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.

Return to DooDah ... Dandelion Wine Rewound ... Garden Envy

Julius Shulman RIP ... Biking to Tennessee ... Take the TemperaTour ... Father Boyle on Homeboy Industries ... CyberFrequencies on Kindergarten bloggers

CyberFrequencies on Palin enemies list ... Wayne White, artist, banjoist, new Oldham book ... last silent movie organist dies ... living Chicano rock history ... Dinner Party Download on Ali

Malden, RIP ... Medical Pot via Twitter ... Razorcake Lives ... Virtual AnimeExpo ... Bratton Changes Cop-Godzilla Paradigm

Boxer Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola speaks ... How the Hammer Museum will spend $1,000,000 ... Garrison Keillor reads a love sonnet.

Garrison Keillor on Jesse Ventura ... OCMA's picture problems ... another episode of Cyber Frequencies ... Chris Ames takes on Santa Ana.

The documentary "The Ashes of Oakridge" takes us to a mobile home park in Sylmar devastated by wildfires.

What happens to comics and crosswords if newspapers die? Plus, billboard art, Eric Garcetti's first career, Norwegian datarock, the new waltzmeister, and a woodworking icon remembered. Enjoy!