Christmas Movie Stars Honored on Walk of Fame

Last year’s opening of Castle Noel in Medina, Ohio promised to make that spot a Christmas movie wonderland with the opening of a museum dedicated to Christmas movie memorabilia. Now they have taken that concept a bit further by establishing the Christmas movie star “Walk of Fame”.

Four actors — Drew Hocevar and Patty Johnson, the angry elves from A Christmas Story; Ian Petrella, who played Randy in A Christmas Story; and Karolyn Grimes, ZuZu from It’s a Wonderful Life — placed their hands into concrete in front of the Castle Noel museum last week, then met with fans and signed autographs.

About 60 people were on hand in the Christmas museum’s parking lot for Castle Noel’s inaugural Walk of Fame ceremony. A long, white limousine pulled up to the curb on South Court Street, and a red carpet was laid out for the four iconic honorees.

Castle Noel owners Mark and Dana Klaus invited the actors to share stories from their movie experiences.

Grimes talked about working with Jimmy Stewart when she was just a 6-year-old girl, and Johnson told a funny story about auditioning for her elf role and becoming cross with the casting director when she found out they were looking for a teenager. Turns out she was perfect for the role of “angry elf”.

Petrella talked about the long hours it took to get Randy’s mashed potato “piggie” scene just right, and Hocever joked that it took “about 40 tries” to plop “Randy” onto Santa’s lap because “the kid wouldn’t cry right.” Petrella apologized.

The crowd cheered and clapped as each of the stars pressed their hands and feet into the cement and signed their names. They laughed when Petrella scribbled “oink oink” on his square and when Hocevar produced a wooden elf shoe to use for his footprint.

Mark Klaus gallantly offered his red suit coat to provide Johnson, who was wearing a short dress, with some cover as she knelt to leave her mark.

“You told me to dress up, but didn’t tell me it would be an athletic event,” Johnson joked.

The most touching moment came when Grimes carefully wrote her most famous line into the cement: “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”

The Klauses plan to display the concrete squares in a Walk of Fame outside the building. They plan to invite more holiday movie stars to participate and hope to make the ceremony an annual event.