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.

Joan Baez: Fifty Years of Folk; There's Gold in These Hills!; John Nabs Scam Artist!; Gold Fever; This Great Undemocracy; Meet the "Mayor of Nugget Alley"; Miki Dora, Rebel Surfer; They Animated Us; Drew Street Demolition; Music on Off-Ramp: "There's a Goldmine in the Sky"

We've Been Recognized; StoryCorps Comes to LA; Nathaniel Ayers Update; Control the Cars!; Guitar Hero; A Modest Proposal; Happy Chinese New Year; What's in an Ox?; Remembering Nils Asther; Animal Show or Performance Art?; New Gang Plan for Gangland; Coachella Complaining; Line Drives and Lipstick; Barbershop Quartets descend on Pasadena

The World Was In Color; William Shatner, the Listener; Gustavo Takes the Baton; Brace for Unemployment; Obama Vendors; Millions at the Mall; Korean BBQ Tacos?!; Tracking the Heroin Trade; Making History at the Mall; The Man Behind MoLAA; Song for Night; On the Righteous Path; Watching the L-Word is Code for I'm Gay!; The Obama Quest For A Puppy!

Busted?; Graffiti Artist or Vandal?; Graffiti Removal; Malibu Heroes; Living with your Mother-In-Law; Tuskegee Airmen celebrate Obama; Good-Bye LA; Famed Songwriter Lamont Dozier; Chip Off the Old Block; MOCA Update; Off-Ramp Music Recommendations

Bluesman John Bigham; The Ashes of Oakridge; Counting Crime; Why "Bail Out" a Healthy Bank?; A Christmas Catastrophe; Growing Up Ahmed; A Music Odyssey; Don't Call Them Hell's Angels; David Fincher on Dinner Party Download; The Play's a Thing

Meet Angel Joy Blue; A Tribute to Theme Songs; He's Alive; A Down-to-Earth Angel; Jazzing up the Classics; It's A Good Day to Be a Songwriter in L.A.; Angel Gets her Wings; Mock Me Gently; Queen of Disco in LA

A Christmas Carol Redux

LA Goes Live; Clarence McDonald: Follow My Lead; The Schlepometer, Explained; Living the High Life; 21st Amendment Rights; Hey, Cabbie!; They Built It. Will We Come?; Crunchy or Smooth?; Cafe Tacuba; Coldplay Stole My Song!; He's THE Fox