[loudly simulating scratching of scalp]

Better put some Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound on that scalp! (or maybe not; I just read what it is supposed to be used for)

From the internet: "Cassina - aka the North American tea plant - was found in common use as the source of a caffeine beverage among Indians from Virginia to Florida and west along the Gulf coast to the Rio Grande. White settlers in these regions prepared a tea known as the "Black Drink," "Black Drought," or dahoon, from the same plant; they also let the leaves ferment to produce a drink containing both alcohol and caffeine."

Frank, you might have enjoyed that country music more if you'd had some Black Drought to wash it down. Another Porter Wagoner patent medicine was Cardui...19% alcohol!

Hadacol is before my time - but I remember Geritol had a good dose of alkyhol in it. Strictly inert ingredients, right?

Since moving to VA from OK, used to see BC Powder spots here on TV in the smaller markets - "faster relief than aspirin".

Baltimore I discovered - has the Bromo Seltzer Tower - I always thought Bromo was a Chicago thing - tough to find in OK till Walgreen's came back into Tulsa in the 90's.

What other former and current "patent" medicines can you think of?

"Take a BC Powder, and you come back strong!". How about the stuff Porter Wagoner used to sell, Black Drought(?) Did Ted Mack sell Serutan ("Nature's" spelled backwards)? What were "Carter's Little Liver Pills" for?

The most absurd commercials of the late ‘40s through mid-‘50s were those for Hadacol. Hadacol was a drink which promised to cure everything and rejuvenate you. These commercials featured people giving testimonials about the miracles which the product had bestowed upon them. The voices all had two things in common: They were country accents originating mostly from south of the Mason-Dixon line, and they were from middle-age to old. The stories were hilarious, not just because they were absurd, but also because they were very serious.

I don’t remember a particular testimonial, but here is what one would sound like.

“I used to be so tired all the time that I couldn’t even walk outside to go to the privy. But after drinking only two bottles of Hadacol, I feel so good that I often go out to the privy even though I don’t have the urge to go to the bathroom.”

This is not a sample, of course, but only an approximation. You couldn’t say the word “privy” on radio at that time.

The advertising campaign became nationwide, and old people all over the country were being rejuvenated. Hadacol swept the country, grossing millions of dollars for the owner of the elixir, not to mention the windfall for the advertising people, particularly radio station owners.

One day I was in a drug store and happened to walk by the place were Hadacol was stacked. I always had wondered what the magic ingredients were in the product. After I read the contents, the mystery was solved. Hadacol was 7% alcohol. (Oklahoma’s beer was only 3.2%.) No wonder the old folks felt so good: They were all high.

The original owners made many millions of dollars by selling out at the height of Hadacol's popularity. It was perfect timing. Very shortly thereafter the sales of the product quickly waned, and Hadacol's commercials were heard no more. But it had provided two significant public services: It had been great comic relief to listeners with any kind of a sense of humor, and it had showed the way to happiness to a generation of older citizens, proving that you could drink booze and still be a good Southern Baptist.

I juscht had a Hadacol on the rocksch, and I feel like a million bucksch!

(P.eSch., there is a musical group named "Hadacol" with a picture of the bottle on the CD.)

I grew up on Uncle Zeb. It was exciting to see his picture on your site. It brought back lot of old mems. Thanks!!

You're welcome!

I have been reading this site for two hours! I am 46, born and raised right here in Tulsey town. This has truly been a great trip down "memory lane". I especially enjoyed the Mazeppa info. I am a '71 East Central graduate and I still remember the day he came out to do that interview!!! Thanks much for the step back in time. I look forward to visiting often.

Carolyn, I am one of your classmates from EC...see if you recognize me by clicking here.

I spent my last working years in Country radio. I grant you it changed, somewhat from the "hillbilly" style Frank mentions. I did comedy, on the road, with Al Clauser. I did the same character, Grandpa Hawkins, on KVOO-TV on the "T-Town Jamboree." I'm sorry if you missed it.

When I was a teen I was a hand on Bob & Johnny Lee's horse ranch, north of Tulsa. Later, in California, on more than one occasion, I worked with live C/W bands on remotes from clubs. Often when they started recounting the stars with whom they'd worked, I mentioned that I had worked for the Wills brothers when I was 14 years old. Someone always asked, "what was your instrument?" I enjoyed their expressions when I answered, "the shovel".

