Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

Generic 1957 Rambler Station Wagon

Car Dating Lesson #1

by Mike Griffith

Class of '66

My story involves not my first car date, but the first car date where I actually did the driving. I turned sixteen in July and I was able to talk my mother into taking me to get my drivers license on my birthday. That was the easy part, but talking her into actually letting drive on a date was much more difficult; it was September, the first week of the school year, when I finally worked it out so that I could use the family car for a Friday evening.

I was "seeing" a girl (we shall call "DL1" ... for "Dating Lesson #1") who went to Huntsville High School, which I knew from our church. Sammy Gilbreath (Lee Class of '66) and I decided that we would double-date to the movies downtown; Sammy asked Joyce Whitlock (Lee '66) and I asked DL1. I don't remember anything about the movie, but after we got a snack we had an hour or so to kill before DL1 had to be home, so we went to Braham Springs Park, off of Drake Avenue. At that time the park was not much more than a lake and some green space, but it had some dirt roads that were good for parking close to the lake (details of that hour are not pertinent to this story).

On our way to take DL1 home. I was driving in the right-hand lane on Drake Avenue when a woman ran the stop sign at Leeman Ferry Road and hit our car in the right front fender. I was driving my Dad's 1957 Rambler station wagon and we flipped over three times, coming to rest upside-down in the right-hand lane of traffic going the opposite

direction; we had flipped over one lane on our side of the median, then the median, then a turn-lane and finally one lane on the opposite side of the median. The police report said that the woman was doing over 80mph when she hit us, and that she never applied her brakes. I remember seeing her and applying my brakes, but I don't remember being hit; the first thing I remember was being on all-fours on the inside roof of the car, seeing smoke and dripping oil, and turning off the ignition. The biggest miracle was that, with all windows in the car being down (no air conditioning in the Rambler), none of us were thrown out of the car (also, this was before seat belts).

Because cars back then were all steel, the Rambler's top held up the whole car and we were all able to crawl out through the open windows. The next miracle was that scratches, bumps and bruises were pretty much the extent of injuries for the four of us, but the woman that hit us broke her leg and collarbone. Somewhere, I still have a copy of the picture that was in The Huntsville Times the next day, showing me standing next to my Dad's upside-down Rambler station wagon, talking to a policeman.

Now for "Dating Lesson #1," learned at the age of 16: Don't almost kill your date and expect the relationship to move forward! I don't know if Sammy and Joyce ever dated again, but that was the end of any relationship between DL1 and me.

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Jeff Fussell, Class of '66 - That is Johnny Roventini, the Philip Morris Bellhop. The following copied from www.bellhop.org/johnny.htm may be a little more than you wanted to know -- but its kind of an interesting back-story.

Johnny Roventini had been a real New York bell-hop, a four-foot midget with a distinctive high-pitched voice, discovered by advertising agency head Milton Biow in 1933, who was suddenly inspired, and had Johnny page Philip Morris on the spot. He was first used in radio spots, sending out his "Call for Philip Morraaaaaiiss," and supposedly was able to hit a perfect B-flat every time. He was used for years on Philip Morris sponsored radio shows, such as "Crime Doctor," "It Pays to Be Ignorant" (for a time), "The Milton Berle Show," and even "The Philip Morris Playhouse" and the variety series whose title he inspired, "Johnny Presents." It was a successful campaign, but I confess, slightly more so than with many other radio ad campaigns, Johnny does get on my nerves after while (though not as much as the faux Indian chants for Post Toasties, the "Heap Good Cornflakes.") Still, again, it was used for years, with Johnny serving as a living trademark, making personal appearances, apart from the radio, print ads, and billboards, "stepping out of storefronts all over America." (This last slogan was parodied in a "Bullwinkle Show" episode, when moose and squirrel confront a Johnny-like bellhop about this aspect of his work, and "Johnny" replies that he had to stop, because "he kept cutting his fingers on the broken glass.") Interestingly, Johnny apparently read his "Call for Philip Morris" line from a script, following one occasion when he flubbed the line and the announcer had to take over, in a poor falsetto imitation; the agency refused to take any more chances after that. Though later "Johnny Juniors" were used as understudies and stand-ins (as he could hardly be everywhere at once), Johnny was given a lifetime contract, which continued long after cigarette advertisements were banned from radio and television, and Philip Morris moved on to new advertising angles. Johnny Roventini finally passed away on November 30, 1998, making that "last call for Philip Morraiss," as one obit put it.

