Last night's PEACH PARTY by Peaches Lennox (at the Playmor Lounge) was one of the stranger ones. The highlight was when Peaches did Patti Smith's "Easter" while dressed in a bunny costume.

Tonight: Little Feat

Tomorrow: Tulsa Opera

Someone's got to go to these things.

By the way, Larry Miller retired from Channel 8 last month.

Crystal Bowl is now an Indoor Paintball "range"; empty most of the time.

It was a true Penny Arcade with all the old machines. I remember getting a picture of the Everly Brothers out of one machine. The old flip-card shows had boxing, dancing, etc. I saw a girl disrobing in one of the machines when someone peeked in the viewer with me to see what I was watching. Yes, Edwin, it was my Dad! He said, "I wondered what had you grinning so big."

We had some of the old plaster prizes from the games for a long time. Maybe a couple of them are still in the attic. I see they are worth some bucks these days.

Seeing the discussion of Skyline Amusement Park brought back memories. My family used to go to the park in the mid/late 60's. My mom, sister and myself almost drowned in the pond (seen through the eyes of a six year old, I remember it as a big lake) when my mom stepped into a deep hole in the sandy bottom. My grandfather had to jump in fully clothed and rescue us. I also remember the old roller coaster as quite a wild ride.

Speaking of bowling alleys...remember the one at Crystal City? Is it still there?

After leaving OSU, I moved to downtown Tulsa. Always loved the architecture and vibe downtown. I have a lot of great memories of good ole' Tulsa Town.

Thanks for the great work you do with the site. It's nice dropping in and remembering!

Hey, thanks for signing in. I don't believe the Crystal Bowl (3208 W. 43rd Pl.) is still in business, but it hasn't been gone for more than a couple of years or so.

My later ventures into bowling alleys have been restricted to the Rose Bowl, or the Red Apple up in Bartlesville.

I'll have to check out that bowling alley at Eastland Mall, since I don't live too far from there right now. Strange place for one, indeed!

My favorite classic video game, in fact, the first commercial video game, predating even Pong (which I now have on my PalmPilot), is 1971's Computer Space. OU's Cate Center lounge had one of these machines.

Home version of Pong, courtesy of David Bagsby. Note the sex role differentiation in the mid-70s.

Photo of Chris with TU football coach F. A. Dry circa late 70s courtesy of Mike Bruchas.

Well, it was nicer than most small town traveling shows, but thinking about it now scares me!

I finally got to be a "big kid", I mean big enough to go around on my own & "look around". I promply put my pennies in the arcade machines to watch those very fine ladies removing various clothing! Really cool!

When my Father caught me & didn't make a big deal out of it, I thought I MUST be big enough now to ride the Rocket Cars. "No way" the old man says. "One last ride...& NOT that ride, it is too dangerous". I fell to the ground with a grown-up type fit & my last memory of that place is getting whacked on the backside by my Father & seeing that yellow cinder block wall outside the place.

Ahhh, memories...

"Swan Lake" @ 18th & Utica was an amusement park site from the 20s. One of Tulsa's newspapers did an article some years back.

Sand Springs Lake I think was AKA Shell Creek Resort. An old friend long deceased had told of meeting his bride when they were teenagers there, and riding many powered rides at its park! Mr. K. died several years ago @ 98

The former Bowl-A-Rama site was the home of KOED/OETA for awhile, wasn't it?

I remember seeing it for sale back in the early '70's and so, thinking I might buy it, I talked to the guy that owned it. He told me that the carousel was sold to a motion picture company and that Leon Russell had already bought the rest of the equipment. Leon stored the stuff out on the Okmulgee B-line for a long time and then shipped it all to California, as I remember things.

Lakeview was a quaint park, very charming and a little spooky, complete with an old arcade and carney games. They had concerts, pow-wows, and picnics all of the time. They went to a "dollar day" format toward the end and I certainly took advantage of that.

