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Tulsa TV Memories Guestbook 211 TTM main | What's new on TTM? | GB Archive
Gary Alan Walker I grew up in Tulsa later than some of you, so this may be due to my age, but during the 1984 memorial day flood this guy was raping and killing people all over the area including a DJ for K95 FM named Valerie Shaw, I think her real name was Hartzell. He was put to death by the state of Oklahoma just a few years ago. I was 9 and spent the whole weekend scaring my younger brother into thinking that our house was going to flood or Gary Alan Walker was coming to get us... He still flinches when I say that name. Does anyone else remember this, or that weekend? Or is my memory flawed?
We heard from Randy Hartzell in Guestbook 84.
Of course, the Roger Wheeler murder (mentioned earlier). I remember the afternoon it happened...everyone in the newsroom was in shock... and I remember Liz Exxon was the reporter who covered the story and eventually brought to light his "alleged" ties to the underworld. I also remember the CROSSBOW shooting at TJC... the kidnapping of Meteorologist Ross Dixon's son (I later worked with Ross at WKY Radio in OKC) and the young court reporter who was kidnapped at Town West shopping centre in west Tulsa and later found murdered (I apologize, her name escapes me now.. she actually went to school at T.U. the same time I did and worked for a short stint as an intern at Channel 2.) Also during my tenure at "2"... we experienced that hostage-taking at the then-ALBERTSON's supermarket way out on Memorial... one of our camera men, trained a Tulsa Police officer to operate a camera and he went in w/others to try and apprehend the suspect holding employees hostage in the office. The suspect was demanding he get "air" time. I remember all the channels went "live" with this on the "10" O'clock news and the camera shot was sideways & upside down.. because the officer was operating the cam. The employees were eventually released... I believe the man was either shot... or caught by police. I'm not sure who the "brave" officer was that evening.. but, that was something not soon to be forgotten by all working that night!
Driving I-244, someone dropped a large piece of cement on my vehicle from a overpass. I saw the creep who did it just before it hit the edge of the cowling on the driver's side just above right where I was looking through the windshield of my Chevy. I was going about 60 MPH, I reckon. He got away and I got lucky. I worked at KOTV at the time. The perpetrator apparently didn't like "Go For Dough On The Early Show." I guess I can't really blame him. The repairs to the car didn't cost much except for the new set of seat covers.
Also, another bad crime back in 1972. Someone stole my Sevco eight-track out of my car and two tapes, which wiped out my entire collection!
Thanks, Gary.
Next day, deputies came by with a photo. "Seen him?" "Yeah, he asked directions to St. Joe. Who is he?" "Pretty Boy Floyd." Well, as Woody G said: Some men rob you with a gun, Some with a fountain pen.
Another that comes to mind is the search for the two missing Sapulpa coaches, Paul Reagor and Jerry Bailey. It turned out Reagor stabbed Bailey to death and stashed him in the trunk of his car. I remember covering all of those in my radio days. Interesting thing about that last one is that a reporter, Ed Poston of Channel 8, helped investigators by finding the missing car containing the body.
Also don't forget Cleo Epps, the Queen of the Bootleggers, reportedly bumped off by Tom Lester Pugh and Albert McDonald. Pugh and McDonald waged their own war of terror, planting a car bomb aimed at a Tulsa judge. District Judge Fred Nelson was seriously injured, but survived. There were a number of Tulsa police officers killed in the line of duty that made big news at the time. I remember one in particular from the 60s because I covered the shooting and the murder trial. Officer Hugh Greer was shot and killed with his own weapon during an attempted burglary behind a Safeway at 17th and Boston. Another officer, Sgt. Thurman Spybuck was killed during a big drug raid with local and federal officials.
I know a lot of the biggies of the 70s and 80s but whom can add some earlier and later "crimes of the century" or major ill deeds that news covered in OK? Does OK sometimes seem the land of vacationing madmen, hitmen or serial killers? My starter memorable and hideous crimes list would contain:
The OKC Federal Building Bombing What else would someone suggest or remember as having been major news?
I wouldn't call RIDESHY all that heinous, but memorable, yes.
The mail AND email is considered important and the total number of phone calls, letters and email for or against an issue is usually reported to the elected officials either in meetings with staff or in a memo. I would think on hot issues like immigration reform, for example, most Members are aware of the percentages pro and con.
As a former congressional press secretary, Mike would know.
I used to link to the World's stories in the early days of this site. When the archive switched to subscription-only, I had to clean up the resulting "link rot" (and I'm sure I missed some.)
