July 12 2007 at 12:51:24 Name: Dana LeMoine Topic: Transformers Email: d4wdw at valornet.com Comments: One of the main players in "Transformers" is an
Okie, and available on eBay:
July 12 2007 at 07:49:11 Name:
Webmaster Topic: New Oklahoma photo book Comments:
Michael Hardeman ("Michael Evans" on KRAV,
KELi, and KWEN-95 in the top 40 days) has
a new book out:
Oklahoma
Wonder and Light.
From Amazon: "This photographic journey showcases some of Oklahoma's
most scenic landmarks—such as the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains, the
Great Salt Plains, Turner Falls, and Red Rock Canyon—as well as more
intimate views of this remarkable state."
July 11 2007 at 23:32:55 Name: Dan Winders Topic: Rubiot Club Email: dwinders@goblueview.com Comments: I grew up as a kid on 71st between Peoria and Lewis
between 1958 and 1970. I marveled at the back-lit sign on the Rubiot hundreds
of times as we passed by it in my grandmother's Rambler American Automobile.
The Rubiot was definitely on the west side of Lewis.
July 11 2007 at 17:49:25 Name: Mike Bruchas Topic: Lady Bird passes Comments: Lady Bird Johnson died at age 94. I know that
she has been close to being blind for several years but her mind was still
fine. She is known for her highway beautification programs when First Lady.
She has been a conservationist all of her life.
What you may not know is that she ran the Johnson-owned radio and TV stations
in Austin, TX and made them financially successful for LBJ and her family.
Smart woman - was a leading light in Austin TV at one time in the last
century.
July 11 2007 at 09:48:09 Name: Wilhelm Murg Topic: Charles Lane Email: wilhelmurg at yahoo dot
com Comments: I remember him on other shows, but most associate
him with "Soap." He was the judge when Jessica was accused of the murder
of Peter Campbell, which was a major story line in the second season. I'm
more shocked that he lived so long, rather than the fact that he died.
July 11 2007 at 09:36:19 Name: Greg Bittick Topic: Charles Lane Email: g bittick at tulsa cc dot
edu Comments: Last night, I finished watching the "Dark Shadows"
Revival series DVD set (12 episodes) from the early 90s.
In one of the last episodes, Charles Lane guested as the owner of an antique
shop in Collinsport, the locale of the series. He was only on camera for
five minutes or less, but he portrayed the usual grouchy old man for which
he was so well known. He was probably about 85 years old at the time of the
filming of that episode, but his performance was flawless. He defined the
term character actor.
I remember watching him many times appearing on "I Love Lucy" (again as a
grouch), long before he moved on to Hooterville. I still enjoy those episodes
in their never-ending reruns today. His legacy lives on through his multiple
film and television appearances. The end of an era continues...
July 11 2007 at 09:26:00 Name: DolfanBob Topic: Charles Lane Email: MiamiPhin@yahoo.com Comments: Well I have to admit. By his name, I had no idea
who Charles Lane was. After going to IMDb and seeing his picture, there was
no way in the world that you would not know that face and who that man was.
He was in almost everything on TV: I Love Lucy, Green Acres, Dennis the Menace,
etc., etc., etc.
338 acting credits. The man was a legend. A true Hollywood loss.
July 10 2007 at 23:40:09 Name: Jim Reid Topic: Lane & Capra Comments: Lane was one of director Frank Capra's favorites
and was in almost all of his movies. He played a crooked lawyer in "Mr. Deeds",
an IRS agent in "You Can't Take It With You", the reporter that Jimmy Stewart
punches in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and a gossip reporter in "Arsenic
and Old Lace".
July 10 2007 at 22:48:22 Name: P. Casey Morgan Topic: Charles Lane Email: p.casey.morgan at gmail dot
com Comments: Ah, Charles Lane. I, too, remember him from "Petticoat
Junction" (a much revered show at KWGS, where we often refer to ourselves
as "moving kinda slow at the junction").
But wasn't Charles Lane also the guy in "It's A Wonderful Life," who brought
evil Mr. Potter the bad news about the success of George Bailey's "prettiest
little houses you ever saw," and ended his speech by saying, "And one of
these days, this bright young man is going to be asking George Bailey for
a job."
