The 2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade/Live Positively Presented by Coca-Cola Announces Susan Lucci As The 2009 Parade Grand Marshal

Susan Lucci, the Emmy Award winning actress, star of "All My Children" and America's Reigning Queen of Daytime Television has been announced as the 2009 Grand Marshal for The Hollywood Christmas Parade Live Positively Presented by Coca-Cola. Other Parade Presenting Sponsors include The City of Los Angeles and Associated Television International.

Susan Lucci, who lives in New York City, where her popular television show, "All My Children" is filmed said: "I am thrilled and honored to serve as the Grand Marshal of the 2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade. I am so happy that this year's parade will be telecast for the first time ever as a two-hour primetime television event, spreading holiday cheer and happiness to Americans across the country. The Hollywood Christmas Parade is for children and families, both of whom are very important to me in my personal life. Soon ‘All My Children' will be relocating from New York to Los Angeles in January 2010 where the show will be filmed in the years ahead. I'm looking forward to working in Los Angeles and enjoying the beautiful sunny weather in the Southland."

The Hollywood Christmas Parade Live Positively Presented by Coca-Cola will include celebrities from film, television and stage; award winning bands; colorful equestrians; ornate floats and specialty characters. The holidays will be ushered in with a special appearance by Santa Claus. The parade will travel on a U-shaped route throughout Hollywood, CA on Orange Street and Hollywood Boulevard, traveling East onto Hollywood Boulevard turning South onto Vine Street, and then traveling West onto Sunset Boulevard back to Orange Street.
The Hollywood Christmas Parade, an American tradition, promises to be extra special this year. This is the first time in over 80 years that the parade will air nationally as a two-hour television, primetime event. MyNetworkTV will telecast the parade. Associated Television International will produce the special.

David McKenzie, President of Associated Television International, said: "Proceeds from the telecasts of the parade will benefit this year's official charity, Feed The Children, a nonprofit relief organization which delivers food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty or natural disasters. We are happy to do our part to help those in need."

The parade will be presented in Hollywood starting at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 29, 2009. The event will be taped for a nationwide broadcast to initially air on Thursday, December 10, 2009 from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m./7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (Central Time), followed by an Encore Presentation to be aired on Thursday, December 24, 2009 from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m./7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (Central Time).

Reserved Grandstand Seating for The Hollywood Christmas Parade/Live Positively Presented by Coca-Cola are now available for purchase within Associated Television International's "live set" area located on Hollywood Boulevard between Orange Street and Highland Avenue. Tickets are $35 per ticket. Group Discounts are available. To order tickets, please call toll free at 1-866-PARADE1 (1-866-727-2331).
One of the easiest ways to get to the parade is to take Metro. There are two stations located on the parade route, one at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, and another at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. For further information or to plan the best route, use the Metro Trip Planner at www.metro.net. For updates and further information about The Hollywood Christmas Parade/Live Positively Presented by Coca-Cola, please visit the parade's official website, www.TheHollywoodChristmasParade.com.

About Susan Lucci:
Susan Lucci was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2006 and garnered her own Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 28, 2005. That date will stay in memories of fans of Lucci as much as the day she won the Emmy Award in May of 1999. This tremendous honor is the icing on the cake of an incredible career as Erica Kane on "All My Children." In fact, she has been honored with many awards over the course of her career spanning from her tireless work with children, her passionate dedication to her community and in celebration of her work as an actress.

In fact, when VH-1 named her one of their "200 Top Icons of all Time," Lucci was thrilled and honored by the reference. Her work and her contributions to the entertainment community and beyond have become timeless. Any new endeavor she partakes only continues to add dimension to her already multi-faceted and award winning career.

As the most famous face in daytime television history, Lucci has held audiences spellbound for years as the sexy, sassy, beautiful "woman you love to hate," Erica Kane on ABC's Daytime Drama Series, "All My Children." In May 1999, all of America stood and cheered when Susan Lucci won the Emmy Award for "Best Actress." It was a historic moment not only for Susan Lucci, but for all of television.

