me fine. It’s way better than a job.”

Her vision for Hollywood calls for a blending of old and new. She said vintage buildings should be “dolled up” to preserve Tinseltown’s authentic look. “I could make it be the hottest place ever. I could make it so you cannot be depressed in Hollywood.”

Veteran broadcaster Owens said he is interested in the post, and that he would be happy to share ceremonial duties with Hall.

“I think that would be great, perfect,” Owens joked. “If Monty wasn’t there, I could say, ‘You can have this bunch of bananas or what’s behind door No. 3’ ”

Owens began his Los Angeles broadcast career in 1961 as a disc jockey at KFWB-AM (980). He later had a two-decade run as a personality at KMPC-AM (710).

He became nationally known as the ear-cupping announcer on NBC’s “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” TV comedy show.

“I would be honored. Hollywood has been my life,” he said of the mayoral job.

“At Johnny Grant’s 84th-birthday celebration, he suggested me as one of the people who might be mayor when he wasn’t here. I’d known Johnny since 1962, when I took over his show on KMPC when he went to KTLA-TV Channel 5.”

One of the first things he’d do, Owens said, would be to create a catch-phrase for Hollywood -- as he did with “Beautiful Downtown Burbank” for “Laugh-In” and, earlier, when he reported the temperatures in “Romantic Reseda” and “Magnificent Monrovia” for KFWB.

Hall, a longtime game-show producer and host, is actually a former honorary mayor who preceded Grant in the post by about eight years.

Hall insisted he’s not interested in another term -- for now, at least.

“My recommendation, which I called in after Johnny passed away, was Gary Owens. He’s been in Hollywood many years. He’s quite well-identified,” Hall said.

“I have enough on my plate” as international chairman of the Variety Club and involvement in such things as charity tennis tournaments, he said. “I don’t want to go back as honorary mayor until Franklin D. Roosevelt goes back to Washington.”

But should Tinseltown be looking for somebody younger? Some of the newer faces on Hollywood Boulevard think so.

At the Day After nightclub, staffer Marcella Vasquez suggested that someone like trance music deejays Paul Van Dyk or Paul Oakenfold would lend a young vibe to star ceremonies.

“But you’d need to pay them. Would they work for free? I don’t think so,” Vasquez said.

But free it’s got to be.

Chamber officials said the next honorary mayor, like Grant, won’t be paid. And one big perk will be missing: Grant’s sprawling two-bedroom, two-bath penthouse atop the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel -- the one with the private 14th-floor terrace that offers breathtaking views from downtown Los Angeles to the ocean. Grant leased it for $2,000 a month.

“That’s a prime spot. I’m sure the hotel is going to use it now for big events,” said Anna Martinez-Holler, a chamber vice president.

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