A couple of messages back Mike B. asked how can stations owned/operated by America One stay afloat. I'll tell you how. Because a license to have a TV station carries with it a license to have a channel slot on the local cable system, whether the cable system or its customers wants the TV station or not. A slot on cable is much more valuable than a broadcast license (except for the Network affiliates, of course, and a handful of Independents around the country)

In fact, Mike, cable nets like the one you're involved in ("Goodlife TV") can't get cable carriage because the "Must Carry" rules result in the limited number of available channels being taken up with no-value local stations that mostly carry public domain junk or preachers asking for handouts.

This is a subject I've ranted to Don Lundy about for years. Usually his response is to smile at me and say, "Can I help it if the NAB has better lobbyists than the cable industry?"

Howdy boy,

Boy howdy, how long's it been since you had a big ol' steamin' piece of black bottom pie? Well, that's too long. Why, just the other day I was cruising the Brookside of the early 70's and had a hankering for some of Pennington's pie....Elliott's BBQ wasn't bad either.

I'm not entirely embarrassed, don't know why, to say I believe I remember the jingle for Pants America, and someone please correct me if memory fails:

"I love my jeans,
I love my jeans,
my jeans are so comfortably lovely.
I love my jeans,
I love my jeans,
my jeans are so comfortably lovely.
In fact I love my wardrobe."

The closest thing I have to a radio story is one of having climbed the KWGS tower at TU one summer eve about 19and76 or so with my cousin Jim Bob, from Gotebo. I am proud to say, that while a show was in progress, we were never detected. And lawzee, was it ever a terrific view at 352 ft.

McLain '71

Pardon the waterworks, that jingle was just too moving!

Don't know how America One stays in business but they used to show a lot of public domain programming - stuff no one claims copyrights on or has expired and not been renewed. Presume now they are showing a lot of infomercials too.

My client here - GoodLife TV has a mix of "p.d." and contracted old movies. They lost a lot of good movie packages as AMC and Turner Classic Movies came along and bought out the market on stuff.

A few months ago we got a "cease and desist" order from HBO on the post WWII movie, "Three Came Home". GoodLife's lawyer called HBO back to find out what was going on. HBO owns the photoplay - not the copyright on the movie. That means HBO can re-make the story but does not own the title and 1940's movie version per se. Therefore HBO could NOT slap a cease and desist order on "owners" of the movie since it is in public domain.

Nyah nyah - - GoodLife's lawyer knew copyright better than HBO's! So "Three Came Home"is still legally running here.

I always thought if I ran a local TV station - would run scads of p.d. "classic" TV/movie programming in the off hours on weekends to save moolah on new series buys. A lot of PBS stations DO.

Speaking of Boss Radio, www.bossradio.com features airchecks of great top 40 stations dating back to the 50s. And yes, I came across a small Tulsa snippet. If you go to www.bossradio.com/gifts/index.html and scroll down to the section titled "Bootleg Top 40 Volume 2", you will see a list of airchecks from various stations. Amongst that list is a 'check of Scooter Seagraves at KAKC. I can't quite recall if it mentioned what year it was.

All of the Olympic coverage made me think back to the US Olympic Festival held mainly in and around the OKC area in 1989. From the television coverage of it, you would think it was the Olympics! And for years afterward, at the various venues would be a sign noting that this place was indeed a venue for the '89 US Olympic Festival! Wow! Don't see those signs anymore.

Hey, for all of you people who thought James was wrong a week or two ago, turn to channel 51 (on a TV without cable) KOPE is on. It's a part of the America One affiliate.

OK, Mike, you asked-----

There are two other twists to the story of escaped killer Frank Sawyer and my aunt, Lois Goodfellow.

A few years after Sawyer was captured when he tried to abduct Lois and my uncle in 1933, she saw him again. She had a state government job, which on one occasion required her to accompany a visitor to the state prison. While there, she saw Sawyer in a hallway about twenty feet away. Their eyes met. Lois said she had never seen so much hate in a man’s eyes.

Fast forward to about five years ago. My aunt, now in her 80s, is watching TV in her Arlington, Virginia, home. A story on the 10pm news states that “convicted killer Frank Sawyer, serving a life sentence for murder in Oklahoma, was paroled today. Sawyer, who is in his 80s and in very bad health, was placed into the custody of his daughter.”

