You have a very neat web site!

A few years ago Tulsa Central used to have all-class reunions. They were held every other year and took place at the new Central high school. It was great to be able to talk with both older and younger graduates as well as kids who were attending school there at the time.

The first reunion I went to in 1988, during the "Daze" presentation they asked the oldest graduates to stand up. There was one from 1914 and another from 1915. Next year's Daze featured all the Football Queens they could find. The most attractive one graduated in 1925. A student who was a page and guide for us was so interested in seeing my two basketball pictures from 1950 and 1951 that we had to unlock a door adjacent to the gymnasium, then crawl upon a table to see the pictures which were hanging near the ceiling.

But I got the biggest kick out of something the graduates of 1936 and 1937 said. I asked them what my basketball coach Clarence Ehlers was like. They replied that he was a very nice boy. I then asked them about Paul Harvey. They looked at each other. Then one of them said, "He was a little snot!" They all nodded in agreement.

And now you've heard...THE REST OF THE STO-RY.

Paul Harvey, real name Paul Harvey Aurandt, was one of Miss Ronan's major products. He made his first big splash in Chicago when he went over the fence at the Argonne National Laboratory, in the Chicago suburbs, to prove that security was lax at this top secret installation. He got arrested and it was big news at the time. When we produced "KVOO Day" at Central High School, each year, Harvey would always send a good luck/good wishes telegram to the kids. The thing that always impressed me about him is that he writes his own stuff--he has the formula down pat after fifty years, but it's still good, even to the well-planned pauses and seeming search for the right word. Some of his commercials are half script-half ad lib, but he knows so well what he's doing that they come out as straight-from-the-heart endorsements. He won't endorse something unless he knows the product. I told Noel this story:

People from Tulsa (the Southwest and Midwest generally) have frequently differed from the East in the pronounciation of the words "either" and "neither." We prefer "eether" and "neether," while the more effete types go for "eyther" and "nyether." I first met Paul at some benefit event in Chicago. Of course, I knew who he was, but I'd been on the air there for only a short while and, somehow, he knew I was another Ronanite from Tulsa. He walked over to me, shook my hand, and said "I'm glad to note that you don't say 'eyether' eether."

Paul Harvey was another product of room 216 at Tulsa Central---Miss Isabelle Ronan's speech classroom.

1.) Alex Dreier was one of the first biggie Chicago newscasters I can remember - I think on WMAQ-TV. He and the late Len O'Connor to me had the same kinda Chicagah delivery. We were surprised when Dreier went west to do news and became an actor. He was in a couple of so-so movies and popped up on series like Dragnet, Hawaii 5-0 and Ironsides. Jim Ruddle can probably correct me on this if my time-frame is wrong.

Another first newscaster I can remember in Chicago was Ulmer (not Elmer) Turner on WBKB-TV/WLS-TV. He started in radio.

2.) Re DJ's with an English accent - was Garry Kemp at KRMG in the 80's? Lee Ready - aka Buford Montaigne on weekends on KVOO was another. Lee is still doing freelance writing in Tulsa when not auditing someone's books or other activities....

3.) The Chicago-Tulsa connection - someone refresh our memory on Paul Harvey. He was born in Tulsa and his late dad was a cop or deputy that was killed when he was an infant.

I remember going to WLS radio in the 70's - he had his own studio - later he "fed" daily from his home in Oak Brook, IL - close to where I grew up.

As mentioned here earlier both KOTV and KTUL bid to carry his undated commentaries in their news.

I can remember calling him,"Paul Scurvy" at 8 but like fine wine his common sense grew on me. When he came out on stopping the war in Viet Nam - he like Walter Cronkite - were middle American icons. I gained new respect for him.

Paaaaage 2!

I enjoyed listening to Garry Kemp on KWGS in the late 70s. He read "Pride and Prejudice" in morning installments, and got me hooked on that book. I believe he went on to work at KVOO. Anyone know where he is now?

Paul Harvey can still be heard on KRMG in Tulsa. He doesn't seem to be as political as he did when he appeared in those filmed commentaries of the late 60s/early 70s.

Mike, you asked, here's a partial list. Joe Williams, Stan Kenton and June, Ella, of course, Frankie Laine, Russ Columbo, Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan, later, Ray Charles. Tenn. E Ford's "16 Tons" and all the cats at "Love's Lounge", on Greenwood, in Tulsa

I particularly like the Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong duets. Chet Baker (born in Yale, Oklahoma)...sometime, you might want to see the movie about him, "Let's Get Lost". Do you like the early Baker/Mulligan pianoless group?

