Don't know where Boaz is now - but his unique voice was heard at the KWGS 50 years broadcast - 2 or 3 years ago. Will see if I can find an address in my KWGS almuni book.

I may have mentioned this before but announcer/star KTUL announcer Jim Hill was at that "do" and looks like he has NOT aged more than 10 years in over 25! The Dorian Gray thing. He is now a successful stock trader I last heard.

But look also at announcer/talent Bob Coxsey of 8 AND 2- aka Bob Shannon - out in Las Vegas. He had/has a very successful career in banking. There IS life after being voice talent!

On one of our weekly radio programs on "The Experimental Theater of the Air" in 1951, we presented a play about the life of Jesus, written by our speech teacher Miss Ronan. She gave me the lead role. Using my best, pubescent, lowest voice register, I read the part with such profound, pietistic slowness that we only got halfway through the script when it became obvious that the program was running out of time. We could see our director, TU student Bob West, frantically discussing the situation in the control room with his engineer. Finally, with time expiring, Bob held up both his arms to let us know that a cue was coming. Then he gave a big "cut" sign--the finger running across the throat. We had to resume the next week, leaving Jesus hanging from the cross for an extra seven days with only a lonely loin cloth to protect him from the coldness of etherland.

Since we're on the subject of unions, here is a repeat of my entry of a few months ago on the subject:

Unionization was frequently discussed during the many KAKC gripe sessions about low pay for announcers. We had heard that the engineers at KTUL and KVOO made much more money than we did because of their membership in the IBEW. In 1952, we deputized one announcer---I think it was Jack Moore---to contact union headquarters in Kansas City. (It may have been AFRA, not IBEW). The response was disappointing. The union said that they would not try to do anything in Tulsa until all the announcers in town joined in the petition. That was the end of that. Trying to get all Tulsa announcers to agree on such a thing was futile. Announcers generally saw themselves as white-collar performers, not as blue-collar workers. Furthermore, with the rumored wide disparity in wages and salaries of the announcers in Tulsa--- with KVOO way above KAKC, for instance---the high paid men had little to gain from unionizing.

We did learn a lesson, however: Union leaders were not keen on tackling the strongly anti-union, powerful business community of Tulsa over a few handfuls of lowly radio announcers. Management knew that there was a large pool of people, particularly college students such as myself, who would work cheaply. And, most station managers and sales staffs held announcers and their function in such low esteem that it really didn’t matter too much how good they were. At this time, radio was at such a low ebb that outstanding individual talent was not particularly needed at many stations.

Incidentally, in 1954, the management of KTUL eventually broke the union of its engineers after a campaign of intimidation in which the general manager called in each engineer one-by-one and turned on the heat.

Re: Unions. In Tulsa, mention of the very word could throw a local TV station into chaos. My only experience was in 1970 when I worked at Channel 5 in Washington and engineers, cameramen, soundmen, and electricians went on strike. My union, AFTRA, had a no-strike clause in its contract, so we (news reporters) continued to work while friends and coworkers manned picket lines outside.

Pressure mounted. AFTRA members held a special meeting to vote on whether to honor the picket lines in violation of our contract. Against union rules, alcohol was served at the meeting. Rumors soon emerged that the only three who voted to join our striking colleagues were Maury Povich, Barbara Howar, and Mike Miller. The booze must have given me false courage. Management was not pleased with the minority of three, but expressed pleasure with the outcome. The pickets, obviously, were angry about the vote.

We discovered flat tires on our personal vehicles and strikers followed us on assignments. The strikers brought me up on union charges alleging I held a reflector during a Capitol Hill interview.

There were other forms of aggravation. Before walking off their jobs, engineers replaced vacuum tubes with older ones in much of the equipment. Improperly edited film commercials ran on the air, with certain segments upside down or backwards.

Finally, union members at other outlets tried to torpedo us. A hijacked TWA jetliner was on the ground at Dulles International Airport while the FBI negotiated with the gunman. A producer, Stan Berk and I arrived at the airport to cover the story. The plane stopped at one end of a runway. We could not get close enough to take any film. So we climbed over the fence and made our way through a heavy forest of trees, toward the runway. Unfortunately, we were walking in circles, because after about fifteen minutes of hiking we found our news car parked outside the fence instead of the plane.

