MEETING CELEBRITIES

bY Nolan Bailey



 

I just remembered that I met Russell Long when I was nine years old.  Russell was running for his first term in office which began in November of 1948,
My granddaddy must have been a huge Huey P. Long fan.   When he heard that Russell would be speaking at the Arcadia City Hall he jumped in the car and was ready to go.   He and my grandmother owned the 1938 Ford, but neither could drive.  So, a black friend would come across the cotton patch to drive for them.  Looking back, I felt just like the characters in "Driving Miss Daisy."    As a side note, I can tell you that Morgan Freeman had his character down to a "T."  He did an A+ impersonation.    Anyhow, we went to Russell's speech, and I can remember that It was kinda like going to church.   Folks were yelling "Give 'em hell Russell," and he did.  When the speech was over, I was happy since it was boring to a kid, my granddaddy just had to drag me to the front to meet his friend "Russell."  When my granddaddy spoke to him it was like they were old friends.  And, Russell acted like he knew us, too.  Russell shook my hand and said a few "kind words" before we moved on.   As far as I can remember, this was my first encounter with a famous person.  I don't count Henderson Jordan, the Sheriff of Bienville Parish who was a member of the posse that ended Bonnie and Clyde's era of crime.  Henderson was the son of my great-aunt, Viola Bailey Jordan.  We were kin, and I saw him quite often. 

I'll shut up...

Nolan Bailey

 

Meeting Celebrities


My wife just reminded me that I had forgotten someone that I met when I was a student at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California.  As a student, we were always looking for things to take photographs of.  One day I noticed in the paper that there was going to be a medieval fair in a nearby city, and decided to drive down to check out the photo opportunities.   My wife and a couple of other students decided that it would be fun, so they "hitched a ride," too  So, we drove down to Ye Olde Renaissance Pleasure Faire.  From Santa Barbara we took Highway 101

south to Agoura Hills, parked our car and walked the rest of the way on a dirt road that wound through hills and old oaks to the main entrance of the Faire.   As we walked around the grounds, we were amazed to see many stars from television and motion pictures.  Most seemed to be unapproachable, but one was very outgoing.  He was talking to a couple of the "faire goers" so I walked up to join in.  Four or five of us stood and talked to this motion picture star for several minutes, and really enjoyed our visit with Anthony Papaleo.  If you're not familiar with Mr. Papaleo, take a look at the photo.  It's Tony Franciosa! 

Tony Franciosa

This is Tony Franciosa  the movie actor

While at the "Faire" I also had the opportunity to take photos of a famous figure study model by the name of Diane Webber.  We saw quite a bit of her "figure" because she was a featured belly dancer at the festival.  Below is a photo that Peter Gowland took of Dianne. <grin>  I'll be looking for the photos that I took at the "Peasure Faire." :-) 




 

Meeting Celebrities

When I was around nine or ten, I had the opportunity to meet the cowboy star named Allan "Rocky" Land and his horse "Blackjack." 
A couple of my siblings, and I, were in the lobby of the Joy Theater in Arcadia, waiting to see a Rocky Lane "shoot 'em up."  A big Cadillac pulled up with a horse trailer behind, and a cowboy got out and came into the theater.  He introduced himself, we already knew who he was, but couldn't believe our eyes.  He shook hands with everyone and stood around and chatted for a while.  He was on his way to a personal appearance somewhere to the east of Louisiana, saw his movie was playing, and decided to stop in.  That was when Highway 80 was the only major east-west highway in north Louisiana, and ran right in front of the theater.   Nice guy.








When I was a student at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California, I photographed the wedding of Bucklind Beery (actor), who is the son of Noah Beery, Jr.   Both Noah and his first wife, Maxine Jones (daughter of cowboy actor Buck Jones-160 film credits ) were there.  Later on, I photographed the wedding of Maxine to Nicholas Firfires, a celebrated western artist.



Above is a photo of Noah Beery, Jr., for those who might not remember that he played the father on the Rockford Files.



Years later, I had the pleasure of meeting Lady Bird Johnson when I served as Lighting Director on a crew that was doing a documentary on the life of Sam Rayburn, noted Speaker of the House.  She was nothing like I had imagined her to be.  What a memorable lady!  She wouldn't be interviewed until she had met and shaken hands with every member of the crew.   Now, I know who was the power for Lyndon. 

