Eiler Larsen
Encyclopedia
Eiler Larsen was a Danish
vagabond
who earned fame as "The Greeter" of Laguna Beach, California, United States. Larsen wandered in Europe, South America and across the United States before settling in Laguna at age 52. He worked as an occasional gardener, but adopted the daily habit of standing on a street corner to greet every car and passerby. From the 1940s until the early 1970s, the shaggy-haired, heavily-bearded Larsen grinning, waving and booming "Halloo-oo-oo!" to visitors became a cultural icon
for Laguna Beach tourists. Local patrons supported him with a rent-free room, free meals and other services. In 1964, Larsen was proclaimed Laguna's Official Greeter by the mayor. During his lifetime, Larsen was featured in paintings, postcards, photographs and sculptures.
. His younger brother, Svend Unmack Larsen
, said growing up among the poor was "this mixture of tragedy and baroque, macabre comedy" that gave him an early understanding of social problems and the dark sides of society. Svend Unmack Larsen went on to become the Justice Minister of Denmark
and served as mayor of Aarhus from 1945 to 1958. Eiler Larsen left Denmark to pursue what he later described as "my mission of friendliness."
. According to newspaper accounts, Larsen went to Siberia at age 19 as a representative for a Danish butter exporter. After a brief stint of mandatory service
in the Danish Army, Larsen traveled to South America and hiked through Argentina and Chile. He first arrived in the United States at New Orleans, Louisiana aboard a ship from Chile on September 29, 1916. Larsen went to St. Peter, Minnesota
where he attended Gustavus Adolphus College
for a year. During World War I, Larsen enlisted on January 14, 1918 and served with the United States Army 8th Infantry.. According to Larsen, a leg injury he suffered from an artillery shell in France resulted in his life-long need of a cane.
After returning to the United States, Larsen worked as a Wall Street messenger before wandering the eastern seaboard
. He walked the Appalachian Trail
from Maine to Georgia. For a time in the 1920s, he greeted people near the White House in Washington D. C.. In 1930, he worked as a caretaker in Putnam, New York
. During the Great Depression
, Larsen migrated to California where he picked fruit in the San Joaquin Valley
and lived for a time in Colfax, California
and the San Francisco area.
festival in the artist community of Laguna Beach. He came in the summer of 1938 and was cast as Judas in the presentation of Da Vinci's The Last Supper. He returned to portray the same role the next two years, then moved permanently to Laguna in 1942.
He supported himself with occasional jobs of gardening and at a pottery business. In spare moments, Larsen pursued his life-long habit of choosing a vantage point and welcoming people. His usual spot in Laguna Beach was a busy junction at Forest Avenue and Coast Highway near the main beach. To every car and pedestrian that passed by, Larsen grinned, waved, pointed his wooden cane and shouted his catch phrases of "Hallooo!", "Delighted to see you!" or "Are you alive?!" The shaggy-haired and heavily-bearded Larsen, usually dressed in a red shirt, slacks and sandals, waving from the corner, became a iconic image for Laguna Beach tourists.
Larsen was featured in newspapers and magazines. He appeared on postcards, photographs and paintings. News stories described him variously as a living legend, landmark and symbol of friendliness. Larsen lived in a rent-free room over a client's garage. Locals patrons helped him with contributions and some restaurants provided free meals.
Some locals disapproved of Larsen, saying he was a public nuisance, an annoyance or "too loud". They wrote letters to the city to have him stopped. Larsen said, "They may think I'm crazy, but when a motorist comes to town, tired and weary of the traffic, and smiles when he leaves, does it matter what they think?" City council members dismissed the protests with bemusement because the majority of the town supported Larsen. In response to one well-publicized complaint in 1959, the Mayor said Larsen could be the unofficial town greeter so long as he did not interfere with traffic. On February 14, 1964, after more than twenty years of Larsen welcoming visitors, mayor William D. Martin proclaimed Larsen as Laguna's Official Greeter in a sidewalk ceremony that initiated the town's first Winter Festival.
Larsen continued his wanderlust for brief periods. In 1953, he left for a cabin in Idyllwild to become a writer, but returned to Laguna by the following year. One winter, Larsen walked to Palm Springs where it was warmer and began greeting people on a street corner there. Residents quickly complained and Larsen was escorted out of town by police to walk back to the coast. Each Spring, Larsen hiked 30 miles over the mountains to attend the Easter sunrise service at Mount Rubidoux in Riverside. He often appeared at the Danish Days festival in Solvang, California
and the Rose Bowl Parade.