In a second attempt, we kept walking at right angles and made it to the edge of the runway. Stan shouted: “Hell, it’s taking off.” I grabbed the camera and started rolling. The jet was just lifting off as it passed right in front of us. It was a great shot. The plane returned to pick up ransom money, and it all came to an abrupt end when FBI sharpshooters flattened the tires.

Unfortunately, that night at a news conference with the pilot and FBI agents, network photographers and technicians blocked our camera position. They took turns standing in front of our camera. Among them was Bob Peterson, an old Channel 5 colleague, then with CBS. Peterson finally ended our coverage efforts when he used wire clippers to cut our power cable. I was speechless and powerless. The union retaliation was painful. I prided myself in always bringing back the story. Now that was impossible. Back at the station, Channel 5’s news director Mike Buchanan, (formerly of Channel 9 in Oklahoma City) was so angry he called CBS News to complain. CBS Washington Bureau Chief, Bill Small was so sympathetic he provided us with a copy of Peterson’s film and an apology. It was ironic to use the film of the photographer who sabotaged our camera. The vandalism backfired, but left me with a loathing for strong-arm tactics frequently used by unions.

NABET and IBEW both made pitches in the fifties, but AFTRA couldn't be bothered. I think the closest AFTRA shops were in Kansas City. Corinthian gave us a Christmas Party every year and, I think, there was some sort of health insurance, but I don't really recall. Everyone was so young then that the only demands were probably for maternity benefits so the premiums must have been low.

Of course, we were brought up under the union baiting/busting attitudes of the World and Tribune, so unions were a hard sell for anybody in Tulsa.

In my little open shop mind, I was chary of joining a union, but it was a requirement in Chicago and I did. AFTRA represented all the on-the-air people at NBC, while NABET had the writers and producers, and, while we still used film, IATSE covered the cameramen. (I say "men" because there were no females until later, and by then we were all going ENG.)

There were sweetheart deals cut between the networks and the unions, to be sure, however, I have good cause for supporting AFTRA. I have been retired for several years and AFTRA has increased my pension payments three or four times over that period, and the health plan picks up ALL medical charges over Medicare's rate. There's also a good dental plan.

The two main annoyances were: The networks contributed only on scale, until just a few years ago, so that no matter how much you made, you still got a minimum pension payout. And, second, whenever one union went on strike, the other unions ignored the picket lines, and the scab squads would be brought in from other cities to do the strikers' jobs. Nowadays, with every network using per diem players for every job in the shop, strikes go nowhere, and union strength has sagged.

The pendulum will doubtless swing back the other way one day, when employees get tired of being shoved out the door to make room for cheap and questionable hires.

In response to the Spanky McFarland mention: I was asked to sit in as "host" on the Spanky set until he could arrive in town. I think he was about a week late.

An amusing sidebar was that after two or three days on the show, sitting on the front porch of his make believe house, some viewers called in suggesting that Spanky avail himself of a jock strap! It was apparent that Spanky was no longer a little kid! (Although I must say he still looked like one except for the heavy beard.)

Next item: The only name of a guest dancer on Top Ten Dance Party that I remember is the recently mentioned Boaz Rauschwerger! How could you ever forget THAT name. Never saw him again?

Next item: To Noel Confer. Yes, NABET came back in the late 60's or early 70's and had a good chance of getting in, except that Roy Byrum's favorite (Duane Harm) bought everyone off. That of course is clearly illegal but, what the heck!!

Re Spanky: ha, ha!

Richard,

When did you graduate from CHS? Your Glencliff story is a very vivid memory to all the Central jocks, including myself. I lettered in basketball in '50 and '51. We would gather at Glencliff, with one of us posted as lookout. When the dreaded phrase, "Coach coming!" was yelled, we'd all hit the floor so that we'd be lower than the ledge of the big front window. We'd be giggling all the time. Ah, the excitement of danger!

