E-MAIL MEMORIES, PAGE 22


BILL FREDO:
I found your web site by accident this AM. It's fantastic and I'll recommend it to all of my "yat" friends. Here are some of contributions I'd like to make to your list of great memories:

Phillips Restaurant on Maple St. and their pizza ... William's Snow Ball Stand ... Delicate Jerry's, Rockery Inn, and Lenfant's Drive-In Restaurants - great places to go to "make out" ... The Basin Street Six ... Big Shot Soft Drinks ... Home delivery of soft drinks by Home Beverage Service - a case of Cokes cost a dollar ... Home delivery of French Bread every morning ... 5-cent and 10-cent bags of popcorn at the "neighborhood theaters" ... The kids section in the end zone at Tulane Stadium where a kid could see an entire season of college football with a season ticket that cost about $3.00 for the whole season ... The candy apples that were sold at those Tulane games and what great missiles they made when they were hurled at other kids in the end zone ... Pelican Stadium ... Ted Andrews, "The Old Redhead", the Pelican's play-by-play announcer ... The grilled hot dogs at the little place in the open-air parking lot across from the Roosevlet Hotel ... The City Park Casino ... High school football games on Sunday afternoon in City Park Stadium ... The sreened-in watermelon stands all over town in the summer ... Freitag's individual fried pies ... Jack The Cat - one of the first white disk jockeys to play R&B music in The Crescent City ... Mel Leavitt ... Terry Fletrich ... Jefferson Parish's gambling houses - Club Forest, The Beverly Country Club, O'Dwyer's, The Old Southport Club ... Slot machines in the A&P in the Arrow Shopping Center in Jefferson Parish ... Jefferson, Kenner and Metairie High Schools that were consolidated to form East Jefferson High School in 1955 ... The Warren Easton High School cheerleaders and their white sweaters leading Mardi Gras Parades.

Once again, you have a terrific web site. Keep up the great work!

BOB:
It's amazing how that line of Warren Easton cheerleaders still stands out in our minds. I had a crush on the cheerleader who wore the "O" in the parades around '61 ... her name was Betty Hines and she made it definitely a capital O !


JAMIE MATTHEWS:
Re Pontchartrain Beach: I remember my birthday (I think it was #6). My mom took me there early in the day when the park just opened. It had rained the night before, so as the little golf ball rolled over the felt mini-golf carpet a little roostertail of water followed. It was pretty much just me and Mom in the whole park, spending my birthday together in the humid morning. That's the memory that comes to me first. Then I remember how incredibly tall and fragile-looking the Zephyr looked. We moved to Houston before I could work up the courage to ride it, one of the big regrets of my life. I remember how terrifying the giant clown head looked down at the end of the fairway (as I turned my head away, I swear I saw his eyes move!!!). I remember whirling yellow lights, the psychedelic glow of florescent paint under blacklight, the smell of carnival food, the lion that sucked trash out of your hand. Me and my burr-haired buddies daring each other to ride particular rides. Pontchartrain Beach has shaped my experience of every amusement park I've ever been to, and none have even come close to eclipsing its wonder to me.

BOB:
Everybody has such wonderful and special memories of Pontchartrain Beach! Too bad you didn't ride the Zephyr tho. The actual top of the first hill of the Zephyr is still on display in the park next to Kenner City Hall if you ever still want to be close to that Promised Land that you never did experience!


TONY DUPLECHIN:
Playing softball on the Canal Blvd. neutral ground

BOB:
I think we all played some softball there with the bomb shelter as a ominous backdrop to the innocent fun of youth.


BRIAN SHUMAN:
Bob, the final summer of my teen years was full of changes as well as experiences of a lifetime. My goals were simple enough : earn a little money for the summer, have some fun, and stay out of trouble. When the summer of 1969 was over, its events would be far reaching. My last summer in New Orleans was only one year away. A job as an offshore roustabout on a gas production platform out of Empire, La. occupied a great deal of time; we worked 7 on, 7 off. While not working offshore, my brother and I painted the outside of our house. There is nothing more motivating (to get an education) than painting outside during the summer in NOLA.

Hurricane Camille - During one of my offshore "hitches," Camille entered the Gulf of Mexico. On the day we were scheduled to head in for Empire, word had already come down that all wells would be "shut in," since it was moving directly for the mouth of the river. When I returned home, it appeared that we would experience Betsy all over again. Fortunately, after reaching the river delta, Camille changed its track, and most of Louisiana was spared at the expense of the Mississippi Gulf coast. However, the river delta residents, most of whom worked offshore, suffered terrible losses. I still recall an evening news interview with one unlucky individual :

NEWSPERSON : "What are your plans, now that Camille has wiped you out ?"

FLOOD VICTIM : "I just need to move from this place; it hurts too much to stay here!"

NEWSPERSON : "Where do you plan to relocate ?"

FLOOD VICTIM : "Buras."

Man on the Moon - Another noteworthy event occurred while working offshore; Apollo 11 was launched. Fortunately, all went well with the mission, and, upon my returning home, the Eagle was close to its historic landing. My high school friend Mike and I got together for this occasion. We were both planning careers in engineering, having partnered as students to tackle the necessary physics and mathematics. On this day, we listened to the radio with his parents. Finally, when Armstrong stepped out onto the lunar surface, Mike's mother began to sing. I think she sang "America the Beautiful". Mike was later to lose his battle with cancer, passing away the very same weekend that Princess Diana was lost to an automobile accident. I was glad to have shared this occasion with Mike, and it is regretful that our careers kept us apart for most of the rest of his life.

