First 3D Movie Still Leaps from Memory

In late 1952, my father and I drove to the Tennessee Theatre on West Main Street to experience the city’s first 3D movie, “Bwana Devil,” starring Robert Stack. The color film promo promised “A Lion in Your Lap - A Lover in Your Arms.”

Recalling Funny Times of Frank and Mac

A 1938 Johnson City Press-Chronicle newspaper advertisement contained these words: “They’re Plum Nuts - Frank and Mack - The Boys From Way Up Thar - As Batty As A Belfrey - The Craziest Pair in the State - With Their Big Troupe of 15 Entertainers.

Old-Time Music: Johnson City Played a Huge Role in Its Development

The mere mention of “old-time music” conjures up images of a string band, casually dressed in characteristic mountain attire, playing distinctive deep-south non-amplified toe-tapping dance music on their well-worn and sometimes hand-me-down instruments.

Jimmie Rodgers: City Played Forgotten Role in Career of Country Legend

In the spring of 1927, two relatively forgotten events occurred in Johnson City that would factor into the equation that eventually propelled a struggling unknown singer into the role as the “Father of Country Music.” His name … Jimmie Rodgers.

Big Jon and Sparkie: “For the Younger Generation and the Young At Heart”

Perhaps the most remembered and revered juvenile program of the 1950s was Big Jon and Sparkie. Children within the listening range of radio station WJHL could turn their dials to 910 AM and enjoy this unique series.

A Visit To The Liberty Theatre: “To Be Continued … At This Theatre Next Week”

In the early to mid 1950s, patrons could enter the Liberty Theatre at an affordable price, consume a soft drink for a nickel and munch on a big box of the best tasting popcorn on the planet for a dime, all the while being treated to a suspenseful cliffhanger serial, animated cartoon, newsreel and an action-packed cowboy flick.

Old Limber: The Foxhound Tale that Once Helped Elect a Governor

“Governor Alf Taylor’s Fox Hunt” was recorded in New York on the jointly owned Vocalion and Brunswick labels. The composition depicts a fox chase on Buffalo Mountain with Alf; four sons; his favorite hunting dog, Old Limber; and a friend, Ben Jenkins, with his dog, Old Zeke.

From 1945 to 1956, Thanksgiving Meant It Was Burley Bowl Time in Tennessee

Between 1945 and 1956, the traditional annual Thanksgiving Day dinner was sandwiched tightly between two separate Burley Bowl celebrations. This much anticipated event consisted of a parade held in downtown Johnson City in mid-morning, followed by a football game at Memorial Stadium in the afternoon.

Ridin’ the Rails with Fiddling Charlie Bowman - “All Abo-ooo-oard!”

While the railroad’s “glory days” may have “ridden off into the sunset”, its legend has been well preserved in a myriad of songs involving high-speed locomotives, brave engineers, colorful outlaws, homesick lovers, runaway trains, vagabond hoboes, political campaigns, funeral processions, and disastrous wrecks.

Channel 3 Launched TV Era in East Tennessee

“This is WBTV, Charlotte, North Carolina, signing on Channel 3 television from Charlotte, the Queen City of the South.” With these concise words, the era of television was ushered into the East Tennessee area at 12:00 noon on Friday, July 15, 1949, from the CBS affiliate’s transmitter located nearly 200 miles away.

Bowling in the 1950s a Different Experience

Bowling alleys had a very modest beginning. Prior to 1958, only a handful of such establishments existed in Johnson City, which including Johnson City Recreation Center, originally known as Royal Club Recreation (106-108 Spring Street), R&L Bowling Lanes (808 Buffalo Street) and Bowling Palace (84-86 Wilson Avenue).

Recalling the Day Giant Monster Attacked Bristol

On Halloween night, October 30, 1938, noted actor, Orson Wells, terrified the nation with his Mercury Theatre on the Air’s “War of the Worlds” broadcast, recounting a purported Martian invasion of earth. Popular WCYB radio personality, Eddie Cowell, displayed similar chicanery on January 23, 1954.

