N. Lawrence looking to benefit from publicity for CBS drama / LJWorld.com

Archive for Friday, August 4, 2006

August 4, 2006

Rick Renfro, owner of Johnny's Tavern, 401 N. Second St., says a promotional project for a CBS show called "Jericho" could be great news for North Lawrence.

Call it Jericho, the neighborhood formerly known as North Lawrence.

Sometime in the next few weeks, CBS television will blow into North Lawrence, ready to film a massive earthen artwork, a decorated grain elevator and, perhaps, a renamed North Lawrence, all to promote a new fall TV drama set in the fictional Kansas town of Jericho.

"We're bringing the nation's attention back to Lawrence," said Stan Herd, the renowned crop muralist commissioned to carve out the show's logo in a field of sweet corn.

CBS officials confirm something is planned but for now are saying little else about the project, set to tout the new show, set in a Kansas town after a nuclear disaster in neighboring Colorado.

But Herd, who's been working closely with promoter John Roush of Wisconsin-based Geronimo Promotions, said the North Lawrence doings could include multiple facets:

¢ An earthen artwork, presumably depicting a man standing on the roof of a house watching a mushroom cloud rise in the distance. The artwork is already in progress in a patch of already-picked sweet corn at Bismarck Gardens, 1616 North 1700 Road.

"It will depict, graphically, some of the themes of the show," Herd said.

¢ A mural or logo of the show's title, "Jericho," painted on a grain elevator in North Lawrence. Herd said that this phase of the project is still under consideration, and that he has yet to ask any elevator owners for permission.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Ted Boyle, president of the North Lawrence Improvement Assn., hopes the CBS drama "Jericho," which is set in a fictional town in Kansas, will benefit North Lawrence.

¢ The possibility of North Lawrence renaming itself "Jericho" for at least a day as a publicity stunt. That's something Herd suggested city officials would likely weigh in on. Neighborhood and business leaders in North Lawrence have already been approached about the promotion.

Roush said it was too soon to be talking publicly about what all might be involved in the publicity push.

"We're going to promote a show called 'Jericho' that is set in Kansas," he said. Aside from that, "It's too soon to say here are all the things we are doing."

Roush has been in contact with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' office in hopes she would make an appearance - maybe arriving by helicopter - on the yet-to-be-announced day CBS officials show up for the unveiling of the artwork and accompanying festivities.

Nicole Corcoran, Sebelius' spokeswoman, confirmed the governor had been asked to participate in the event, but that it was too soon to know all the details or whether Sebelius would attend.

A spokesperson at CBS would only acknowledge a marketing event is planned for Lawrence and that it would happen near the show's premiere date.

The show is tentatively slated to premiere Sept. 20, but a leaked copy of the show's pilot episode is available on the Internet.

For neighbors and businesses in North Lawrence, the thought of a national spotlight shining down on them was appealing - even if it meant renaming the area for a day, a week or a month.

"Jericho" wouldn't be the first time network television used Lawrence to help tell a story about nuclear disaster.

In 1982, ABC filmed the "The Day After" in Lawrence.

Jason Robards starred in the made-for-television movie that aired in 1983. The movie focused on a Lawrence family and how they lived in the midst of Cold War nuclear strikes, including devastation to the Kansas City area.

Lawrence city leaders and residents took advantage of Lawrence's fame gained from "The Day After" and organized a Meeting for Peace with about 250 Soviets in Lawrence in 1990 - near the end of the Cold War.

In conjunction with the meeting, former President Gerald Ford also spoke at convocation ceremonies at Baker University in Baldwin.

"My name's Rick, but people have been calling me Johnny. So that doesn't bother me," said Rick Renfro, owner of Johnny's Tavern, 401 N. Second St.

Renfro said he talked with Herd about the project briefly earlier this week and said discussions would continue. But, at least initially, the idea of North Lawrence basking in the kind of publicity CBS could generate seemed like a a good deal for businesses and neighbors.