So, Bob Wills actually might have said "Take it away, Noel! Ah-haaaa!" Note that "Noel" is "Leon" backwards.

KTUL contracted for a country music program with Jesse Ashlock, the youngest of the ex-Bob Wills Playboys. Because it was to be a live program in the afternoon during my shift, I was selected to be host. Ashlock was a fiddle player and songwriter. He had a lively, responsive personality and a keen wit. We clicked immediately. His combo consisted of a piano, bass, guitar and Jessie on the violin. I don’t remember if there were a drummer or not. The guitar player was Don Toll, who was quite prominent in Tulsa on his instrument.

The shows were lively and crisp, with good-natured banter between Jesse and his group and with me. Despite my dislike for hillbilly music, I enjoyed doing the program.

The lead singer was a handsome, very likable man. When he was first introduced to me, he spoke in a rich, baritone voice. It seemed that the vocals were in good hands. I was looking forward to hearing him. But when he started his first song, I was shocked. Instead of the deep, rich voice, out came the high, thin, twangy sound of the typical, maudlin country singer at that time. Vomitsville.

During the week the band played at various venues in Tulsa and in northeastern Oklahoma. However, trouble started after several weeks. First, the bass player quit, but was replaced capably by the singer. Then, the worst thing happened a couple of weeks later. Jesse came in with his face puffy and black and blue. While playing at a dance, he had gotten into an argument with his agent, a big, burly guy who always looked scary. The man had thrashed the diminutive Jesse in public. Particularly humiliating to Jesse was that he was pummeled in front of his wife, a very nice, attractive woman who was a lot younger than her husband.

That finished the band. Jesse lingered on, however, coming to KTUL and doing a country music record program with me. It was interesting, particularly when he spoke of old times with Wills.

One story he told was about Tommy Duncan, the lead singer for the Playboys. For some reason Duncan never liked Jesse. During a recording session the vindictive vocalist deliberately sabotaged a song which had been written by Jesse. Duncan changed the lyrics to where a part of the song didn’t rhyme and didn’t make good sense. We then proceeded to play the record, proving Jesse’s case.

But the playing of records with Jesse didn’t last very long. He never regained his previous enthusiasm, and ceased coming to “Boulder on the Park.” I never heard of him again.

I enjoyed the Fantastic Theater opening with Peter Hardt. Great theme song. I remember it well. I used to love to watch that show, or at least I would let it play while I drew my own comic books. I drew them for my friends.

By the way, my wife and I visited with Gov. Keating last week and asked him about his high school/college friendship with Sartain. It was quite interesting. He said they stay in contact even now.

On the subject of name changes, I know three people who either did it on their own or were forced to change their names.

Dave Croninger, KRMG. He had to change his last name to Davis. Although the new last name was trite, the change was probably necessary, because even his friends and acquaintances frequently mispronounced his last name.

Jack Morris, KTUL, originally had a Jewish last name. The change was probably necessary in a city where anti-Semitism was rampant.

During my first Sunday night at KAKC, the veteran announcer Jerry Johnson was taking his usual part-time shift while I was still trying to learn the board. He previously had worked full time at another station, perhaps KOME. When I read the intro for Jerry’s 10 o’clock news, I noticed that the book had the name of Bob Keith as the newscaster. I changed this, and made the introduction, “Now, the 10 o’clock news with Jerry Johnson.” After Jerry signed off, he gently told me that the book was not in error. He did not want his boss at his day job to know that he was moonlighting; so he chose the name “Bob Keith.” The next Sunday, Bob Keith miraculously returned to 970KCs in Tulsa. I assume that Jerry kept his day job.

On a couple of occasions callers would ask me what my real name was, saying that “Frank Morrow” sounded too made-up. I had a heck of a time convincing them otherwise. I had always thought that my name was too unimaginative or not rhythmic enough to be man-made. The only positive feature about it was that it lent itself to word plays like, “Listen to Morrow’s News Tonight.”

We learned in Guestbook 2 from Dee Lundy that Jack Morris' original name was Morris Eisen.

Clayton Vaughn has been named the new director of the Tulsa Historical Society.

