E-MAIL MEMORIES, PAGE 8
SANDY THORNTON 1947:
Hi Bob, just found your site and have got nothing done all day. The trip
down Memory Lane has been wonderful. You have done an outstanding job, just
as you have in radio for all of us Yats over the years. I heard you say
once on the radio that you didn't remember the dance "The Popeye."
God, I felt like the Queen of the Popeye at the dances back in our day,
and if I ever get the chance, I'll refresh your memory. Again thank you
for many years of joy!
BOB:
We tried for years on the Sunday Night Oldies Party in our line dance set.
They remembered there was a dance to it nobody could remember how to do
the Popeye. Actually, as I recall, it was more of a "snake dance"
like the Second Line, with one person following behind another, doing the
dance around the room. Not like today's line dances, where dancers are along
side each other. We'll get you to demonstrate it at our next conclave of
Sunday night barflies. Now...about "Popeye The Hitchhiker" which
incorporated the Popeye and the Hitchhike...nah. Another day!
ED JOUBERT:
I grew up in New Orleans in the 1950's and 1960's. Here are some of my New
Orleans radio memories:
1. The Lou Kirby show on WNOE-1060 AM. His slogan: "The Kirby Show
is on the air, parlez-vous."
2. Joseph Culotta's "Let's Talk It Over"; even if the irritating
Mrs. Gaillot monopolized it.
3. Three and four in a row on WNOE.
4. My grandparents praying the rosary along with WJBW.
He wasn't on the radio, but I had the greatest respect for Hap Glaudi, sports
editor for the Item, and the one who reported the sports on WWL. He told
it straight, and didn't bite his tongue. His accent spoke eloquently of
his roots: he was truly one of us.
BOB:
Sitting in the studio at WNOE with CC Courtney & Lou Kirby at night
was my motivation to get on the radio. Remember when they recorded "Maybe
Baby" and called themselves "The Singing Bodies?" You might
recall that came from the Courtney/Kirby radio catch phrase that caught
on: "How's your body?" Check out our C. C. Courtney page at http:radio_courtney.html.
When the rosary moved to WSMB it came up on my weekend shift in 1967
and the file consisted of five different tapes that everyone prayed along
with! Sounded live though. And Joe Culotta was always ready to "talk
it over" with anyone, anytime!
PATTI SUE:
Holsom bread with the parrot design on the waxed paper wrap. In 1940 ordering
a po'boy for lunch at the little store across from Lakeview School and in
1955 going to the little store next to Warren Easton for a po'boy lunch.
Easter egg hunts along Lakeshore Drive and the sea wall. Listening to "Let's
Pretend" on the radio on Saturday mornings. Getting coffee, milk and
"donuts" at Morning Call in the French Quarter-drive-in style.
BOB:
Holsum and Sunbeam eventually merged and, as Miss Sunbeam came along Holsum
faded away. Remember when school kids took tours of the Sunbeam plant in
Gentilly (near the Higgins boat factory) each child was given a free mini-loaf
of Sunbeam bread. By the way, bet it's been a while since you thought of
Bond Bread and Merita Bread. And which TV cowboy show did Merita Bread sponsor??
JAY GAUTHREAUX:
Dear Mr. Walker, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Jay Gauthreaux.
I came across your website by accident, and glad to say, I'm glad I did.
Going through the scroll of memories, it seemed to jump out at me with some
of things I remember well. I remember Dick Bruce running for office. The
TV newscaster who got fired for being drunk on the air, Mike Landis of WWL
I believe. Don Lewis was a sub teacher when I was a student at O.P.Walker.
Ice cream at both Sealtest and Borden's. How about Jimmy Steele hosting
Sunday afternoon wrestling? Morgus every Saturday night. Romper room with
Miss Linda, every morning before school. Jim Metcalf's Sunday Journal, and
his opening line, "Please to begin." I live in Lafayette now and
reading the scroll, I'm getting homesick!
You probably remember my dad, Jay Richards? I remember he subbed for
Jimmy Steele on Sunday wrestling one time. I would love to get a copy of
that tape. Well, I won't keep you, enjoyed the web-site. Keep it up.
BOB:
Your dad was a fine man! I worked with him at WRNO in the late 70's. Too
bad that, in broadcasting, for every one great person like Jay Richards
there are 100 egotistical airhead clowns like Dick Bruce and mama's little
A-holt.
JOHN FITZPATRICK:
These are some more places that were popular in the 50's and 60's:
1 - Wallace and Raoul's Abundance and Elysian Fields
2 - The Stardust Lounge on Metairie Road at Causeway Blvd.
3 - Barattini's Steinway Lounge way out on Veterans Highway
4 - Sonata's Lounge on Elysian Fields and Robert E. Lee
5 - Steer Inn Elysian Fields at Madrid Street
I really enjoyed reading your website about the good ole times in
N.O. Keep up the good work.
BOB:
Three lounges on any list of five things is fine with me!
NANCY G., PALATINE, IL:
Hi Bob! I remember "Tunies," the tuna fish hot dogs that came
in a can. We had so many of them - YUKK!! Can you give me any info on who
made them, if they still exist, and where? I think my grandmother made them
all millionaires. We had so many cans that they swelled up with bloat before
we were forced to eat them. Being a Catholic family you couldn't eat meat
on Friday years ago and they were our supper almost every Friday night.
There were five children in our house and four adults. They must have been
dirt cheap because as I said my grandmother and father bought tons of them.
All of us "kids" hated them. We grew up in Chicago, IL. We always
make jokes about them and were trying to prove to our kids that they really
existed like with a label or picture of one.
BOB:
Yeah that was some ugly and nasty food! Tunies are long gone. I think they
were only in business for a short while in the late 50's because everybody
felt about them like you and I do. No info on who made them...they're probably
still in hiding! I'm getting grossed out just thinking of them.
By the way, I wonder what ever happened to all the people who went
to hell for eating meat on Fridays!
Those who ate Tunies instead of meat on Fridays should be sitting
at the highest level in Heaven!!
RANDY S.:
Born in '61. I remember "Looking 'em over" with Hap Glaudi.
...Saturday matinees at the Famous Theater for 25 cents with the coupon
from the paper.
...50 cent triple features at the Famous on Sundays.
...Royal Castle burgers with root beer.
...Po-boys from Mule's that my dad would bring home late at night from his
club meetings.
...Waking up on Sunday with roast beef and mayo breath and not remembering
how I got it.
...Picnics under the shelter house at City Park.
...Storyland at City Park before the renovations.
...Those "long" drives to the airport before the I-10.
...The Skyvue Drive Inn.
...Mardi Gras Day at Lee Circle.
...and many more memories. Just found your website and I love it.
BOB:
Welcome aboard, Randy. I guess every neighborbood had a po-boy restaurant
whose roast beef sandwiches were "the best in town." Now you've
got me hungry... roast beef po-boy... dressed, of course... sloppy gravy...
lotsa mayo... swiss... extra pickles...