laf0612

Here is some text from a different thread about some of my recollections of growing up in PP and close-by areas:

-Gary K

I remember Peppermint Park off of 610. I always wanted to go there when I was a kid. As an adult, after I got married, I found out that my brother-in-law had worked at Playhouse Toys, and later, I worked with the owner's daughter, Kay. I grew up on the street where Kiterick lived. She was very nice and I remember going to her house on Halloween. I remember watching - the show was live - and there was a little boy that was laughing and I can't remember if it was Kiterick or Skipper that asked him what he was laughing so hard about. He replied, "Leroy farted". And the camera went crazy, like they didn't know what to do. Funniest thing I ever saw on a kid's show.

My next door neighbor was friends with Don Mahoney's daughter when she was a teenager, and she visited quite often. Houston seemed so much smaller then. We lived on Potomac between San Felipe (pronounced San Fillipy, not San Fell e pay) - we were not that pretentious- and Woodway. Not quite Tanglewood, and not quite Briargrove. We were like the red-headed stepchild. It was called Westhaven Estates, and until 1978, it had big ditches on either side and and an asphalt road-and homes go for about $600k plus there now.- this is the same street that the Houston Country Club is on. I remember we could leave our bikes on the front porch - (we NEVER kept them in the garage) and we never once had any problems with having them stolen. Unbelieveable now.

Does anyone remember Sonny Look's restaurant? Is was where The Palm restaurant is now on Westheimer, next to Bering's. At night they had some poor guy in full knight's armor (no kidding!!) come out on Westheimer (where Greenridge is now) on a white horse into the middle of the road to attract diners. The horse wore blinders, like they did during jousting. What memories !

Trans-Lux also distributed my favorite, The Mighty Hercules!

Being kids, we rewrote some theme lyrics, but all I can remember is "perfume in his farts" instead of "virtue in his heart." Theme was sung by Houston's own Johnny Nash, BTW.

Yeah, Johnny Nash, the same guy that sang "Secret Agent Man".

I loved Hercules. Remeber Zeus, Daedalus, Wilhemina, and Newton? That's me! That's me! Another Trans-Lux cartoon was my all-time after school favorite, Speed Racer. It came on at 3:00, and I remember running home every day (we got out at 2:50) to watch it. I had a crush on a cartoon character!

I dunno, I was REAL young when Kitirik was on, but I remember having a crush on her. LOL!! I also remember Cadet Don and the Casper cartoons Ch 13 used to show early mornings -- did not have a crush on him. LOL!!!! Anybody remember Captain Harold?

I think someone had brought up Captain Harold in another thread?

I cannot think of his real name but if I recall he would introduce late night B-movies? or was it Rock n Roll Bands? he was dressed like a fighter pilot with goggle sand scarf. Had a big mustache. I think he was sort of a local TV personality on Channel 26? I do remember seeing him dressed in business suits while on TV so he did more than just the Captain bit. He always had gorgeous women around him so either he was supplying them good stuff or ? Wonder what became of him, hope hes not in the Betty Ford Clinic like most of them.

This was also when they used to show The Three Stooges after Popeye & Mighty Mouse cartoons. Cant forget the After School Specials. See we did pretty good without any blasted cable TV.

His name was Harold Gunn. He lived in Houston for quite a while, as he was an alumni of Lee High School.