The Parade: An Exhibition of Popular Culture
Perhaps the most impressive force influencing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade over the decades has been American popular culture. Since the first decade of parades held by Macy’s, popular culture has played an integral role in the parade, inspiring individual personages, floats, feature performances, and even giant helium balloons. |
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A barouche |
One early example of popular culture’s permeation of the parade was the appearance in 1928 of an Oriental barouche carrying the “Lady of the Harem.”[1] “Lady of the Harem” was a film set in India, starring Greta Nissen, that was released in 1926 by Paramount Pictures. |
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The Marx Brothers Balloonheads |
Marx Brothers Graucho, Harpo and Chico, famous for their comedic theatrical acts in vaudeville shows and then on film, appeared in the parades of the ‘30s as Balloonheads. This legendary trio reappeared in the 2004 parade. [2] |
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Ten Edgar Bergen look-alikes attended a Charlie McCarthy float in the 1938 parade. Edgar Bergen was a popular ventriloquist who performed with his puppet, Charlie McCarthy, in night clubs and on the radio. |
Edgar Bergen with Charlie McCarthy |
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Superman Balloon |
The premiering in 1939 of an 80-foot Superman balloon ushered in the appearance of a particular form of popular culture, the personalities of which would continue to be regular guests of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: comics. |
Also in 1939, Eddy Duchin, a popular pianist and bandleader, led a band in playing “The Star Spangled Banner” in front of the unveiled Macy’s window at the conclusion of the parade .[3] |
In 1941, a giant pink elephant balloon reminded spectators of the film Dumbo, released that year. |
Dumbo |
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Also in 1941, at an after-party held for Macy’s employees and their families, Dinah Shore, popular singer, actress and radio show host, sang a song entitled “A Merry American Christmas” composed specially for the occasion.[4] |
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Bill Boyd as Hopalong |
In 1946 the parade boasted a “western contingent” starring Bill Boyd of Hopalong Cassidy—a film series produced by Paramount beginning in 1935. Presumably, the reason for Boyd's appearance in the parade was the release, in 1946, of a new Hopalong Cassidy film by United Artists.[5] Hopalong Cassidy appeared in the parade again in 1955, but this time astride his trusty steed, Topper. |
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Miracle on 34 th Street was released by Twentieth Century Fox in 1947. Starring Natalie Wood, the film utilized Macy’s and its parade as the setting for a story about Santa and the importance of remembering the Christmas spirit in the midst of so much commercialism. |
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In 1955, the year that Conquest of Space—a film about the first mission to mars—and Man in Space—part of a documentary trilogy by Disney—were released, there appeared in the parade a 70-foot futuristic spaceman balloon. |
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Gerald McBoing-Boing |
Also in 1955, Gerald McBoing-Boing delighted children as he rode down the parade route in a rocket ship float. Starring in an academy award winning film in 1950, the cartoon character Gerald McBoing-Boing, who spoke exclusively in sound effects, was created by Dr. Seuss. |
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Casey Stengel |
Popular among the adults in the audience, Casey Stengel, manager of New York’s new baseball team, the Mets, appeared in the parade in 1961 riding on a float honoring the new team.[6] |
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Also in 1961, the car of Car 54, the first comedy show about cops, trekked down the parade route.[7] The show, created and produced by Nat Hiken (Sgt. Bilko), was filmed on location in New York City and premiered that year.[8] |
The following year, Jimmy Durante, a native New Yorker and popular comedian and actor, rode through the parade atop a reproduction of the elephant with whom he costarred in the musical Jumbo, a film released the same year. [9] |
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Jimmy Durante |
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In the 1992 parade, a musical Troll float reflected the nationwide troll craze. |
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Aired for the first time in 2002, American Idol has since become a hit reality-TV, star-search show telecast on the Fox Network. In the 2003 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Clay Aiken, runner-up to the winning singer of season two, sang from atop an American Idol float.[10]
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Clay Aiken |
Popular culture continues to play a fundamental role in the parade as it inspires new floats, balloons, and performances every year.
Back to the Top / On to The Parade: A Reflection of Current Events
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[1] "Store To Present Holiday Pageant," New York Times (1857-Current file), Nov 27, 1928, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2001), 20.