Chautauqua Event Once a City Staple

Few Johnson Citians can likely recall Redpath Chautauqua, a cultural traveling circuit that once frequented our city in the early part of this century. It began on New Street at the former site of the old Leon Ferenbach plant, later relocating to a field between Main and Market streets west of First Christian Church.

"The Egg and I" Hatched Ma and Pa Kettle

This nine-year old boy made a brief 20-mile excursion on a Southern Railway train from Johnson City to Bristol in 1951. The trip stands out vividly in my memory for two reasons. It was my first and last railroad jaunt; passenger service became extinct not long afterwards.

Listerners Were Crazy for Eddie Cowell

I received numerous responses from my Eddie Cowell article a few weeks ago. A few folks shared their special memories of the once popular funnyman. Don Sluder said he could write about the jovial jester for weeks, calling him the best radioman to ever hit the air in this part of the country:

Spurgeon's Island: Once A Popular Retreat

Melba Jones asked me to do a column about Spurgeon’s Island, a once popular 25-acre “lovers’ lane” hideout that was situated along the Holston River just below the present location of Boone Dam. Mrs. Jones has haunting memories of this idyllic piece of land when it was a popular attraction to the nearby youthful populace.

Ma Perkins - A Radio Staple in the 1940s-50s

No program was so enduring to the hearts of area housewives in the 1940s and 1950s, as was “Ma Perkins,” a quarter-hour "soap opera" broadcast over radio station WJHL every weekday afternoon at 1:15. Each segment opened with these memorable words: “And now ... Oxydol's own Ma Perkins."

Along With Cheap Prices, Drive-In Movie Era Gone

It is 7:00 pm on a balmy July 7, 1953 Tuesday evening in Johnson City. The four members of the John Doe family have decided to attend a local drive-in movie, having several local motion picture choices. They choose the Family Drive-In with two nightly showings, 8:45 and 10:45, opting for the earlier one.

Let's All Go Down To The Old Swimming Hole

Billy Jones and Ernest Hare, known as the “Happiness Boys,” recorded a song in 1921 called “Down at the Old Swimming Hole.” “Come along with me, down to the old swimming hole. Come on and be a kid again. It’s great to lie on the bank and look at the sky. And let the rest of the world go by.”

Radio Dials Were Tuned for Visits to "Hap's House"

One of the most listened to area radio programs between 1960 and 1966 was “Hap’s House,” a creation of WBEJ Radio in Elizabethton. “Hap” Harold Henley, alias Ziggy Ziggy Higginbotham, was a popular comedic deejay with a weekday morning eight to noon broadcast.

78-rpm Records Were Prized, Delicate Possessions

Youngsters who find an old record player at an antique store, auction or flea market may be puzzled to discover four turntable speeds: 16, 33.3, 45 and 78 revolutions per minute (rpm). Older folks will recall the awful day their favorite 78-rpm record was broken.

Jobe's Opera House - City's First Entertainment Mecca

In 1885, there could be no mistake as to the identity of the business on the second floor at the southwest corner of Main and Spring streets. “Jobe’s Opera House” appeared in large letters across the upper north side of the edifice, denoting Johnson City’s first public entertainment venue.

Early WJHL-TV Pioneer Recalls 1953 Debut of Station

A significant event occurred in Johnson City at 7 pm on October 26, 1953. On that day, home-based television arrived in Johnson City. Prior to that historic occasion, televiewers had to rely on sprawling antennas towering above their rooftops to capture faint image signals from distant stations such as WBTV in Charlotte.

Winky Dink A Frequent Visitor to 1950s TV Homes

“Winky Dink and you, Winky Dink and me, Always have a lot of fun together. Winky Dink and you, Winky Dink and me, We are pals in fair or stormy weather.” A unique interactive children’s television program, Winky Dink and You, came over the airways and into homes at 10 am beginning on October 10, 1953.

The 1950's TV Trail Would Have Not Been the Same Without Pecos Ben

Area youngsters who watched WJHL-TV in late 1953 should readily recall a handsome and immaculately dressed cowboy named Pecos Ben, the host of a 2-hour action-packed “shoot em up” western show each weekday at 4 pm.