Just for fun I have attached an MP3 of his call.

Listen to the CALL

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Joy Rubins Morris, Class of '64 -The ad was for cigarettes and the brand was Philip Morris. The petite young man would walk through a crowed room and page "Call for Philip Morris" The way in which he pronounced Morris was probably the reason why I as well as many others remember him so

well. He would stretch out Morris making it sound like

Moooorissss. Makes you wonder why I even remember cigarette ads when I am not a smoker although my parents were. I suppose it was the way in which he was dressed and how he stretched out "Morris" that stuck in my mind.

Do you remember the old "I would walk a mile for a Camel" ad? How about the Marlboro Man? And don't forget Virginia Slims (the liberated women's cigarette).

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Dianna May Stephenson, Class of '64 - I believe the little guy's name was Johnny and he is saying,

"Call for Phillip Morris!" Only he had a unique way of saying it!

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Annette McCraney, Class of '64 - The cute guy in the monkey suit was a hotel bellboy who would, when necessary, announce telephone calls to guests in the hotel lobby. His charge at this time was to announce "CALL FOR PHILLIP MOORRRIIISSSS" Of course he was peddling Phillip Morris cigarettes.

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Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly, Class of '64 - I'm reasonably sure that he is a bellhop, and he was loudly saying, "Call for Phillip Morrrrr-is!" to advertise Phillip Morris cigarettes. It seems as though I remember that happening on the "I Love Lucy" show. Perhaps the little bellhop, Bobby, did that? I don't know. I just remember that during a show or shows, the bellhop would walk into the action and shout out the above. In retrospect, it was a good advertising campaign, wasn't it? And you are correct about the weird things we remember from our youth. What was I saying .. . ?

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Mike Griffith, Class of '66 - I believe that this week's Lee-Bay item carries over the cigarette theme; if memory serves, the boy is in an advertisement for Philip Morris cigarettes ... he is yelling "call for Phi-lip Moor-ress (that's the best that I could spell phonetically to make it read like how he pronounces it)!

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Escsoe German Beatty, Class of '65 - That's the Phillip Morris bell boy. I think he is yelling "Call for Phillip Morris". This is kind of sad...I'm remembering all the old cigarette ads! Why can't I remember something of importance...like how to find my car keys or glasses???

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Dianne Hughey McClure Class of '64 - This bell hop a was a "spokesman" for Phillip Morris cigarretts He is saying "Call for Phillip Morris" My dad owned a restaurant at the time of this ad and one of my favorite playmates at that time was a lifesize cardboard "bell hop" just like the one in the ad. . I also have a little tin box with this ad on it that my sister gave me a few years back in memory of my many hours of time spend

playing with the cardboard cutout of this "bell hop" I was probably between five and seven years of age. I do not remember exactly.

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Other Classmates who also sent in the correct answers were: Linda Beal Walker, Class of '66; Marc Bentley, Class of '66; Glen Swaim, Class of '65; and Bobby Cochran, Class of '64.

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Generic 1959 Lincoln Contintal

11 Feet of Trouble

by Eddie Sykes

Class of '66

Niles Ramsey, from the Class of ‘65, was a year ahead of me. He would often give several of us under-classmates a ride home from football practice. During the summer that usually included a pit-stop or two. We would go for an Orange Slush, Pink Lemonade, or the soft drink of the day. After a hard dusty day of two-a-day practices that cold drink would hit the spot. Riding in a car with older kids was also a thrill. Niles had a cool car a '56 or '57 Chevy. The crazy things we would do and say still amuses me today.

Back then gas stations were called "Service Stations" because two or three attendants (usually high school dropouts) would surround your car and check under the hood, check the air in the tires and pump the 50 cents or dollar of gas you requested. Most of the time you had to tell them how to open the hood or were the gas cap was. Now Niles loved to challenge the aptitude of these poor guys. He would ask them to be sure and check the "Utiloom", a non-existent motor part. Most of the time they would say "The What?" to which Niles would say, "The Utiloom next to the Antirack, make sure it is compensating for the Series !" Most of the time they would respond by saying, "Everything looks fine," which would bring a roar of laughter from us all. It was that fun experience that definitely inspired me to want to advance beyond that position in life.

