The Don Lee Network , sometimes called the Don Lee Broadcasting System , was an American regional network of radio stations in the old-time radio era.
70-888: Don Lee made a fortune as the exclusive West Coast distributor of Cadillac automobiles. He expanded into broadcasting by purchasing radio stations KFRC in San Francisco in 1926 and KHJ in Los Angeles in 1927. The stations were connected by telephone circuits and in December 1928 the Don Lee Broadcasting System was formed. Within a month, KMJ in Fresno, California ; KWG in Stockton, California ; and KFBK in Sacramento, California , had joined
140-500: A 113-foot-long (34 m) float from Dick Van Patten 's Natural Balance Pet Foods , which set a Guinness world record for the longest single-chassis float. The City of West Covina paid tribute to the "service and commitment of the Tuskegee Airmen " with a float entitled "Tuskegee Airmen – A Cut Above" , which featured a large bald eagle, two replica World War II "Redtails" fighter planes, and historical images of some of
210-497: A Sunday). Produced by the non-profit Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association , the parade usually starts at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time ( UTC–8 ), and includes flower-covered floats , marching bands, and equestrian units. The parade is followed in the afternoon by the Rose Bowl , one of the major bowl games in college football . It has been uninterrupted except during World War II in 1942, 1943, and 1945, and in 2021 due to
280-638: A Sunday, tradition dictated that the parade would be held on Monday, January 2, 2012. The 2012 Rose Parade had 43 floats, featuring the Honda float featuring Grammy Award-winning musician Kenny G aboard, the LMU Centennial Celebration float, and the Girl Scouts of the USA 100th Anniversary float (entitled "What Will You Do Today?" ). Float builder Fiesta Floats donated their services to
350-407: A club meeting, Professor Charles F. Holder announced, "In New York, people are buried in the snow. Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise." So the club organized horse-drawn carriages covered in flowers, followed by foot races, polo matches, and a game of tug-of-war on the town lot that attracted a crowd of 2,000 to
420-525: A flyover signals the start of the parade. Since 2019, the parade concludes with a special guest doing the ceremonial pass from the parade to the Rose Bowl . On July 15, 2020, it was announced that the Rose Parade for 2021 would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic ; it was assessed under current conditions that the construction of floats for the parade could not be performed in a safe manner, while
490-454: A halt to further development of television, although W6XAO continued limited broadcasts throughout the war. W6XAO was commercially licensed in May 1948, when it became KTSL. The company later pursued production of TV programs. In January 1950 it signed William Dieterle to a long-term contract to produce and direct TV films with Don Lee Television providing financing and Blair TV Inc. distributing
560-422: A variety of network shows." Others who worked for Lee and went on to achieve national popularity included Don Wilson , Ralph Edwards , Art Linkletter , Harold Peary , Morey Amsterdam , Merv Griffin , John Nesbitt , and Bea Benederet . Mark Goodson created game shows for the network before becoming better known for his work with Bill Todman in producing game shows for television. Programs that originated in
630-556: Is now used by its FM sister station , which is owned by iHeartMedia . Lee died in Los Angeles, California , aged 54. Tournament of Roses Parade The Rose Parade , also known as the Tournament of Roses Parade (or simply the Tournament of Roses ), is an annual parade held mostly along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California , United States, on New Year's Day (or on Monday, January 2 if New Year's Day falls on
700-514: The Property Brothers ) co-hosted the parade. The 2015 parade had 41 floats. New participants were ABC's The Bachelor , American Armenian Rose Float Association, Kiehl's Since 1851, Northwestern Mutual , United Sikh Mission, and Zappos .com. The 2016 parade featured 44 floats, 19 equestrian units, and 20 marching bands. New participants were Los Angeles Lakers , City of Irvine Chamber of Commerce, South Dakota Tourism,
770-460: The COVID-19 pandemic . First held on January 1, 1890, the Rose Parade is watched by hundreds of thousands of spectators. The Rose Bowl college football game was added in 1902 to help fund the cost of staging the parade. Since 2011, Honda has been a presenting sponsor of the Rose Parade. Accordingly, the company has the parade's first float, which like all floats, follows the parade's theme. Members of Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club first staged