July 10 2007 at 21:52:52 Name: Jim Reid Topic: Sad News Comments: Character actor Charles Lane died today at
102. Lane was a fixture in many films and tv shows from the early 30s till
the 80s. He was part of Frank Capra's stock company and will probably be
best remembered for his role as Homer Bedlow, the evil railroad boss on
"Petticoat Junction".
July 10 2007 at 21:12:10 Name: Gary Chew Topic: Death of a Cartoonist Comments: I was sorry to hear of Doug Marlette's death,
but it was good to read a post here from none other than William Randolph
Hearst.
Delmeaux de Gillette du Coffeyville
July 10 2007 at 20:15:50 Name: Mike Bruchas Topic: Doug Marlette's novel Comments: If there is a cartoonists' heaven - he is up
there makin' fun of it. What a great talent.
I had forgotten about
THE
BRIDGE, a pretty good period novel set in NC, which he had penned. Many
of the mill towns in the story were close to where my ancestors had worked.
The mill strikes too are a part of my family's NC lore.
My Aunt Betty June had it and loaned it to me a few years back, then asked
for it back. Never got a chance to finish it. Maybe now I will track down
a copy.
July 10 2007 at 14:26:07 Name: Citizen Kane Topic: Doug Marlette Comments: With great sorrow, let us note the death of
an honored member of the Tulsa journalistic community, Doug Marlette, edtitorial
cartoonist for The Tulsa World. He perished when a car in which he was a
passenger in Mississippi hydroplaned and impacted a tree.
Doug was a great talent. Deepest condolences to family and friends.
A tree. Wood pulp. Newsprint. Other than the dying part, I'm sure he would
have appreciated the irony.
If there's a heaven, I'm looking forward to seeing the cartoon he makes out
of this.
July 09 2007 at 16:51:03 Name:
King Lionel Topic: Stately Wayward Manor
Comments: Why all the fuss over my castle? The one on
101st Street west of Yale. Can't a king have some peace?
And it isn't a school for girls...exactly. Although, I did take in an orphan
girl once. Her name was Little Orphan Vi Anney.
Maybe that's where all the confusion comes from. I hope this will help clarify
the topic; if not, call your Congressman or Representative; they're not doing
anything.
Uh oh! Gotta go, the Schwan's truck's at the gate. Feets...get movin'!
King Lionel (his mark: $cratch)
July 09 2007 at 08:57:46 Name: Wilhelm Murg Topic: 32 Year Old Mystery Solved Email: wilhelmurg at yahoo dot
com Comments: When I was a teenager I once visited The Rubicon,
a headshop/record store somewhere on Peoria, but it wasn't open for very
long. It was recently confirmed that the building right around the corner
from my house, J.J.'s Gourmet Burgers was the old
Rubicon building, at 7th and Peoria. I haven't been in there as it's
only open for two hours a day, so by the time we're though arguing about
where to eat, it's closed.
I only shopped at The Rubicon once. The "head supplies" were downstairs,
so I went up to the record store and found a copy of Badfinger's "Magic Christian
Music" on sale for $4 -- little did I know that it would be one of my last
purchases on Apple until the 1990s when the company imprint was finally revived.
I bought it because KAKC-FM had been playing "Come and Get It" in heavy rotation
during that period and aside from KMOD and KKUL, it was really the only other
FM rock station that came in crystal clear. I can still hear the announcer's
voice: "1969!" It's still my favorite Paul McCartney composition of all time.
This visit would have been in 1975, as I remember a poster for George Carlin's
"An Evening with Wally Londo Featuring Bill Slaszo" on the wall. I don't
know if they went out of business, or if I had just gotten used to dealing
with Matt at Starship, but I never went back.
They probably didn't carry underground comix.
July 08 2007 at 23:25:36 Name: J. Greenleaf Whittier Topic: Famous Whittier Time Capsule Comments: Speaking again from beyond the grave, I must
say I am all agog at the impending (16 July) opening of the David Batmasterson
time capsule, currently residing in a refrigerator in my namesake town.