When I was teaching at East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas, and doing flight instruction part-time, I went on a trip to Brownsville, Texas, to see the "Confederate Air Force."  While there, I had to opportunity to meet Gregory "Pappy" Boyington of "Baa Baa Black Sheep," fame.  He autographed his autobiography for me and we chatted for a while.  I'll bet the good ole "Pappy" ran a pretty tight ship back then...<grin>




Here's a Louisiana native that I really know well.  He is C. C. Lockwood, noted wildlife photographer from Baton Rouge.  Clyde has had many many books published on Louisiana wildlife, and has been published in National Geographic.  He was one of my photography students at East Texas State University a zillion years ago.,  C.C. was chosen by LPB to be one of its "Louisiana Legends" in 2000.

"About C.C. Lockwood

Throughout his career, C.C. Lockwood has established himself as one of the nation’s outstanding nature and wildlife photographers and as the premier Chronicler of the natural wonders of Louisiana and the Gulf Region including the Yucatan peninsula. An Arkansas native, C.C. came to Louisiana to attend Louisiana State University in 1967 and has made Louisiana his home ever since. He first started taking photographs in September of 1971 and then returned to East Texas State University to study photography. C.C. continues to primarily photograph and travel throughout the southeastern and southwestern United States but also dabbles in top spots around the world."


Another "dude" that I met while teaching photography at ETSU was Phillipe Halsman -- did lots of Life magazine covers, etc.  We invited him to be a speaker at a lecture series on campus, and he came.  He toured our photography facility and gave a great talk to all of the university students.  Most of you probably have not heard of him.

  Here is one of his famous photos.


Yosuf Karsh was an internationally known portrait photographer.  He is one of my favorite photographers.  And, I had the opportunity to meet him at a Professional Photographer's of America convention way back when.



Karsh did this famous photo of Churchill.  The dour expression came about when Karsh snatched a cigar out of Chruchill's' mouth for the portrait... At least, that's the tale he told.

As Walter Brennan used to say frequently on the television show entitled The Guns of Will Sonnett, "No bragg, just fact."  :-)

Just remembered, I met this guy, too.  When I taught at NSU, he was sponsored by the Journalism Department to be a speaker at a campus event.  He lived in Natchitoches when he was in high school.  During our conversations, I learned that he really does not like Barbra Streisand.  His name is Rex Reed...the movie critic.


Heck, there may be more.  Hah, I met one of the photographers for Playboy, too.  He is Peter Gowland

Here's a photo of C. C. Lockwood.
 

Submitted by Nolan Bailey



                          SCHELLEY BROWN MEETS ALAN BEAN, THE 4TH MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON

                                                       AND SOME OTHER CELEBRITIES

 

Some of the famous people I have talked to.  I guess the most famous was the most recent.  I talked to Alan Bean 4th man to walk on the moon with Apollo 12 mission.  He sent some items for the museum.  He lived in Minden as a child and his sister was born in Minden.  His dad was in soil conservation project in 1930's and that is why they were in Minden.  He was the little boy sitting in the drum and the Minden Band mascot.
 
I have met Oprah in Chicago about 15 years ago and talked to her.  Steadman was with her.
The man that played the Brady Bunch Dad.
Had my picture taken with Roy Clark.
Talked to Grandpa Jones once in Mountain View Arkansas
Talked to Allison Krouse in Cotton Valley while we were both looking at old forgotten grave sites.  She was visiting the Cox family.  I was dating their cousin at the time.
Had back stage passes for years for Hank Williams Jr.
Sat on stage at the last Jud's concert in Shreveport.
Met all the guys in Bad Company one New Year's Eve many years ago when I worked at the Sheraton in Bossier.
Talked to all the guys in ZZ Top many years ago.
I guess I have met more musicians than anything.
 
Famous people are just like all of us.  They have just done something a little different or more interesting than the rest of us.  Like I told Alan Bean when I asked him to send me some space stuff for the museum.  I said Texas has lots of astronauts Minden only has one!
Schelley Brown
MHS Class 1977