In 1954, Maila Nurmi shocked the world as sexy horror host Vampira on KABC. She rocketed to national, then worldwide stardom, then quickly faded ... although her character was a clear blueprint, much later, for Cassandra Peterson's "Elvira" character on TV and in the movies. Nurmi died in 2008.

In 2010 Off-Ramp contributor R.H. Greene, who became friends with Nurmi in her later years, told her story for Off-Ramp in a documentary called "Vampira and Me." (The radio doc became a film in 2012.)

Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

"I would run my sticky fingers across images that seemed to be beamed from some magical, alternative universe where people gave dinner parties and owned patio furniture." -- David Dean Bottrell's "Crafty Little Christmas" 

Every year, I'd put my name next to twenty toys in the JC Penny and Sears Christmas catalogs, and guess what ... every year I wouldn't get everything I wanted. And every years I was sorely disappointed. Big surprise. It took a long time before I woke up,  changed my ways, and discovered a lot more happiness on Christmas. 

The Christmas catalog played a slightly different role for actor/writer/teacher/Kentuckian/homosexual David Dean Bottrell, and this week, we're setting the proper mood for the season -- don't be greedy! -- by listening to his story "A Crafty Little Christmas," which he performed for "Once Upon a Christmas" in 2012. (We first broadcast it on Off-Ramp in 2013.)

Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

Brian May and Elena Vidal talk about "A Village Lost and Found," their preservation and tribute of the stereo photos of TR Williams.

Off-Ramp's junior reporters tour the newest/oldest wing of LA's Natural History Museum ... The LA Garment Citizen shuts down ... LA's best hot dogs on the Eat-LA/Off-Ramp Collaboration ... Remembering animator Pres Romanillos ... Dinner Party Download ... Slot cars!

Return to Doodah Surf!

EatLA-Off-Ramp Collaboration covers relish ... sneak preview of the Natural History Museum's Beaux Arts Building ... Dinner Party Download ... Twitter Poets on CyberFrequencies ...

Todd Schorr's Universe ... Anime Expo takes over LA ... Taschen explores Big Butts ... CyberFrequencies ... Mr Irrelevant -- the last NFL draft pick -- isn't ... Alan Furst's historical spy novels.

Tom Hanks' lets Off-Ramp onto the set of his new movie, "Larry Crowne" ... the subtle (not) art of Jean-Leon Gerome, on display at the Getty ... Silverlake Man Builds Own Bread Oven in Backyard ... Bugs in your Backyard ... Local Man Forgoes Laker Playoff Game for Ring Cycle ... Firefighters Loved "Emergency!" Local Museum Gets Show's Firetruck ...

L-Word Creator tells CyberFrequency how she adapted to social media ... RH Greene on films and memories of Eastern Europe ... Tom Hanks on public radio, "Larry Crowne," and "Philadelphia" ... Charlie LeDuff on Fathers Day ... Larry Mantle talks radio with John.

Noisy chips ... Mark Peel's "The Point" ... best milkshakes in the Empire ... Soup that's probably too hot for humans (sane ones, anyway) ... Eat-LA-Off-Ramp Collaboration on Goat and Global Pizza ... Michael Cimarusti's "What I Learned on my Japanese Vacation."