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#1732787970592840-1009: The City of Roseville 's Entertaining Dreams for a Century . The 2010 parade saluted the men and women serving America throughout the world with a flyover at the beginning of the parade by four F/A-18 jets (performed by pilots of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 , the "Fighting Redcocks") from the Naval Air Station at Lemoore, California ). New floats that joined the 2011 Rose Parade were: Beverly Hills Tournament of Roses Committee, Cunard Line , Dole , Los Angeles County Firemen 's Benefit & Welfare: Never Forget 9/11 "Remember, Reflect, Renew", UNO 40th Anniversary, "Messina Wildlife Management", Namco Bandai Games , "Quikrete" Cement & Concrete Products, "Saving America's Mustangs Foundation", and Shriner's Hospitals For Children. The 2012 Rose Parade had 43 floats, 21 bands, and 18 equestrian units with approximately 400 horses. The honor for being
910-481: The Mutual Broadcasting System . The purchase helped to make General Tire the majority owner of Mutual, and Don Lee's assets became part of what would eventually become RKO General . It also included Hollywood studios estimated to be worth $ 3 million. KTSL was sold to CBS and is today's KCBS-TV . Don Lee (broadcaster) Donald Musgrave Lee (August 12, 1880 – August 30, 1934) was
980-622: The "Granddaddy of 'em all" was not held the same day as the parade; the 2002 game was played on January 3, the 2006 game was played on January 4. Not all fans were pleased with the change; some thought the atmosphere and tradition of the Rose Bowl was lost. Once the BCS title game was separated from the host bowl, it no longer affected the date of the Rose Bowl Game (even when the title game returned to Pasadena in 2010 and 2014). Traditionally,
1050-695: The "Vine Street Theatre" co-located at the same address and purchased by ABC Television around 1967 and was used as the home of The Joey Bishop Show and, in the 1970s, as studios for The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game . The structure was purchased in 2002 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a site for the academy's film archive and the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study . In September 1948, Superior Judge Harold B. Jeffery declared Thomas S. Lee mentally incompetent, appointing network vice presidents Lewis Allen Weiss—also
1120-671: The American people. The parade's closing unit featured Coco Jones of the Disney Channel . Featured in the 2014 parade were 45 floats, including new floats from eHarmony , K9s4COPS , Public Storage ("Adventures In Space") and SeaWorld . Actor, director, writer, producer Garry Marshall played the role of "director" on Burbank 's "Lights...camera...action!" float. KC and the Sunshine Band were featured on Stella Rosa Wine 's "Stellabrate Good Times" float. Performing on
1190-705: The California Milk Advisory Board, PBS (featuring Downton Abbey ), and Union Bank . It marked the end of Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards 's participation in the parade for local television station KTLA . Singpoli Group's float "Marco Polo East Meets West", constructed by float builder Paradiso was judged as the sweepstakes winner, the "Most beautiful entry in the Parade with outstanding floral presentation and design." The 2020 Rose Parade featured 40 floats, 17 equestrian units with over 450 horses, and 20 marching bands. The Co-Grand Marshals of
1260-722: The Clydesdales of the U.S. Army's First Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, "Traveler" (the USC mascot) , the Sons and Daughters of the Reel West, and the California State Fire Fighters Association. Bob Eubanks and Shawn Parr have served as announcers at "Equestfest." Montie Montana was a perennial participant until his death in 1998. TV viewers know him from more than 60 appearances, waving to
1330-900: The Cup.) Also, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a float in celebration of the franchise's 50th anniversary in Los Angeles , with Hall of Fame sportscasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrin as well as former players Steve Garvey , Fernando Valenzuela , Eric Karros , and Nomar Garciaparra . The 2010 parade floats included the Boy Scouts of America 's 100th Anniversary float, the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles in celebration of Mexico's bicentennial of independence, and "Safety Harbor Kids". The 2010 parade also featured
1400-538: The Don Lee Network, now run by son Tommy Lee, to end its affiliation with CBS. Instead, on December 30, 1936, it became an affiliate of the Mutual Network . The two networks were known in newspaper ads as Don Lee-Mutual . Don Lee programs were offered to affiliates when Mutual had vacant time slots. The Don Lee Network was sold to ABC Radio on April 26, 1959. Programs became part of ABC. In 1931 Lee
