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Tulsa TV Memories Guestbook 176 TTM main | What's new on TTM? | GB Archive
Already working Monday-Friday in news in the very early '60's, I was asked by somebody in programming at KOTV if I wanted to be the weekend booth announcer. Who cared if it meant working 7 days a week. It was extra money and it was TV. Lee had some great guests on including Jerry Lee Lewis and Tony Randall. He also did a skit with Rowan and Martin when they were in town and it was hilarious. Lee was the consumate professional and I was the stereotypical TV rookie. My stint at announcing fame came to an abrupt halt after a few months when then-News Director Roger Sharp yanked me out of programming saying it hurt the prestige of KOTV News. But I got a chance after Roger left for ABC News to do another gig in programming for the late Dave Davis, one of KOTV's really creative Directors. Back in the '50s when local stations around the country used live skits into and during their marquee Saturday night movies, KOTV did one quite effectively MOST of the time. But Dave told me about one Saturday night when the prop using a miniature river set in the studio to show the plight of Humphrey Bogart and Katie Hepburn in "The African Queen" worked great --- until the boat got stuck at a bend of the miniature river -- live and in black and white TV! In late '61 or so, Dave asked me if I wanted to try resurrect the idea using a video-taped intro to the old Gary Cooper spy movie "Cloak and Dagger." Of course I agreed. With me in a trench coat out behind the studio late at night, with smoke bombs, sound effects and a black sinister-looking car we taped and ran the intro to the movie and...nobody called or wrote in. We got no reaction! Shows how far TV has come (or gone) since the old days before cable intrusion, consultants, "live" this and that and, depending on the market and level -- journalism.
With a little more time on my hands, I'm working on a collection of experiences
and reflections about television from 1960 through the mid '90's. I'll always
have great memories of living in the great city of Tulsa and getting the
opportunity to get started in the business among real professionals there.
It was a Dance Party promo I'd swear to it. Very catchy. It's like she was
dancing in the lava lamp of love. That's always been one of my favorite Beatle
LP passages, maybe even then because that promo stuck in my mind. That LP
was out in '69 so the promo had to be '69 or '70. When did Dance Party go
off the air?
The promo may have been for KOTV's "Dance Party" or for 8's "Maintain", anyway the video contained a woman dancing with a lot of special psychedelic effects. Anyway, I am marked for life and cannot hear that musical bridge without recalling the promo, except that I can't remember what show the promo was for.
Can anyone help?
Gimme Big Al's anyday for my veggie/health cravin's in Tulsa...is it still
there?
Schlotzsky's is still here but all the Grandys have closed (At least on this side of town!)
Does anyone remember Apple's? They used Swiss cheese on their burgers and
you got an apple with every order.
Love reading all the memories about Mazeppa and Betty Boyd. Our DECA Club
appeared on the Betty Boyd morning show one day to talk about what we did
in the club and about going to the State Conference. Thanks!!
As for burgers, I'd have to say that while Goldies is GOOD, Ted's at 7th and Lewis is/was awfully hard to beat. But for Chicken Fried steak sandwiches, the Del Rancho on 11th just East of Harvard is fantastic. I got my first sandwich there the other day and the meat was hanging a good inch over the edge of the bun. Excellent price too! It was almost more than I could eat!
Sorry to get off on a "rant", but the food there is THAT good!
Speaking of the best burger...I'd have to disagree that Tastee Freeze is
the best. I'm a Goldie's fan. I've never met anyone who can do them as good
as Goldie's. Some come close. But none hold a candle.
I hope that you will permit me to post a link to my website. I am making a short film, which I'm planning on shooting in HD (High Definition for those of you in the know :) and I've set up a little website for it. It's in the early stages right now, but more and more content will be added as we progress. Anyway, I hope some of you will check it out. It's TheCompanyInk.net.
Thanks!
Glad to see you, Phillip. Future stars of your movies may also be lurking out here.
I remember hearing how mad folks at OETA were when "maverick" KRSC came on
the air and not under their thumb! A school radio station is a PLUS these
days for any college. In my brief tenure in NC - the many school FMs and
UNC alliance of FMs provided generally better coverage than the commercial
stations.