I went out to Skyline about a year ago. The property owner, who is the son of the amusement park's last owner, did salvage some of the old park to build a lodge and few other things there on the location. He didn't have any interest in talking to me about the old park but he did give me a few sections of the old railroad for my amusement park-themed backyard.

For a while Mr. Pompazoidi had been showing two movies each Saturday night on KTUL such as Joe E. Brown's "$1000 a Touchdown" and "Mad Doctor of Market Street" on Sept. 8.

On Sept. 22, 1973 I wrote "Last Mazeppa show 'The Secret of Dorian Gray'".

On a tour of KOTV the spring of 1972 while a high school senior, I'd asked the cameraman showing us around if they had saved the Mazeppa videotapes they used to record Friday afternoons to show Saturday nights. No, he told me, those were re-used. Only a few were kept for promotional purposes. Thank goodness for the KTUL "Lost Tapes"!

I was thinking the other day of the former bowling alley my mom used to bowl at (besides the Rose Bowl); she used to be on several leagues out at Harvard Lanes in north Tulsa. Building was later used as a furniture store and now I'm not sure what's going on there. Seems that we've been losing several of our bowling alleys over the years (the one at 21st and Garnett was a favorite of mine during my younger adult years but now it's sadly shut down as well). I guess we are now down to the Rose Bowl, Sheridan Lanes, and Riverlanes....plus the one up in Claremore...am I missing any others that are still open? I believe that the bowling alley over at Crystal City is shut down as well now...

Neal Kennedy came to KVOO after working for an all news station in Midwest City and WKY radio in OKC. So far as I have ever known he's not worked for the print media.

I got a call from Tom Moffitt a couple of weeks ago when I was on the air on BBSN on your old stomping grounds, KBEZ. (I've worked part time for them since 1992 and have done the big band thing for them since early 1995.)

Great to hear from you Si! By the way...did you remember that Mr. PHOTOMAN, Moffitt actually set up that picture from the roof of Channel 2 and then had engineer Gary Roark, snap it for us.

The "topic cluster" for this site consists of Tulsa TV/radio/pop culture/history and (loosely) associated items. Tulsa amusement parks are right on target.

Two more amusement parks to recall were Crystal City along old Route 66 (Southwest Boulevard) in Red Fork, and Sand Springs Lake, which also had a zoo.

My dad and father-in-law both told me about taking the Interurban down Charles Page Boulevard to Sand Springs Lake to swim. Don't know when the park and zoo closed. The Interurban trolley stopped in 1956.

Older West-siders still talk about Crystal City, at the site of the now somewhat run-down Crystal City Shopping Center. Bought a few pairs of pants at Rebel Jeans there in the early 70s.

Sand Springs cinema houses were the Star and Harmony. The Star was on Main Street and the Harmony was along Second Street between Lincoln and McKinley. If you walk down the south side of 2nd street today, the old tiled entrance from the sidewalk into the theater remains with the word "Harmony" still embedded in the remaining tiles.

I saw my first drive-in movie, "Konga", at the Capri Drive-in on Charles Page Boulevard circa 1959. The Capri was then owned by a Mr. Jones, father of a friend of mine. The new Bowl-Ero Lanes were next door.

And, speaking of bowling establishments, I remember reading a few months ago about the death of the owner of Huckett's which was, I believe, located about 12th and Main.

I found these two images on eBay a few weeks ago with this text:

Souvenir of Crystal City Park, Tulsa Oklahoma contains 18 views of amusement or carnival rides, Zingo giant roller coaster at night, airplane or seaplane ride, concession stand, Casa Loma dance hall, swimming pool, man riding train at miniature railway station, roller skating pavilion, Ridem Dodgem ride building, picnic areas, boating on lagoon, monkey island, juvenile playboy ride at playground, midway at night with lights glowing. Fun to look at, dated 1927.

So Zingo has been around quite awhile, in one form or another. The look of the park reminds me of amusement parks described in Ray Bradbury stories.