Pete Rugolo would be familiar to 60s TV viewers as the man responsible for the music of "The Fugitive" and "Run For Your Life", among many other shows. He and Oliver Nelson ("Stolen Moments") did a lot of TV work, so 60s TV had the "West Coast" jazz sound. "Run For Your Life", starring Ben Gazzara, often featured jazz musicians on the show as themselves, working in smoky nightclubs.

Speaking of that show, how did Ben Gazzara get such a great shave? He must have used baby oil.

So happy to see the "Dance Party" site. I was a very excited 14 year old when I danced on the show. Lee Bayley made me spit out my chewing gum! It is one of my fondest childhood memories. Too bad kids today don't have access to a program like this. This site just keeps getting better. THANKS!!!

You're welcome...you can listen to Lee in 1970 on the KAKC page.

Regarding Mr. Morrow's comments about early KAKC, during the time frame he mentions, I was working as chief announcer for KVOO-TV. To pay for the upcoming birth of my first child, I took a mid-6am "moonlight" job on KAKC. Until that time, I had never aired a 45 RPM record. I'd had years of making many trips with armloads of dusty 78's. I was shocked to be told that my show would consist of playing the 40 top hit and one pick of the week, and then playing them again....and again. I was sure that "top-40" meant nothing but rock&roll. Well, the number one song tht week was "Young Love" by Sonny James, a country singer. The first record I played was "A Rose and a Baby Ruth". As I listened to the insipid lyrics, wonder what any brat young enough to like it, was doing awake at that time of night.

The request line rang. It was a Tulsa policeman, who said, "That's the most beautiful song I've ever heard." I don't remember how long I worked both jobs but it wasn't long 'til I went with KOTV for about a year and then moved to San Diego. For the next seven or eight years, I freelanced TV and worked for top-40 radio. I didn't become too fond of most of the music, but it paid a lot of bills and for two more sons. I moved to country stations for the next many many years. My hat is off to anyone who stayed "pure" and played only the "good" music that they personally enjoyed, but I adopted the theory that I was being paid to air what the audience preferred. By doing so, I could make enough money to go home and listen to what I damn well wanted to.

When I gave notice to go to Tulsa TV, the radio PD told me that television was just a fad. I think I felt that way about top-40 for a while. It's been a very long fad.

Noel, who are some of your favorite artists from the pre-Top 40 era? Some of mine are Nat Cole, Les Paul, Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli, Ben Webster (mostly jazz, as you can see).

This isn't really a Tulsa story, but it has a connection. I just learned that Alex Dreier died in California, aged 83. Many Tulsans listened to him for years on his morning newscast out of Chicago, sponsored by Skelly Oil Co. Also, his "Man on the Go" series ran for many years on Tulsa radio. He was a man of considerable girth and, even so, he was a man on the go who had been an early radio correspondent in Germany before the Nazis kicked him out. After he retired from daily TV and radio work in Chicago, he went to the West Coast and engaged in some acting, as well as a lot of philanthropic work. He was rich as hell. He built a big house that had a stream running through it, a little waterfall, the whole bit. Then, it was learned that the water came from an old break in a big water main that had been undetected for years, so he had to pay for his water. One of the great radio voices.

I also saw that in the paper. Here is his filmography.

This is a blatant promotional item for a gig March 18th at the The Bowery. A band from San Francisco will be appearing that features Les Mobley on drums.

Red Meat

Les was the drummer for such local `80s icons as The Insects, Astre, The Rayn and Radio Milan. He has been playing with Red Meat for about 3 years now and they have released 2 CDs. More info at maduko.com

Red Meat is a honky tonk band that does some great stuff, authentic western swing with hilarious lyrics. Sort of a Brave Combo doing country. The show is at 8:00pm on Saturday, March 18th at The Bowery (Main & Brady) downtown. Should be a great time!

Any of you 30 somethings that remember the Crystal Pistol, Bleu Grotto, Dance Cafe, Club Nitro or Bongo Silly's should make it by and say Hi. Or maybe "Howdy"! ®

The Bleu Grotto, the Crystal Pistol and Club Nitro are probably about ripe for a web site of their own.