The chills returned to my aunt. All the memories of that dreadful day came rushing back. She wondered if, even in bad health, Sawyer might try to make good on his promise to seek her out and to kill her.

Sawyer died several months later, but the vivid memories and frightful dreams of my aunt live on.

How much coincidence and irony is there in the fact that two news bulletins--one in 1957 in Tulsa and the other in the Washington, D.C., area in 1995--could still have such an emotional impact from an event that occurred in south-central Oklahoma in 1933?

Whew! Now that's a "rest of the story"! Thanks, Frank.

Speaking of Boss Radio, and the great days of Drake/RKO programming made famous on KHJ in Los Angeles, I came across a site about 2 years ago that features airchecks from great top 40 stations. These 'checks date back in some cases to the '50s. If you go to www.bossradio.com/gifts/index.html and scroll sllloooowly down the page, there will be a section titled "Bootleg Top 40 Volume 2". There will be several 'checks on the right side of the page titled by call letters, jock, and city. Almost to the bottom of that list is a 'check from Scooter Seagraves at KAKC. I don't quite recall what year it was. I would've posted the direct audio link, but for some reason, I couldn't get the clip to play. Hopefully the rest of you will have better luck.

Is that our own Andy Barber on the same page?

At the end of a Sunday 10pm newscast on KRMG in 1957, I was handed a bulletin, the first sentence of which read, “A man who was serving a life sentence for murder has just escaped from the state prison in McAlester.” There was nothing particularly new or interesting about that.

It was the next sentence that sent chills down my spine. “The escaped killer, Frank Sawyer, is said to be heading east from the city.” If I had seen the story before the very end of the newscast, I could have related “the rest of the story.”

In mid-1933, a man came up to my grandfather’s farm located halfway between Binger and Gracemont, Oklahoma, southwest of Oklahoma City, and asked for a ride to the road going to the state capital. My aunt Lois Goodfellow, who was an Oklahoma A&M student, and her brother Bob were headed toward Anadarko, and said that they would drop him off at the ‘Y’ where the road splits to go to Oklahoma City. My grandfather and aunt were suspicious of the man, particularly because the radio was full of reports of a big jailbreak in Kansas, where some of the escapees were said to be headed to Oklahoma.

Their suspicions were justified, because after several miles, the man pulled out a gun, and told my aunt, who was driving, to take him to Oklahoma City. As my uncle unsuccessfully tried to grab the gun, Lois drove the car into a sandy ditch beside the road. While the escaped killer fumed, he ordered Lois to get the car out of the ditch. She pretended that she couldn’t do it. He said that he had already killed some people; so, killing her would be no big deal.

Meanwhile, a car containing two state police officers pulled up beside them and offered help. The killer grabbed my uncle and fired some shots. The lawmen answered, with one of their bullets hitting my uncle, who fell over, and pulled himself to the other side of the car, bleeding from a wound in his leg.

The state officers jumped onto the man and wrestled him to the ground. However, the killer was too big and strong, and soon was getting the best of the two, and was trying to reach for his gun which was on the ground nearby. The lawmen cried out to my aunt for help. Lois jumped onto the killer's back, pummeling him with her fists, pulling his hair, gouging his eyes, and shredding his face with her fingernails.

This was too much for the escapee. He gave up and was taken into custody. But before he was taken away, he vowed that one day he would escape, and would come after my aunt and kill her.

My aunt became an international celebrity. The story and her picture made the front pages in newspapers worldwide. There were articles in magazines about her. She received many letters, including marriage proposals, from all over the world. She received one letter addressed simply, "Lois Goodfellow, USA.”

The reason I had chills from reading the story on the 10pm news? The escaped killer whom my aunt subdued in 1933 was Frank Sawyer, the newly escaped prisoner in 1957.

What happened then???