I am sad to report that Chris Alexander, aka Chris Lane, passed away Valentine's day morning at 11:20 am. It had been discovered that he had cancer (lung, I believe) and in the hospital for treatment of same, he had both a heart attack and a stroke. With his loving wife, Lorna, and his brother-in-law, Rod Sparks by his side, he gave it a strong fight for a few days, but it was too much for any one man.

Chris was an announcer and dance party host for KOTV and then one of the original KAKC DJs. He went on to a big career in Chicago, and later in L.A. radio and broadcasting.

We're very sorry to hear that, Noel. Thanks for letting everyone know.

Here is a new Chris Lane page with comments from Chris' friends.

It is also reachable from the Dance Party page.

2 comments:

I think someone said Becky Johnson - wife of the late Wayne Johnson of KOTV and music fame - was at the KOTV reunion. Can someone confirm this? I remember Wayne/her toddling around Tulsa in a red VW bug back in the 70's.

When Bob Wills died - I was KTUL - I vaguely knew who he was. When I was at 6 - was told much later Wayne had played in the 40's bands with him. About 6 years ago - read the excellent all-encompassing Wills autobiography and have been addicted. Bought a whole mess of Wills cassettes and CD's. Think I left a Wills double cassette set in Lille, France 5-6 years ago! Every time Bob calls a clarinet solo or sax solo by Wayne on a now 50-60 yr. disk - I think of Wayne. I wished I would have known MORE about Bob Wills when Wayne was still with us - to ask him more!

RE us stinkin' broadcasters as prostitutes - a former OKC news producer said TV master control and newscast crews were all just check-out clerks - we "filled the orders" (really played the spots on air) - the station was paid. When our TCR-100 video cart machines broke down - she'd say we had a broken cash register!

Got an e-mail from Bob Coxsey aka Bob Shannon - who worked with me at KTUL-TV but I forgot he went to KTEW later! The old gray cells ain't what they used to be!

"I was back in Tulsa in Oct. and ran into Frank Morrow and he told me about the web site for old Tulsa radio and TV persons. It has really been interesting reading some familiar names and what they are doing.

"I left channel 2 in 1975 and went into real estate and then into mortgage lending. In 1989 moved out to Las Vegas and went to work for a bank. Did a loan for someone who knew I had been in broadcasting and suggested to a friend at a radio station here to talk with me. I went on the air on Saturdays for about a year at the station...an all news station affiliated with CBS. Still used Bob Shannon so no one at the bank knew I was 'moonlighting'. After about a year I gave it up. Just wanted to do a little 'air time'.

"I am still working in mortgage lending at the bank. Also, doing freelance voiceovers for an ad agency here. They film a lot of movies here and I have been in a couple as an extra. Just wanted to say I did that.

"Yeah...this is quite a place to live. Plenty of 'stuff to do'. Wife and I have been married 34 years and both our kids are married and live here also. Have 3 grand-kids. Frank Morrow and I had a ball talking about the 'good ole days' of radio and TV in Tulsa. I will keep checking the web site to keep up to date. Will probably write more on the web when I can think of other 'humorous' things that happened."
.... Bob Coxsey.....OOPS.....Bob Shannon

I used to shoot football game films for Willsey. It was a lot of fun until video put an end to it. We would roll in from all parts of Green Country and Sherman would be there, shirt off, running the 16mm through the processor as coaches filled the cramped quarters waiting for their reel. It never mattered if the film came out good or bad, he always paid us a nice fee for giving it the old college try. Everyone had a great time.

I was sorry to hear about Wayne Johnson. When you go back that far, obviously some of us are missing.

Here's a little story from before I worked for KOTV.

I was in the service so I wasn't in Tulsa for this classic, but it was told to me by someone who could be trusted.

It was about 1951 or '52. Channel 6 had somebody doing an interview show and the guest was a touring hypnotist who worked nightclubs, getting people to come up on stage and make asses of themselves while the audience howled. The hypnotist was asked, on the air during his interview, whether he could work his stuff on the television audience. He saw no reason not to, but said he would keep it simple and just use mild suggestion to demonstrate his technique. He went into the old "Your eyes are feeling heavy" routine, then said, "You feel very tired. You are sitting down and you can't get up." After a moment, he said, "Okay, when I clap my hands, you'll be able to get up and move around." He clapped his hands and the interview continued.

That's when the phones started to ring.

The first caller, a lady, said her husband was unable to get out of his chair and would the hypnotist clap his hands again?