Most recently, Lucci participated as a celebrity dancer on ABC's primetime reality television program, "Dancing With The Stars." She has hosted "Saturday Night Live" and guest starred in a one hour special of the successful ABC series "Hope and Faith," and on an episode of The Disney Channel's "That's So Raven." Lucci portrays a female contemporary Scrooge in the Lifetime movie, "Ebbie," which airs every holiday season. Her role in that movie renewed the industry's attention and admiration for her as it showed a lighter side to her dramatic turns on daytime television.

Lucci's artistic excellence allowed her the opportunity to expand to careers in theater and cabaret. Her nightclub performances opening for Regis Philbin have dazzled audiences as she has graced the stage to sold-out crowds and performed solo concerts across the country. In October 2001, Lucci debuted her cabaret act at "Feinstein's at the Regency" in New York City working with director John McDaniels and Shawn Gough. In his review of Lucci, Rex Reed of the "New York Observer" stated: "This is a gal that sends you home smiling."

During her 1999 Broadway debut starring as Annie Oakley in the Revival of Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun," Lucci not only received a standing ovations from the entire house, but she had lines of fans around the block, both old and new, waiting for an opportunity to catch her either on stage or upon her departure from the stage door, for autographs. Michael Logan of TV Guide wrote: "Susan Lucci didn't just take Great White Way by storm: she took it by tornado, hurricane and tsunami, too."

Acting and singing are only two of Lucci's many passions. She has also become a successful entrepreneur. In 1991, she launched the Susan Lucci Collection of hair care products. She created a sensual fragrance, Susan Lucci Invitation, and a fresh, sparkling fragrance, LaLucci. Both fragrances were finalists for the renowned Fifi Award.

The year of 2001 brought great inspiration and success for Lucci as she introduced her own jewelry, shoes, and accessory lines - all inspired by offering apparel for women of all shapes and sizes. In 2003 she introduced a lingerie line for "beauty of all ages." Her head-to-toe collection is a constant sell-out and available on the Home Shopping Network (HSN), www.HSN.com and through Susan Lucci's own personal Web site, www.susanlucci.com.

In June 2002, Lucci also introduced a personal microdermabrasion system with Guthy-Renker, Youthful Essence by Susan Lucci which has sold over 2 million kits since its debut, and was awarded "Best Beauty Informercial" at the 2004 Electronic Retailing Association Awards. Lucci has expanded her expertise with Guthy-Renker by presenting a Pilates chair fitness program entitled, "Malibu Pilates."

Lucci always makes sure to find time for what she believes to be most important: children. Most recently she journeyed to Africa in support of Feed The Children that she describes as a life-altering experience. She was honored as Woman of the Year by the Pajama Program, an organization providing pajamas and books to children in need. She was recently honored at the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. She supports Little Flower Children & Family Services of New York, the largest child care agency in the state of New York providing foster care and adoption services to all five boroughs as well as Long Island.

She has also served as the March of Dimes' National Ambassador in 2000 and as a celebrity spokesperson for AMDC (Academic Medicine Development Company) and The New York Cancer Project. She was the recipient of the prestigious New York City Gracie Award and the Muse Award for Women in Film & Television. In 2004 she accepted an award from Albert Einstein Medical Center. She is also involved with Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. She has also been presented the Italian Board of Guardians Lifetime Achievement Award.

Susan Lucci has been honored by the City of New York by being presented with a "Key to the City" by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. She also received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and joined the 1,000 Broadway legends as her caricature became immortalized on the walls of New York's famous Sardi's Restaurant. Lucci's handprint can be seen at New York City's Planet Hollywood. She has been named one of E! Entertainment's "The Top Entertainers of the Year" as well as one of Barbara Walters' "Ten Most Fascinating People." Her "Lifetime Intimate Portrait" aired on the Lifetime Cable Network in May 2003 and she has hosted "White House Christmas Special" for A&E. Lucci's accomplishments and contributions to the world of television and the performing arts have truly made her an icon to millions.

Photo credit: Walter McBride