Thanks to the folks responsible for the Tulsa radio memories. I was lucky enough to work at KAKC during its "last gasp" in the middle 1970's, do a turn at KWGS under Gary Chew's tutelage, and battle the field mice and lack of heat at the first "post-KKUL" incarnation of KTFX. My Tulsa radio connection goes back even further. In 1971, I was hired for my first full time job at a small station in Indiana by Bill Mundy, who was KAKC's "Sooner Nooner" in the late '60's. I was also fortunate enough to hear one of Scooter B's "farewell" broadcasts on a visit to Tulsa, and even more fortunate to meet the estimable Mr. Segraves while I was at "The Rockin' 97". Though I wasn't there for the 50-share heydays of the "Super Seven", I always felt a fond connection for KAKC. Thanks for helping me remember Johnny Lane, Dick Schmitz, Gary Ono Stevens, Michael Morning Mouth McCarthy, Gailard and the gang. And a cryptic hello to my former co-workers Don Lundy and Ray Rivera.

You're welcome...Scooter B. can still be heard in Louisiana, and on the internet. Check out the KAKC page.

Thanks, Don Norton! Look forward to seeing Ed Dumit on-line here.

Now if we could also get Ben Henneke and Rod Jones here, too!

For Mike Bruchas and anyone else interested:

Edward Dumit confirms that he occasionally rode Tulsa city buses to TU with Harry Volkman in the late l940s--but only after transferring downtown from the "Irving Place" bus to the "University" route. We couldn't remember where Harry lived then, but we're both sure it wasn't in Red Fork (west of the Arkansas River). You have to remember that the Arkansas turns west as it approaches downtown from the south--and both Edward and I lived in the northwest part of Tulsa--NORTH of the Arkansas. However, before Central high I went to Theodore Roosevelt junior high (now Roosevelt elementary) and Edward went to Horace Mann (now a state prison "halfway house"). I was two years ahead of Ed and by the time Harry arrived from Massachusetts (and Spartan) I lived on campus edge where the John Rogers law school building is now. A good location, especially when bus drivers went on strike!

Sidelight: Tulsa buses were operated by Tulsa City Lines, a subsidiary of National City Lines. National City controlled the buses in Montgomery, Alabama, where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat.

Edward says he plans to be "on line" by the end of the year--but aside from the recorded Tulsa Philharmonic and OK Mozart shows he does, he is supervising repairs and remodeling at his house. He is also coaching the new Miss Oklahoma (for Atlantic City) (away from the house) and recording recollections of the older members of the First Presbyterian Church, some of whom lived in Tulsa during the infamous 1921 riot.

Someone sent me an e-mail - saying he thought Lorne Greene of Bonanza fame was still acting. Searched the web and it confirmed Lorne Greene died in 1987 of a pneumonia-triggered heart attack. Supposedly Michael Landon was there with him just before he died.

Greene was up for so many play parts long before Bonanza but always just missed being on Broadway. He truly wanted to be a theatre actor - but it never happened. Originally he was an announcer/newsman in Canada before coming "South".

Here is a still from a 1972 "Bonanza" episode with Gary Busey as guest star (courtesy of Mike Bruchas). He would have been doing the Mazeppa show that same year. In this show, he was destined to get liquored up and take a pot shot at Mike Farrell, who would become B.J. Hunnicutt in "M.A.S.H."

Why don't we see really creative radio names anymore? The recent post from Robert W. Walker made me think of how in the 60's, nearly every top 40 station had a Robert W. *somebody* or a Real *somebody* Steele. These monikers were made famous by Robert W. Morgan and The Real Don Steele of the great KHJ in LA. Someone needs to get ahold of Tulsa radio's own Andy Barber, and let him chime in on the good days of radio. He spent a lot of time as a teenage jock on great stations in Seattle and Minneapolis. He also spent time in LA before heading here. Speaking of Andy, I think he's at oldies Kool 106.1 now.

Boss Radio Forever expands on this topic.

The Bellaire Drive-In had the greatest marquee - the neon jet with the afterburners blasting. It was really fantastic!

I don't see much about the Bellaire Drive-in. My cousin lived on the street behind it and you could watch it from his roof. We lived 2 streets over and could see it in glimpses from the tall swingset in our yard. My grandparents lived on the street where when the drive-in let out, all the cars drove by the house. It was hard to sleep at their house when the movie was over in the summer with the windows open. I remember my mother popping a dishpan full of popcorn, piling all 5 of us in the Rambler station-wagon, and going to see a triple John Wayne feature. I never made it through the first movie. (Past my bedtime!)