I said I had only gone there to deliver unused tickets or cash from ticket sales for Honest John Foutz or Matt Bunyan in the late '70's and mid 80's. I do remember walking across the spring-loaded dance floor and the beer/"beer by-product" smell in the place! Honest John had Eddie Money, some guys from Blue Oyster Cult, and Johnny Rotten come by the store - since I was a part-timer - don't remember who else...
I do remember both the late Cy Tuma and the late
Wayne Johnson (not Tuffy) from KOTV telling
stories about gigs there. Wayne played with Bob Wills before ending up in
TV. I always wanted to see Johnnie Lee Wills there but the only time I ever
saw him was at Hissom Center - back when they had a rodeo and picnic for
patients, workers and friends. Hissom's gone now, too - right?
I do remember it being a treat to eat there and I, too, believe they had vents or tubes that would blow cold air into your car during the summertime.
Man, I miss the past...
The floods of '86, the tornado outbreaks of '91 (Keystone and Skiatook) and '93 (Catoosa and the Eastside), the Edmond Post Office Massacre, the NCAA crackdowns on OU and OSU, the OK City Bombing, and so much more. I've been in Jacksonville since 1996, and the big stories continue: Florida's 6-week election in 2000, the fires that scorched a half-million acres in '98, a massive police corruption case, last summer's unprecedented hits from four hurricanes, and here I am on the verge of the Super Bowl. Your web site contains the names of so many good people I had the privilege of working with from 1985-96 in Tulsa. Keep up the good work.
I'll do it, Frank.
In the 60s, I spent many a Saturday night volunteering to run follow spot for "The Olio", which preceded "The Drunkard". The Olio was hosted then by Georgia Noel, a rotund and delightful MC who did a Sophie Tucker-style act while introducing the talents of many Tulsa performers. Marna (Bryant) McKinney accompanied on piano. "The Drunkard" followed after a brief intermission and snacks (I seem to remember cheese sandwiches on white bread!) The play was directed by Karl Janssen (of KTUL), and featured a rotating cast. My favorite villian cast member was a fellow named Victor Ortega, who looked the part and was an expert at the melodrama style. The "village idiot" character was played by the same actor every night that I was there; alas, my advancing age prevents me from recalling his name, or any of the other cast members from that era. As a technical type, I worked for technical director Bob Kaufman, who donated many hours to build and maintain the club's lighting systems. My only other memory is that if no prominent Tulsans were in the audience, Georgia Noel used to sing, "Well, a good man is hard to find...I always get that Scott Linder kind...", while the audience thought, "who the hell is Scott Linder?"
2/6/2005: Gailard and Mary Jo Sartain just sent the 2000 obituary for Marna McKinney. It can be found at the above link with Bill Hyden's and Jim Ruddle's 1999 comments about her. She was Mr. Sartain's kindergarten teacher.
Love your KAKC and KELi sections - those were MY stations along with KRMG (parents played Chuck Adams each school day morning; Johnny Martin's show played on many a parked car radio, what a show to put you in the mood). Since you guys are talking about movie houses, I believe Johnny Martin had the Boman Twin as an advertiser, I am certain it was more than that one movie house (was it the Family Theaters or some such?) Mazeppa, now there was some silly TV my parents could never understand what we thought was so funny about it but WE LOVED it. Saw the section on Lee & Lionel, there was Grandma Lion too, or am I just thinking I saw that? Well, thanks for the memories.
You're welcome, Kathy. I hope to have a separate KRMG history page soon. I added links from the words "Grandma" and "Lion" above to two pages with pictures of Granny and comments from Lee Woodward.
There couldn't be a better landmark to snazzy-up than the Admiral Twin Drive-In in Tulsey Town. How could it escape such important attention when it was the first place I saw "Psycho;" the scariest movin' pitcher I ever laid an eye on.
Moreover, I'm sure there were lots of initial events for many people at that
hallowed place of cinema.