Dark Sport of Cockfighting Has Intriguing Past

Cockfighting is a centuries old combative and often deadly blood sport between two specially bred roosters known as gamecocks, held inside an arena referred to as a cockpit. The event once flourished openly across the nation, usually being played out on a Saturday night.

Not Much Choice on the Television Landscape in 1953

A look-back to Tuesday, July 7, 1953 would find television viewers sitting in a darkened room in front of their small screen black-and-white TVs watching a diminutive choice of programs from WBTV, Channel 3, Charlotte, NC.

Stereoscope Ancestor to Today's Photography

Between 1858 and 1920, stereoscopes and an assortment of views were commonplace in middle and upper class parlors across America. Wannabe travelers could sit in the comfort of their favorite soft chairs and explore unfamiliar foreign and domestic lands in three dimensions, unlike those in two dimensional books and magazines.

Book of Long Ago Captures Humor of Gov. Taylor

Dr. B. Harrison Taylor, a grandson of the celebrated former Governor of Tennessee, Alf Taylor, sent me a letter converning a little booklet entitled “Governor Taylor’s Love Letters to the Public.”

Letter Offers Insight into Pecos Ben, Area Radio

I received a letter from Lynn Williams, former radio engineer at radio stations WETB and WBEJ, concerning my Berlin “Pecos Ben” Benfield article.

Film Club Has Honored B-Westerns for 34 Years

Mack Houston, “Trail Boss” of The Tennessee Western Film Club, is proud of his group’s recent accomplishment – celebrating its 34th anniversary on Feb. 16.

"Bridge to the Sun" - A Novel That Area Residents Should Revisit

After 50 years, I finally read the 260-page 1957 bestseller “Bridge to the Sun” (The University of North Carolina Press) by Johnson City native Gwen Terasaki. In 1961, MGM turned the writer’s memoirs into a world premier movie.

From 1927 to 1949, The J.J. Page Carnival Was An April Staple

Each April between about 1927 and 1949, an eagerly awaited event transpired in Johnson City; the J.J. Page Carnival had come to town.

Time To Revisit "Governor Alf Taylor's Fox Chase"

Most area folks are probably unaware that a record was made in New York City on Oct. 21, 1926 that told of an alleged fox chase on beautiful Buffalo Mountain.

Ex-Resident of Bristol Recalls Area TV Figures

I received several written correspondences from Frank Santore, a former resident of Bristol, with strong memories of several WCYB-TV personalities of the 1960s.

WCYB-TV's Wood Offers Channel 5 Memories

Johnny Wood, WCYB-TV news anchor, read with interest my recent column containing remembrances about his station from Frank Santore. It brought back memories for him.

Invitation to Foxhunt Was in Honor of Gov. Alf Taylor

Last week’s column featured memories from 104-year-old Pansy Oliver Torbett as related to me by Joann Conner, her daughter. Mrs. Conner also supplied me with information that included a beguiling document dating back to April 1928.

"Howdy Doody" Time Made the 50s Grand for America's Youth

During the early 1950s, I hurried home after school each weekday afternoon to complete my homework and chores in time to watch “The Howdy Doody Show.”

Pages from the Past - Photos Rekindle Memories of Old City J.J. Page Carnival

My April 2007 article, concerning the J.J. Page Carnival that visited Johnson City each April between about 1930 and 1949, prompted a letter from a local reader.

Many Years After It Went Dark, Majestic Memories Still Plentiful

Most area folks can sadly recall Sept. 1, 1981 when the Majestic Theatre closed its doors forever. The beautifully designed edifice, built in 1902, served the city well for 79 years with first-run motion pictures.

Reader Recalls Local Winter Quarters For J.J. Page Carnival Animals

My two previous J.J. Page Carnival articles prompted a note from Mrs. Shelby Davis. She recalls living in front of the carnival's winter quarters between 1946 and 1951. The Page family lived in the house behind them.

"Princess Pet" on Radio Was Memorable Program Locally During Early 50s

I recall a delightful Saturday morning children’s program over WJHL radio from about 1951 to 1953 titled “The Adventures of Princess Pet,” sponsored by Pet Dairy Products,

Historic VA Theatre Once Featured Light Opera, Vaudeville Shows

When the Mountain Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was established in 1901, it was the fulfillment of a dream that President Abraham Lincoln once had.