I remember seeing King Lionel at the fair. He seemed bigger than life.

Don Woods also wrote a Christian Gospel Tract. I had one signed by him.

I had a Mazeppa 7-Up card until a house fire.

Reading just the first page of guestbook memories made my day. I want to read them all.

We're open 24 hours a day, so read away! Thanks for the Bellaire memory.

Click here to get your underground card back! And here to visit Don Woods' site, where you can get a new signed Gusty!

Woodsy at the Weather set at KTUL! Great picture but the set always seemed "classier" in the '70's though us at 8 knew a lot was smoke and mirrors.

When I was at 8 with Mike Ransom in Aug. of '99 in Studio B or the News Studio - it was visually interesting but all crammed together. Haven't been back to Tulsa to see how they use the new MEGAset in the EXPANDed studio A.

I am sure if Don Woods were still there now - would probably have a weather "producer" to deal with all the technology now. Back in the '70s - it was "write-on" maps or stick-on magnetic numbers done ALL by Don. With the infamously inaccurate b&w radar. Very little done on the then new Vidifont.

Shifting gears again - Harry Anderson - star of long running "Night Court" and "Dave's World" was here at my place of employment Friday doing a voice over for some event. I missed him but was told almost no one recognized him waiting in the lobby or walking the halls - fame be fleetin' I guess.

Would have tried to milk a magic trick or 2 from him. He was a street performer before he turned comedian and actor....

The one and only time I was ever at the Speedway WAS to see Evel K. do his jump.

Have b&w stills somewhere of it - KTUL photog Gary Amelon sneaked me in with the crew and I think Larry Burnett did a story on it. Most often us technies never left Lookout Mtn. unless on a remote crew....

I believe that I heard Rubbery Cargo opening for The Animals back about 1968. Could be wrong, I may have to consult my weejie board on that one. They did a great job and I was really impressed, especially with their cover of of "Hey, Jude".

Webmaster, the television show "Then Came Bronson" inspired my brother to buy his first motorcycles, a couple of Yamaha dirt bikes and a Kawasaki 350. We both thought we were Bronson, fer sure. That phase didn't last too long but we were still into Bronson when, in about 1973, we watched Evel Kneivel jump 11 semis at the Tulsa Southwest Raceway.

Yeah, great show...I was easily persuaded that I wasn't Bronson when the bike fell over backwards climbing a very modest hill.

Truth is, we do seances up here in the comedian empyreen...and I got this psyhic image of a coach Chuck doing something to a guy named Teddy Jack Eddy's hair...it blew me away because I was from the silent film era...then the whole series vortexed its way up to me...it was a rare pocket of local hometown productions that has found a place in the Fatty Arbuckle Museum of delightful non-sense archives...What I want to know from Mazeppa is where he got that ouiji board...someone told me the other day you made one yourself that looked a lot like the CO2 filter those guys made on the Apollo 13....regards Fatty Arbuckle

Re: Rubbery Cargo. That was a great Tulsa band: Bill Phillips, Max Wisley, Tommy Richard, Tim Benton. Later changed name to Cargoe. I produced their first album (with Jim Peters) at Dan Penn's recording studio, "Beautiful Sounds," in Memphis TN. Anyone remember the single "Feel Alright?" Being young, naive, overconfident, and medicated, we passed on a good offer from Atlantic Records. I went broke and left for Florida. Penn owned the masters that Atlantic had wanted, so the band re-recorded the album at Ardent Studios and released those tapes on the Ardent label. They achieved a glimmer of cult status; kind of "Big Star, Jr." if you get that reference.

Anyway, Max Wisley is back in Tulsa after many years in Dallas as a computer programmer. Richard still plays in T-town, I hear. Benton's in Denton. And I'd love to find Bill Phillips, so if you have a clue, please post it.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is Robert W. Walker of KAKC fame!

Not that it's critically important, but I remember it as C & R Cousins Furniture. Went to school w/Vicki Cousins of the "furniture-store Cousins" back in the day. Had a fierce crush on her, but for naught.