Radio in Tulsa had become rather stagnant in the mid-‘50s. TV was gobbling up the audience and advertising revenue. The networks were becoming less important, with a lot of shows being “sustaining,” meaning unsponsored. With the exception of the 10 o’clock news and sports and "Sleepwalkers’ Serenade” on KVOO, there was little or no attempt to sell the evening hours. They were ceded to TV. The word circulated that some stations were being run for the sole purpose as tax write-offs.

Occasionally, a station would try something desperate, such as KOME’s becoming an all-classical music station for a while, complete with a host with an English accent. KRMG maintained the usual all-pop music format with laid-back, personable disk jockeys, although it did try something new with its Newsmobile. KTUL and KVOO clung to their slowly dying radio networks. KFMJ general manager Lawson Taylor steadfastly maintained his minimalist music format under which the disk jockeys were allowed only the briefest of introductions to the records---title and performer only. He also had programs where the “hosts” said nothing at all. The word circulated that some stations were being run for the sole purpose as tax write-offs.

Into this comfortable malaise KAKC exploded. Somewhere in late 1955 or early 1956, the station was sold to out-of-town interests, and the new owners proceeded to convulse the market. They hired some experienced announcers such as Vic Lundberg, Greg Chancellor and a man who had previously worked at KVOO. They immediately began calling the station “The NEW KAKC.” They had various publicity stunts such as playing the same record continuously during the broadcast day. Another innovation featured newscasts which were placed five minutes before the hour, thereby getting the jump on the other stations and their networks which still featured news on the hour.

They also had wise-ass promos which poked fun at the other stations: “This is the NEW KAKC, the station that doesn’t run-down at sundown,” referring, of course, to KFMJ, a daylight-only station. Lawson Taylor was incensed at this breach of capitalist etiquette, but his protests to the general manager of this rash upstart paid no heed. (This was rather hypocritical of KAKC, because it had to reduce its power in the evening hours.) Another station break said, “This is the NEW KAKC---the station others imitate, which we appreciate.”

What brought about the next change, I don’t know, but the programming changed to pander to the young audience, with the format being dedicated to the slowly emerging rock music, the Top 40, and the “Big Five Deejays.” (Elvis Presley’s first big hit did not occur until 1956.) The DJs were younger and used a high energy, fast talking delivery to increase the excitement level.

The change worked. KAKC shot up to the top of the polls. The station didn’t need Brother Conley any more to pay the bills. Interestingly, when I returned to Tulsa for a few months twelve years later, the station was still calling itself, “The NEW KAKC.”

These, naturally, are observations from someone who was on the outside and working at competing stations. I would love to hear from Dick Schmitz and others to hear "the rest of the story."

Added your comments to the KAKC page.

I, too, was a supporter of Fred Harris when he ran for the Democratic nomination. One night he gave a radio address, and all his supporters were invited to hear it together in a rather dumpy building in South Austin. About five of us showed up.

However, a few days later there were about 25 people awaiting his arrival for a personal appearance. When he walked into the room and shook hands with everyone, his hand was as limp as an Arab’s (the proper way to shake hands in Morocco), and his eyes were glazed over. I tried to engage him in conversation, but he seemed to be extremely exhausted from all the campaigning. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he even knew for sure what city he was in. Yet, when he got on the podium to give a speech, he gave a lively, short talk. Walking out of the room a few minutes later, he had that same, vacant look in his eyes.

It reminded me of the occasion in Tulsa in 1956 the day Adlai Stevenson came through when he was running against Eisenhower. Stevenson displayed the same characteristics as Harris did later: glazed eyes and exhaustion written on his face. Both of these men exhibited the devastating physical effects that a person has to undergo in a national political campaign. I thought that, if men want to be president that much, something pathological is going on.

I've known, and been friends with Jim Ruddle for 53 years. We've worked together many times...and he always has to top me. Now I'm going to have to find an Opera with a character named either Karsov, Two-Gun, Grandpappy Hawkins, or Elmer the Clown. Any suggestions?

Sounds like something by Kurt Weill.

I can't get away. Went to see "The Merry Widow," at the Met, two nights ago, and the opening scene introduces us to the Pontevedrian Ambassador, named--Zeta. He did not, I am happy to report, wear goggles.

Fred Harris was also one of my favorite politicians. When he was considering a presidential bid, I asked him (on camera) if he parted his hair in the middle so not to offend right or left wing voters! The Tulsa media loved him because he could always take some friendly ribbing.

