2010 Inaugural Class

Charter Members – December 22, 2010

Nate Doan

Nate Doan

"The Original Santa of Bay City"
Bay City, Michigan
1919 - 1997
Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 22, 2010
Nate Doan's generosity, kindness, and warmth were ...
George McClintock

George McClintock

"Santa at the Rim of the World"
Lake Arrowhead, California
1898 - 1989
Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 22, 2010
When George McClintock retired from the ...
Ray Jochum

Ray Jochum

"Keeping Santa's Traditions"
St. Henry, Indiana
1916 - 1992
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member – December 2010
Replacing a legend is often a very hard thing to ...
Phillip L. Wenz

Phillip L. Wenz

"Santa from Santa's Village"
Dundee, Illinois
1962 - Current
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
If ever there was a man born to be Santa ...
Carl Hansen

Carl Hansen

"Santa Trainer for Santa's Village, Inc."
Scotts Valley, California
1904 - 1998
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
Carl Hansen, a native of Denmark, was ...
George Smith

George Smith

"Small Town Santa with a Big Heart"
Jackson, Tennessee
1910 - 1993
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
For 60 years, George Smith was the ...
James Edgar

James Edgar

"The First Department Store Santa"
Brockton, Massachuetts
1843 - 1909
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member – December 2010
James Edgar was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1843 ...
Doug Mellor

Doug Mellor

"The Commercial Santa"
Chicago, Illinois
1929 - 2004
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
Doug Mellor played Santa Claus professionally for 50 years for commercial ...
Robert George

Robert George

"The Presidential Santa"
Columbus, Nebraska
1924 - 1998
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
Robert George was Santa Claus to six U.S. Presidents and his ...
Edmund Gwenn

Edmund Gwenn

"Miracle on 34th Street"
London, England
1877 - 1959
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
One of the better known and most successful character actors ...
Bill Strother

Bill Strother

"Miller & Rhoads Legendary Santa Claus"
Richmond, Virginia
1896 - 1957
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
Miller & Rhoads Department Store hired former Hollywood ...
James D. "Jimmy" Rielly

James D. Rielly

"A Truly Remarkable Santa Claus from Rhode Island"
Bristol, Rhode Island
1908 - 1991 International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010 James D. Rielly - Bristol, Rhode Island ...
Jim Yellig

Raymond Joseph “Jim” Yellig

"The Real Santa from Santa Claus" Santa Claus, Indiana 1894 - 1984 International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010 One of the most beloved and legendary ...
Charles W. Howard

Charles W. Howard

"Dean of Santa Clauses"
Albion, New York
1896 - 1966
International Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member - December 2010
Charles W. Howard's professional career is that of a ...