Honorary Mayor Eugene Levy Leads Festivities as Grand Marshal

Palisadians Mike Martini, Joe Halper Selected as Co-Parade Marshals

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

Pacific Palisades resident, actor and Honorary Mayor Eugene Levy was deemed grand marshal of this year’s Fourth of July parade.

The Alphabet Streets resident is widely known for creating, writing, executive producing and starring in “Schitt’s Creek” as Johnny Rose during its six-season run from 2015-20.

Levy has won multiple accolades throughout his career, including just last year when he took home two Emmy Awards for “Schitt’s Creek”: Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The show swept all seven major comedy categories.

Levy, who has lived in the Palisades for 14 years, was sworn in as honorary mayor Tuesday, January 26, succeeding Billy and Janice Crystal.

“Being honorary mayor is one of the biggest honorary honors that I’ve had in my young life, and looking down the list of past honorary mayors, I know I have big shoes to fill,” Levy shared during his first address as honorary mayor. “It’s a heavyweight list of Palisadians, and I want you to know that I will take this job as seriously as I can.”

Levy shared at the time that one of his goals was to ride in a parade.

Palisadians Mike Martini and Joe Halper were selected to ride as co-parade marshals. In making this annual decision, Palisades Americanism Parade Association said it looks for individuals or pairs who have been active in the community—with Martini and Halper fitting the bill, in the Palisades and beyond.

Martini has been a resident of the Palisades since 1954, boasting a life as a pediatrician, American Legion member and ever-humble community member.

“Maybe people don’t understand I’m just a simple person happy doing simple things,” Martini told the Palisadian-Post in 2014. “I’m a lucky pediatrician and a lucky Palisadian.”

Martini shared that he served two years in the Korean War as a doctor before finishing his medical residency at LA General Hospital in pediatrics. He went on to spend 42 years in pediatric practice and became a fixture in the community.

He had a decades-long career as a pediatrician in the Palisades, and shared an office with Dr. Russell on the corner of Via De La Paz and Antioch before retiring.

He is a member of the American Legion Post 283, and former commander and district level commander, as well as a member of the Palisades Optimist Club since 1996. He facilitated the collaboration of the American Legion and Optimist Club to host a blood drive for nearly 10 years.

Halper served nearly seven years on the West Los Angeles Planning Commission before being sworn in as the latest commissioner on the city of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Board—an echo of his early career in park management on the East Coast.

He has been president emeritus of the Pacific Palisades Democratic Club and an active voice in the community for decades.

“It was very special for me,” Halper said to the Post. “I have a great affinity for the Pacific Palisades community and to have them give me that honor was very special to me.”