I remember spending the day out there with my two younger sisters and my dad, and coming home afterwards and watching some grouchy old men on TV talking into a bunch of microphones. Turns out it was the Watergate hearings.

I can also remember being on the outskirts of Lakeview for some get-togethers that my folks would bring me and my sisters to; at least one occasion there was a live band playing there; my mom talked me into approaching the guitar player (keep in mind, I'm about ten at this time) and asking him if they could play "Blueberry Hill". He laughed and said they didn't play that song. I forgave Mom pretty quickly, but every time I hear Fats sing that song I still cringe with embarrassment....

It was neat seeing that great picture of the KVOO staff. When I was a kid, it seemed like Jack Campbell and Jay Jones were the "Voices of Tulsa". I once got to tour the old Peoria studio as part of Boy Scout Explorers project. If I ever build my own "Mad Scientist Laboratory", I would want it to look like that.

There are plans to build a new coaster at Bell's, and my understanding is that it will be just west of Zingo. However, the neighborhood surrounding the park is fighting it hard because of the noise a new ride would create. Bell's has tried to solve the problem, by designing the ride so that sections of it will travel through soundproof buildings and underground. Still no dice from the neighborhood.

I understand plans are in the works to expand Bell's and possibly build a new rollercoaster. Anyone know the progress on that, if any?

I was thinkin' about that giant yellow slide from the late 60's-early 70's that we rode down on gunnysacks, and them humps on it that crushed our vertibrates. I don't remember where it was located, but it just popped back into me brain. Anyone else get crippled on it?

I believe he might have been talking about the big slide at Skyline Amusement Park, which was north of Glenpool on 121st Street. It had older rides than Bell's, and had what I believe was billed as the "longest roller coaster in the world." It seemed to go for miles. It also had a large pond for swimming and a train ride.

In the early 70s it was renamed "Indian Nations Park" and closed for good shortly after that. It's now the location of a housing development.

I remember swimming in that pond/lake. It was great; it had a sandy bottom, so it was very clear.

Tulsa public pools may NOT open this year. At least not all of them. The city budget crisis has caused the city to close selected pools, mainly on the north side. The cuts were chosen before last summer, but the outcry from north Tulsa residents prompted Mayor LaFortune to look at a solution. A fund was set up to help pay for the pools' upkeep, but that was only for last season. Word is there will be NO fund this year...

In 1950 (that's 53 years ago, kids!) I worked for several months in the KVOO newsroom as an intern under the redoubtable Ken Miller ("Pioneer Radio News Editor of the Southwest" in his publicity). At the time he was trying to develop a Paul Harvey-type opening for the 10 p.m. news (before the first commercial) and he pretty well ruined Bill Cardin's style doing it.

The news then was read by Cy Tuma, Roy McKee, Johnny Ryan (nee Trigg), and any other announcer. Carl Boye was the morning news editor.

Gee, it's great to run over those names again, but tempus fugit, as we all know.

"Sleepwalker's Serenade" was originated by the late Hollis C. "Doc" Hull, who was a part-time mortician on the side, of all things!

There was also one called the "Waterflume" where the Don Pablo's and Celebration Station is now. Once they built one at Bells and then the Big Splash Water Park, they all went by the wayside, but those held good memories for me as well.

There is a mini golf place on the old Admiral waterslide site now, and you can just see how it went down the side of the hill.

(sigh) This site makes me age just a tad when I write stuff like this...LOL.

Going a little further back, there was a public trampoline pit on Pine Street, I'm thinking in the late 50s, early 60s; I recall hearing early Elvis playing while jumping. The trampolines were flush to the ground, and a pit was underneath. Can you imagine the liability insurance on it today?!

At left is Neil Kennedy who had previously reported for the Tulsa Tribune (I believe) before coming to KVOO. I've since heard him reporting for KRMG.