Billy And Bob and A Cast of Thousands - Billy Bowman Played With Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys

Dr. James Bowman is proud of his late brother, Billy Bowman, a native of Washington County, former resident of Johnson City and once a member of Bob Wills & The Playboys.

View Master Opened Up 3-D World of Color Images in Many Subjects

My introduction to the fascinating 3-D world of View Master occurred in 1948 when a friend of mine acquired one and showed it to me. This six-year-old boy was immediately awestruck and had to have one.

Birthday Party Games of Childhood Were Simple, Creative Fun

About 1948, I attended a birthday party at the apartment of a neighborhood friend, Wanda. Her parents had organized the event for their young daughter. A select group of 6-8 year-old youngsters from nearby were invited to the get-together.

Recess Time Was Marble-Playing Time at '50s Grammar School

In 1952-53 while in Mrs. Alf Taylor’s fourth grade class at Henry Johnson School, I was introduced to the game of marbles, soon becoming an avid devotee of the sport.

Book Salutes B-Westerns Deaths, Now Abiding in Boot Hill

As a huge fan of old cowboy flicks, I regularly attended the Liberty and Tennessee theatres as a young boy. The films were low budget productions, but most were anything but second rate; they made a profound impact on the youth of my generation.

Wild, Wild, Westerns: Dale, Farthing Share Pleasant Memories

My recent column on the demise of the B-western stars brought immediate responses from Don Dale and Bill Farthing, sharing their memories of the old westerns.

Readers Share Fond Recollections of "Princess Pet" Show

Several months ago, I wrote a column about a delightful early Saturday morning children’s program over WJHL radio from about 1951 to 1953 titled, “The Adventures of Princess Pet.” I received four e-mails.

World Series in 1926 Simulated on Magnetic Board in Downtown Johnson City

The Sept. 29 sports headlines of the Johnson City Staff-News boldly stated, “World Series Games to Be Played In Johnson City; Begin Saturday.”

W.A. Wright Private School Program Shows Life at Music Institution in 1914

Earl “Bucky” Buchanan sent me a letter containing a March 26, 1914 program from The W.A. Wright Private School, Department of Instructional Music and his father’s “Student’s Monthly Report.”

Former WJHL Program Director Offers Thoughts On Broadcast Yesteryear

I occasionally receive correspondence from Dr. Herb Howard who was the subject of a feature story I did in August 2006 titled, “Early WJHL-TV Pioneer Recalls 1953 Debut of Station.”

Three Stooges Make Personal Appearance at City's Storied Tennessee Theatre in 1947

Bob Gardner shared with me a newspaper ad from the Johnson City-Press Chronicle showing that The Three Stooges made a personal appearance on Saturday, Oct. 25, 1947 on the stage of the Tennessee Theatre.

Two Readers Recall 1947 Three Stooges Visit to City

My recent Yesteryear column on The Three Stooges from Robert Gardner and William Brown brought quick responses from Lou Thornberry and Don Sluder.

Little League, Big History: 1964 Opening Day Program Shows Games Long Impact On City

Doug Bernardi sent me a copy of his prized 1964 opening day program of Johnson City’s Little League Baseball. The publication celebrates the 14th anniversary of the annual sporting event.

"Drinking Bird" Was Good at Holding Attention

It was a bird that only a mother could love, with its blue top hat; red felt face and beak; big white eyes; clear glass tube neck; white shapely hips and legs; bright red feet; and a light green feather attached to its large bulb shaped see-thru posterior containing red or blue colored liquid.

Imaginative "Follow the Funnies" Debuted on WETB in 1950

In 1948, WETB-AM 790, owned by Johnson City Press-Chronicle, broadcast its version of radio comics with a program titled, “Follow the Funnies.”

"America's Town Meeting" Once Came to Memorial Gym

A 1952 Buccaneer, East Tennessee State University’s annual, contains a photo showing “America’s Town Meeting of the Air,” a remote radio broadcast from the college’s Memorial Gymnasium.

Civil War Fiddler Stuart Made Beautiful Music in East Tennessee

A clipping found in a massive well-worn musty scrapbook dealt with the demise in Morristown of old-time Civil War fiddler, Uncle Am Stuart (Ambrose Gaines Stuart (1853–1926).