1470-487: The Don Lee studios included Blue Monday Jamboree , Queen For A Day , The Bill Stulla Show, Heart’s Desire, Don Lee Music Hall, Peter Potter’s Party , and The Jack Kirkwood Show. KHJ and KFRC each had its own organ, dance band, and symphony orchestra as well as artists, singers, and other entertainers, so that each station could provide "a variety with appeal to any audience". The network experimented with television in
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#17327879705921540-731: The Eagles of Tuva, Prime Time Express Mounted Drill Team, Ramona Pageant, Scripps Miramar Saddlebreds, SD Farm, Spirit of the West Riders, Valley Hunt Club, Wells Fargo. 2014: 16 units – All American Cowgirl Chicks, Budweiser Clydesdales, Calizona Appaloosa Horse Club, Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team, Los Angeles Police Metropolitan Division Mounted Platoon/ Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Mounted Enforcement Detail, The Martinez Family, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, The New Buffalo Soldiers, The Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team, Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry, Scripps Miramar Saddlebreds, Spirit of
1610-513: The Post-Parade viewing area (which is open that afternoon and the following day). In total this route is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) long; the assembled bands, horse units, and floats take approximately two hours to pass by. The 2009 parade featured 46 floats, including some new entries, such as Jack in the Box 's Jack-O-Licious , City of Mission Viejo 's Making a Splash , RFD-TV 's Hee Haw , and
1680-610: The United States. The change, announced on June 27, 1936, added Lee's California affiliated stations to those already connected with Mutual. The expanded Don Lee-Mutual network began operations on December 30, 1936. After that affiliation, Lee continued independent operations, transmitting only certain Mutual programs to stations on the Lee network. Elizabeth McLeod wrote in her article, "Local Voices: The Don Lee and Yankee Networks", that
1750-1212: The West Riders (Leona Valley, California), The New Buffalo Soldiers (Shadow Hills, California), The Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team & Little Miss Norco Cowgirls Jr. Drill Team (Norco, California), The Valley Hunt Club (Pasadena, California), United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard (Barstow, California), US Forest Service Pack Mules Celebrate Smokey Bear's 75th (Vallejo, California), Wells Fargo Stagecoaches (San Francisco, California) 2020: 17 units – 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment (Fort Hood, Texas), Arabian Horse Association (Sierra Madre, California), Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team (Castaic, California), Budweiser Clydesdales (St. Louis, Missouri), Buffalo Soldiers Mounted Cavalry Unit (BSMCU) (Mojave, California), Express Clydesdales (Yukon, Oklahoma), Horsewomen of Temecula Wine Country (Temecula Eq-Wine Riders), Knott's Berry Farm (Buena Park, California), Los Hermanos Bañuelos (Altadena, California), Mid America Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team (New Buffalo, Michigan), Mini Therapy Horses (Calabasas, California), Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers (Roseville, California), Rural Media Group (Gretna, Nebraska), Scripps Miramar Ranch (San Diego, California), Spirit of
1820-935: The West Riders (Leona Valley, California), USMC Mounted Color Guard (Barstow, California), The Valley Hunt Club (Pasadena, California) 2022: 18 units (listed alphabetically) – 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment (Fort Hood, Texas), Arabian Horse Association (Sierra Madre, California), Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team (Castaic, California), Budweiser Clydesdales (St. Louis, Missouri), Hawaii Pa'u Riders (Waimanalo, Hawaii), Horsewomen of Temecula Wine Country (Temecula, California), Los Hermanos Banuelos (Altadena, California), Merced County Sheriff Posse (Hilmar, California), Mini Therapy Horses (Calabasas, California), The New Buffalo Soldiers (Shadow Hills, California), Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team (Norco, California), Norwegian Fjord Horses (Berthoud, Colorado), Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers (Roseville, California), Scripps Miramar Ranch – American Saddlebred Horses (San Diego, California), Spirit of