I am puzzled by the relative lack of media attention as the countdown to
the opening approaches.
I'm hoping that the opening of the capsule will be covered by that new-fangled
U Tube.
July 07 2007 at 06:29:17 Name: Elfego
Baca Topic: DOT Email: canaaratcharterdotnet Comments: BRAVO!!!
July 07 2007 at 04:37:47 Name: Brian Topic: I just found this website Email: bduncster at yahoo dot
com Comments: What a blast!
I grew up on 64th between Peoria and Lewis. Been living in Colorado since
1980. I remember seeing the Riverside Drive-In
across the soy bean field and imagining the lights from the marquee were
part of a spaceship. My second home was Little Joe Creek.
What a trip it is to see all these blasts from the past! Thanks y'all!
July 06 2007 at 13:52:03 Name: Mike Bruchas Topic: Okie boys make good
Comments: Former OETA/OKC CABLE INTERCONNECT engineer Steve Nease
is now Head of Technology for the Library of Congress' new NAVCC in Culpepper.
VA. Former Okie and Stunkard Phipps employee Bob Bieberdorf is working in
the TV plant build-out there too as a contractor.
David Packard of Hewlett Packard fame has paid for ALL of this new facility,
while the US government paid in $16,000,000 on it. The NAVCC has the new
Packard Theatre in it and will have a classic theatre organ installed for
playing with silent movies. The theatre will screen ALL forms of film and
the NAVCC has nitrate film vaults built-in underground. The audio division
has $12k turntables and processing gear to ingest music off any kind of record
for digital storage.
Why Culpepper? Scares of 9/11 potential repeats started this need to move
America's film/audio/TV archives to a nearby but safer location - then the
Social Security Admin and Treasury moved their vaults from this mountainside
site and the LOC bought it as surplus government property. In the next year
or so, reseearchers will be able to access all there and the public will
see concerts and classic silent movies.
July 06 2007 at 11:04:37 Name: Steve Bagsby Topic: Bloozfest Comments: Yeah, I'll be out at the VFW, one block West
of Peoria on 6th street (across from Centennial Park) on Saturday. Show starts
at 5 pm and goes until they call the law. Admission is $5 This is a benefit
for the Blue Star Mothers of Oklahoma and is raising funds and donations
for personal items to go to American soldiers overseas. Live music will include
The Restless Ribbon Band, Wanda Watson, Bill Davis and the Glenn R Townsend
band. All ages welcome.
This is an outdoor gig so bring your coolers and lawn chairs.
July 06 2007 at 01:00:52 Name: Webmaster Topic: Chew is on the air today!
Comments:
Gary Chew will be back on the air today from noon to 4 pm Tulsa time on
KXPR in Sacramento, streaming at
CapRadio.org under classical.
July 05 2007 at 13:43:15 Name: David Bagsby Topic: Bleu's Fest Email: dcbatsunflowerdotcom Comments: FYI: my brother Steve is playing this Saturday with
Glenn Townsend at some deal at 6th & Peoria...the VFW by the graveyard.
Starts at 6pm and I think it's a free outdoor thing. I'm going to try and
be there for it and hope you can come too.
July 05 2007 at 11:16:35 Name: David Bagsby Topic: Dungeon of Tension (not Dept. of
Transportation) Email: dcbatsunflowerdotcom Comments: Mike...thanks for the DOT plug. Got 2 new films
in the same vein that will be available soon...Mooniac and Party of the Worst
Part. They are all playing on Kansas City's Time/Warner Cable 'On Demand'
channel 13 but if you are a cable system, school or public access channel,
send me a request on official letter head and I'll send you my stuff free...or
if you don't have a letter head, send me a link to your channel's homepage
where I can see you're legit. If you're not a TV station, I'll cut you a
swinging deal. Plug off.
July 04 2007 at 21:07:48 Name: Wilhelm Murg Topic: More Self-Promotion Email: Wilhelmurg at yahoo dot
com Comments: I hope you had a good Fourth of July. I've always
loved the holiday because of the fireworks, but as a Native American I have
to keep telling myself "It's celebrating the defeat of the British, not about
the stealing of billions of acres of Native land." It's hard being an Indian.