[2] "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Let's Talk Lift," NYC Tourist.com, n.d. <http://nyctourist.com/macys_news_balloons.htm> (September 2005).
[3] "ODD RUBBER FOLK STAGE GAY PARADE," New York Times (1857-Current file), Nov 24, 1939, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2002), 19.
[4] "Santa Still No. 1 to Small Fry Among Throng at Toyland Parade," New York Times (1857-Current file), Nov 21, 1941, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2002), 12.
[5] "Macy’s Gets Ready For its Big Parade," New York Times (1857-Current file), Nov 22, 1946, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2001), 8.
[6] John Drebinger, "METS WILL PLAY 29 EXHIBITIONS," New York Times (1857-Current file), Nov 22, 1961, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2002), 40.
[7] Edith Evans Asbury, "THOUSANDS CHEER 35TH MACY PARADE," New York Times (1857-Current file), Nov 24, 1961, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2002), 18.
[8] "Car 54 Where Are You?: Show Facts," March 1999, <http://mywebpages.comcast.net/csmiths/showfacts.html> (October 2005).
[9] "Jimmy Durante," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 9 October 2005, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Durante> (November 2005); Gay Talese, "2,000 WILL MARCH IN MACY'S PARADE" New York Times (1857-Current file), Nov 20, 1962, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2002), 55.
[10] "American Idol," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 28 November 2005, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Idol#Season_synopses> (November 2005).
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[Images]
Barouche: courtesy of <http://www.kutschen.com/Marathon.htm>
Marx Brothers Balloonheads:
courtesy of: Geoff Fox <http://www.geofffox.com/gallery/Macys-Thanksgiving-Day-Parade?page=2>
Marx Brothers: courtesy of <http://www.heanet.ie/conferences/2003/presentations/Thursday/NorrisWilson_files/TextMostly/Slide25.html>
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy: courtesy of <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bergen> and <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1418267> (Copyright 2005 NPR)
Old Superman Balloon: courtesy of <http://theages.superman.ws/TrophyRoom/macys/> (© DC Comics, Joanne Siegel, and Laura Siegel Larson)
Dumbo: courtesy of <http://www.sm5sxl.net/~mats/graphics/images/gif/d/>
Dinah Shore: courtesy of <http://music.msn.com/album/?album=10495096> (© 2005 Microsoft)
Bill Boyd: courtesy of <http://www.westernposterpage.com/hoppy2.htm> (Copyright © 2000 Larry Green Productions All Rights Reserved)
Miracle on 34th Street: courtesy of <http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000K3CK/002-2063653-6465668?v=glance&n=130&v=glance> (© 1996-2005, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates)
Conquest of Space: courtesy of <http://www.filmweb.pl/Conquest,of,Space,(1955),o,filmie,Film,id=124956> (© 1998-2005 Omnigence sp. z o.o.)
Gerald McBoing-Boing: courtesy of < http://punio.blogspot.com/>
Casey Stengel: courtesy of <http://www.rogallery.com/photographs-howard-frank/sports/casey-stengel.htm> (Copyright © 2005 ROGALLERY.COM)
New York Mets: courtesy of <http://www.bobstaake.com/willardmullin/mullin_illustration.html> (individual copyright owners or Shirley Mullin Rhodes)
Car 54 Where Are You?: courtesy of <http://www.rayboasbookseller.com/CAR54/car54coll.htm>
Billy Rose's Jumbo: courtesy of <http://www.moviepropking.com/durante.htm> (© 2000 - 2005. Moviepropking All Rights Reserved)
Jimmy Durante: courtesy of <http://www.niaf.org/milestones/year_1929.asp>
Troll: courtesy of <http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/09/10greig.html> (Copyright 2001-2005 Cox Texas Newspapers, L.P. All rights reserved.)
American Idol: courtesy of <http://www.plu.edu/~rha/programs/plu-idol.html>
Clay Aiken: courtesy of <http://idolhabit.blogspot.com/2005_05_17_idolhabit_archive.html> and <http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Clay-Aiken-Posters_i992202_.htm> (© 1998-2005 AllPosters.com, Inc. All rights reserved.)
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