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More Tulsa
TV Newsmen
and women of the past:
Phyllis Watson
| KTUL Newswoman Phyllis Watson doing a comedy bit for Jeff Rosser's
bachelor tape (or not...read the following.) |
| (via email 8/16/2002)
Diane Elliott Ward said:
FYI--the photo you have of Phyllis Watson was NOT from a performance
for Jeff Rosser's bachelor tape, although it may have been added to the tape.
I was on the set with Phyllis and Guy (Atchley) and a fly kept
buzzing around. It was very distracting to everyone, but especially Phyllis.
So during the break, Guy got out the flyswatter we kept under the news desk
and started trying to kill it. Of course, he got wild and when the fly got
near Phyllis's head, he swatted it. We all laughed so hard Phyllis wasn't
able to read the next news story with a straight face. The engineers were
rolling on them during the break apparently, because it showed up on the
blooper reels, including the one for Jeff's bachelor party. |
Guy Atchley and Phyllis Watson clowning around in the Total 8 Tulsa
news set.
Georgia Jones
(from Guestbook 16) Mike Bruchas said:
Wasn't Georgia Jones a reporter at 6 and Noon News anchor in the late
60's?
Wasn't she also Jenkin Lloyd Jones' daughter? Always thought this
was neat if so. Is she still in Tulsa?
Still trying to see if anyone can confirm that the back half of the KOTV
parking lot WAS the old Tulsa Police Station - thought Buddy Allison had
told me that once.
Definitely of the Jones family...and I think you're right, daughter. Now
known as Georgia Snoke, and former columnist at the now-defunct Tulsa
Tribune.
Sasha Foo
 (from Guestbook 17) Rick Koontz said:
Does anyone remember a Channel 8 commercial, where all of the "talent" were
in a disco club dancing up a storm? I remember Sasha Foo tearing up
the dance floor?
(from Guestbook 17) Mike Bruchas said:
Where IS Sasha Foo now? She went to CNN but where to next?
Webmaster: I was able to find this more current shot of Ms. Foo
from KCOP's site around 1999.
In 1997, she played a newscaster in
Most Wanted, and herself
in Volcano.
3/22/2004: In answer to the musical question posed by John Boydston,
"Where in the World is Sasha
Foo?": according to J. Preston, she is now working for KUSI TV, an
independent station in San Diego, California.
 5/5/2003: Here
is that promo with Sasha Foo, Don Woods, Chris Lincoln, Bob Hower, Diana
Moon, Christopher Lewis...who else can you spot? Sasha's flamboyant moves
definitely give a kick to the beginning and end of this video. Conceived
by and courtesy of Carl Bartholomew.
This video is only viewable via high speed connection; due to the constant
movement, it just didn't look good compressed for dial-up. If you are on
dial-up, right-click here, select Save
Target As, and download the 1.7 meg video to your computer for viewing.
Carl's promos for KTUL are a slice of the best spirit of the 70s...a delight
to watch.
Carl "Uncle Zeb" Bartholomew said via email 5/5/2003:
(Sasha Foo) added a little heat to a lot of things. She later went
to CNN Headline News on the late night shift for awhile, but I lost track
of her after that. I did a news promo with her once which required her to
speak Chinese. She was part Chinese and part Jewish. She did the spot, but
had to have her mother teach her how to speak just enough Chinese to deliver
her lines. Interesting girl to say the least.
Incidentally, Sasha and Uncle Zeb rode together in a parade for Channel 8
one time. Though I had been in many, it was her first. She really seemed
to enjoy it. Youngsters along the way chanted, "Sasha Foo! Sasha Foo! Sasha
Foo!" She was a joy to have along side me and it was one of my more memorable
parades.
Barbara
Allen
 (from Guestbook 3) Jim Back said:
A note asked what happened to Barbara Allen. She married the news
director of KTUL at the time, Jeff Rosser. They showed up in OKC a couple
of years ago when he became GM of KOCO-TV. After they left Tulsa one went
to Washington, and the other went to Dallas (I think). Yet I ran into Jeff
shortly after he came here and he said their marriage survived the geographic
split. I heard the other day that he is no longer at KOCO. Don't know where
he went.