Here is some reading material I just posted on
Myspace.com/WilhelMurg:
First up is a short interview with Don Brewer, the leader of The American
Band itself, Grand Funk Railroad, for this week's Tiger Beat FROM HELL!!!
When I was 12 years old I thought Grand Funk was the coolest band in the
world. I still get chills when I hear the opening of "Shinin' On," and I
have to play "Bad Time" as least three times in a row when I put the CD in
the player. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that they are still
one of the most overlooked, bong-rattling gems of rock 'n' roll.
There are also two new reviews, first up is an overview of Michael Moore's
latest documentary "Sicko." While I am something of a fan of Moore's, I'm
still a little tough on the film, which should be a welcomed break. I've
found most critics review Moore's politics rather than his films, but I could
care less if I agree with a director, I'm there to watch a movie.
And last, but most interestingly, Mystic Fire Video has also just released
the complete works of Maya Deren, a true goddess in the pantheon of experimental
filmmakers. I remember being haunted by images from her films that I saw
in books when I was in college. Once the video revolution kicked in I got
a copy of her experimental films collection, and it has been in my personal
library every since. I've always recommended her, even to people who hate
experimental film; there is a poetry to her work that has a strange universal
appeal. I couldn't think of a better choice for my 100th post on MySpace
All of this should also be on the
NONzine.com website on Friday. If you
are in the Oklahoma City area you can find a hard copy of the magazine.
Grindhouse sleaze is coming your way next. Heads up.
-WM
July 04 2007 at 19:00:16 Name: Lowell Burch Topic: Correction
Comments: After going to the link with the information St. John's,
I am sure we played in the gymnasium on the east end of the building. We
only went there at night so it always looked a little scary, with the gates
and the goth architecture and all. For each engagement, we had to enter through
the stage door so I never got a good look at much of anything inside besides
backstage and the kids out front.
So, is it still standing? I ought to go drive by and see.
July 04 2007 at 18:46:46 Name: Lowell Burch Topic: St. John's Vianney and Rhema Email: ten.xoc@3hcrubl Comments: Some friends of mine asked me to go to Rhema's big
festival on Sunday. Their son, Scott Davis, had written a song for one of
the bands and they thought it would be fun to go hear it so we went. There
were about 20,000 people there and the fireworks were probably the best I've
ever seen. I think there might be some shots on Youtube.
Back in the early 70s, my band used to go out and play for the St. John's
Vianney School for Wayward Girls. It was a pretty spooky place but they had
a big room with a stage where we played. Of course it was an all-girl audience
and the Sisters always stood at the back to listen. I have no idea how we
got booked into the place but it was a lot of fun and we always hung around
afterwards to talk with the residents, sometimes getting phone numbers from
the girls that were scheduled for release.
I still have a letter from the Head Penguin telling us how much the girls
liked us. I am sure the old mansion is long gone.
July 04 2007 at 14:52:52 Name: Webmaster Topic: TTM Film festival: "The Dungeon of
Tension" Comments:
David Bagsby's 4.5 minute entry in a "make a horror film in 48 hours"
contest in Kansas: "The Dungeon of Tension". It's weird and funny.
July 04 2007 at 12:58:12 Name: Sam Loveall Topic: St. John Vianney Email: lsl@roanokebible.edu Comments: Don't know if this is the same place you're talking
about, but here's a link for the Tulsa Preservation Commission's entry on
St.
John Vianney Training School for Girls, at 4001 E. 101st.
July 04 2007 at 11:36:00 Name: P. Casey Morgan Topic: Satanic church or girls' reform
school? Email: p.casey.morgan at gmail dot
com Comments: I'm going to guess that the satanic-looking mansion
near 111th and Yale is what used to be the "St. Vianney School for Girls"
that my father always used to threaten to send me to if I didn't straighten
up.
I only saw it once, when my boyfriend and I were driving his car around the
hills in that area (circa 1970); there were closed wooden gates across the
driveway and, with that sort of timing that is only believable on bad sitcoms,
as we drove by and looked, a German Shepherd stuck his nose in the crack
between the gates. Scared me straight, I'll tell you. Or at least more
circumspect.
