Tulsa TV Memories: Tulsa pop culture      

Mike Flynn, Claxton & the Moose, courtesy of David Bagsby

More Tulsa TV Newsmen
and women of the past:



Phyllis Watson

Phyllis Watson doing a bit for Jeff Rosser's bachelor tape

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 and Phyllis, courtesy of Jim Reid Guy Atchley intro, courtesy of Peter D. Abrams

Guy Atchley and Phyllis Watson clowning around in the Total 8 Tulsa news set.



Georgia Jones


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


Sasha Foo, courtesy of Jim Reid(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?


Sasha Foo 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.

Sasha Foo5/5/2003: 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.


Sasha Foo... tears it... ...up!


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


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!





Courtesy of Mike Flynn

The KOTV news team, courtesy of David Bagsby

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 today, from the KOTV 50th special
Dale Hogg yesterday and today




Mike Miller reporting from the airport. Check out the American Airlines plane behind him!(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. Mike Miller interviewing former Governor and Senator Henry Bellmon

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!


Bill Hyden on the "Sun Up" morning show

"Sun Up", KOTV weekday morning program, sponsored by Cain's Coffee


(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.

Bill Hyden (photo by Jerry Cornelius) 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!


Clyde Parker with Judy Pryor and Lee on the Sun Up set(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.


Swan Lake Mike Pierce shot and edited this mood piece on Swan Lake, narrated by Bob Hower, circa 1977.


About Bob Hower

Behind the scenes story

Bob Hower rewrites his "lead"


Bob Hower wrote 1921 Tulsa Race Riot: The American Red Cross-Angels of Mercy

1921 Tulsa Race Riot: The American Red Cross-Angels of Mercy



Jack Morris and Don Woods from 1959 TV Guide, courtesy of Ed Colton
Jack Morris and Don Woods from 1959 TV Guide, courtesy of Ed Colton



Jack Morris

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.

Jack Morris closer 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!



Five Seconds to Air, by Bob Losure

        Bob Losure


Check out Bob Losure's book,
Five Seconds to Air: Broadcast Journalism Behind the Scenes

         

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 message...

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