Johnny Dorman

“He’s got a degree in Marketing – and another in SantaClausology.”

He’s got a degree in Marketing – and another in SantaClausology. He’s a member of the Red Suit Society and co-founder of the Idaho Chapter of Real Bearded Santa’s. He’s a veteran of the M.A.S.H. Unit of the United States Army, a former DJ, and a pianist who once performed for President Kennedy. Around here, we know him best as the jolliest of elves, sharing Christmas cheer in Downtown for more than 40 years.

At the age of one, Johnny Dorman was adopted and grew up in Washington DC, with his parents and sister. His father worked for the Secretary of the Navy at the time. He recalls that his favorite childhood memories were of Christmas – the music, the movies, and the positive qualities that Santa Claus embodied. His parents bought him an elf suit and with that Johnny began his lifelong vocation of entertaining by spreading his love of Christmas and playing the piano. To this day he claims that “being a year-round Santa and music lover keeps me going – family is very important too.”

“To this day he claims that “being a year-round Santa and music lover keeps me going – family is very important too.”

His family eventually made the move from the East coast to Southern California where Johnny attended The Don Martin School of Radio & Television Arts. During this time, he also worked as a DJ at his own high school parties and on local radio stations – where his favorite mentor happened to be the infamous Wolfman Jack.

From there, he attended and graduated from college in Ventura, did two different stints in the military, and landed a job in radio in Flagstaff, Arizona. Local radio station KBOI lured him to Boise in 1971 where he was on air during most parts of the day, had a short run on their television news station, and was the Farm and Ag News Director. Here “he learned a lot about Boise and came to love the city.”

Dorman really began his career as a professional Santa in 1980 while working for St. Alphonsus in Boise. He had returned from the army for the second time and embarked on a career in life support systems that lasted 22 years, all of which was spent at St. Al’s. His first stint as a traditional Santa, including the high end, full white beard and designer suit, was just two years before, and continued for the duration of his time at the Medical Center. Once he retired in 2002, he made the transition to becoming a real-bearded Santa.

All told, Dorman has been Santa for thousands of kids in the Treasure Valley for 42 years and has attended hundreds of events and parties during his remarkably busy holiday seasons. As it turns out, Maureen O’Hara, star of Miracle on 34th Street (one of Dorman’s favorite Christmas movies) lived here in Boise. She was a Santa client and eventual close friend of Dorman before her death in 2015.

“Radio and Santa brought me out of my shell. I used to be very shy, a bit of a loner”

With a vast array of experiences under his thick black Santa belt, Dorman says, “Radio and Santa brought me out of my shell. I used to be very shy, a bit of a loner,” but that he got to meet some great people along the way and that he loves Idaho. As for Boise, he’s seen amazing growth in his almost 50 years here but thinks that “the long-time residents are truly wonderful, small-town folks at heart.”