MICHU LANE: A Bizarre Tribute to Hollywood’s Smallest Star

Michu Ln, Hawthorne, CA 90250

Hawthorne California is a city in Southwestern LA that's famously known for being the the birthplace of the Beach Boys, the land that SpaceX took over and (to a much lesser extent) home to this very short street, mysteriously named Michu Lane.

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Sitting on a 280 ft. concrete slab of a road, the cul-de sac previously known as 125th st. got a radical makeover in the 1980s thanks to a diminutive man who would gain fame via TV's ALF and an uncomfortable affiliation with pop star Michael Jackson.

Now who is this star we speak of? Surely someone worthy of getting an entire street dedicated to them? Well, that powerful Hollywood power player is circus performer/sometime movie star Michu Meszaros, and yes, he's a little person. Now the "shortest road in Hawthorne" connection all makes sense, right?

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Born in Hungary in 1939, the 2 foot 9 inch tall Michu rose through the Ringling Brothers ranks under the coveted guise of "smallest man in the world". His many skills which included training poodles to dance in circles and wearing very groovy cowboy outfits caught the attention of American TV producers who saw great promise, ultimately leading Michu to make the move to the US.

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The plan eventually worked and American film/TV audiences in the 1980s started seeing Michu all over the place. First there was ALF the worldwide phenomenon where Michu donned the iconic costume then came appearances in Big Top PeeWeeMichael Jackson Pepsi commercials, Cyndi Lauper album covers and, my personal favorite, the classic horror flick Waxwork. The Reagan decade was weird enough to serve Michu well and he thrived financially. This setup takes us to the genesis of Michu Lane.

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During said decade, and in a bold PR move by the city, Hawthorne decided that this man MUST have a street named after him! Why? Who cares, it's the 80s and we're all on cocaine!

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Despite the notoriety, the street itself might leave the visitor a bit disappointed. Firmly believing that there'd be epic circus performances going 24/7, and ALF continuously crossing the street while 'girls just want to have fun' blasts on repeat, those seeking any themeatic connection to Michu's life will be disappointed to see that it's just a short street. I should've kept my expectations in check, but it's MICHU for god's sake!

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Located right around the corner from the famous "Welcome to Hawthorne" water tower (ok, I probably made that "Famous" thing up) , the only exciting things that currently haunt Michu Lane are a few random homes and this city maintenance plant.

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But, so what! Who cares! The real delight is seeing that glorious street sign, which still proudly proclaims itself Michu Lane 30+ years after the fact. Just close your eyes and imagine a tuxedo clad Michu enthusiastically yelling "Welcommmme!". Pure bliss. Worth the trip.

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And let's not forget the unsung heroes who've live on this street and can proudly claim Michu Lane as their home address. I couldn't be more jealous of these folks.

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Although Michu unfortunately passed away in the Spring of 2016 (RIP, little buddy!) his memory luckily will live on forever via the shortest street in Hawthorne. Los Angeles in the 1980s was certainly a different time-- a friendlier era where exploited B-list actors could get entire streets named after them-- but that's what makes our bizarre Hollywood history so amazingly great.

HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?

After coming to the US in 1981, Michu settled in Hawthorne, where his new manager had been living at the time. Once he blew up in the mid 80s, the town decided to pay it forward and prove that Hawthorne was truly a city of good neighbors, thus presenting the street naming opportunity.

Michu apparently paid the low price of 6k (truly a steal for Hawthorne immortality) to have this honor bestowed upon him, a memory that was documented in this epic news clip.

CHECK IT OUT

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Michu Lane