LaDonna once saved my career. While working at KOTV, I was about to interview Fred in Henryetta and just as I was asking my first question, photographer Ron Hagler roughly shoved me to one side. “You’re blocking the senator’s face,” Ron complained loudly. I was about to utter a four letter word, when Mrs. Harris walked up. I began the interview again.

That night, the film editor screwed up and failed to edit the false start, including the Hagler body block. I thanked God that LaDonna had appeared just in time to avoid any undeleted expletive from airing.

To add to John Hillis' observation on the state of TV news today, I would add that not only would they have slo-mo coverage of the blood stained floor, they would have re-enactors showing how it happened.

Super Tuesday put me in a politically reminiscing mood.

My most memorable OK election night was when Larry Derryberry, running for governor, was shot in the Mayo Hotel (A painful spot, f'sure). Derryberry was a second-tier candidate, and our live capability was limited in the extreme, so all the video we had was a shot of some bloodstains on the tile floors of the hall of the Mayo. I think the Front Against Rhythmically Rhyming Names took responsibility for the crime. Nowadays, you'd have it all live, with a slo-mo instant replay and a red line indicating the trajectory of the bullet into the candidate's derriere.

In the '76 presidential campaign, Gerry Ford came to Tulsa for a stop in friendly territory. In his remarks, he referred repeatedly to his close friend, "Mayor LaFortuna." Tuna, like the fish. The mayor winced a little, but resisted the urge to jump up and correct the President. At least in public.

And I noticed that the KVOO photo gallery had election night photos with the Bud Wilkinson-Fred Harris race on the tally boards. I remember a Wilkinson campaign stop in Nowata. Drew a good crowd, but the Wilkinson appeal as a coach didn't quite translate to the stump speech. Harris on the stump, on the other hand, was somethin'. Thinking about pols like him can make you wistful for the days when politics was retail, not wholesale, and the only focus group polls were in the candidate's gut. The current crop of blow-drys wouldn't last long in that environment, just as he probably wouldn't have lasted long in this era of 30-second attack spots. I miss candidates with whom I don't much agree, but who impress me nonetheless. Harris was sure one of those.

Fred Harris is now a successful novelist. Here is his latest:

In 1954, KTUL emulated Orson Welles by airing an original script that used the same techniques as Welles did in his infamous version of H.G. Welles “The War of the Worlds,” producing similar results in the audience. A year or so before, a particularly vicious tornado had ripped through Woodward, killing many people. KTUL decided to commemorate this tragedy by producing a program which would tell the Woodward story.

An original script was written, and all actors were members of the staff. I had a small role. The show took the form of part documentary and part re-creation, but to a person not tuning in at the right time another tragedy appeared to be actually happening. Jack Morris seemed to break into regular programming with a “bulletin“ stating that Woodward had just been hit by a tornado. Continuous coverage was maintained. Various “people” were interviewed, giving their accounts of the storm.

But the real storm was created by KTUL. There were not sufficient disclaimers stating that there was really no tornado and that Woodward was safe. Many in the listening audience thought that history was being repeated. A lot of these people either were from Woodward or had relatives and friends living there. The switchboard lit up. There was a storm of protest when the people realized that the whole thing was a fabrication.

Considering the audience reaction to the Welles production two decades or so earlier, and the riots caused by a repeat of the program a many years later in Argentina, KTUL’s decision-makers certainly were naïve to think that their Woodward program would not produce misunderstanding in the audience. At worse, it was just plain irresponsible.

I have a hunch that Orson Welles and company weren't the least bit naïve about their broadcast. I'll bet he was hoping for an extreme reaction. "Citizen Kane" wasn't exactly designed to have a low profile, either.

I wonder if the KTUL brass of the time may have seen it as a way to affirm the power of radio to advertisers. Could they have been that cynical?

Friends, ya say ya can't get enough Okie news from TTM and you don't live in Oklahoma any more?

Friends, why don'tcha join the Ex Okies of the World Unite club at yahoo.com.

A place to geezervate on life as we knew it in OK and to network.

Not as filling as Black Draught or tummy warmin' as Griffin's Syrup but hey what is?

Sorry Hanson fans - this site may be too mature for ya.

So don't forsake Tulsa TV Memories for Tulsey Town TeeVee AND Raydio News - it's the best!