You're right on C & R Cousins. Take a look at TVparty's Winky Dink page! Your webmaster has an article on that site about the NBC series, Then Came Bronson (but Channel Changer 2 has a version of that article with more pictures!) TVparty is a terrific site...check it out!

Dear Chair Okie Boy: Be careful you don't O.D. on ginko biloba - nobody can take that much and live, let alone remember all that Mazeppa trivia!!! I sure as hell can't.

I can't remember who was in Bo Velvet except for now famous glass artist Kreg Kallenberger who still lives in T-Town. I do remember Steve Munson was in it too - sadly, he was killed in a car wreck about 10 years ago. It would be fun to know what happened to Bo but I can't remember his name.

The closest I can come to the band you named that Busey played for is "The Rubber Band."

Unfortunately, Jorge Roho in HiFi doesn't exist anymore. My wife has been all over the internet looking for any mention of him but none exists. I'm still ferreting out old tapes and something tells me that I might find the sketch where Cowboy Hap Farley lip-syncs to "You're My Date in Panama."

Coach Chuck is teaching towel-frappin' at a Boys Boot Camp in West Texas. Unfortunately, Coach Chuck's techniques are not politically correct anymore, thus he has been relegated to this remote location where his acumen is appreciated!

Your closest personal friend in this galaxy,

G.Ailard S.Artain

Where IS Phyllis Watson (pictured on the TTM main page right now) these days?

Is Bill Mitchell the only newsie at 8 still in the harnesses from the '70's? Okay he came back from KOCO in OKC....

Off the beam here - "Davy Crockett" aka Fess Parker - had a career in So. California real estate, I think ran for Congress, but now us DC-ites are hearing that his winery IS making a primo vino. It is hard to find in DC but becoming a recommendable mid-priced selection. Go buy some. Like Mr. Coppola - this wine biz may make "Davy" a lot more money than he ever got from coonskin hat residuals....

All I could learn from the internet is that Phyllis Watson worked at KDFW, the Fox affiliate in Dallas, as late as 1997. She also had worked at WFAA.

Furn-y-ture dealers....a former acquaintance from from The World told me back in the '70's that he was told that C. & R. Cousins and Cuzina Furniture on Admiral were owned by the same folks. Can't remember any tv ads from them though.

RCA used to be very benevolent with "co-op" ad money in Tulsa - hence we remember a lot of RCA TV ads with The Reeves Boys and others. Co-op ads meant RCA or whomever - paid a portion of the ad budget and/or production to do the local spots. We used to shoot Magnavox dealer ads at 6 - paid for by co-op money - that was right after Phillips bought them out. Now Thomson of France I think owns the brand AND RCA TV brand.

Most of the RCA small electronics stuff is made by slave labor or suspicious labor sources in China. Don't know who is doing their microwaves and biggie kitchen appliances but they are American/Mexican/Canadian made and good stuff. Here we dealt with a lot of tv auction show types that bought overnight air time to hawk "bargains" from "direct importers" from TN of of RCA-branded stuff made in China. Most would not have passed quality control when the REAL RCA was in business. Why TN has 6-7 auction or dinky shop at home tv channels - I don't know - Knoxville has had 4 for years on the satellites.

Tuf Nut/Challenger did the same on 8 for their clothing line with John Chick as "the Challenger man". I never saw this brand outside OK/MO/KS/AR/TX.

Lunchroom conversation here in DC - one of my co-workers is back from Nashville - said ex-Tulsan Anita Bryant is now located there. Last heard from - she was opening her own theatre in Branson,MO.

Time warp - instead of being known for her commercial or singing career - my very much junior co-workers said, "She's that woman from Florida that hates gays!". I said she has always been more than that as a "talent" but her views - now 20 years later - still haunt her reputation.

Gotta find that reel I have of her doing national Coke spots in the '60's...She could have been another Patti Page...

This in in response to Chair Okie Boy's question regarding the Gary Busey videotaped birthday greeting shown at Leon's 50th Birthday Bash in Tulsa on April 2, 1992 at the Brady Theater. There are only 2 copies of this video in existence that I am aware of. Gary has the original in Malibu and I have the dub that I showed at the concert (I produced that concert and many other Birthday Bashes since). It is under lock-and-key here in Texas along with the Mazeppa masters. They are kept in a delicately controlled environment with very precise temperature, humidity and light settings. In other words, they're stuck in an upstairs closet.