1890-1410: The West Riders (Leona Valley, California), Union Rescue Mission – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California), United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard (Barstow, California), Valley Hunt Club (Pasadena, California), Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society (San Diego, California), and Wells Fargo Stagecoaches (Los Angeles, California) 2018: 20 units – 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment (Fort Hood, Texas), Broken Horn Ropers (Baldwin Park, California), Budweiser Clydesdales (St. Louis, Missouri), California Highway Patrol Mounted Patrol Unit (Sacramento, California), Long Beach Mounted Police (Long Beach, California), Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Mounted Enforcement Detail (Los Angeles, California), The Los Angeles Police Department Metropolitan Division Mounted Platoon, Honor Guard, Bagpipe & Drum Band (Los Angeles, California), Los Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team (Altadena, California), Mane Attraction Equestrian Drill Team (Riverside, California), Mini Therapy Horses (Calabasas, California), The New Buffalo Soldiers (Shadow Hills, California), The Norco Cowgirls & The Little Miss Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Teams (Norco, California), Ramona – California's Official Outdoor Play (Hemet, California), Scripps Miramar Ranch (San Diego, California), So Cal Mini Horse Sanctuary, Inc. (Hemet, California), Spirit of
1960-856: The West Riders (Leona Valley, California), United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard (Barstow, California), The Valley Center Vaqueros (Valley Center, California), The Valley Hunt Club (Pasadena, California) Wells Fargo Stagecoaches (Meeker, Oklahoma) 2019: 19 units – 1st Cavalry Division, Horse Cavalry Detachment (Fort Hood, Texas), Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team (Castaic, California), Budweiser Clydesdales (St. Louis, Missouri), Calgary Stampede Showriders (Strathmore, Alberta, Canada), California Highway Patrol (Sacramento, California), Gold Rush Fire Brigade (Pilot Hill, California), Hawaii Pa'u Riders (Waimanalo, Hawaii), Los Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team (Altadena, California), Mini Therapy Horses (Calabasas, California), Parsons Mounted Cavalry (College Station, Texas), Scripps Miramar Ranch (San Diego, California), Spirit of
2030-1122: The West Riders, U.S. Army Field Artillery Half Section – Fort Sill, U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, Valley Hunt Club, and Wells Fargo. 2017: 20 units – 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment (Fort Hood, Texas), Backcountry Horsemen of California – Mid-Valley Unit (Sonora, California), Budweiser Clydesdales (St. Louis, Missouri), California Highway Patrol Mounted Patrol Unit (Sacramento, California), Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Posse (Bakersfield, California), Los Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team (Altadena, California), Mane Attraction Equestrian Drill Team (Riverside, California), Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament (Buena Park, California), The New Buffalo Soldiers (Shadow Hills, California), The Norco Cowgirls & The Little Miss Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team (Norco, California), Philippine Scouts Heritage Society – U.S. Army's 26th Cavalry Regiment (Los Angeles, California), Santa Barbara County Sheriff Mounted Enforcement Unit (Santa Barbara, California), Scripps Miramar Saddlebreds (San Diego, California), Seven Oaks Farm Miniature Therapy Horses (Hamilton, Ohio), Spirit of
2100-825: The West Riders, The Shire Riders, United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, Valley Hunt Club , Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society, Wells Fargo , and Wild West Willie (combined with Kern County Sheriffs Mounted Posse). 2012: 22 units – The All American Cowgirl Chicks, Arizona Mini Mystique, Broken Horn Ropers, Calgary Stampede Showriders (riding with the Calgary Stampede Showband), Calizona Appaloosas, Cowgirls Historical Foundation, Escondido Mounted Police, First Cavalry Fort Hood (US Army), Kings County Sheriff's Posse, LAPD Mounted Unit, Long Beach Mounted Police, Los Hermanos Banuelos, Medieval Times, Merced County Sheriff's Posse, New Buffalo Soldiers, The Santa Rosa Palomino Club, So Cal Peruvian Pasos, Spirit of
2170-671: The West Riders, United States Forest Service Pack String, United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, Valley Hunt Club, Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society, Wells Fargo. 2016: 19 units – 1st Cavalry Horse Detachment – Fort Hood, American Endurance Ride Conference, Anheuser Busch Budweiser Clydesdales, Calizona Appaloosa Horse Club, Dakota Thunder Shires, Long Beach Mounted Police, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Hermanos Bañuelos, Martinez Family, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, National Park Service, The New Buffalo Soldiers, The Norco Cowgirls & The Little Miss Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team, Scripps Miramar Ranch, Spirit of