It was such a great feeling of liberation when basketball season was over and I could go to Glencliff without trepidation. Miss Ronan didn't care if her speech students ate ice cream.

Don't you know that today's coaches would love to have eating ice cream as the worst thing that their athletes did?

If I remember correctly, those huge sundaes only cost 15 cents.

When did Coach Lantz die? I notice that his son died several months ago.

Working my way thru the guestbook postings has brought back many memories of Tulsa.

I have enjoyed your site immensely - thanks for the good work -- it's much appreciated.

Also had forgotten about the Glencliff Dairy stores... In the '50s, there was one on north Cincinnati at Pine, and another, unfortunately, between Central's athletic practice field and the SE entrance to the old downtown school building. Many times I would scoot in for a sundae on the way back from practice.. that is until Coach Lantz caught me there one afternoon...

They did have wonderful sundaes, with a lot of Hershey's Chocolate syrup squirted over little balls of ice cream they packed into a great big milkshake cup. I didn't realize until I moved to Texas how close Blue Bell Ice Cream was to the old Glencliff!

BTW - Don Patrick, mentioned in earlier post, was good friend of Larry Strain (I think from days at TU's radio station). Larry was a DJ on late late night radio. Had such a soothing voice that I fell asleep at a stoplight at 15th and Peoria, listening to him talk between music cuts... at least until a police car came up behind me and honked.

I'm glad you are enjoying the site, Richard. There's quite a bit of site to look at these days! Speaking of ice cream, have you heard the ice cream truck yet?

What about Spanky McFarland hosting the Tulsa afternoon "Our Gang" kids show in the mid '50s ?

And "Take it away Leon!"... the Leon McAuliffe show ?...

Funny, reading some of the earlier postings reminded me of the quiz show that Perry Ward did WAY back on early TV, and that he was a friend of my dad's, as was "Doc" Hull, the radio DJ and Osage County's Blackdog Township Justice of the Peace (that got me out of trouble a couple of times).

BTW - Don Patrick, who used to be a DJ on KWGS(?) at TU (and later moved to Ft. Smith to start an electronics business), died last fall in Ft. Smith. He was known as "The Hummingbird Man" on Channel 5 there, for his expertise with them.

There is a bit about Spanky's Tulsa show on the "Other Kiddie Shows" page.

My dad has a good B & W picture he took at the Cimarron Ballroom of Leon...I'll get it out here soon!

Whatever happened to Boaz Rauschwerger from G.S.'s TU days ?...

There was a union election at KOTV in 1955. It was for NABET, I think. Most everyone said they voted for it, but only a few really did. I belonged to AFTRA and Actor's Equity in Calif. I'm not pro or con union, but I had bad experiences with both. They were good at collecting dues. Come to think of it, I had bad experiences with management a couple of times, also.

In answer to Frank Morrow's question; "When did contracts come into being in Tulsa?"

They came into vogue when KTUL tried to hire Bill Pitcock away from KOTV in the mid 1960's I'm thinking?. Channel 6 actually went to trial over this event. I don't think anyone had a legal leg to stand on but it made for good theater and revenue. The upshot of this whole tsimmes was that everyone at 6 who was "A Talent," got a contract. It basically was a way for the stations to keep someone from jumping to the competition. I can't say that it worked however, as jumping continued (e.g.: Beth Rengel, Jack Morris, John Walls etc.) In a general sense, it let you know how much you were making and what percentage of increase you would get in subsequent years. So, everyone can thank the late Mr. Pitcock for getting it going. I imagine that Jim Ruddle could compare the clout of a contract in the Chicago market to that of the "quaint" Tulsa scene!

Now, shall we discuss the attempts at "UNIONS" in Tulsa TV? Ah yes!

In the early to mid-'50s I knew of no one who had a contract with the stations. It was a handshake (if the people were nice), then two weeks notice either way, with no restrictions as to subsequent employment. (No one ever heard of the term "benefits" either.)