I hadn't planned to ever show these again but maybe at the next Birthday Bash we'll dust them off and have a repeat performance. There were some additional scenes that Gary filmed which include co-star and ex-Playmate Erika Eleniak, and director Andrew Davis singing "Home Sweet Oklahoma", plus about every person that worked on the movie wishes Leon a Happy Birthday. If you were at the 50th Birthday Bash you probably also remember Gailard Sartain's audio birthday greeting where he "scatted" the song "Happy Birthday" to Leon. It was hilarious. Maybe Gailard will let it be posted on the Mazeppa site a some future date.

Steve Todoroff
Houston, TX

Thank you for posting Chortles the Dingo Dog and of course the compliments....and the unfolding mystery of Dee Lundy and the honorable Admiral Flea Marketty ...the missing tapes will show up in Kangarooney's court soon with his private collection of Lawrence Welk Bubbles.

You're welcome!

Dee is a bit miffed cause I let the cello playing cat Bijou out of the bag...and Chortles to boot...there was such a mix up cause channel six claimed that her video tapes had been ruined somehow in storage. Some said it was a fire. I think we all know who took off with the contract and all the proceeds but can't mention the name ...and then of course Philbrook museum was upset because they had already purchased the tapes from channel six...it was a bad deal all around because she was never paid when it aired on "Kids World" out of Florida...so she just wanted to forget about it all and wouldn't talk about it to anyone..and if I hadn't run onto Doug Dodd at the A&W root beer this would have remained in the hall of silence....but as you probably already know Doug Dodd is now an attorney....so like it or not Dee is going to have to deal with her claim to fame...after all it was a great show and she deserves her place in the tower of the talented and hopefully Doug will see to it that the Dee Lundy Trapezee Caper tapes are mastered on digital and distributed properly throughout the Kingdom...

Okay, all you curmudgeons who are only into technical crap re: TV & Radio. Skip this one & quit your beefin'. Re: Mike Bruchas question about furniture stores...how about Cuzalina, Moskowitz, Cousins on Admiral, Dickason Goodman, Rich's in Brookside, Daniels (carried a lot of Danish Modern).

We were discussing Dee Lundy's Tulsa TV show in Guestbook 52. Ask and ye shall receive...Gary Brumley sent in his terrific painting of "Chortles the Dingo Dog", one of Dee's sidekicks. Take a look!

This morning I was listening to KRMG and there was a commercial for "Tulsa'a newest television station KOPE-TV 51. It said they will have classic shows and movies 24 hours a day. It said it's a part of the Kopeland Company which may explain why there's another KOPE in America. If you want to know more about it, I suggest calling KRMG since they run their commercials. Thom

Dear Coach Chuck, We got us a buncha wannabe 6th hour boys comin' up this fall who don't know nothin' about the proper way to flip a wet towel or drink a bottle a seven up. Please advise.

Dear C. C. Reader, Is the dictionary still available for purchase on eight track tape?

Ah yes, I too have some terrific UFF&CM memories. I saw that Leon/Mr. Mystery appearance. And I have a few questions if you will:
Who were the members of Bo Velvet & the Desert Snakes?
Did Busey ever drum for a band called Rubbery Cargo?
How would a guy go about getting a copy of a videotaped birthday wish sung by Mr. Busey (while aboard the battleship USS Missouri during the making of the motion picture 'Under Siege') to Leo Russelli which was shown April 2, 1992?3? at the former Tulsa Municipal Theatre during a Leon birthday bash?

How might one also obtain copies of "Sonik Re-entry" and a tune that I believe may have been entitled "You're My Date in Panama" by Jorge Roho (in hi-fi?). This last question may actually be answered best by G. Ailard himself, or Mr. Millaway?

A couple of my favorite concert memories are Leon, Freddie King, J. J. Cale and Willis Alan Ramsey at the Tulsa Oilers ballpark May '72? for $5.00. I also saw Leon make a little surprise appearance with George Harrison and Billy Preston here in T-town in Nov. '74.

Hey, how about that Tom Terrific and Crabby Appleton?
Hey, how about that Ida Lupino?
Hey, "why can't this night go on forever?".....