And Edward Dumit is doing well.
Ed Colton told us on this new Joe Pierre of SEVCO page that, sadly, Mr. Pierre passed away a year or two ago.
Phone calls make an impression, too. Most of us found out about it so late that the post office wouldn't have had time to deliver a letter.
I sent an email to Rep. Sullivan a few days ago concerning net neutrality, and I just received a generic form letter email that reads as though it was meant to confuse me more than provide me with a legitimate response.
4/26 update: in a House Energy and Commerce Committee vote today, John Sullivan again voted against the Markey Amendment, which was written to preserve net neutrality.
"Doctor" Norton - any Ed Dumit updates? I got an e-mail from him several weeks ago but nothing since... Talked to Tom Roberts and Don Lundy "on the floor" at the mega NAB (Nat. Assoc. of Broadcasters) Convention in Vegas yesterday. They both say - if you want a career in TV - LEARN how to use/edit with Apple's Final Cuts Pro software!
Read this FAQ at SavetheInternet.com. During a recent subcommittee meeting, our House Representative, John Sullivan, voted against a net neutrality amendment, which means in favor of corporations desirous of controlling the internet for their own profit. Let him know where you stand: see the Oklahoma map at that same site. This is not one of the many hoax and scare notes that go around. This is not about red/blue or right/left. It is a bipartisan issue, in which every internet user has a stake. If it goes the wrong way, these might become "the good old days" of the internet when you could look at any site you wish.
From what I remember Joe was a real firecracker to work for and had a volatile temper. He would get mad about something and would either fire them or they would quit, this happened at least a couple times and then he would call ask them to come back to work since they were such valuable employees. I only met Joe on a couple of occasions when my dad and I would go by the store to see my aunt and uncle or look at the electronics. I remember hearing SEVCO stories at our family Holiday gatherings, it was quite entertaining.
He was quite a character; a resistance fighter in France in WWII, concentration camp survivor, and a successful businessman in Tulsa for over 40 years. It was his skill in electronics that kept him alive in the concentration camp, and allowed him to start his business career. He was very proud of his motto "We always service what we sell". He used to do the service himself in the early days, then later he provided the opportunity for some of us "boys" to work their way up from retrieving boxes from the attic and sweeping the store to learning a skill like electronics repair. Way more fun to shop at SEVCO than at someplace like Best Buy.
The very PL-112D Pioneer turntable upon which I am now playing Robin Trower Live! was purchased from SEVCO at Southroads Mall on 6-17-77.
Bad late night movies and cheesy lounge music will never be the same to me.
Dance Party and the stilted steps taken by all...I modeled for Renberg's also and gee, a teenager and for Renberg's, what a treat - all friends, tho' some gone, but some here - but time has a way of making one forget or lose contact. This medium is so great - thank U for a choice site and U R now on my favorites. Does anyone remember Bill Pitcock - my best guy - I miss him does anyone else??? And I too say hi to Bob Brown, knew U since we were babes almost and U were the best leading man to my leading lady ever. Thanks for the memories and thank U, webmaster.
Also found Jonathan Kwitny's excellent but now yellowed,"THE MULLENDORE MURDER CASE" about murder at the Cross Bell Ranch. Sheriff Geo. Wayman was involved as the initial lawman in charge but players besides the Mullendore family - included always controversial attorney and lawmaker Gene Stipe and the FBI. What happened to Chub Anderson - the supposed killer and ranch employee? Is the Cross Bell still Mullendore-owned in Osage County? It was a big KTUL story in the 70s. I think only the KAREN SILKWOOD story, the Locust Grove Girl Scout camp murders, and the Roger Wheeler - chairman of Telex shot at Southern Hills Country Club case - were of similar crime noir. I have forgotten so much....Mike Miller - need your expertise on this stuff! Also found my old, old reprint of "Tragedies of the Osage Hills" - "As told by The Sage of the Osage" aka Arthur H. Lamb and "published by Raymond Red Corn of Pawhuska, OK". I am sure that Bob Gregory has a copy of this, but so many stories that he told on the "Oil in Oklahoma" series so well in the 1970s - are corroborated in this tome and there's more. I bought it in the now-gone downtown Barnsdall drug store in the 70s. It was a re-issue of a book from the 40s and I treasure it still. I think I mentioned a few years back, that I had bought another author's 80s or 90s paperback on the OSAGE REIGN OF TERROR and other than added pictures - it seemed to have "lifted" the guts of this simple book - as her own "research". Last but not least - X-15 pilot Scott Crossfield died at age 82 this after a crash in a violent storm. His son-in-law was former KOCO-TV producer/exec. producer Ed Fleming of many moons ago. Ed's second wife - I think she is Becky - is an artist. Ed told us 10 years ago - that Crossfield and Chuck Yeager had become friends finally - though Crossfield HATED "All The Right Stuff". Most of Crossfield's family and wife live here in the DC/Loudon County area. I had always wanted to meet Mr. Crossfield - sounded like quite a gentleman!