The message was relayed to the studio and the performer, chuckling, said some of his subjects really went under and that he'd do the hand-clap once more to ease any problem. He did, and the phones continued to ring.

Obviously, as we now know, the minute the television audience senses an opportunity to get into the act, they attack like sharks. Once they heard there was a problem with getting one guy out of a trance, they grabbed their phones and began complaining that they couldn't get out of their chairs, either.

This went on for hours, with the hypnotist being called back on the air every so often until sign-off, and maybe that was extended until later.

As I say, I didn't see this with my own eyes, but I can certainly believe it. Any other antiques out there who can add something?

Wayne Johnson was one of the nicest guys I ever worked with. What happened to him? And Becky?

Wayne (not "Tuffy") Johnson died a number of years ago...anyone know more?

About Willsey's--when I arrived at KOTV in late '76, they had already switched to the Sony minicams and had ripped out the film lab (the theory that video would cut costs, as tape would be re-used and you didn't need a lab person to process the film). But the primitive video cameras were not always the most reliable and often when they did work, delivered colors not known in nature. And forget it in low light or after dark. So if it was important, or something that we didn't want to miss, the CP-16 film camera would go out and we'd process at Sherman Willsey's.

One project like this that I remember was when Merle Haggard put together a reunion of some of the original Bob Wills Texas Playboys in Nashville for a CMA special. One of the stars was saxophonist and KOTV stalwart Wayne Johnson. John Bateman took the film rig to shoot in Guitar Town, and came back with a few thousand feet of pure Oklahoma history. We transferred and edited the final piece on videotape, but John needed the maneuverability and dependability that film gave him over the primitive video cameras and the cumbersome 50-pound recorders. Good to know that Sherman is still around. I think I bought a camera strap and some accessories that I still have from him. Woulda bought a camera, but a KOTV producer's salary back then didn't allow for those kind of luxuries.

I would not trade my life now for anything but, because I had such a good life, I would enjoy re-living any part of my life again - especially if I knew what I know now! Of course, I would spend more time watching the best of the old Tulsa TV shows! Another thing I would do is collect more memorabilia. Finally, I would stash my baseball cards and comic books instead of letting them get away! So, wouldn't we all do the same?

It would be great if you could co-inhabit your body with your previous self, and reexperience the better moments (I think).

I remember distinctly at age 19 sending a message up to me here in the present: "Don't get too misty about the dear old college days...a lot of everyday life is not fun at the moment, and don't forget it!" The Mazeppa show was definitely an oasis in the early 70s.

Looking back, it seems I spent a lifetime saying "buy something, buy something." However, I must remind myself, I was never the victim, but always the volunteer.

Because Uncle Willy’s Doughnut Shop often advertised on KFMJ, I frequently read these commercials. My mouth would be watering after the 30 seconds had elapsed. One late summer afternoon a friend and I decided to go to Uncle Willy’s to indulge. It’s location was not the most desirable, being halfway between First and Second on Boston Ave. But the call of the taste buds was too strong.

I had fleeting second thoughts when I walked up to the shop. The place was very narrow, with barely enough room for a counter and a row of tiny tables which could seat only two people. To the right of the open door I noticed a big window through which I could see a raised, wooden platform. The platform was empty.

The first thing I observed when I walked in was the many yellowish strands of flypaper which were hanging from the ceiling. I also noticed the day’s collection of six-legged visitors which had spent their last few minutes of life trying to extricate themselves from their gooey grave. It wasn’t the most appetizing sight, but my mind was focused on those circular delights.

I looked at the array of doughnuts for sale. It was difficult to choose, because of the many choices and because they all looked so good. I selected three, sat down, and proceeded to have taste bud orgasms.

After I had finished two doughnuts and was getting ready to start on the last one, a huge man with a beer gut, short-sleeved shirt, and strong, hairy arms exited the kitchen door. He went past carrying a huge washtub of dough. He headed toward the front window where he set the heavy container down. He then plunged his arms and bare hands up to his elbows in the white stuff, and began to knead the dough vigorously.

