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.

Mateo Stoneman, White Mariachi; My Way on the Highway; Where Your Money Goes; Dumpster Diving For the Working Poor; Skid Row's Only Women's Shelter; Tree of Life; Words as Currency; Classical Music Forecast; Guacamole, Mon Amour; NPR Name Game; The Unsung Pelon; Giving's Only Natural; Soundtrack of Your Life; Letters

Off-Ramp wins LA Press Club's National Entertainment Journalism Award; City Government says: Waste Water; Prudent Planting; Immigration Affairs; Videos Galore; The Barbers at Legends; Let It Snow, Let It Snow; Life in the "Fast" Lane; Pasadena Newsstand Closes; Bratton on Britney; The Restaurant With No Sign; A San Francisco Dandy; My Story

Soundtrack of Your Life; Song Stories; Okies at the Getty; Sound of Los Angeles; Skid Row: Treating Diabetes; Bike On; Mix Tapes; Letters

BCAM Cometh; How Great The Art?; Bob Dylan at the Skirball; Marlene Dietrich sings "Blowin' In The Wind."; Firth In Our Hearts; Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Milton; Shabu Shabu; For Valentine's Day; Racism for Dummies; Commuters Looking For Community; Holocaust Museum Breaks Ground; Letters

Former Daily Show Correspondent on Super Tuesday; Fast Food Dude on the State of the Union; Buy America; How To Get Around Saving; In the Spin Room; Young American; McCain's New Theme Song; Rally Maverick; Latino Vote; Bill Can't Stop Thinking About Yesterday; Ch-Ch-Changes; D.I.Y. T.V.; Super Bowl Past; Doo Dah; JPL Marks 50th Anniversary of the First U.S. Mission Into Space

Doo Dah-Palooza; A (Deli)cious Tradition; Guacamole, Mon Amour; The Ineffable Off-Ramp Mysterions land at Doo-Dah; The Dresser's Dilemma; The Dresser's Answer; Too Hot!; Pop Star; Abundant Pharmacy; And We're Off!; Grand Theft Antiquities?; Tarzan of Tarzana

Father's Day; Stay at home dad; MYOB; Maila Nuri, Vamp Extraordinaire; It's a Wonderful Life in Encino; A Broad View of History; A Dream Partnership; Inside Huxley's World; No Frills B.B.Q.; Nothing, Honey.; Off-Ramp Exit Interview; Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Grade A Investigator; Grover Grades Restaurants; Gotcha!; Graciela Iturbide on La Fotografia; Identy Theft or Art?; Watching the L-Word Is Code for I'm Gay!; It's Raining, It's Pouring, The Ocean is Groaning; Green Streets; He Giveth and Taketh Away; Don't Burn the Beans!; Seven Spicy Seas