I wonder if it's still there, and if so, what it is today - wayward girls
these days being so much more fashionable.
July 04 2007 at 08:54:15 Name: Michael Topic: Darker side of Tulsa
Comments: Back in 1989, I went to school with a guy who claimed
he attended a Satanic church in Tulsa called Murdoch's (sic?). He also told
me that there was a mansion in South Tulsa, somewhere between Yale and Peoria,
around 111th, that was where they often met. I've seen the alleged entryway,
a large medieval styled gate, and was wondering if there is any truth to
the rumor, or how it got started.
July 04 2007 at 06:34:41 Name: Webmaster Topic: TTM Film Festival continues with "Tube
Poker" Comments:
I discovered that the short U.K. movie, "Tube Poker",
starring OETA anchorman and TTM contributor
George Tomek,
is also now viewable on the internet at
Pawky.com. I will watch
it myself later today, but it is probably not suitable for kids.
(Later) Wow, intense film. Congratulations to George. And no, it definitely
isn't for kids. It makes me want to say English major-y things, but fortunately
for you, I wasn't an English major, so I won't.
July 04 2007 at 05:45:11 Name: Webmaster Topic: "Flip: a short film"
Comments:
Kirk Demarais' web site, Secret Fun Spot, has been featured on the Links
page for years. He created a great webtoon about the dear departed Phantasmagoria
ride at Bell's (read and see much more about the ride in the
SFS blog).
He recently put his award-winning, live action "Flip" short film out on
Google Video. If you ever hankered after the products hawked in comic book
ads, this will be of interest to you.
July 03 2007 at 13:35:25 Name: Gary Chew Topic: Pronouncing The River Comments: Maestro Bruchas is lamenting the mispronunications
of the woman on CBS reporting about the flooding at Coffeyville, etc.
When was I kid, I spent lots of my summers in Emporia, KS at my maternal
grandparents place. They did some serious fishing of the waters around Lyon
County Kansas. One of the rivers in the region was called by them the
VERR-duh-grehs.
Later in life, when I moved on down to Green Country, I had to re-adjust
that sound in my head to VERR-duh-gree. Little did I know then how laisse-faire
the French are with unspoken letters in their words. Sacre bleu, live and
learn.
Delmeaux de Gillette du Coffeyville. (Glub, glub.)
July 03 2007 at 13:24:35 Name: Patrick Bryant Topic: Scotty Comstock Email: patdotbryant at
gmaildotcom Comments: So who of us in the Television industry ISN'T a
piece of work, eh? :)
I worked in OKC with Scotty for 12 years and he's one of my greatest friends
and his heart is Pure Gold.
July 03 2007 at 08:51:10 Name: Jim Ruddle Topic: Beverly Sills Email: jruddle@earthlink.net Comments: Sometime in the early 70's, I looked up from my
typewriter one day and there was Beverly Sills. She was to be a guest on
a noontime program and was killing time before someone came to take her onto
the set.
We started chatting and Georg Solti's name came up--he was conductor of the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the time--and she rolled her eyes. How could
she be critical of him, I wondered. He was one of the greatest conductors
of the 20th Century.
It had nothing to do with his musical talent.
She said when she was much younger--probably in her early twenties--she had
gone to Europe to further her career, which hadn't gone very far at that
point. As I recall, her passage overseas had been paid for in conjunction
with an appearance she was to make in an opera led by Solti.
It seems Georg had more than music on his mind and hit on her hard. Aghast,
she quit the scene, now with no return ticket because of her refusal to play
ball, and only through the kindness of friends was she able to get back home.
I think she refers to this incident in her book "Beverly," although I haven't
read it.
It was remarkable how open she was and unaffected. I didn't do many celebrity
interviews, but she would have been a great one, I'm sure.