I stopped eating. I noticed that there were two strands of flypaper dangling precariously over the vat. I hoped that none of their inhabitants extricated themselves and fell from being in a weakened condition. The man worked with such diligence and speed that the sweat from his forehead began to roll down his nose and fall into the vat. Heedless, he kept up his pace. Then I noticed that at least two of the many flies that were buzzing around came too close to the churning activity, and disappeared into mix. I suddenly was glad that I had not ordered one of the doughnuts with raisins.

The man labored for a long time. Finally, he stood up straight, and, beaming at his handiwork, he scraped his arms and hands off on the rim of the vat, the residue sliding slowly into the heap of dough, perspiration, flies, and liberated arm hair. (I never thought to check his finger nails.)

He returned to the kitchen, proudly carrying his creation with him. I looked down at the remaining doughnut. I checked it for hair. OK. I sniffed it for BO. OK. I checked it for “raisins.” OK. My friend suggested that I hold it up to my ear to see if I could hear buzzing. Having past all the tests, I ate my last doughnut, but not with the same gusto.

Back at work I did not read the KFMJ commercials for Uncle Willy’s with the same degree of enthusiasm that I had previously displayed.

Ugh!

Frank Morrow--
That's where the old line came from:

"Please don't tell my mother I'm an announcer. She thinks I'm a piano player in a whore house."

During a shift at KTUL I had a startling revelation. This occurred to me after I had read a commercial for a local bank, and an hour later read a commercial for another bank. I read both with equal sincerity and enthusiasm.

A light suddenly went on in my mind: I was a prostitute. I was paid to make a sincere and fervent presentation of anything which was written in the book of commercials on the desk. Turn the page. Read. Turn the page. Read. It didn’t make any difference what the subject was or how unworthy the business was that bought the time. I didn’t have to actually believe what I said or have to like the company or product. I was paid to take on any client: Spread my legs and read.

I wonder if any other announcers ever felt this way.

The key words were "if I knew then what I know now". I wouldn't change much professionally. I would recognize, though, that being in our business wasn't a license to drink too much booze, cheat on my wife, go to work in less than ideal conditions to earn my meager pay. I would recognize that though I might add to the daily enjoyment of my listeners, I'd be "old what's-his-name" in a short time after leaving, and that what I did for a living had very little to do with who I am...and what I did for a living fell a bit short of Dr. Salk discovering the vaccine.

I didn't have a bad childhood, but, God knows, it was a long one.

Even Dr. Salk may have felt that he had become "old what's-his-name"...he retired in 1985, but unable to rest on his laurels, went back to work a few years later, trying unsuccessfully to find a vaccine for AIDS.

Would I like to return to the fifties, knowing what I know now?

Are you kidding?

OK, just to make it interesting, you get to go back at the same age you were then! Or does that make it more interesting? Would you want to be that age again even today, given the option?

Here's a general question for everyone: Would you enjoy returning in time to the 50s, 60s or 70s and living them again, knowing what you know now? (aside from such considerations as making a killing in the stock market)

There is no shortage of John Trotter stories. When I was working Tulsa TV, John got a once a week TV show on KOTV. It rivaled Ernie Kovacs. He was one clever man. For a time, while on TV, I took a "moonlight" gig on KAKC radio. John was the morning man, which meant he was to relieve me at 6:00 am. He was NEVER on time...not once. He was morning man on KDEO when I was mornings on Mighty 690, both in the San Diego Market. He was great.

The most typical Trotter story was when he was leaving a small Oklahoma Market to come to Tulsa. Every single morning, being late, of course, he had parked in a no parking zone, and every morning he got a ticket....none of which he paid. After announcing that he was moving to Tulsa, he marched grandly into the police station and wrote a check for all of the unpaid tickets.....a bad check, of course. Somehow, he got away with it....he always did.

Guestbook 32 has just been archived. Former Tulsa TV/Radio people have added some fascinating lore to the site. But don't feel intimidated if you are a "civilian" like me. We like to hear from everybody, even if it's only a "Hello!"

Be sure to look through the "What's New?" page. It's a good way to catch up on what has happened since your last visit. If this is your first visit, well, you have a lot of info-tainment before you.

The search engine is a quick way to locate pages of interest to you...unless you type in "Mazeppa". You'll get far too many hits. Just go directly to the Uncanny Film Festival pages.

Take a look at Channel Changer 2, too. There are several pages about Tulsa Radio, and more to come. We hope to have a page about KTBA (underground Broken Arrow FM station of the early 70s) soon.