But drop by Ex Okies of the World Unite, the next time you are surfin' the net!

THIS MESSAGE SPONSORED BY HAMP BAKER FOR SANITARY TRUSTEE....Put yer stamp on Hamp!

Oh, yeah. Black Draught was what they used to call a purgative, a sort of high-octane prune juice. I don't know what all was in Cardui, but I suspect it was mostly alcohol that was easing what ailed "the ladies."

And one more from the same family--when I was growing up in Louisiana, there was Dr. Tichenor's antiseptic--sold on the radio in commercials by "Cajun Pete," originally Pinky Vidacovich of the WWL Dawn Busters program. Dr. Tich's was 70% alcohol and about 10% peppermint oil. It was not by any stretch a mint julep, but there were no doubt those for whom it functioned as a substitute. It was sold as a relief for sunburn, mosquito bites, fever blisters, and flesh wounds inflicted by marauding Yankees.

Here is a web site about Cardui, among other things. Here is a bit about Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic. His mouthwash is still available today.

Jeesh, go away for a few days and all this fun stuff happens... Ah, the Chattanooga Medicine Company's fine products, including SSS Tonic, Black Draught ("Makes You Smile From the Inside Out!"), and Cardui (T. Tommy Cutrer would put on his most solicitious and smooth announcer persona and begin those spots, "Ladies, can I have a word with you? If you suffer from..." The girl singers also did Cardui pitches).

I don't remember which station carried the Porter Wagoner Show, which was one of the first regionally syndicated efforts, and also one of the first on videotape rather than film. Porter actually put on a pretty good half-hour vaudeville show--a couple of numbers by hisself, one from the girl singer (Pretty Miss Norma Jean, and, later Dolly Parton), a comedy spot by bassist Spec Rhodes (he of the blacked-out tooth and "Hello, Sadie!"), a guest star like George Jones, and an instrumental by the Wagonmasters, which had some pretty fine Nashville sidemen like banjo virtuoso Buck Trent (who worked with Roy Clark early in his career) and animated fiddler Mac Magaha. T.Tommy Cutrer was first announcer, followed later by Hairl Hensley, who could get a laugh by introing the show: "And now, here they are, the biggest stars in country music--Dolly Parton!" Long pause and then the rest of the cast. T. Tommy later became a state senator in Tennessee. Hairl's still working on the Grand Ole Opry and WSM Radio.

The show lasted until the mid-70s, after the Porter-Dolly breakup, but the best efforts were probably in black and white, when Porter's rhinestones burned holes in who knows how many Image Orthicon camera tubes there in the WSM studios. For a while, the show was owned and produced by Holiday Inns, whose founder, Kemmons Wilson, dabbled around the edges of music and broadcasting in the 50s and 60s.

Oklahoma footnote: Buck Owens, no slouch in the rhinestone department, taped his syndicated "Ranch Show" at the studios of WKY in OKC.

And one note to make Jim Ruddle feel better: there is a tenuous connection between Colonel Tom Parker and Coozan Dud LeBlanc of Hadacol. Tom's honorific came from a "commission" by Louisiana Governor Jimmie Davis, composer of "You Are My Sunshine." Parker, a former dog catcher and carny, was so taken by the title that he threatened to fire any of his flunkies who didn't address him as "Colonel." Davis, who's still around and recently celebrated his 100th birthday, was a north Louisiana Baptist, so no doubt had several beefs with the colorful Coozan Dud, a Catholic Cajun pushing an alcohol-laden elixir.

And to come full circle, Ken Ragsdale used to do a spot-on Alan Merrell impression, wondering what kind of places of business were open during the late-late movies that Merrell sponsored.

No connection between the Col. and the Sen. Someone told me that there was, but it's clear they were two separate con men.

I thought I'd start a little homepage for you guys. Not much on it yet but I will try to add somthing once in a while. I hope you check it out.

I like the pics...my parents have a shot of me at about age 4 drawing a CBS eye on the blackboard.

You may have noticed that I set up a Web Ring for local television sites. "Local Legends" in L.A. is somewhat similar to TTM. When I discovered it, I got the Ring idea. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to discover even one more similar site to add to the Ring! There are some about specific shows, but no other general sites.

Special treat, courtesy of Steve Suttle: an early KAKC Top 50 chart, now in the Briefcase.

