On this, the occasion of our Third Anniversary, we thought it might be nice to celebrate by doing one of those little service articles we’ve become known for. We are, after all, the folks who brought you “The Meanest Bars in Dallas” (July 1975), “The Most Dangerous Intersections in Dallas” (September 1975), Lee Trevino’s choice of the toughest holes at Preston Trail (May 1975), no fewer than 100 ideas to make Dallas a better place (March 1975), “Twelve People Who Could Be Mayor of Dallas” (February 1976), and even (blush) “Ten Reasons Why the Rangers Will Win the Pennant” (May 1975). Not to mention a whole article about the best and worst of Dallas and Fort Worth (January 1977).
What, you ask, is left? Then someone remembered The Book of Lists, a catchall collection of all sorts of trivia put together by David Wallechinsky and Irving and Amy Wallace. Just thumbing through that, our inde-fatigably curious staff produced all sorts of hitherto unexplored categories. More ideas than we could possibly use. From then on, it was just a matter of putting it together.
Well, not so easy. After all, most of our questions had to do with matters that have to be pursued through the corridors of the city, county, state and federal bureaucracies. We learned a few things. Like, Fort Worth’s bureaucracy is nicer than Dallas’. The FBI answers its phone “FBI,” while the CIA, in true cloak-and-dagger secrecy, just says “Good morning.” The airlines spy on one another, and were most eager to find out what we’d learned from the other airlines. And all the cemeteries in Fort Worth were eager to let us know that Lee Harvey Oswald wasn’t buried in theirs.
We don’t say this is everything you wanted to know, but at least it’s a step in the right direction. After all, we have to save something for our Fourth Anniversary.
Once-Famous, Now-Forgotten People Who Are Buried in Dallas and Fort Worth
1. Omer Locklear: This ace World War I pilot became a movie stunt flier for Fox, amazing the world when he changed from one airplane to another in midair. Locklear was killed during the filming of Skyway Man on August 2, 1920. Fox kept the death dive in the film. He is buried at Greenwood Memorial Park in Fort Worth. During the services, four planes circled overhead, dropping roses.
2. Joseph Saroukhanoff: The legal advisor to the last czar of Russia, he escaped from Russia in 1917. Died at theage of 101 and is buried at Sparkman-Hillcrest.
3. Atbrie Kay: Orchestra leader, oncemarrried to Dorothy Lamour. Buriedat Sparkman-Hillcrest.
4. Elizabeth Rukavina: Russian baroness, buried at Sparkman-Hillcrest.
5. Fred Felix Adair: The notorious “loveburglar” whose arrest cleared up 62burglaries and rapes. First sentencedto death in 1950, he appealed the sentence and was declared insane and sentto Terrell State Hospital. He escaped,raped another woman, and was resen-tenced to death. Executed in 1951, heis buried in Grove Hill Memorial Parkin Dallas.
John Ardoin’s Most Memorable Musical Events in Dallas
To pick five of anything is a game of the moment. What springs to mind today may not be the same a month from now, but I believe in a quick emotional reaction. In the long run, initial feelings have proven the truest. In a decade in Dallas, I remember most of all these five events: 1. Dallas Civic Opera, The Marriage of Figaro
More compelling and closer to the music than Visconti’s fabled production for 1 the Rome Opera. This DCO mounting was seen in both 1967 and 1973.
Both honored Mozart and thus the company and both were illuminated by the presence of Graziella Sciutti.
2. Dallas Civic Opera, Medea
This 1967 revival of a production mounted originally for Maria Callas brought to Dallas and to America the luminous Magda Olivero whose art was set within a brilliant supporting cast.
3. Dallas Civic Opera, Tristan and Isolde The company’s first venture into Wagner in 1975. This was not a perfect performance but still it caught the essence of Wagner’s super world and super beings as I have rarely seen them portrayed. It was highlighted by two discoveries: Roberta Knie and conductor Franz Paul Decker.
4. Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Mstislav Rostropovich as soloist in the Dvorak cello concerto, 1977
A prime example of the power of music and a performer to go beyond notes, to take up where words leave off.
5. Dallas Chamber Music Society, Borodin String Quartet Dallas debut
I don’t remember the year but I will never forget the concert. It is just one of many reasons to treasure the Dallas Chamber Music Society.
The Ugliest Buildings in Dallas*
1. Blue Cross/Blue Shield Building – Main at North Central Expressway
2. Adolphus Hotel, but only the west end and first floor- 1321 Commerce
3. 500 South Ervay Building
4. Dupont Plaza Hotel – 899 Stemmons Freeway
5. Campbell Centre – 8350 North Central Expressway
6. 555 Griffin Square
7. Main Sears Building Distribution Center- 1409 So. Lamar
8. Park Cities Baptist Church
9. Lemmon Avenue from Oak Lawn to Mockingbird
10. First International Building
11. European Crossroads Shopping Village
* Based on interviews with several leading Dallas architects to whom we promised absolute anonymity.
