Author:

Paul Heckmann

Notable Dallasites

JAMES MILLARD CUMBY

on
January 30, 2020
James had a brilliant, shrewd mind and a boundless curiosity and he often dabbled in photography, geology, mechanics, archeology, natural history and other disciplines that piqued his interest. James was a motorcycle enthusiast and rode a Harley Davidson. According to family members he was instrumental in developing one of the first panoramic photos. Looking closely, he can be found both at the far left end and at the far right end in the same photo. Notice the Davis Millinery Co of Dallas which made the Davis hats. They can still be found from time to time in antique stores.
Clubs Music

A FALSTAFF AND A GLOBE

on
October 7, 2019
Long before the idea of Louann's came around Lou and Ann Bovis were running the Falstaff Tavern in the English Village. Not too long after the Centennial kicked off, Ann's brother Anton Martinkus joined them. Anton was an old warhorse, serving under George C Patton long before he became General Patton. He knew him better at Major Patton back at Fort Sheridan. He stayed with Lou and Ann until WWII broke and he went back to kicking butt and taking names at places like the beachhead at Leyte.
Notable Dallasites

THE LAST WORDS OF BIG TEX…

on
August 19, 2019
Well, Guy Lombardo was at Louann's one night. I was selling popcorn table to table. They had a special table set up for them out in the middle of the club. I walked up to the table, but it was dark and I didn't recognize him. So I asked if he'd like to buy some popcorn. He looked up at me and said, "I'll make you a deal". He and his band were there with their wives. He said, "We want to go dance. If you'll sit here and keep an eye on the ladies' purses, I'll buy all the popcorn you've got." So I did, and he bought all my popcorn. I made more money that night than I ever thought I'd make in my life. Roy Orbison was there signing autographs. I wasn't selling popcorn that night. I was out picking up beer bottles off the tables. I used to like cleaning the tables. I'd sniff the beer bottles. On occasion I might have even sipped some beer out of a couple of them. Hell, when you're a kid you gotta get your beer where you can. So, Roy Orbison was over there signing autographs. He looked over at me and said, "Would you like an autograph too?" I said, "That's okay, I'll get one next time you're here". And he never came back to Louann's.
Clubs Music

DROWNING IN A WHISKEY RIVER

on
August 19, 2019
So Whiskey River opens. Gatemouth Brown, Rusty Wier, Gary P. Nunn. We also had Ray Wylie Hubbard and Michael Martin Murphy. I had dinner with Michael at The Pawn Shop and he came over to Whiskey River and we really hit it off. B.W. Stevenson was there. Hoyt Axton. Delbert McClinton, Bees Knees, Shake Russell, Bugs Henderson all played there I’ll tell you one story - Paul McCartney from The Beatles came in one night. I think he was with Wings then. He was sitting with the Five Americans, I think Freddie King was playing that night.
TV/Movies

BUD BUSCHARDT, HE’S SUMP’N ELSE!

on
August 19, 2019
The second weekend that I was at WFAA, things really changed. That was the weekend of November 22, 1963. I was still in school that day and they let us out early which was something they never did. So, I asked my professor “Dan, what do we do in a case like this?" He said, “There's my desk. There's my phone. You call RIverside 8-9631 right now.” So, I called, and actually got through the switchboard, and asked for Mr. Turner. And as luck had it, he happened to be on his way to lunch and ran into Jay Watson (WFAA Program Director) and Jerry Haynes in the lobby. Jay said, “I need studio quickly and camera live, whatever you can do.” And Turner said, “Well, what’s the big deal?” Jay said “The President’s just been shot.” And then it was absolutely crazy. I was running from studio to studio. Don said, “Strike all the studios you can."