"Hillbilly" Tunes - Old-Time Groups Playing Live Music Once A Staple on WBEJ

Lynn Williams, former WBEJ chief engineer, recently reminisced about local radio stations in the 1930s and 1940s, including his affiliation with the Elizabethton station.

"Ladies Be Seated" Radio Show Taped at Big Burley in 1940s

In the late 1940s, representatives of the American Broadcasting Company came to Johnson City to tape a live radio program from Big Burley Warehouse on Legion Street.

He's Joe, He's Mo ... It's the "Joe and Mo Show"

Between 1958 and 1961, listeners tuned to WETB AM-790 on their radio dials each weekday morning from 7 to 9 were treated to two young aspiring radio announcers, Joe Goodpasture and Merrill Moore.

Locals Performed on New York "Amateur Hour" in 1961.

In January 1961, five young local men, ranging in age from 16 to 23, went to New York City to participate in a nationally televised program, “Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour.”

Signing Off Before Game Is Over? That Was Once WETB Reality

The recent college football bowl games may bring to mind an incident that occurred on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 1, 1948 while area football devotees were huddled around their radios.

Johnson City’s Grand Theatre Became a Majestic One in June 1915

An announcement in the June 8, 1915 edition of The Johnson City Staff contained an advertisement proclaiming, “Commencing Today the Grand Renamed The Majestic Theatre."

1928 "South's Greatest Fox Hunt" Honored Alf Taylor

On April 13, 1928, the "South's Greatest Fox Hunt" was held to honor 80-year-old former governor of Tennessee, Alf Taylor.

Those Wonderful Robust Outdoor Games We Played in Our Youth

During my years at Henry Johnson School in the early to mid 1950s, I played numerous outdoor games at recess and at home.

Former Veteran Broadcaster Recalls Two Great Years at WETB

Ray Moore, former WSB (Atlanta) veteran radio/television broadcaster worked at radio station WETB on the Erwin Highway for two years in the early1950s. He shared memories of his early career at the station.

Taylor Sisters Once Lectured Like Noted Brothers Bob and Alf

In 1902, the twin sisters of Bob and Alf Taylor, Mrs. Rhoda Taylor Reeves and Mrs. Eva Taylor Jobe, also traveled on the lecture circuit delivering their dual speech, “The Real and the Ideal.”

Professor Kingfish - Pea Ridge Native Made Quite An Impression on the Area

Professor Kingfish (Bill Marrs) and Little Richard (Dick Ellis) co-hosted a highly popular weekday morning radio talk show heard over WJCW in the 1960s and 70s.

Moore Amusement Co. Enjoyed Golden Era of Jukeboxes

The jukebox music phenomenon that had its roots back to 1927 included major brands as Wurlitzer, Seeburg, Rock-Ola and Ami.

Radio's "Princess Pet" Brown Bear Chararacter Alive, Well

Stephen Wright sent me a surprising note that said, “Lower the drawbridge; Pet Brown Bear is alive and well.” He played the part of the bear on the children's radio show, "The Adventures of Princess Pet."

"Milligan College Hour of the Air" Featured Majestic Theatre Organ

Mrs. Carsie Lodter said that her late husband, Prof. Edward Lodter, played the Majestic Theatre’s Wurlitzer organ after it was relocated to Milligan College for a weekly WJHL radio broadcast.

Gatlinburg’s “Chucky Jack,” Short-Lived Drama about John Sevier

In 1955, the R.L. Maples family, Gatlinburg hotel owners, built Hunter Hills Theatre on 24.57 acres of land to feature an outdoor drama that accurately personified the life of Sevier.

Yesteryear’s Grand Ole Opry Was Never for Lack of Country Humor

On Saturday nights in the early 1950s, I laid on the living room floor near our tube radio console listening to the Grand Ole Opry over WSM radio from the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Were You a Downtown Moviegoer? Take the Vintage Theatre, Film Quiz

Today’s column is a nostalgic quiz covering downtown Johnson City movie theatres and favorite motion pictures that were projected on their big screens.