UFO Sightings in the Dallas/ Fort Worth Area*
1. April 6. 1956, McKinney. Sighting of “light” which came close to the ground.
2. August 2, 1965, Justin (Denton County). Sighting of object which came close to the ground.
3. August 11, 1972, East Dallas. Three or four witnesses. “Landing” with physical traces remaining. One witness identified object as “fireball,” other witnesses identified it as “meteor.”
4. September 17. 1972, Richardson. Six witnesses who viewed a “landing.”
*From files at the Center for UFO Studies in Evanston, Illinois.
Five Fort Worthians and Dallasites Who Made the Post Office Wall*
1. Russell Glenn Tores – wanted for murder, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Apprehended 1973.
2. Howard Davey Cassell – wanted for murder, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Still at large.
3. Jimmy Ray Renton – wanted for the murder of an Arkansas police officer, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Made the Top 10 Most Wanted List. Apprehended 1977.
4. Donald Eugene Sparks – wanted for bank burglary. Made the Top 10 Most Wanted List. Apprehended 1968.
5. William Carl Marks – wanted for bank robbery. Still at large, and believed to be in the Dallas area.
*From FBI files.
Five Most Popular Girl’s Names This Year in Dallas*
1. Jennifer
2. Michelle
3. Dawn
4. Renee
5. Nicole
Five Most Popular Boy’sNames This Year in Dallas*
I. Christopher
2. Jason
3. Michael
4. Shante
5. James
* Based on names supplied by the obstetrics wards at area hospitals.
The Five Most Expensive Hotel Rooms in Dallas
1. “Fairmont Suite,” Fairmont Hotel. $500 a night (includes 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, a living room, dining room, kitchen, dressing room, and wet bar. Weekend package – $1000 per couple -includes limousine and driver, dinner in the Pyramid Room, and a specially prepared private dinner in the suite -you’re allowed to invite 4 guests).
2. Split Level Deluxe, Hyatt Regency Hotel.* $450 a night (560 square feet, includes 3 connecting bedrooms, a parlor, cardroom den and wet bar).
3. “The Imperial Suite,” The Dallas Hilton Hotel. $305 a night (includes 2 bedrooms and a parlor with wet bar and fake fireplace).
4. The “VIP Suite,” Hyatt Regency Hotel. $300 a night (540 square feet, includes 2 connecting bedrooms, and parlor with wet bar).
5. The “Tom Sullivan Suite,” Airport Marina Hotel. $275 a night (includes 2 bedrooms, extra large baths, and a living room with wet bar).
The Hyatt Regency may not be finished, but they’re already taking reservations.
The Largest Paintings in Dallas and Fort Worth Museums
1. Fort Worth Art Museum: “Painting I,”by David Novros.
Three consecutive panels measuring 10 feet high by 66 feet wide
2. Dallas Museum of Fine Arts: “SlipStream,” by William Conlon.
Nine feet high by 18 feet wide.
3. Meadows Museum, SMU: “Jacob Laying the Peeled Rods before the Flocksof Laban,” by Murillo.
Eight feet high by 12 feet wide.
4. Kimbell Art Museum: “Venus Securing Arms from Vulcan for Aeneas,”by Francois Boucher.
Seven feet, 3 inches high by 6 feet, 8 inches wide
5. Amon Carter Museum: “Night Figures#1,” by Rico Lebrun.
Seven feet, 8 inches high by 6 feet, 3 inches wide.
Most Expensive Cattle Auctioned at Fort Worth’s Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show
1. Simmental Bull named “KingfishCossack”
Sold at 1972 show $40,500
2. Polled Hereford Bull named”AHI Oak Ridge 28″Sold at 1973 show
Half interest only sold – $17,400 (making bull worth $34,800)
3. Limousin Angus Steer named”Baldy”
Sold at 1976 show $15,000
4. Charolais Bull named”HASS-I/F32″
Sold at 1976 show $12,900
11 Most Common Reasons for Going to Parkland Hospital’s Emergency Room
1. Lower abdominal pain
2. Motor vehicle accidents
3. Diabetes complications
4. Asthma
5. Blood pressure problems
6. Chest pain and heart problems
7. Fever, especially in young children
8. Results of aggravated assault (gunshot wounds, stabbings, beatings), especially prevalent on Friday and Saturday nights
9. Lacerations and fractures due to accidents
10. Pregnancy and related problems
11.Overdoses