Danes who knew Larsen compared his relationship with children to Hans Christian Andersen
. According to one story, he handed out copies of Louis Untermeyer
's poetry book For You With Love to each child on one Valentine's Day. Another year, he donated a collection of children's books to the Idyllwild Public Library.
Larsen said that he developed his philosophical outlook after wandering in Siberia, South America and the United States. "When I was traveling around the country 40 years ago I made it a point to take up a vantage point and greet people."
He suggested that his single gesture of goodwill had a ripple effect, saying, "Too many people driving along the highway are frowning and look unhappy. By waving, I make them smile and thousands of people have a happier day before them." Years later, he said, "I don't care who they are – they all respond to goodwill. Some don't speak English, but they understand anyway."
Reflecting on the value of his efforts, Larsen said, "Some people have millions of dollars and no friends. I've got practically nothing and thousands of friends who drive by to greet me."
For the next several years, Larsen lived in a free room at the Hotel Laguna and continued his Greeter duties. The Eiler Larsen Tribute Fund had been created to supplement his World War I Veteran's pension and pay for any needs. In 1971, suffering from the onset of bladder and colon cancer, Larsen was forced to retire. His friends moved him to the Beverly Manor convalescent home in Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, California
.
He died there on March 19, 1975. He is buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery
.
. The plaque is dedicated to the "...philosopher, gardener and friend of man who devoted all his spare time spreading goodwill and cheer..." The second, created in 1986, is a life-sized redwood carving by Guy Angelo Wilson that stands at a downtown corner outside Greeter's Corner restaurant, named in Larsen's honor.
During a ceremony in February 1964, Larsen's footprints were impressed into the sidewalk at the intersection of Coast Highway and El Paseo Drive by Laguna's Main Beach .
Around Christmastime in 1963, a 45-rpm record called "The Greeter" was released on OBO records. Composed by local artist Paul Blaine Henrie
, the Bossa Nova song was sung by Rochelle Battat and featured Eiler Larsen shouting his catchphrases.
In honor of Larsen's contributions to the library, the City of Laguna Beach designated the short drive beside the city library as Eiler Larsen Lane.
, took up the habit of welcoming the thrice-weekly arrivals and departures of the stage coach from El Toro, California. The community supported Lucas with a monthly stipend of $8. He died in 1908.
In 1983, 8 years after Larsen's death, a 51-year-old former hairdresser named No. 1 Unnamed Archer unofficially assumed the tradition of town greeter. Archer said he wasn't trying to be Larsen, "I'm only walking where he walked, keeping a tradition alive. It's a tradition that stands still until someone comes along and fills the bill." Archer continued intermittently for 25 years and died in 2009. In later years, several other local people have attempted to take over Larsen's role.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
vagabond
Vagabond (person)
A vagabond is a drifter and an itinerant wanderer who roams wherever they please, following the whim of the moment. Vagabonds may lack residence, a job, and even citizenship....
who earned fame as "The Greeter" of Laguna Beach, California, United States. Larsen wandered in Europe, South America and across the United States before settling in Laguna at age 52. He worked as an occasional gardener, but adopted the daily habit of standing on a street corner to greet every car and passerby. From the 1940s until the early 1970s, the shaggy-haired, heavily-bearded Larsen grinning, waving and booming "Halloo-oo-oo!" to visitors became a cultural icon
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
for Laguna Beach tourists. Local patrons supported him with a rent-free room, free meals and other services. In 1964, Larsen was proclaimed Laguna's Official Greeter by the mayor. During his lifetime, Larsen was featured in paintings, postcards, photographs and sculptures.
Early life
Eiler Unmack Larsen was born March 27, 1890 in Aarhus, Denmark, the son of L.M. Larsen and Thyra Vilhelmine Unmack. His father worked as manager of the city's poorhousePoorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse was a government-run facility in the past for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality....
. His younger brother, Svend Unmack Larsen
Svend Unmack Larsen
Svend Unmack Larsen was a Danish politician for the Social Democratic Party who served as Denmark's Minister of Justice and was the mayor of Aarhus, Denmark for 13 years .-Early life:...
, said growing up among the poor was "this mixture of tragedy and baroque, macabre comedy" that gave him an early understanding of social problems and the dark sides of society. Svend Unmack Larsen went on to become the Justice Minister of Denmark
Justice Minister of Denmark
The Danish Minister for Justice is the head of the Ministry of Justice and a cabinet member.Under the current government, the post is held by Morten Bødskov.As the head of the department, the minister is responsible for:* The General judicial system including...
and served as mayor of Aarhus from 1945 to 1958. Eiler Larsen left Denmark to pursue what he later described as "my mission of friendliness."
