“God’s Little Acre” and the Marlon Brando-Montgomery Clift vehicle, “The Young Lions”, were showing Downtown at the Palace and Tower. At the Lakewood, a most appropriate film appeared, “Peyton Place”.
As the class of 1958 gathered at the Fairmont Hotel for its recent reunion weekend, everyone had memories of those big-fendered years.
“The Young Wildcats” remembered the Chalet (then Electric Circus and now Dixie-Lakewood), where the Mills Brothers and Inkspots performed. They also talked about Snappy’s, the tiny hamburger joint that once stood behind the Lakewood Theater, where the latter-day Lakewood Rats might swat you with a Ketchup bottle.
But on the weekend after the disastrous Lakewood Shopping Center fire, class members spoke fondly of Harrell’s, The Hangout.
Don Bradford said Doc Harrell didn’t take kindly to those who wanted to sit and read his magazines without ordering a soda. Dale Ewing Knott talked about how the boys would lean against the wall along the store’s Abrams Road side, a la Johnny Ray’s song, “Watchin’ All The Girls Go By”. Bobby Gray talked about Sandra Gage’s little three-wheel car, an Isletta, and how they used to pick it up to block the entrance.
Harry Haun, now a New York film critic and writer, had a new twist on a perennial problem. He said he went into Harrell’s to buy prophylactics, as they were then called.
“I had rehearsed my lines many times, but the pharmacist put me on the spot,” Harry says. In response to his inquiry, Doc responded, “What size?”
Parade Potpourri
Speaking of reunions, the Lakewood Fourth of July Parade was well-attended by Wildcats. Kevin Corgan (89) returned from his MIT graduation. He plans to work for Goldman Sachs in New York. Brother Colin (91) attends Dartmouth.
Renee Elton (86) just married, and brother David (84) had returned from Los Angeles to set up his photography shop in Oak Cliff. Among his clients is Neiman Marcus. The elder Eltons are busy hosting a French student this summer, says mom, Sylvia. Husband Maurice Elton is head of SMU’s French department. Another frequent visitor to the Elton home is Tim Brown (84), who played basketball with David.
Former PTA president Marilyn Hansen has been doing a lot of traveling with her basketball-playing daughter, Francie (90), who plays for the University of Massachusetts. Son Erik (87) is busy making a movie with Jason Hammond (87).
Anthony Armstrong (91), whom you may remember from his perfect score on the math section of the SAT, is busy garnering more scholarships to add to his title of National Merit Scholar at Texas.
Former Woodrow teacher Patty Hardman, who flew in from California to choreograph the Variations and the musicals for more than a decade after she left town, was at the parade with husband, John. No more AAdvantage Miles for her. She’ll be tooling over to Woodrow by foreign car. The Hardmans bought a home on Avalon, which was one of Doc Harrell’s old residences.
Before the Parade Passes By
Teach-Ex Jim Echols (78) played his trusty trumpet (or is that rusty) in the parade. He lamented that his 15-year class reunion, to be held Aug. 7 at the Q Grille, conflicts with his planned deep sea fishing trip. Will someone do Flipper a favor and buy Jimmy’s trip?
Hello Dolly
Jimmy’s old neighbor from upper Avalon, Carolyn Storm (76), former “Hello Dolly” star and Sweetheart Captain (the wild squad) will wed this month. The busy Carolyn is also a graduate of Texas A&M, where she was president of Chi Omega and a member of Mortar Board. Then she went to work for the YMCA in Indonesia and Taiwan (she serves on the East Dallas Y Board) before earning a master’s degree in hospital administration. She works at Parkland.
Sister Linda Storm Golden (73) will return from Corpus, with children Courtney and Trevor (she’ll have to make another trip for her 20-year reunion Oct. 15).
Her other Woodrow kin is brother Scott (76), mortgage banker and sire of nephew, Christopher. But he’s another column.