Now I read and hear people talking about contracts. When did contracts start being used?

And here is his (Perry's) son, Bill Ward, giving cues to Betty Boyd. Last I heard of Bill, he was selling yachts in Florida.

Trivia time, I think that this may be the first, but not only, father/son team on KOTV?

Here is the one and only "Highwaaaaay Patroooool" announcer for Safeway...Perry Ward, guesting with Lee & Lionel.

The "Highway Patrol" theme can be heard by clicking the CD cover!

Also reading in the guestbook about Judy Pryor. Ben Hevel (KTUL) and I did the Tulsa Little Theater production of "Mary Mary" with Judy in the lead. Ben asked me after the second night if she was turning and delivering her lines to the audience instead of who she was supposed to be speaking to? I said yes she was, that it was strange, but it gave me time to comb my hair, etc. It was like she was giving a speech! Well, you asked for her and here she is! Judy Pryor.

I read in a guestbook about Anita Bryant and her appearance in high school. When she and I hosted the TV world premiere of "New York Confidential" at the Brady Theater, she was most attractive and thin! I suppose she was about to be or had just been in the "Miss America" contest. The lady to the right was the popular music leader, Honey Hudgen.

The noted gossip columnist Earl Wilson was in for this event. He asked me for a tidbit. I told him to just go to the Avalon Steak House about three in the morning, and he would be rewarded!

Hello Tulsa Radio Listeners: I thought I would just say that before I had the experience of being KOTV's 2nd banana weatherman for a few years, I had an unreal job as a rockjock at both KTUL AM & KELi AM. My first air name was a rather funny sounding one called: "Gary Chew" then the 2nd one I had was assigned to me by Joe Henderson: It HAD to be "Pete Kelly!" Station management decreed that "Gary Kelly" was not marketable. My mother was heartbroken, but she lived in Wichita, so that was a moot point.

People I remember clearly working there were:
Mike Miller, Don Foster, Forrest Brokaw, Bob Gregory, Karl Janssen, Keith "Sparky" Frank. Lloyd Cowan. Joe Henderson, Darrell Huddleston, Dan Pierce, better known as Dan Kelly, Bill Miller, better known as Bill Kelly, Jay Jones, better known as J. F. Kelly, Ray Klinge and Joe Fisher. Hal Balch and Barry Holmes were a couple of younger guys who did news reports for us. They both went on to important things at Creative Specialists, Inc., located in Utica Square. Hal and Barry came in about the same time as His Excellency, G. Ailard S. Artain, who, as indicated at another point on this website, used to go out and do two-way reports from Pennington's Drive In and other hip spots around the Magic Empire.

As some of you may remember, I did take a turn at TV...KOTV, 1st in Tulsa, however, my first love has always been radio, mainly because I'm such a music nut. Nowadays, if you're vacationing at Tahoe or Yosemite in Callifornia, you can dig my act on Capital Public Radio: KKTO, Tahoe City, 90.5 or KXSR, Groveland, CA. 91.7 And if you're ever in Sacramento,the base of our classical/NPR news/jazz operations, just punch up 90.9, KXPR or 88.9, KXJZ. I live in Davis, CA, about 12 miles west of Sacramento on the way to San Francisco.

By the way, speaking of the Bay Area, did anyone know that former Tulsa radio folk, Denny Delk has lived there for many years. He is a freelance voice dude. One of his recent efforts is the voice that says: "Got Milk?" Denny, who I think, jocked at KMOD, has a marvelous voice and has always been very adept at reading very long scripts.

Well, it's been great sending out all this important information from yesteryear in T-Town Radio! But, please, anybody who reads this: I think I'm getting old enough now to maybe get a REAL job or just retire. Which do you think would be best for me?

Welcome back, Gary, we're very happy to see you here again! See Gary's web page at KXPR. There is a new shot of Gary from Lee Woodward on the Weather page, too.

Was reading the Bill Boyd obit - catching up on my archival reading on the page. Knew him vaguely thru KTUL days and remember seeing him in all the old TU campus paper files when I was an undergrad some many years ago at TU. Was doing a search in the library and he seemingly popped up all over the place.