Wanderlust
Larsen alternated between a series of odd jobs and wanderlustWanderlust
Wanderlust is a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world.-Etymology:The loanword from German language became an English term in 1902 as a reflection of what was then seen as a characteristically German predilection for wandering that may be traced back to German...
. According to newspaper accounts, Larsen went to Siberia at age 19 as a representative for a Danish butter exporter. After a brief stint of mandatory service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
in the Danish Army, Larsen traveled to South America and hiked through Argentina and Chile. He first arrived in the United States at New Orleans, Louisiana aboard a ship from Chile on September 29, 1916. Larsen went to St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County.St...
where he attended Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
for a year. During World War I, Larsen enlisted on January 14, 1918 and served with the United States Army 8th Infantry.. According to Larsen, a leg injury he suffered from an artillery shell in France resulted in his life-long need of a cane.
After returning to the United States, Larsen worked as a Wall Street messenger before wandering the eastern seaboard
Eastern seaboard
An Eastern seaboard can mean any easternmost part of a continent, or its countries, states and/or cities.Eastern seaboard may also refer to:* East Coast of Australia* East Coast of the United States* Eastern Seaboard of Thailand-See also:...
. He walked the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
from Maine to Georgia. For a time in the 1920s, he greeted people near the White House in Washington D. C.. In 1930, he worked as a caretaker in Putnam, New York
Putnam, New York
Putnam is a town in northern Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 645 at the 2000 census...
. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Larsen migrated to California where he picked fruit in the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
and lived for a time in Colfax, California
Colfax, California
Colfax is a city in Placer County, California, at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 at the 2010 census...
and the San Francisco area.
The Greeter
While living in San Francisco, Larsen was intrigued to hear about the Pageant of the MastersPageant of the Masters
The Pageant of the Masters is an annual festival held by the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, California. The event is known for its tableaux vivant or "living pictures" in which classical and contemporary works of art are recreated by real people who are made to look nearly identical to the...
festival in the artist community of Laguna Beach. He came in the summer of 1938 and was cast as Judas in the presentation of Da Vinci's The Last Supper. He returned to portray the same role the next two years, then moved permanently to Laguna in 1942.
He supported himself with occasional jobs of gardening and at a pottery business. In spare moments, Larsen pursued his life-long habit of choosing a vantage point and welcoming people. His usual spot in Laguna Beach was a busy junction at Forest Avenue and Coast Highway near the main beach. To every car and pedestrian that passed by, Larsen grinned, waved, pointed his wooden cane and shouted his catch phrases of "Hallooo!", "Delighted to see you!" or "Are you alive?!" The shaggy-haired and heavily-bearded Larsen, usually dressed in a red shirt, slacks and sandals, waving from the corner, became a iconic image for Laguna Beach tourists.
Larsen was featured in newspapers and magazines. He appeared on postcards, photographs and paintings. News stories described him variously as a living legend, landmark and symbol of friendliness. Larsen lived in a rent-free room over a client's garage. Locals patrons helped him with contributions and some restaurants provided free meals.
Some locals disapproved of Larsen, saying he was a public nuisance, an annoyance or "too loud". They wrote letters to the city to have him stopped. Larsen said, "They may think I'm crazy, but when a motorist comes to town, tired and weary of the traffic, and smiles when he leaves, does it matter what they think?" City council members dismissed the protests with bemusement because the majority of the town supported Larsen. In response to one well-publicized complaint in 1959, the Mayor said Larsen could be the unofficial town greeter so long as he did not interfere with traffic. On February 14, 1964, after more than twenty years of Larsen welcoming visitors, mayor William D. Martin proclaimed Larsen as Laguna's Official Greeter in a sidewalk ceremony that initiated the town's first Winter Festival.
Larsen continued his wanderlust for brief periods. In 1953, he left for a cabin in Idyllwild to become a writer, but returned to Laguna by the following year. One winter, Larsen walked to Palm Springs where it was warmer and began greeting people on a street corner there. Residents quickly complained and Larsen was escorted out of town by police to walk back to the coast. Each Spring, Larsen hiked 30 miles over the mountains to attend the Easter sunrise service at Mount Rubidoux in Riverside. He often appeared at the Danish Days festival in Solvang, California
Solvang, California
Solvang is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It is one of the communities that make up the Santa Ynez Valley. The population was 5,245 at the 2010 census, down from 5,332 at the 2000 census...
and the Rose Bowl Parade.
Charity
Although he had little, Larsen's practice was to give away everything because he felt others "need it more than I do." He carried a black satchel with candy, postcards and books to hand out. A voracious reader, Larsen spent his earnings on books – often deep science and psychology – then gave the books away to friends, children and the local library.Danes who knew Larsen compared his relationship with children to Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
. According to one story, he handed out copies of Louis Untermeyer
Louis Untermeyer
Louis Untermeyer was an American poet, anthologist, critic, and editor. He was appointed the fourteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1961.-Life and career:...
