Washington, DC— "I was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of my friend and the honorary Mayor of Hollywood, Johnny Grant.  It is a loss of great magnitude, not only for the Walk of Fame ceremonies, the Christmas Parade, the USO and other activities that he spearheaded, but for the lives that he touched and inspired nationally and worldwide.

“Johnny Grant at 84 years was at the zenith of his life as he planned greater projects to increase tourism in his beloved Hollywood. He was a relentless promoter of goodwill to our nation's troops, a tireless diplomat and patriot who epitomized the American spirit.

“Last year, I introduced H.R. 2553, the “Public Diplomacy Resource Centers Act of  2007." This bill is designed to provide our diplomats abroad with additional tools to show the world the best of American society and to improve our nation’s international reputation by placing our best movies in embassies throughout the world.  The bill would establish the “Johnny Grant Film Series” as part of the State Department’s public diplomacy efforts and would rename the series the “Johnny Grant Film Diplomacy Act.”

“Johnny Grant, a great patriot and legendary friend of American entertainment was an ardent proponent of the power of American motion pictures that convey the universal values of freedom and opportunity around the world.”