"Sonic Re-Entry" can be ordered from Jack Diamond Music...see the Fantastic Theater page.

The 1974 George Harrison concert was attended by your webmaster, who also took home movies...see a few stills on Mazeppa page 2. Check out the Photo Briefcase for a pic from the 1971 Leon concert at Oiler Park.

Furniture stores! Wow, nothing like a great furniture ad. Jude 'N' Jody is an OKC product only. At least I'm fairly sure they didn't expand to Tulsa. Of course, now they're Jude 'N' Jody and Sons! "Where we love folks!"

'Evans and Mathis Furniture Revolution'? Am I to believe that Larry Evans and the Mathis boys were once a furniture jaggernaut?! I always thought it strange that their respective stores were mere feet from each other in OKC. Strangely, after Mathis Bros came to Tulsa, I found it hard getting used to watching an ad and not hearing "3434 West Reno" as the address. Then again, I'm rambling...

The picture and comments about Dan P. Holmes brought to mind a story--It has nothing to do with broadcasting, so if that bothers you, skip this. It was told to me by the late Jess Chouteau, who knew everybody.

Mrs. Dan P. Holmes was sweet little lady who, despite her husband's wealth, never managed to look like a fashion model. She bought quality clothes, but, somehow, they didn't turn her into a Helen Alvarez.

Mrs. Holmes went to one of Tulsa's premier clothing merchants and was greeted by a pretentious ass who worked in the fur department. She informed him that she was interested in purchasing a new coat and he condescendingly told her they might have something that would suit her. He hauled out a nice, but undistinguished rabbit coat and insisted that she try it on.

"That's perfect for you, Madam" the salesman oozed.

"I was thinking of something more like a mink," she countered.

"Well, of course, mink is very fine, but, to be honest, they are quite pricey. Besides, once you look at a mink, you won't be happy with the rabbit. Now, could I...."

"I want to try on a mink," said Mrs. Holmes, determinedly. "Oh, very well," the salesman sighed. "But you remember what I told you."

He got a mink out, and she tried it on.

"I'll take it," said Mrs. H.

At that moment, the store manager came into the fur department and recognized the lady.

"Why, Mrs. Holmes," he cooed. "Have you been helped?"

"Yes," she replied. "I just bought a new mink coat and I want to pay for it with cash."

The store manager nodded dumbly as she peeled off several thousand dollars. The saleman's face reddened and his eyes bulged.

"And by the way, young man," said Mrs. Holmes, "Since I'm paying cash, I get green stamps. Please count them out for me."

Okay readers!

How many TV/radio FURNITURE pitchmen can you remember? My brain is addled - having lived in both markets, Tulsey and OKC.

Claude Riggs did upholstery and I think had a distinctive voice. We used to accuse Cy Tuma - who looked a little like him - of having an alter ego.

There's Frank Tutt. He sold some good lines intermixed with dreck and I think at one time someone told us that Ike Horn was his silent partner. I shot spots for him when at 6 but think 2 did most of his production.

8 used to do Cathey's spots with John Chick as talent - "8th to 9th on Main" I think was their slogan.

We had the Mathis bros. from OKC who were Evans-Mathis Furniture Revolution and ALSO later Mathis Brothers.

Jude N Jody - or were they OKC?

Who else can you think of - besides our patron saint, John F. Lawhon????? Someone said Lawhon had been a minister at one time, too!

How about Bargainin' Bill and Wynn Lanham? Pigskin Manhattan...you're right, Claude Riggs looked like Cy Tuma, at least in his ad picture.

See Mr. Lawhon at the bottom of the KTUL Photo Gallery.

Just archived Guestbook 52; this is # 53.

In #52, we learned that reader Dee Lundy starred in "The Trapezee Capers Show" on Tulsa TV...we need a picture of Chortles The Dingo Dog from that program on this site! John F. Lawhon (now at the bottom of the KTUL page) evoked a gasp from a reader. A Dan P. Holmes (of Highway 33 fame) picture made it into the Guestbook. We heard about some really bad singing on "The John Chick Show". We learned about the meeting of two famous Tulsa Leons. Tulsa Drive-Ins were discussed. Be sure to read all this and more, then write your own messages here!