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2240-641: The West Riders, United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, Valley Hunt Club, War Horse Foundation, Wells Fargo. Equestfest will take place December 29, 2013. 2015: 18 units – 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment, Budweiser Clydesdales, Hawaii Pa'u Riders, Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team, Los Angeles County Fire Department, The Martinez Family, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, The New Buffalo Soldiers, The Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team, Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Prime Time Express Mounted Drill Team, Scripps Miramar Saddlebreds, Spirit of
2310-584: The West, War Horse Militia, US Marine Corps, Valley Hunt Club, and Wells Fargo. 2013: 20 units – 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment, All American Cowgirl Chicks, Anaheim Police Department Mounted Enforcement Unit, Canadian Cowgirls Precision Drill Team, Costumed Arabians Region One, Hawaii Pāʻū Riders , Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team, Jackson Fork Ranch Percherons, Long Beach Mounted Police, Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, Medieval Times, The New Buffalo Soldiers, The Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team, ONDAR and
2380-477: The agreement. Any hopes for continuing the Don Lee-CBS partnership vanished when CBS bought radio station KNX in 1936, making CBS a competitor of KHJ in the Los Angeles market. After the separation, some stations left to become West Coast affiliates of NBC . The stations remaining with Don Lee joined the Mutual Broadcasting System . Affiliating with Don Lee Network enabled Mutual to go coast to coast across
2450-483: The airmen who served our country. The float won the Mayor's trophy as the most outstanding city entry – national or international, also Anaheim float featured the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game that was played at Angel Stadium of Anaheim , four former MLB All-Stars, pitchers Mark Langston , Chuck Finley , and Troy Percival , along with second baseman Bobby Grich were aboard. Since January 1, 2012, fell on
2520-440: The arrangement "was the best of both worlds — the freedom and local flavor of a regional chain, combined with the resources, when needed, of a national hookup. This was the philosophy of Mutual itself, and it tied in well with the way Don Lee had always tried to do business in the past ...". Bill Oates, in his biography, Meredith Willson - America's Music Man: The Whole Broadway-Symphonic-Radio-Motion Picture Story , noted: During
2590-573: The audience. Simultaneous television broadcasts could be made from the four studios. A plate glass wall in the lobby allowed visitors to watch the network controller as he worked. The transmission site was moved a few years later from Mount Lee to Mount Wilson . An undated article on the Hollywood Heritage Museum's website describes the building at 1313 North Vine Street as "Hollywood’s oldest surviving studio building designed specifically for television broadcasting". Following
2660-564: The city of San Gabriel centennial float "Celebrating Our Journey". It began with the Wells Fargo /Opening Unit, American Honda 's float, the United States Marine Corps 's Mounted Color Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band. Farmers Insurance's "Love Float" featured the wedding of a Virginia couple, Nicole and Gerald of Chesapeake, VA . The couple was selected through a first-ever public vote by
2730-401: The company to become the head of General Motors ' styling department in 1927. Lee died in Los Angeles in 1934 of a sudden heart attack, leaving control of his auto and broadcasting empire to his son, Thomas S. "Tommy" Lee (1906–1950). Having amassed a fortune selling automobiles, Lee branched out in broadcasting in 1926 when he purchased KFRC in San Francisco and relocated the station to