Musical Happenings - There wasn't much nightlife offshore, but I tried to compensate during my time off. There was one place we visited in the French Quarter called "The Roach", and the band I remember most was "White Clover". They were from Topeka, Kansas and they could do all the tracks from "Shades of Deep Purple" perfectly. The only time I ever heard "Hot Smoke and Sassafras" (recorded by The Bubble Puppy) performed live was by "White Clover". Based upon my Internet research, I believe they went on to become "Kansas". By the end of the summer, there was an obscure advertisement in the Times-Picayune announcing the New Orleans Pop Festival. Luckily for me, this weekend event coincided with my 7 days off, and several of us (Mike, and my brother) were able to attend. Performing were Janis Joplin, Oliver, Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys, and The Youngbloods, among others. It was held outdoors at an oval shaped race track on the outskirts of Baton Rouge; attendance was between 40,000 and 50,000. While moving in the crowd, a familiar face suddenly appeared - it was the squadron commander from Air Force ROTC at LSU! My brother also reminded me of hearing The Youngbloods perform "Get Together" for the first time , at night, while the fireworks were set off. Anytime I hear that song again, I'm transported back to the summer of 1969, where we heard great music under the stars, and wished that the moment would last forever.

BOB:
What a great time in our lives...when nothing mattered more than taking the advice of Sly & The Family Stone and "Dance To The Music." That rock fest was in Prairieville, right outside of Baton Rouge. My first wife went to it with a girlfriend. Or so she said...


TD CAREY:
I enjoyed listening to Hap when I lived in New Orleans in the 70's. A couple of nights ago I was watching the western channel and a 1964 Gunsmoke episode titled Aunt Thede, starring Jeanette Nolan was on. At the end of the show the credits were shown and Hap Glaudi was listed as a townsman. That floored me. My research cannot find out if this was indeed the same Hap of WWL. Perhaps Mr. Arness had met him and asked him to do the bit part. Do you have any knowledge of any of this?

BOB:
I'm not aware of it being "our" Hap, but he would have been on Channel 4 Sports by 1964. I *think* Gunsmoke was a CBS program, and WWL-TV is a CBS affiliate. So, having connections with CBS, it's possible Hap may have been on vacation out west or been at CBS on business and they might have let him be an extra. I recall the Three Stooges invited all the hosts of their TV shows across America to come to Hollywood and be in one of their full-length movies they were filming, "The Outlaws Are Coming." Then again, how many people could possibly be named "Hap Glaudi?"

(NOTE FROM BOB: Go to Page 29 for a note on this from Hap's daughter, received 12/12/03)


GEORGE GRACE:
Hi Bob. When I was a teen in Mobile, Alabama in the '50s, I remember listening to a radio show - that I think aired on WWL (it's 50000 Watts reached Mobile). It was a dramatization of New Orleans early history with characters like Madam Pontalba. The stories were serialized and very interesting. It may have been called "The River Road". Have you ever heard anything about this show? It would be great if recordings or scripts were in some vault at WWL. I now live in Los Angeles, but went to Tulane, and lived in New Orleans from 1956 to 1974. It is still my favorite city. I watched Mardi Gras on the net. Quite a treat. I'd appreciate any information about this great old radio program. The stories about the Laluarie Mansion were particularly exciting to a teenager in Mobile. Thanks for your help.

BOB:
I'm totally unfamiliar with the series, although it does sound like something WWL radio would have broadcast back then...in the good old days before quality and imagination were replaced by "network" and "cheap." If I get any info on email I'll let you know.

Also, a leter note from WDSU-TV's Paul Yacich:

"Mr. George Grace asked if anyone knew about a New Orleans history radio show called "River Road." I believe the show he refers to was the WWL-Bev Brown production called "The Road To Yesterday." It presented New Orleans and Louisiana history in a delightfully entertaining manner... taking the listener into the homes of the Vieux Carre' and the great plantation homes along the River Road where the history of this area of Louisiana was really written. It was a wonderful program and would make a terrific TV series. I understand there is someone in New Orleans who has all the scripts as well as recordings of the show. Trouble is, I just don't know who that someone is!"


CESCA:
I came out from California the year after Betsy hit...fell in love with the city and especially the Krystal Hamburgers at 10 cents and a bowl of fabulous chili...worked at the Royal Castle hamburger joint on Airline Hwy. ...took the St. Charles street car and made many 5 cent phone calls...loved the Po-Boy shop across from Felix's Oyster Bar on Bienville, I think...and our favorite watering hole and most interesting bar was The Society Page in Exchange Alley...wild and wicked...and La Casa de los Marinos...Jax beer and the French Market...love that city...Cesca

BOB:
Y'all come back again sometime...it just keeps getting better...


RUSS BUTLER:
Hi - I have a radio memory to contribute: In 1954, I was visiting New Orleans on a pass from the Army and stopped at WSMB's studios. Scott Muni was about to do his nighttime music show and was arranging his studio with fake palm trees, lowering the bright lights to create a more intimate atmosphere for his on air shift.

On another note: I realy enjoyed listening to Dick Martin on WWL with his "Moonglow With Martin" jazz show when I was in the South with the military at Camp Gordon, GA. Does anyone have an aircheck(s) of his midnight show on WWL? I have a collection to trade, or will purchase. He was also on the Baton Rouge public station after WWL, I understand, perhaps doing his same jazz format? It was a great show and his style influenced my 40+ year career in broadcasting.

Many thanks for your reply. Great New Orleans radio reminiscing web site.

BOB:
Scott Muni went on to a serious radio career in major markets. When I was doing Saturday nights on WSMB in 1966, I never realized such a legend had worked before me in that very control room. I thought the biggest WSMB had was Nut 'n Jeff!!

"Moonglow With Martin" is my most requested aircheck and I have not been successful in tracking down even one show. I certainly hope at least one exists somewhere to preserve the sound of that popular show. If I can find one I'll post it for listening.


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