At 8, in the 70's when I met him a couple of times - he was seemingly in Betty's shadow - thought he was in construction or something.

Wish some of the old KTUL b&w photo files remained from the Roy Pickett days. Do any of you remember Betty Boyd doing remote shows from her house and pool? I remember seeing stills of these - probably BEFORE KTUL went color. Hard to think of anyone letting loose a TV crew, cameras, truck, guests et al on your home for a TV show. I remember this because of seeing shots of Bill in the background - there to help.

This all led me to www.tulsaworld.com's photo gallery. Us ex-pats => please DO look at the photogs portfolios pages. Excellent stuff! Though each photog had their obligatory FOOTBALL!, tornado aftermath, and human interest shots - there is a lot of great still work to be seen there. Good shooters at the World!

Living in Virginia has caused me to miss a lot of Tulsa news. I recently learned of the death of Darrell Huddleston, former Tulsa advertising type, (Fred Jones Ford was a major account).

Can anyone fill in details? Think it may have been another auto accident. (Huddleston nearly died about 40-years ago in a bad mishap on Riverside Drive.) Gary Chew, Bob Gregory and I worked with him at KTUL Radio in early 60's. He was a good friend for a long time.

Ken Vandever was a hustling salesman. When I knew him, he had a modified brush cut, and a continuing battle to keep from gaining weight. He and Art Ford were the sales grunts who brought in the small advertisers who made the difference in the revenue stream, and I never envied them the daily hunt--particularly in Tulsa's summers--for new and renewed advertisers, many of whom were blind to the benefits television exposure could bring to their bottom line.

Ken pulled off a real coup in TV sales, after months, if not years of research, and after battling the ingrained idiocy of the downtown department store managers who were in bed with the newspapers, Ken finally persuaded one of them--Street's, I believe--to run live commercials on Channel 6 featuring models wearing sale-priced fur coats. The damned things were jumping off the racks in no time. It was the first time anyone had ever been able to break the stranglehold the newspapers had on Tulsa department store advertising.

Ken was serious about his job, but he did have a sense of humor, a necessary commodity when trying to please the Corinthian squeeze.

Readers! Webmeister Mike Ransom is constantly adding materials and links. Was going thru pages I hadn't read in months and found a lot of "gold" in added stories and pictures. Take a detour and look back at the pages/links on the channel changers!

As John Hillis has said - "geez, what an awful time-waster..." BUT he is back here all the time! Next time you log on - explore!

I saw the Mike Miller/Jayne Mansfield picture and remember seeing video of this on the first KOTV/Tulsa Historical Society tape a few years back. This was from a big show booked at the Civic Center circa 1967 that the promoter absconded with the cash from, leaving unpaid stars and NO show. Big scandal then in T-Town...

The best way to keep up with all the changes is to check the "What's New" page... they are described and linked from there.

That quote was "Sheesh! What a devilish time-waster!".

Time does play tricks with the memory. Since Lee Woodward didn't join KOTV until l957 and I left early in l960, the impressive Miss Peter Pan Peanut Butter would not have graced the KOTV studio until l958 or l959.

Roy Byram's reference to his father-in-law, sales whiz Ken Vandever, reminded me of a "dirty trick" Ken played on me in the l956 presidential campaign. Knowing I supported one of the candidates, he brought in a couple of film spots for that candidate and asked me which I thought was more effective than the other. I looked at the spots and told him. Then he gleefully announced (he supported the other candidate) that he would schedule the weaker spot more times that the one I selected!

I forgive you, Ken, wherever you are--above or below!

Don, re email address N/A, have you looked into someone like lycos.com or altavista.com for a free, web-based email account?

Archived Guestbook 41 today...this is #42.

Some of the topics of discussion were the Tulsa-shot "Weird Al" Yankovic movie "UHF", Miss Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Judd and Mike Hambrick, Tad Allen, tech-head camera stuff... Lots of great new text and pictures directly from Lee Woodward were added to the site during this Guestbook!