(from Guestbook 84 and email to webmaster) Barbara Allen-Rosser said:
This is Barbara Allen-Rosser and it was a total hoot to see a picture of
me on this website!
What a great trip down memory lane - so great to see all of the names and
read so many wonderful stories! I look forward to connecting regularly. So
sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Leake. What an amazing man he was. I
look forward to sharing some fun and interesting stories about him!
Just to update you a bit:
Jeff Rosser and I will be celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary in August
- and it's true - he hired me and then married me and to this day, I'm not
certain if he had the interests of KTUL or himself uppermost in his mind!
After leaving Tulsa, Jeff and I both went to NYC and soon after, I took a
position as anchor and reporter in DC at WRC-TV. A year later, Jeff took
over as News Director at WBZ in Boston. Yes, we commuted for six years in
all - I headed to WFSB in Hartford for three years after DC to cut down on
the flying commute - and then, I retired from television altogether.
I worked as a real estate broker in the Boston area, then we headed to Birmingham
AL where Jeff was GM of the NBC affiliate...then to Dallas to head KDFW,
then to Providence and Ft. Smith AR and to OKC and now, we are happily settled
in Montgomery AL where Jeff is Group VP-TV for Raycom Media overseeing 10
of the company's television stations.
In the meantime, in 1987, along came Tyler, our great son who is 14 now.
And, after a hiatus for motherhood and a return to school to get a second
degree in Accounting, I run my own business. For 12 years, I have been with
Mary Kay Cosmetics and currently, I am a Senior Sales Director. And yes,
I do drive a pink Cadillac!
Also, wanted to share that the Tulsa years were terrific - none better -
and that there is a magic about Tulsa that never is erased.
Lots of great Tulsa memories...thanks for the website! |
 |
Hey, you in the back.....you'll never amount to
anything clowning around like that...Take Two! |
Bob Brown Ralph Bardgett Gary Chew Lee Clark
Mike Corbett Mack Creager Mike Flynn Carlos
Hernandez
Gaylord Herron Dale Hogg King Lionel Bill Pitcock
Larry Thomlinson Clayton Vaughn Lee Woodward |
Dale Hogg yesterday and today
 (from Guestbook 19) Mike Miller
said:
I have been wondering through your great web site and enjoying it all. One
page indicated you'd like to hear from me.
After I left KTUL-TV (the second time) anchoring weekend news (before Mazeppa
and Busey on Saturday nights) and reporting, I went to KATV in Little Rock
as news director. Moved to KTHV in LR several years later, also as ND. Was
boss to Sam Jones at KTHV. (Crazy nut.) Knew Slick Willie, and interviewed
for job with him. I went to work for guy running for Congress named Ed Bethune,
he won and I moved to D.C. Also worked for Sen. Chic Hecht of Nevada and
was Deputy Dir. Communications (media consultant) to Republican National
Senatorial Committee. Also brief stint with Jim Inhofe.
Today, semi-retired, working part-time for ANSTEC, Inc as a courier and loving
it! Working on a book about all the funny stuff that happened in TV and politics.
Gary Chew, Nathan Wilcox (former KOTV production) and Hyden and I have been
e-mailing freqently on KOTV reunion.
I'll try to answer some questions raised later...like the Moose..was indeed
a large guy.
(from Guestbook 22) former Tulsa mayor Terry Young said of Mike Miller:
As Bob Hope once sang, "Thanks for the mammories." Another of Mike Miller's
great accomplishments was the interview of a Tulsa stripper who had been
"busted" for dancing sans everything. He convinced her to do the interview
with nothing on above the waist...with back to the camera...looking at Miller,
who did the unconventional thing of looking into the camera (yeah, right)
instead of us looking at the back of his head. I believe Paul Murray was
the photographer and we all appreciated the fact that he kept the camera
rolling at all times...providing some wonderful film that was salvaged from
the cutting room floor.
Clearly, Mike Miller is a real newshound!
|
(from Guestbook 18) Bill Hyden said:
Don Cook, formerly of KTBA, Broken Arrow, first apprised me of TTM. I had
been out of town so much, still working at my advanced age, that I fell out
of touch with a lot of things.
My e-mail capability via Prodigy Internet is just now reactivated, so I can
now sign in here as I intended much earlier.