The area covered was roughly from Memorial to Garnett and from about Latimer to 15th Street. We were just above or just below KAKC on 970 kHz depending on who tuned up the transmitter that week (we drifted pretty bad). We figured anybody tuning to KAKC might hear us. We played a little bit of everything and broadcast mainly late night during the summers and part of the school year (we were pretty erratic with our scheduling). We didn't really use any call sign. I thought this might be a good forum to ask about this in. So, anyone recall hearing us?
I guess the FCC didn't really have direction finder trucks on patrol as I imagined when I attached an illegally long wire antenna to my low-powered AM transmitter kit in 5th grade.
KOSU, in Stillwater, now simulcasts on KGND 107.5 out of the Vinita/Ketchum area. The signal may be tough to get on the south side of Tulsa, but try to take a listen. The format is quite a bit different than that of KWGS.
I finally got a chance to try Tulsa's Del Rancho. The Steak Sandwich Supreme
seemed smaller than I remember, but that may be because I was smaller the
last time I tried one. Still, I recommend it!
Tulsa's Admiral Twin Drive-In is one of two contenders (the other is the Bridge of Madison County featured in the Clint Eastwood movie of the same name.) The Admiral Twin was featured in the 1980s movie "The Outsiders" as the ultimate 1950s teen hangout. It is Oklahoma's largest drive-in with a capacity of 1,000 cars. Whichever gets the most votes wins. You can go here to vote.
The Twin could use the help...please cast your vote!
This was in the early 80s and a good start to a Northside night was dinner
at Marveline's Soul Food, and a good end was an all-night party at the Apache
storefront home of John Donovan and his funk-punk band "The Zebra Makers,"
loud and freaky and quite an adventure for me, just barely out of high
school!
These years keep going by, and these two still doing their things. This year they will be at the Fountains Restaurant (66th & Lewis) 7:00 on Sunday, February 20th I just played with Buddy last week, and he still has it. At his age most accomplished players are too tired and start giving up playing. Not Bud! After a great "lick" or a funny mistake he'll give you a childish grin or a smirk to keep you laughing. Another guitar master and a hero of mine Benny Garcia is someone I'd like to meet Buddy. They both are wonderful fellas, and like most artists at their level, never act superior to anyone they play with. That would be a "killer" guitarist's concert!
I saw the 2003 bash, and it was good.
Possibly, Clarence Love's Lounge on Greenwood?
Used to be "way out there."
Actually it was on 91st St just east of Memorial. It was also the site of
company parties, get togethers, etc., before there were so many hotels in
that biz.
George, any news on the release of the movie, "Tube Poker", that you made in London last year?
The topic came up here in Guestbook
76.
Origins of Cyberspace auction: brainiac
memories
Dad was recently interviewed by Rodger Harris of the Oklahoma Historical Society about his days in Tulsa Radio. It's my understanding OHS is working on an Oklahoma Broadcast History exhibit and archive. I would encourage anybody interested to take part and once they are completed to view the exhibits. And to the webmaster of this site, Keep up the good work.
Sean Kelly
I am one of those people who still talks about "Chauncey" today. I'm really glad to hear that Don is still at the helm of KUSH. Thank you for letting us know, and drop in anytime (that goes for Don, too).
I saw an ad for PF-Flyers the other day. I think I'll get a pair and see if they really make you run faster and jump higher!! They cost $39.99 now. I think the last pair I had cost about 12 bucks. I have some old pics of myself wearing them at the Bixby Green Corn Festival, where I got Mazeppa's autograph.
I recall a commercial for PF Flyers that was shown during "Superman" in the late 50s. The camera freeze-framed a running, Flyer-shod kid, and zoomed in to reveal the inner "flying wedge" that powered the shoe. That was enough proof for me.
Wilhelm showed us that Zippy The Pinhead (a none-too-bright, but Zen-wise comic character) has visited the Blue Whale in Catoosa. The syndicated "Answerman" TV Q&A column was parodied. We heard from Danny Creekmore about his dad, Ted (a mainstay of the John Chick Show) and family. Cardinal great Stan Musial was a topic. Bob Duff sadly informed us of the passing of Jim Ellis, formerly of KRMG and KELi. Johnny Carson was remembered. An arcane but interesting discussion of KOTV's credit roll got us rolling. "More to come", as the commercial break slides used to say on the Tonight Show.
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