2800-1296: The crowd from his silver saddle. 2010: 23 units – All American Cowgirl Chicks, Amigos de Anza Equestrian Drill Team, Arizona Mini Mystique Driving Drill Team, Benny Martinez Family, Calizona Appaloosa Horse Club, Cowgirls Historical Foundation, Giddy Up Gals, L.A. County Sheriff – Mounted Enforcement, Long Beach Mounted Police, Medieval Times, The New Buffalo Soldiers, Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers, Region 1 Versatile Arabians, Scripps Miramar Saddlebreds, The Shire Riders, So Cal Peruvian Paso Horse Club, U.S. Army Ft. Hood – 1st Cavalry, USMC – Color Guard, USMC – Mountain Warfare Training, Valley Hunt Club, Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society, Wells Fargo, and Western Haflinger Association. 2011: 22 units – 1st Cavalry Fort Hood , All American Cowgirl Chicks, Benny Martinez Family, California State Firefighters' Association, Cowgirls Historical Foundation, Equine Extremist with Tommie Turvey, Giddy Up Gals Drill Team, Kern County Sheriffs Mounted Posse, Long Beach Mounted Police, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, New Buffalo Soldiers, Region One Arabians, Saving America's Mustangs Foundation, Scripps Miramar Saddlebreds, Southern California Peruvian Paso Horse Club, Spirit of
2870-419: The death of Lee in 1950, KTSL was sold to CBS and renamed KNXT in 1951. As KNXT's studios, the building was host in the 1950s to Johnny Carson 's earliest television shows, Carson's Cellar , a local show that aired from 1951 to 1953, and The Johnny Carson Show on the entire CBS-TV network from 1955 to 1956. It later served as the studio for Los Angeles' first education television station, KCET while
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2940-785: The design of the Girl Scouts float, which was decorated by the organization's volunteers (of all ages). Paramount Pictures also participated in the 2012 parade with its centennial celebration float " 100 Years of Movie Magic" . Namco Bandai Games joined the parade for the first time, commemorating the Power Rangers . Others were Microsoft Kinect (" You are the Controller" ) and the Kit-Cat Klock ( "Timeless Fun for Everyone" ). The floats compete for one of 24 awards selected by three judges each year. Since Honda became
3010-676: The e-Harmony float was Natalie Cole , singing "This Will Be" . NBC 's The Voice joined this parade too, along with Daryl Hall and the Harlem Globetrotters . The AIDS Healthcare Foundation float ("Living the Dream: Love Is the Best Protection") featured a wedding of a California couple, Aubrey Loots and Danny Leclair; some people called for a boycott of the parade as the couple are actually both men. Nancy O'Dell , along with Jonathan and Drew Scott (of
3080-510: The early 1930s, before regular broadcasting flowed endlessly from coast to coast from the network hubs in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and because of the time differences, West coast stations presented a great deal of network quality original programming for the Western divisions of NBC and CBS. In 1929, Willson began working for Lee, taking on the responsibility of overseeing music "for
3150-451: The early 1930s, launching experimental station W6XAO in Los Angeles, California, on December 31, 1931. It broadcast one hour per day throughout the 1930s. In 1937, the TV and radio operations teamed up to broadcast the opening of the 27th annual Los Angeles Motor Car Dealers' Automobile Show. Don Lee also annually televised the Tournament of Roses Parade . Harry R. Lubcke, an electrical engineer,
3220-433: The event itself (due to large crowds and outside visitors) was also considered to be at a high risk of causing more instances of COVID-19 infections. The parade was deferred to 2022. However, the parade number was still changed; what would have been called the 132nd parade officially became the 133rd parade. On November 13, 2020, it was announced that a TV special titled The Rose Parade's New Year's Celebration would take
3290-416: The event. The stately Italian Renaissance-style mansion of William Wrigley Jr. (the maker of Wrigley's chewing gum ) was offered to the city of Pasadena after Mrs. Wrigley's death in 1958, under the condition that their home would be the Rose Parade's permanent headquarters. Tournament House is the name given to the former home where the organization is headquartered. The first associated football game
3360-569: The event. Upon seeing the scores of flowers on display, the professor decided to suggest the name "Tournament of Roses." Over the next few founding years, the parade added marching bands and motorized floats. By 1895, the event was too large for the Valley Hunt Club to handle, resulting in the formation of an ad hoc non-profit organization – the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. By the 11th annual tournament (1900),
3430-528: The exclusive West Coast distributor of Cadillac automobiles in the early 20th century. Lee was born in Lansing, Michigan . In 1919, he purchased the Earl Automobile Works of Hollywood , California. Harley Earl , the son of the company's owner, was kept on as manager. Renamed Don Lee Coach and Body Works, the company produced many custom designed Cadillacs for the rich and famous. Earl left