Pictures of Steve Suttle and Robert Walker from 2 other charts will be in the Briefcase shortly.

I can remember listening to KAKC in the early 60s, hearing about this "chart" thing. I was very excited when I got to lay my hands on one. The logo on the chart must have burned into my brain, because it immediately looked familiar when I saw it today.

Jim Ruddle was correct, as usual. Col. Tom Parker was at the helm of Hadacol, before he started managing the career of Elvis. He kept a large percentage of the bible belt soused for a long time.

Here is a good bio of Col. Parker.

And here's another bio.

The Colonel was clearly working the same kind of carny turf as Coozan Dud, but so far have not turned up a direct link between the Col. and Hadacol on the internet.

Read here about a book, Coozan Dudley Leblanc: From Huey Long to Hadacol.

Do those of you who spent time in OKC remember Alan Merrell Chevrolet?

"Due to da demands of da Mexican market, we need your used car..." or something like that. He had dat NY accent.

The spots were cut at Channel 4 - Alan Merrell really wasn't that much of bad guy but his rationale for years was now was time to trade in your old car for a "good deal" from him. Often wondered if any of those cars made it to Mexico....

Sure do. A recent article in the Tulsa World mentioned in passing that his son ran for office sometime back. Despite a large amount of money spent on the campaign, Alan Merrell, Jr. lost to a retired guy, who only spent about $150 on his campaign. It was surmised that the voters were really voting against Merrell, Sr., and his omnipresent, Daffy Duck-voiced ads, as the article put it. Actually, he sounded more like a jacked-up George Jessel.

This was mentioned in relation to the current campaign of car dealer Andy Ewing ("IN Muskogee!").

Merrell's tag line was "Thank you for allowing me into your home or place of business".

Was the guy behind Hadacol, Senator Dudley LeBlanc, also Colonel Tom Parker, the Elvis dude? Seems I knew this for a fact a hundred years ago.

My favorite Tulsa commercial was on radio, not TV. It ran during the noontime farm show on KVOO and was a challenge to all the staff announcers who had to read it live.

It extolled the virtues of "Doctor LeGear's Screw Worm Smear."

Thank God, I never had to do it.

Hadacol was a sponsor of Hank Williams' radio show in the late 1940's...During the 1940s and early 1950s, Dudley "Coozan Dud" LeBlanc made millions selling his "Miracle Elixir" Hadacol with the help of the top stars of Hollywood and country music.

Dudley J. LeBlanc was also a colorful and skilled Louisiana politician, radio host and author. He was also a promoter of Cajun culture, something like Justin Wilson today (Justin was seen on regional commercials in Tulsa in the 60s for Kitty Clover Potato Chips using his "I guar-on-tee" line.)

Colonel Tom Parker's real name was Andreas Van Kuijk. He was Hank Snow's manager at the time Elvis came along.

A couple of my Tulsa friends have told me about this site, so I came on to read what people were saying about Mr. Zing and Tuffy. I joined the show as Shaggy Dog after the show had been on for about 18 months, and I spent five years with it.

I worked with many talented people at Channel 8: Betty Boyd, Boyce Lancaster, Wirt Cain, Don Woods, and many people in the production and engineering staff, including Hurst Swiggart, Ken Kerr, Mike Denney and Tom Tipping.

But John Chick was the most talented person with whom I ever was privileged to work. Our paths crossed a number of times. We were classmates at Central High, and later, after we both spent time in the Air Force during the Korea thing, we were again classmates and theatre majors at TU. In my view he was the most talented and professional member of our acting group. As Mr. Zing, he wrote songs, sang them, played guitar and banjo remarkably, and rode his unicycle. I began to wonder if there were anything he couldn't accomplish.

I remember the time Jim Ruddle wrote about, when John disappeared unexpectedly for a couple of days. Boyce Lancaster told me and Wayne Johnson (Tuffy) that John was in Chicago for an audition. John told us later it was the hardest audition he ever did, but that he won it. We weren’t surprised to hear that. But we were surprised when he told us he’d rather stay where he was. He didn’t want to move to Chicago, and he knew he wouldn’t have as much fun as he was having at Channel 8.

Our Central class is having its 50th reunion this spring, and I, for one, will be wishing John could be with us.

Tom, it's good to hear from you.

Archived Guestbook 33. We were just talking about old TV commercials and patent medicines (remember Cardui or Black Draught?)