Photo of Laura McKenzie by James Thompson

Laura McKenzie:

From Musical Beginnings to Television Trailblazer — A Legacy of Creativity, Compassion and Community

BY SHERYL ARONSON

From her early days as a self-taught musician to becoming a celebrated television host and producer, Laura McKenzie has left an indelible mark on the travel television genre and the cultural fabric of Hollywood. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated creativity, adaptability and a deep commitment to giving back — both on screen and in her community.

McKenzie’s career began with music. “I taught myself how to play guitar and sing when I was in high school, and then I joined a band because music was always my passion — something I thought I’d make a career of,” she recalls.

She performed in bands at restaurants on weekends, fully committed to music. At her family’s urging, she also explored a backup plan, enrolling in dental school to become a hygienist. A fainting incident during a surgical observation changed her mind, and after graduation, she never used her certificate.

A pivotal moment came when her trio opened for The Kingston Trio in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. That led to a full summer on the road, followed by 12 years of touring as a singer. She later joined the Serendipity Singers, a group with several hit records in the 1960s and 1970s, eventually replacing the last original member. The group performed worldwide and starred in a three-year television series for USA Network, filming music videos at iconic locations.

“We traveled all over the world and did cover songs standing in front of famous places like the pyramids, the Parthenon in Athens and the Sydney Opera House. It was during the MTV years when music videos were popular — so that show was a hit.”

After years of touring, McKenzie found her next chapter in television. “Because I had so much experience traveling with the Serendipity Singers, that really prepared me for television,” she says.

Her niche in travel programming emerged after moving to Palm Springs, California, where a connection led to a job as a weather presenter. Observing the popularity of short travel segments, she began producing two-minute travel tips for local TV, which were syndicated to multiple stations.

From the start, McKenzie focused on experiences that immersed viewers in local culture rather than traditional sightseeing. “I always wanted to do things that were fun … not get bored in museums learning about the history behind this guy and the painting.”

Recognizing the potential for longer-form content, she partnered with Republic Pictures to create a library of 12 one-hour travel videos. The series was highly successful, earning McKenzie Billboard magazine’s “Video of the Decade” award for her Hawaii video, which remained on the special interest chart for 30 weeks. Her videos were available in rental stores before the era of internet downloads.

Her success continued with “Laura McKenzie’s Travel Tips,” a half-hour series on the Travel Channel, followed by “Laura McKenzie’s Round Trip” on the Discovery Channel, leading to numerous additional travel programs.

Wanting to use her platform for humanitarian efforts, McKenzie introduced segments focused on giving back, which she calls “voluntourism.” “When we were traveling, there was so much opportunity to give back,” she says. “We worked with the Starkey Hearing Foundation and helped give hearing aids to children who had never heard before. We took propane tanks to Nicaragua, did a charity concert in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina and traveled to Africa with Feed the Children and took some celebrities with us.”

McKenzie often brought her daughter, Elizabeth Stanton, on these trips, believing volunteering would help shape her into a thoughtful and compassionate person. She appeared in family segments, sometimes as the adventurous “guinea pig,” trying new activities on camera. After a trip to Africa, McKenzie helped her create a demo pilot, which launched “Elizabeth Stanton’s Great Big World.” The program has been syndicated for more than 10 years, allowing viewers to watch her grow from a child into a successful host.

“Today, Elizabeth continues her career in entertainment, hosting shows for The CW network such as ‘Street Magic,’ which features magicians performing for crowds, and ‘World’s Funniest Animals,’ a lighthearted series where her own dogs have even appeared as co-hosts,” McKenzie says.

Family collaboration has remained central to McKenzie’s work. “My husband, David McKenzie, is also a well-known producer-director and an Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated producer,” she says. “We run Associated Television, a syndication and production company together — so everything is family. We travel together and work together. I know a lot of people who can’t work with their husbands and wives — but we make it work.”

Another creative focus has been documentary filmmaking. “We produced an Emmy-winning documentary called ‘Hate Among Us,’ about antisemitism, which we filmed in Israel, Paris and Morocco with my co-producers Dean Cain and Montel Williams,” she says. “We also produced ‘Architects of Denial,’ about the Armenian genocide. After that, my husband received a presidential award, and Dean, Montel and I received the Order of Armenia, which was a lovely award from the government.”

One of McKenzie’s most visible community roles is leading the Hollywood Christmas Parade. After years of attending as a spectator, she and her family stepped in when the original organizers could no longer continue. Under her guidance, the parade expanded to include two performance stages, celebrity entertainment, marching bands and towering balloons. She co-hosts the event with Erik Estrada and other personalities, while her daughter reports from the crowd.

The parade also celebrates cultural diversity. “We have the Gevorkian Dance Academy representing Armenia and the Armenian community in Hollywood, floats from Panama, dancers from Bolivia, huge spectacles from China and Korea, and we even had Miss European Universe there wearing her crown, waving to the crowd to represent Europeans.”

In addition, the Hollywood Christmas Parade is a platform for giving back. “We support the Marine Toys for Tots — their mission is to make sure that no child is forgotten at Christmas time, that every child wakes up to a toy or a gift Christmas morning. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that the Marine Toys for Tots is a year-round program as well, not just Christmas.”

Reflecting on the event’s impact, McKenzie shares, “It’s really a community event — everyone who came out this past year said they couldn’t believe how many people were on the street. People come out with their families, bring folding chairs, sit there and wave, and see their favorite soap stars, celebrities, balloons and marching bands. It’s so heartwarming.”

Although still deeply involved in Hollywood production, McKenzie moved to Las Vegas more than five years ago, just ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I love having access to amazing restaurants and designers within a short drive,” she says. “World-class entertainment is available every night, it’s easy to get around, and I enjoy the sports scene and outdoor adventures. I also love discovering places off the Strip and am a big fan of the restaurants at the newer Durango Casino & Resort.”

Through all her work, McKenzie encourages others to broaden their perspectives and give back. Her guiding philosophy remains simple: “Be more considerate, kind and generous — Be grateful for everything that we have.”

With her television series, documentaries and family-run production company, McKenzie has built a lasting legacy of storytelling that entertains, educates and inspires viewers to see the world — and one another — with greater empathy and curiosity.