3500-561: The floats being decorated with flowery mantles in the various 'float barns' that dot the Arroyo Seco / Rose Bowl area in West Pasadena, not far from the start of the parade. It is a rule of the parade that all surfaces of the float framework must be covered in natural materials (such as flowers, plants, seaweeds, seeds, bark, vegetables, or nuts, for example); furthermore, no artificial flowers or plant material are allowed, nor can
3570-496: The last units in the parade went to All American Cowgirl Chicks (Equestrian), Needham Broughton High School (Band), and RFD-TV (Float). It also featured the first-ever Swedish entry, the Royal Swedish Navy Cadet Band. The 2013 parade featured 42 floats, 23 marching bands, and 21 equestrian units. New for the 2013 Rose Parade were floats from Nurses ' float "A Healing Place", Delta Sigma Theta , and
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#17327879705923640-486: The main grandstands (and the main television and media stands) and proceeds east on Colorado Boulevard. The parade then turns north on Sierra Madre Boulevard . The floats then must travel under the Sierra Madre Boulevard/ I-210 freeway overpass, requiring over-height floats to reduce their height. The parade ends at Paloma Street near Victory Park and Pasadena High School . Floats continue into
3710-484: The marshaling of the dozens of floats, bands, equestrian units, and other elements. This sealed-off section acts as the "Formation Area", and the Formation Area Committee manages it. On parade morning the various elements are merged and dispatched in front of Tournament House . The parade starts heading north on South Orange Grove Boulevard beginning at Green Street. At Colorado Boulevard it passes
3780-529: The materials be artificially colored. Last-minute volunteer opportunities are usually available. Anaheim city's float at the 2008 Rose Parade included the Stanley Cup that the NHL 's Anaheim Ducks had won in 2007, hoisted by player Brad May . (As the regulations state that the outside of the float must exclusively use organic material , ABC commentators speculated that the city got an exception to display
3850-403: The network carrying CBS programs in the early evening. When those ended at 8 p.m. Pacific Time, either KFRC or KHJ provided network programs, with the two usually alternating evenings. Some of the programs originating at one of the Lee stations were also transmitted nationally by CBS. After initial success and expansion, disagreement over programming autonomy for stations led to the dissolution of
3920-590: The network's general manager—and Willet H. Brown as guardians of the estate. Lee was already confined to a sanitarium and had been found mentally ill at a hearing a month earlier. Thomas Lee died on January 13, 1950, after jumping from a 12-story building. His will specified that the broadcasting operations be sold, a process that began in May 1950. The radio network and its shares of Mutual stock were sold in November 1950 to General Tire and Rubber Company for $ 12.3 million. The broadcast properties were then merged into
3990-541: The network. By 1938, 28 stations were affiliated with the Don Lee network. Lee died in 1934, leaving his son, Thomas S. Lee, to oversee the network's operation. In 1929, Don Lee Network and CBS entered into an agreement that created the Don Lee-Columbia Network , making the Lee stations the West Coast affiliates for CBS. The joint operation was launched on January 1, 1930. A typical schedule had
4060-476: The parade featured flower-decorated horse carriages. Over time, floats built by volunteers from sponsoring communities supplanted the carriages. Currently, most are built by professional float building companies and take nearly a year to construct. Some communities and organizational sponsors still rely on volunteers. The Valley Hunt Club still enters a flower-decorated carriage. The Cal Poly Universities Rose Float still relies solely on students who volunteer, with
4130-620: The parade in 1890. Since then the parade has been held in Pasadena every New Year's Day , except when January 1 falls on a Sunday. In that case, it is held on the subsequent Monday, January 2. This exception was instituted in 1893, as organizers did not wish to disturb horses hitched outside Sunday church services. Many of the members of the Valley Hunt Club were former residents of the American East and Midwest . They wished to showcase their new California home's mild winter weather. At
4200-418: The parade were gymnast Laurie Hernández , actress and singer Rita Moreno , and actress Gina Torres . The 2022 parade featured 18 equestrian units, 20 marching bands, and 43 floats in addition to the special units. The grand marshal was actor LeVar Burton . The 2023 parade's grand marshal was politician Gabby Giffords . The 2024 parade's grand marshal was actor and singer Audra McDonald . Originally
