Mayors of Universal City

This list is under construction – if you know of any missing information, please contact us!

The Mayor of Universal City is an honorary role bestowed on folk particularly connected to Universal Studios.

May 1913: Lois Weber
http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=27360508

1914 – Isadore Bernstein
http://www.public.asu.edu/~ialong/Taylor47.txt

1915 – Lois Weber – Mayor Of Universal City
http://www.gadflyonline.com/best_of_2001/FRIDAY-FILM/film-women-filmmakers.html

?date Herbert Rawlinson (star of Damon and Pythius)

1940 – Deanna Durbin

195? – Donald O’Connor

January 1953 – Rock Hudson (Mary Castle: Police Chief, Jackie Loughery: Fire Marshal)
http://therockhudsonproject.com/?p=5720

1958 – Linda Cristel and Jean Blake are candidates for Mayor
http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/52/Linda+Cristal/index.html

?date – Jerry Mathers (Leave it to Beaver)
http://www.geocities.com/alcus2/beaverpicture.html

?date – Lana Turner

November 1962 – Doris Day
Doris Day is voted in as 22nd mayor.

?date – Janet Leigh

June 17, 1963 – Angie Dickinson
http://www.filmreference.com/Actors-and-Actresses-Da-Ea/Dickinson-Angie.html
There’s an article on Angie’s new title in the Pasadena Star News of June 18, 1963, p3.

August 1965 – Tippi Hedren

late 1960s – Joan Staley
http://www.1966batfan.com/gueststar30.htm

?date – Dennis Weaver (Don Knotts: Honorary Sheriff)
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/28/071418.php

?date – John Gavin
http://www.meredy.com/johngavin/images.htm

?date – Scott Baio

?date: Rebecca Holden
http://www.rebeccaholden.com/About%20Rebecca.html
http://www.rebeccaholden.com/KnightRiderOnlineInterview.html
“One of my treasured memories is that during my time at Universal, I was asked to serve as Mayor of Universal City, which is indeed an incorporated city unto itself. Such stars as Doris Day, Lana Turner, Rock Hudson and Janet Leigh had served as former Mayors in the old contract player days of the studio; Mr. Lew Wasserman decided to bring back the tradition and appointed me. Mr. Wasserman was truly a legend in this industry. I was in awe of him at first, but through the course of speaking at various studio functions (and always giving his introduction), lunching in the commissary as we hosted visiting dignitaries, and listening to his fabulous “show biz” stories, I came to know him as a treasured friend and a source of invaluable advice. In fact, what I probably remember most are the wonderful friends I made and the affection I had for all the cast and crew. On a weekly series, the hours can be quite long and you spend so much time together on the set, that they can become almost like a second family.

?date – Edgar Bronfman

January 25, 1990 – Ernest Borgnine
http://www.apnewsarchive.com
UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF. UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) Actor Ernest Borgnine’s swearing-in ceremony as honorary mayor turned into a rousing 73rd birthday bash just a few steps from the pond where his old ”McHale’s Navy” TV series was made.
Borgnine took the oath of office Wednesday in front of the Universal Studios backlot courthouse used on ”Back to the Future II.” A dixieland band played ”Hail to the Chief,” then ”Happy Birthday.”
Borgnine blew out the candle on a birthday cake and joined Gene Autry and Telly Savalas in the celebration.
”In my long career as an actor,” Borgnine said, ”I’ve been seen by the public as a butcher, a baker and an Indian chief. I’ve been a New York City taxi driver, a railroad cop and a bank-robbing western desperado.
”I’ve held many ranks – stockade sergeant, general and even Navy captain. But today, I’m taking on a role I’ve never before played. I’ve never been a mayor.”
Past honorary mayors of Universal City, a hamlet 12 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles where motion pictures and television shows are produced, include Angie Dickinson, Jerry Mathers, Tippi Hedren and Scott Baio.
Borgnine called the community his ”home away from home for 35 years.” He was there for a role in the movie ”The Square Jungle” in 1955, and the shooting of the TV series ”McHale’s Navy” in the 1960s and ”Airwolf” in the 1980s.
”As our new mayor, I’ve been asked what I’d first like to do,” Borgnine told the crowd of about 400 people. ”I don’t know. What do you want me to do?”
Borgnine, who won an Academy Award for his role as the butcher in ”Marty,” has appeared in scores of movies including ”From Here to Eternity,” ”The Dirty Dozen” and ”Escape From New York.”