Next is Jack Campbell who had been with KVOO for years (long before it was Country). Jack hosted a show I used to listen to in the early '60's called "Sleepwalkers' Serenade", I believe. His professional delivery was the real heart of KVOO news.

Third is Ramona Huffman, who anchored at KOTV for several years before overseeing the construction and management of the broadcast facilities at Rogers State College. She has since passed away;

Fourth is Tom Moffit, who had come from KAKC news back in that station's hayday.

Fifth is News Director Alan Lambert who had previously done weather on KVOO-TV. After Ramona's death, Alan left KVOO and took the reins of the broadcast facilities at RSC. He also has hosted the "Big Band Saturday Night" program on KBEZ-FM.

Marti Coffman is next. Marti always gave each news report a smooth and dynamic delivery, the epitome of professionalism.

Seventh is Jack Moore who had been with KVOO since the '50's I believe. Jack was a man of many broadcast credentials. You'll even find him listed as the engineer on a number of music albums produced in Tulsa.

Eighth is Si Hawk. He left KVOO to be the first morning drive host for KBEZ and later went to KJRH for a number of years.

The Go-Cart tracks must have been pretty popular at on time. There was one next to the Rose Bowl on 11th St. I can remember seeing the remains of one at 15th and Sheridan. I think there's still one on North Yale at Dawson.

I took this picture of my brother Alan on the slide at I-44 and Memorial (near Oertle's) with my Swinger in 1967. Shutter speed was pretty fast, about 1/200 sec, as I recall.

"Hey, meet the Swinger
Polaroid Swinger
Meet the Swinger
Polaroid Swinger
It's more than a camera, it's almost alive
It's only nineteen dollars & ninety-five
Swing it up (yeah yeah)
It says Yes! (yeah yeah)
Take the shot (yeah yeah)
Count it down (yeah yeah)
Zip it off...[repeat]"

Some years ago I was in Dallas' West End at Dick's Last Resort, with my then fiance and now wife. Dick's was a crowded jazz bar featuring live music, impromptu dancing and other lively activities. Making my way to the bar for another Dixie beer, I bumped into none other than Gary Busey and, before I knew what I was saying, "Hey, Teddy Jack Eddy!" came out of my mouth. He didn't speak, but he stopped and slowly turned and looked me straight in the eye and gave me a knowing grin. Made my night. Tried for a couple of days to explain to my fiance the significance of the encounter, that, for a brief moment, I was 17 again and the world was goofy, and wide open with possibilities. She never got it, but I still smile...

Here is a link to the new Circle Cinema website.

I feed out about 6 hours of edited material 5 nights a week but regrettably "no gotta da" English track to hear - unless that of a State Dept. flack is near inaudible. My limited Arabic of 10-20 words is coming back from immersion in this. I cannot say where I am working but we feed thru VOA to Ft. Bragg and they uplink it by "military circuits".

My role is a minor contractor's sub but it is a temporary paycheck that I need.

Sadly I also see 5-6 more Arabic cable channels (new ones that I had not heard of before...) besides Al Jazeera and Abu Dhabi TV and they slam the US all of the time. I see a lot of raw video from over there from many many sources.

This home satellite technology that the new networks use - was pioneered in Europe and the US and now sadly may also give "unfriendlies" video gateways into homes world-wide that do the US less good. To paraphrase Pogo - we have met the enemy and it is us - technology-wise....

PS to John Hillis - e-mail me re your old CNN ties....

Just a note on the article in THE SPOT yesterday; calling The Cramps new album FIENDS OF DOPE ISLAND "the soundtrack to a movie that never was" is incorrect. The title comes from a 1961 B&W film available from Outline Magazine's favorite DVD company, Something Weird.

Just archived Guestbook 128. Discussion was about the fun of drive-ins (both movie and food), "The Outsiders" (shot here in Tulsa) and the Circle Theater renovation. We carried over the topics of trains and the Stables Lounge from the previous Guestbook.