 Some
short comments now and more later:
First, Harold Stuart is very much alive! His wife, Joanne (Skelly), died
a few years ago and he is now married to THE Frances Langford...actress,
singer of the 1940s. (Frances Langford passed away in
July 2005...webmaster)
Mike Ransom - a side bar: My father was the first principal of East Central
High School.
I am now in the midst of organizing a KOTV 50th Anniversary reunion for November
27, 1999.
Need names, addresses, phone numbers and info of any era. Unfortunately,
there is no list available of all past personnel. We are starting from scratch.
Great to hear from you, Bill! I remember watching "Sun Up" with you as
the host back in the 60s.
There has been some discussion of KTBA (which
you owned) and free form radio here.
I think this site can help you out on some of those names...check out
the guestbooks, and the "list of Tulsa TV people"
near the search engines! |
 (from
email, 6/14/2000) Lee Woodward said:
I mentioned Ralph Bardgett
previously. Now let me mention another Director-Promoter-Major
Domo-Travel Agent etc., Mr. J. Clyde Parker.
Clyde passed away many years ago and so we can now say that yes, Clyde WAS
gay. In the present world, this would be no big deal, but back in the 60's
and 70's it was tough for Clyde. He even dated some of our KOTV ladies just
to make everyone feel comfortable. Clyde was erudite and a great arranger
of parties or travel, etc. He made our trip to New York for the World's Fair
a breeze. Everything was click, click!
Interviews with Mike Wallace, Broadway stars, Movies Stars went with
no hitches. A great assist in this was Photographer Ron Hagler shooting
35mm with his Arriflex. Ron also widened the eyes of the bartender at our
first bar we hit. The barkeep asked us what we wanted. Clyde ordered a vodka
tonic. I ordered a Jack Daniels and water. He asked Ron what he would have
and Ron said in his Okie accent, "I'll have a Scotch and coke". I saw that
same look the bartender had on a cat I happened to be approaching at speed
in my car!
By the way I failed to mention the lady in the picture....It's Judy
Pryor. Yes I know!
Thanks Clyde!
Bob Hower at work rewriting his "lead" (photo
by Mike Bruchas).
He has the distinction of delivering the very first newscast seen on Tulsa
TV in 1949.
Mike Pierce shot
and edited this mood piece on Swan Lake, narrated by Bob Hower, circa 1977.
About
Bob Hower
Behind the scenes story |
 |
Jack Morris and Don Woods from 1959 TV Guide, courtesy of Ed
Colton
 |
Jack was elected to the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 1974.
7/11/99: Jack Morris recently retired from his 2nd career at Nordam here
in Tulsa.
(from Guestbook 113) Mike Garner said:
I think that my favorite Tulsa TV newscaster of all time is Jack Morris.
I still remember when he was on KTUL-TV 8, the ABC station, and he told the
news the way it was, and he spoke so well and was so convincing in addressing
the audience. I especially loved the end of his broadcasts, when he would
tell a joke to rap up the newscast. Thanks to him and Don Woods, who draw
Gusty (I have 2 Gusty drawings), the flavor of the KTUL newscasts were set.
It was really good.
I like a lot of newspeople in Tulsa, past and present, but Jack Morris is
my favorite.
(from Guestbook 4) Don Lundy said:
Re: Jack Morris' closers: Morris featured the "closers" way before the Vietnam
era. At one time I had a booklet of them that the public could send in for.
Am sure they were to lighten up an otherwise serious demeanor.
from Wayne McCombs: John Hudson and Jerry Webber play a joke on Jack Morris
during a "closer". Wayne says:
"To me as a kid growing up, he always looked so stern and authoritative on
TV. But in person he was very pleasant and always had a corny joke to tell.
In those days the TV anchors wrote all their own stuff. I was amazed to see
Jack type away at blazing speed using only two fingers to type his nightly
newscast.
"One night I was in Jack's office (I was working the 8 pm - 12 midnight
music shift at KVOO Radio in 1974 when this video was produced) and I was
shocked to see him, looking in a paperback joke book and smiling and using
one of those jokes for his newscast that night. I really thought the viewers
sent in all those jokes! |
Former Tulsa TV anchor and host Sam Jones is back with the
Ole Time Radio Ranch.
But before we continue, let's take time out for this important commercial
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