Apr 19, 1943 Bicycle Day - Albert Hofmann intentionally takes (250 ug) LSD for the first time. This is the first intentional use of LSD.
Which reminds me of my brush with another CC icon: In May 1984, when I was signing in for a program at Esalen Institute in Big Sur (I am not the author at the link), I did a double-take when I realized that the fellow standing to my immediate left was Timothy Leary.
If they are building a new parking facility, hopefully it will be more secure and of better quality.
In actual fact, I watched a most extraordinary show from England last week, called "Operatunity." It was in fact a take-off of "American Idol" with the grand prize being selected to actually appear with the Royal Opera in a performance of "Rigoletto." The two women who won were incredible, in that one was a fortyish cashier at a supermarket with no background in this art form. The other lady was a housewife with a husband and two or three kids, with a little music training in her background. The most startling aspect of this lady was that she is blind! But with a voice that showed promise. They basically had, from start to finish, about a year to achieve their task. It was like watching flowers grow. That they did it at all is remarkable. To have done it exceedingly well was a great reward in watching them grow and triumph in their efforts. Just as we watch the same remarkable thing happen every season on American Idol. Talent will out.
Re country TV in Tulsey way back when - I aired at different times - the same Porter Wagoner Shows on 8 - later on 6 a few summers later! Syndication - ha! We all loved the syndicated Marty Robbins Show and his faux denim piano. I think BOTH 8 and 6 aired the syndicated Sha Na Na series when it went off network. It had been on ABC in the 70's as a summer fill-in. I have worked with "Bowser" several times - not so genteel in real life.
My wife, Susan, auditioned for the Met one time. Three judges evaluated her singing. One judge liked her high notes but not her low notes. The next judge liked her low notes but not the high notes. The third judge said her dress was too short. Explain that one!
What's a Mother to do? Cable FM?
I've just finished Mike Miller's book (ordered via Amazon thru TTM), and it's a cracking good memoir for anyone who is interested in the history of television news, particularly in Tulsa. That is probably everyone reading this site (with the exception of the Hanson boys). Mike's courage in describing his life, warts and all, is remarkable, and there are some priceless descriptions of characters we've all known and "loved." Speaking of the old days, if you've got satellite TV or are a subscriber to Mediacom Cable, which I think is still in Ponca City and environs, you can return to the old days of Saturday afternoon country music shows on RFD-TV. Let me particularly urge you to tune in this weekend at 2:30 AM Friday Night/Saturday Morning or 9:30 AM Sunday for a episode of "The Porter Wagoner Show" circa 1967 "in color" with guest star George Jones. It's old enough that Jones has a flat-top haircut and Dolly Parton hasn't had her, um, surgery. A real alternative to today's canned hat-act country. There, I've just promoted two things that won't make me a dime. As King Lionel told Tom & Jerry, "ars gratia artis." Or something.
Larry Ellis Reed sent a link to the "Ripley's 'Believe It or Not!'" cartoon for April 3rd, featuring a sketch of Don Woods and noting that "Gusty" is Oklahoma's State Cartoon Character. A Molly Murphy's Employee Reunion is set for September 8-10, in and around Oklahoma City (links provided). Erick gave us a link to five pages of Oklahoma broadcasting photos (including early KTUL) at the Oklahoma Historical Society website. Tulsa's Mary Kay Place is a regular on new HBO series, "Big Love" (reviewed by Gary Chew on this site). Her handprints are still at the old Peaches Records location at 51st & Sheridan (see link to LostTulsa photoset). When she made the imprint in the late 70s, she was promoting the album with her song, "Vitamin L" (Amazon link). Leon Russell's Birthday Bash was held this month; Steve Todoroff sent pics from the 1986 Bash, which he promoted. Gailard Sartain's "Hee-Haw" colleague, Buck Owens, passed away at age 76. We saw a photo of Buck with his look-alike son, Buddy Alan. As usual, these are only a few highlights of Guestbook 210.
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