's poetry book For You With Love to each child on one Valentine's Day. Another year, he donated a collection of children's books to the Idyllwild Public Library.
Philosophy
Devoted to what he described as "my mission of friendliness", Larsen considered it his special duty. He said, "It's my spirit. It's a gift from God that few men have."Larsen said that he developed his philosophical outlook after wandering in Siberia, South America and the United States. "When I was traveling around the country 40 years ago I made it a point to take up a vantage point and greet people."
He suggested that his single gesture of goodwill had a ripple effect, saying, "Too many people driving along the highway are frowning and look unhappy. By waving, I make them smile and thousands of people have a happier day before them." Years later, he said, "I don't care who they are – they all respond to goodwill. Some don't speak English, but they understand anyway."
Reflecting on the value of his efforts, Larsen said, "Some people have millions of dollars and no friends. I've got practically nothing and thousands of friends who drive by to greet me."
Later years
Larsen often suffered from emphysema and was hospitalized by a stroke in February 1967. When he recovered, Laguna residents collected $3000 for Larsen to visit his hometown in Denmark for the first time in 53 years. He was celebrated in Denmark and met the mayors of Copenhagen and Aarhus, then returned to Laguna Beach after the six-week visit.For the next several years, Larsen lived in a free room at the Hotel Laguna and continued his Greeter duties. The Eiler Larsen Tribute Fund had been created to supplement his World War I Veteran's pension and pay for any needs. In 1971, suffering from the onset of bladder and colon cancer, Larsen was forced to retire. His friends moved him to the Beverly Manor convalescent home in Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, California
Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, California
Capistrano Beach, while possessing its own zip code, is in fact a part of the city of Dana Point in Orange County, California. It is bordered by San Clemente to the south and Laguna Beach to the north. Other nearby cities include San Juan Capistrano. Capistrano Beach is one of the few remaining...
.
He died there on March 19, 1975. He is buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery
Los Angeles National Cemetery
The Los Angeles National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in West Los Angeles, at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard. The cemetery was dedicated in 1889. Interred there are war veterans, from the Spanish-American war, World War I, World War II, Korean War,...
.
Legacy
Two large statues of Larsen were erected in Laguna Beach. The first, titled Hello-o-o-o-o-o-o- How Ar-r-re You?, is a painted cement casting created by sculptor Charles Beauvais in the 1960s, that stands outside the Pottery Place along Pacific Coast HighwayCalifornia State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
. The plaque is dedicated to the "...philosopher, gardener and friend of man who devoted all his spare time spreading goodwill and cheer..." The second, created in 1986, is a life-sized redwood carving by Guy Angelo Wilson that stands at a downtown corner outside Greeter's Corner restaurant, named in Larsen's honor.
During a ceremony in February 1964, Larsen's footprints were impressed into the sidewalk at the intersection of Coast Highway and El Paseo Drive by Laguna's Main Beach .
Around Christmastime in 1963, a 45-rpm record called "The Greeter" was released on OBO records. Composed by local artist Paul Blaine Henrie
Paul Blaine Henrie
Paul Blaine Henrie was an American painter and illustrator who was best known for seascapes and coastal scenes.Henrie was born Paul McKinley Henrie in Florida. He established himself in 1960 in the artist community of Laguna Beach, California, where he lived in a hillside home with his wife and...
, the Bossa Nova song was sung by Rochelle Battat and featured Eiler Larsen shouting his catchphrases.
In honor of Larsen's contributions to the library, the City of Laguna Beach designated the short drive beside the city library as Eiler Larsen Lane.
Greeter tradition
Although Larsen was the most famous town greeter in Laguna Beach, the unofficial role dates back to Old Joe Lucas in the 1880s. Lucas was an elderly Portuguese fisherman who had shipwrecked off the Laguna coast. The long-haired white-bearded Lucas, who spoke little English except for swear words and carried a tridentTrident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
, took up the habit of welcoming the thrice-weekly arrivals and departures of the stage coach from El Toro, California. The community supported Lucas with a monthly stipend of $8. He died in 1908.
In 1983, 8 years after Larsen's death, a 51-year-old former hairdresser named No. 1 Unnamed Archer unofficially assumed the tradition of town greeter. Archer said he wasn't trying to be Larsen, "I'm only walking where he walked, keeping a tradition alive. It's a tradition that stands still until someone comes along and fills the bill." Archer continued intermittently for 25 years and died in 2009. In later years, several other local people have attempted to take over Larsen's role.