Peek back at a real life mall Santa
There's an amusing article in the latest issue of Saturday Evening Post magazine about Holiday ads you'll never see again," a photo spread of timeworn Christmas promotional campaigns from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Flashback to a simpler time," the story said, when marketers presented a world in which dads and little boys care only for having fun, moms want nothing more than a clean house, and Santa is smokin.'"
Yup, on page 61, you'll find a full-page, reproduced advertisement from December 1935 featuring the jolly one smoking a Lucky Strike" cigarette saying, Luckies are easy on my throat."
It made me think about my one experience playing Santa Claus to write a first-person story for The Spectator in December 1986. I didn't do any smoking but I did learn a few things.
You see, the regular Santa was a 6-foot- 2-inch, 345-pound professional wrestler who went by the name of Ted Grizzly. With his greasy long blond hair, massive beard and big belly, he had a bit of a Santa look even when he was in civilian clothes.
He was on hand to show me the ropes and help me get ready for my debut in the middle of Lime Ridge Mall.
Ted was friendly and helpful, and could Ho-Ho-Ho with the best of them, but he did have an intimidating presence.
My Santa shift lasted four hours, and it was exhausting. The costume was stiflingly hot and the youngsters were endless. After nearly 200 flash photos with different children, I was seeing spots.
I was amazed how young some of the kids were. A few looked like they had been born in the lineup.
The most memorable words came from an earnest mom who handed over her baby saying, don't be alarmed if he starts throwing up." Luckily, he didn't. Well, not on me, anyway.
In the months and years that followed, I occasionally ran into Ted and came to know that he took on some of the biggest names in wrestling - Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant and Angelo Mosca, to name a few. His task was usually to lose. He was a fall guy or a canvas back," as they say.
I learned he lived in the Delta area of Hamilton and it seemed that every time I visited Gage Park I'd see him hanging out.
I love the Delta," he once told The Spectator. I'll stay here forever, but I don't know how long that's going to be."
There was also the time in 1986 that Ted met Bob Dylan in a Hamilton car park, that was captured on videotape. Dylan was leaning against a car during some downtime during a movie shoot for the film Hearts of Fire." He looked over toward Ted in the distance and said, Those people can come on over here. Sure can! I mean, if you care to."
Ted shyly walked closer with a huge smile saying I've been a fan of Bobby's for a long, long time" as photos were shot and autographs signed. The video is on YouTube and currently has nearly 300,000 views.
Ted ran for Ward 3 alderman in 1994, getting 626 votes, but that wasn't even close to the 4,849 ballots that Bernie Morelli received.
Later in the 1990s, he developed some health problems and needed a scooter to get around. He also discovered Jesus and used his vehicle as display space for religious messages and quotes from the Bible.
Then in April 2009, I saw a death notice that he had died at the age of 66 and offered to write an obituary for The Spectator. I figured it would be, among other things, a chance to find out a little more about this unusual Santa Claus I met all those years before.
I learned his real name was Gary Wolfenden and that he developed a rare nerve disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome that made it difficult for him to walk. I also found out he apparently kept a decorated Christmas tree in his apartment year round.
He thought Christmas was every day of the year. To him Christ was a gift and Christmas ought to be celebrated every day," his step-daughter Alexandria McLellan-Tam told me.
But there were also stories about his hot-tempered younger days, his drinking and some brushes with the law.
He really had to struggle to find himself and get to where he was, spiritually and emotionally. He wrestled many demons himself to finally get to the Lord and get to the healing," Alexandria said in what has to be the best quote that ever ended up in my steno pad.
But through it all he was someone who found Christmas very special and was a Santa Claus like no other.