Now, I will share my first car date story. My friend, Buddy Lewis, had a 1959 Lincoln Continental. His step-dad was the owner or part owner of a used car lot, furniture store, and drive-end theater in Athens. Buddy's Lincoln was more like a Sherman Tank. It was 227 inches long and 131 inches wide. I could lay down in the front or back seat and stretch out without my head or feet touching either door. Buddy was older than me and had his driver’s license. I was not old enough for a permit and had never driven a car except for a couple times with my Father. We doubled dated and went to the drive-end. It was my first car date without a parent. It was also my first date with Sandra Parks. I don't remember much, but do remember that Buddy and his girlfriend swapped seats with us and they disappeared in the back while we watched the movie from the front seat. I was a little embarrassed and didn't know if I should talk or not. There was heavy breathing coming from the back seat. Buddy's girlfriend parents were real strict and she had to be home by 10 PM. I don't think they knew we were going to the drive-end, because we had to leave before the first show was over. Now came the worst part. Buddy asked me to drive home.

I was so scared that I thought I would throw-up. That car was so wide, literally 11ft wide, that I was sure that it stuck out over the line on both sides of the road. I had both hands on the wheel in total concentration. It was a very awkward first date. There wasn't enough time for us to have much of a first date or to even see the movie, and definitely no time for me to make a romantic move of my own, Buddy drove home after dropping off his date, but my heartrate did not return to normal for hours. Both Buddy and Sandra had a lot more confidence in my driving than I did.

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Tom Mix

The 31 Blue Spot -

An Ardmore Story

by Don Blaise

Class of '64

All the stories about the Ardmore culture spots we frequented from time to time made me remember an event that occurred at the 31 Blue Spot. Rodney Perry, my brother Ron and I went there quite often on Wednesday nights. They always had a live band presented a target-rich environment to meet girls from Huntsville, Decatur and Athens. The three of us had arrived there early and the dancing had not't started yet so we went to the adjacent bar and ordered some brews (quarts) while we waited.

We pretended to be cool dudes from the big city in case there was any interested female companionship close by. The table was small and round with just about enough room for the three of us and I was getting ready to sit down with my beer when I heard a very deep country voice behind me. I turned around and could almost swear I was staring at eye level with his belt buckle. I looked up and saw a huge old man dressed in worn overalls, a dirty t-shirt and the biggest boots I had ever seen. He

asked, "Do you boys mind if I sit with you"?

He looked like he could still wipe out everyone in the bar so we said, "sure, no problem"! We were all thinking, "this guy is huge, I hope he not mad about something". To our obvious relief he went on to tell us his name, where he was from and some of the things he had done when he was young. The three of finally realized that he just wanted somebody to talk to while he enjoyed his brew. We asked him questions about what the country was like then and were enjoying his stories. He then proceeded to tell us that he had once starred in movies with Tom Mix and none of knew who he was talking about. We pretended to know who Mix was and he produced an old black and white picture of he and Mix on horses together.

Once the dancing started our hormones took over and we went into the dance area never to see him again. When Ron and I got home we looked up Tom Mix in the encyclopedia and realized he was telling the truth. For some reason I never forgot that old man and have often wished I could have talked to him again. He reminded me of an older version of John Wayne from an era long gone. Good or bad Ardmore is an interesting if not fun memory for a lot of us Lee folk.

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Subject:Mail List

Regna Warren Luna

Class of ''64

Somehow I have stopped getting the news, could you please put me back on the email list?

(Editor's Note: The old mailing list has been replaced with a list of e-mail addresses collected from those who enter their information by clicking on the "Click Here To Enter Information" box at the bottom of this page. The e-mail sent out is only a reminder that the site has been updated with the current issue. It does not "SEND" you the issue. The web page is published each week and all you have to do to read it is to go to http://www.leestraveller.com

You might have to "refresh" your web browser to see the current issue.

To repeat this to make it clear, you are not sent a new Traveller each week, just a reminder to that it has been published is sent to those that request it by sending in their information.)

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Subject:Reminder of Next Meeting

Alice Gullion Preston

Class of '64

This is a reminder that our next reunion meeting will be next Monday, February 7, at 5:15 p.m., here at the office. Also, remember that the building locks down at 5:30, so please be prompt.

Hopefully, everyone has updated their lists and we can prepare for our first mail out. We will also need to form our committees for decorations, food, hospitality rooms, etc.

Hope to see you there!

Alice G. Preston

Firm Administrator

Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne P.C.

200 West Side Square

Suite 5000

Huntsville, AL 35801

256-535-1100

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