1 image. Santa arrives at International Airport, 24 December 1954. Mrs. Lillian Fuchcar (Santa Claus); Michelle -- 14 years; Bonnie -- 9 years; Patrick -- 12 years. (Handout).; Supplementary material reads: Photo from TWA. Trans World Airlines. For immediate release. Santa arrives with 8800 horses (horsepower that is). Los Angeles International Airport, December 24: A sixty-year-old woman airline passenger arrived here tonight bedecked in a home-made Santa Claus outfit that was so realistic that her own family failed to recognize her. Enroute from Chicago she played Santa to fifteen youngsters aboard the eighty-one passenger Trans World Airlines Constellation. Mrs. Lillian Fuchcar of 1906 S. 49 Avenue, Cicero, Ill., on her first airplane flight, confided to fellow passengers that she was going to don a homemade Santa Claus outfit before deplaning at Los Angeles where she was to be met by two nieces, a nephew, her sister and brother-in-law. Over the Grand Canyon she was convinced that now was the time to put on the suit. The ensuing commotion caused the plane's captain, Lyman Keele, to come out of the cockpit to see what was going on. [next]; Supplementary material continues: 'I had to look twice, he said. I just couldn't believe it.' Mrs. Fuchcar was prancing down the aisle passing out lollypops to the children in the plane. Upon landing she was the first one off the plane. Her sister and b rother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. George Barry of 9800 11 Ave., Inglewood and their three children were waiting at the gate. Barry exclaimed, 'Isn't that wonderful' and started to applaud. Santa went right by him and wished him a Merry Christmas. At this point, the Barry's thought she was not on the plane and were getting worried. Mrs. Fuchcar could stand it no longer and gave away her identity. She then passed out toys from a huge bag to (L to R) Michelle, 14; Bonnie, 9; and Patrick, 12. It was the first time they had seen her in four years."
Los Angeles Examiner Photographs Collection, 1920-1961