July 03 2007 at 02:23:48 Name: Webmaster Topic: Channel 8...a Raft of Good Movies...by
George
Comments:
Remember the 1970s Channel 8 promo with George Raft conducting a band
while doing a weird dance in tails? The music used was Ramsey Lewis' popular
instrumental version of "The 'In' Crowd". I don't have a video copy of the
promo, but you can read about how it was created by Carl Bartholomew, Glen
Blake and David Banks on the first TTM Gift Shop
page. There is also a tenuous association with Harold Stuart, explained there.
Jog your memory of the spot with the music:
July 02 2007 at 23:27:45 Name: Michaelangelo Bruchas Topic: The great Beverly Sills/OK place name
follies Comments: Dr. Chew and Ed Dumit could probably tell us;
she did a lot to keep a generation interested in opera.
She, Sylvia Fine Kaye and Leonard Bernstein carried that classical music
torch with side bars by Pablo Casals and others. Brother L. Pavarotti did
do in the 80s and 90s.
YoYo Ma and Wynton Marsalis along with Placido D. do it now.
A loss to us all.
---
Karen Regal on CBS Radio midnight East Coast feed had a soundbite from somebody
at "KOTV-TV" in "BartLESSville, OK" on the heavy rains and flooding. She
also mentioned a refinery fire/spill in KS has caused problems with the nearby
VerDESSgress River.
Sheesh...coming one week only to....you know the rest...
July 02 2007 at 23:12:02 Name: G. Puccini Topic: Beverly Sills Comments: Opera great Beverly Sills died tonight of cancer.
She sang once with the Tulsa Opera, about 30 years ago, and I was privileged
to hear her.
Herewith, a fragment from one of her great roles, in
"The Ballad of Baby Doe"
(YouTube clip).
July 02 2007 at 21:14:03 Name: Dave Topic: B.J. Thomas Comments: The Webmaster's recent link back to an
April 2004 thread took us to something
I must have missed three years ago -- tales of B.J. Thomas' appearances on
New Year's of '68-69 and '69-70. I vaguely recall that and wondered why a
star of that caliber at that time wasn't playing larger cities on New Year's.
There were references in the postings to some sort of ruckus that apparently
accompanied B.J.'s Tulsa appearances, although I surmise that whatever happened
wasn't necessarily his fault. B.J. seemed to just attract trouble back then.
Here's another example:
I recall about 1973 or '74 he was scheduled to appear at a trendy
ultra-contemporary decor club in Kansas City on the Plaza called the Observatory.
But the day before his appearance a bomb went off overnight while it was
closed and shut down the club. As far as we were told in news coverage, it
didn't have anything to do with B.J.; he may have just been the one unfortunate
enough to lose a booking date in the middle of it. But it just goes to show
that wherever B.J. went in those days, trouble sometimes followed. Coincidentally
or not, his career went into a lower profile around then.
July 02 2007 at 18:43:34 Name: Mike Bruchas Topic: Scotty Comstock Comments: He, too, is a piece of work!
Have not seen him in over 22 years but his life and KWGS and Channel 2 before
his move to OKC are all inter-twined.
Scotty - what are you doing NOW?
July 02 2007 at 15:15:34 Name: Webmaster Topic: Previous GroupBlog summary Comments:
This GroupBlog, which is hosted in Athens, Greece, has been extremely
slow at times lately, due to their ongoing bandwidth saturation problem.
(Europe's prime time is roughly midnight-11 am Tulsa time.) We used the Backup
GB for GB 245, but it is labor-intensive for me to archive. So let's see
if we can get by with this one again for awhile.
In GB 245, we got the scoop that Casey Norton is moving down to Dallas.
Best of luck to him. He and LeAnne Taylor made a great team.
A link took us back to a 2004 thread with a newly-added postcard of the
Tulsa Holiday Inn. We saw a 1964 KELi survey which poked a little fun at
"Pete Kelly", aka Gary Chew.
A sign-off featuring students at Eliot Elementary School was recalled.
A Beryl Ford photo of 15th & Memorial from the 60s or early 70s continued
to spark comment. Writer Wilhelm Murg updated us on his pop culture
adventures.
A new story was told about an infamous phone service, RI-DESHY. We saw
a YouTube clip of NBC promos from the 1966-68 seasons (1966 had really stuck
in my mind.)