4270-421: The parade's place and premiere on January 1, 2021. The Tournament of Roses Parade has followed the same route mainly following Colorado Boulevard (Pasadena's main thoroughfare and a segment of the former US 66 ) for many decades. The day before the parade, the entire environs of the neighborhood streets south of the intersection of Orange Grove Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard are sealed off and reserved for
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#17327879705924340-468: The present day requirement that "every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds or bark". Floats are self-propelled on (generally used-up) truck chassis in contrast to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which uses trailer-based floats pulled by new, intact ( sponsor-provided ) trucks. Typically 48 to 72 hours before parade day, one can view several of
4410-565: The programs nationally. It also contracted with Don Wilkie, son of John Wilkie (the first head of the U. S. Secret Service) for use of the elder Wilkie's files to develop stories. In 1948, the Lee operations expanded into a radio and television complex valued at $ 2.5 million at Fountain and Vine in Hollywood. The 118,000-square-foot, three-story facility included 14 broadcast studios, four of which were sound stages that could each accommodate more than 100 musicians, with seating for 350 people in
4480-484: The title sponsor, its floats are not eligible to compete for an award. After the parade, the floats are parked at the end of the parade route on Sierra Madre Boulevard and Washington Boulevard, near Victory Park and are on display for a day and a half (two-and-a-half days when January 1 falls on Friday) after the parade. None of the float riders or dignitaries/celebrities involved in the parade are present, and animated features on some floats are not activated. Admission to
4550-513: The top floor of his Cadillac dealership at 1000 Van Ness Ave. In 1927 he purchased KHJ in Los Angeles . By mid-September 1932, Lee also had full control of KDB, Santa Barbara, and KGB, San Diego. From 1929 to 1936, the 12-station Don Lee Network was affiliated with Columbia Broadcasting System . This venture was known as the Don Lee-Columbia Network . However, in 1936, CBS purchased KNX , along with some other West Coast stations. It also forged some new West Coast network alliances. This led to
4620-535: The town lot on which the activities were held was renamed Tournament Park , a large open area directly adjacent to Pasadena's world-famous institution of higher learning, Caltech . Activities soon included ostrich races, bronco busting demonstrations, and an odd novelty race between a camel and an elephant. (The elephant won the race.) Soon reviewing stands were built along the parade route and newspapers in Eastern Seaboard cities started to take notice of
4690-566: The viewing area is $ 13 and children are admitted free. The 2018 Rose Parade was the last parade for the city of Los Angeles after 122 consecutive years sponsoring floats for the Rose Parade. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was aboard the float titled "Everyone is Welcome". Prior to the parade an "Equestfest" is held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center to showcase the performances by the talented riding teams. Equestrian units taking part in "Equestfest" have included
4760-552: Was granted a license to begin experimental television broadcasts with station W6XAO in Los Angeles. The station later became KTSL, KNXT and is currently KCBS-TV , the flagship West Coast station for the CBS television network. The ridge above the Hollywood sign , where Lee established his transmitter, is still known as " Mount Lee ". One of the former call letters of the Don Lee affiliated outlets, KDON at Salinas-Monterey, California,
4830-500: Was played on January 1, 1902. Originally titled the "Tournament East-West football game," it is considered to be the first Rose Bowl . The next game was not played until New Year's Day 1916; they have been played annually since then. The game derives its modern name from Rose Bowl Stadium , which was built for the 1923 game. In 2002 and 2006 (when the Rose Bowl Game was the BCS National Championship Game ),
4900-399: Was the director of the network's television branch. He helped to boost the audience for the new service by preparing and distributing plans that allowed industrious amateurs in the Los Angeles area to build their own television receivers. In 1939, W6XAO's transmitter (along with the studios) were moved to the top of Mount Lee , greatly increasing the range of the station. World War II brought
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