"This sounds like it would be all good publicity," Renfro said. "I really hope we get some things done."

Movers and shakers at the Flamingo Club, 501 N. Ninth St., appear to be on board as well. Owner Wesley Kabler got a note from Herd on Wednesday, and though he didn't know details, he said it seemed like it could benefit the community.

"If it's something that's good for North Lawrence, I'm in favor of it," Kabler said.

North Lawrence Improvement Assn. President Ted Boyle said that from what he's heard so far, he's on board.

"What they want to do, and the benefit to North Lawrence, is a positive thing, or we wouldn't be helping," Boyle said.

Now, Boyle said, he is just waiting for more details about the project to emerge - including the length of the promotional renaming, the events that would surround the CBS visit and what all it might mean for North Lawrence.

"We'd like to see it happen, but we're cautious," Boyle said.

Discussion

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4 August 2006
at 4:41 a.m.

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lunacydetector (Anonymous) says…

wow, this sounds almost like a sequel to that awesome movie, 'the day after' -not to be confused with 'the day after tomorrow,' of course 'the day after' was supposed to be an 8 hour miniseries that they condensed into an 2 hour action thriller starring jason robards and steve guttenberg where lawrence is blowed up by a nuclear bomb.

i wonder if this new show will feature kansans riding around in horse and buggies and driving 1960's era ford pintos (like 'the day after' did).
4 August 2006
at 6:07 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

This series “Jericho” will last six weeks, maximum. Guaranteed. Hopefully the Lawrence scenes will appear in the first one or two shows.
4 August 2006
at 6:17 a.m.

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Sigmund (Anonymous) says…

“Movers and shakers at the Flamingo Club, 501 N. Ninth St., appear to be on board as well.” That strips it down to just the bare facts.

This is Lawrence. This is Lawrence, Kansas. Is there anybody there? Anybody at all?
4 August 2006
at 6:53 a.m.

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lawrenceks66 (Anonymous) says…

I've lived in North Lawrence all my life and this is the first I've heard about this .. so don't know who Ted Boyle has talked to when he says,

“Neighborhood and business leaders in North Lawrence have already been approached about the promotion.”

Guess since I'm not a “Neighborhood Leader” means I don't get any information .. I just get the taxes to pay for the streets, sewer, schools ……….

Question .. and just how are we supposed to get around an already clogged up street system while they are filming?

And if there is an emergency, since we don't have emergency vehciles in N. Lawrence, how will they get where they need to go?

Sounds like a mess to me for a show that will never make it.
4 August 2006
at 7:13 a.m.

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Sigmund (Anonymous) says…

As far as I can see the headline should read: “CBS Looking To Benefit from Publicity for CBS Drama”
4 August 2006
at 7:43 a.m.

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prioress (Anonymous) says…

Cool.
4 August 2006
at 7:49 a.m.

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WereAllMonkeys (Anonymous) says…

There are no “1960's era ford pintos” the pinto was introduced in 1971. I thought “The Day After” was fairly representative of the early 80's. I just saw someone driving a Pinto a couple of days ago on Mass. St.

4 August 2006
at 7:59 a.m.

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bmwjhawk (Anonymous) says…

I think it's neat. They should definitely paint the logo on the grain elevator. Even if the show doesn't survive, it will be a neat story to tell for years to come.
4 August 2006
at 8:01 a.m.

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lunacydetector (Anonymous) says…

this must be osne of the anti-republican political show the networks come out with leading up to an election. just as the 'commanderette-in-chief' television show was run by the former clinton white house for hillary's big run. then there was the west wing with martin short or was it sheen?

i figure the plot will have some nuclear attack at NORAD in colorado springs, and the show will reference the bush administration was the cause and say something to the effect as 'it was a war based on lies and people died' b.s. …blah, blah, blah, now this!

i might be wrong, but i highly doubt it.

…on another note, isn't the owner of the strip joint, the flamingo club, also an owner of Lawrence Bank? i wonder if they have a brass pole in the middle of their lobby? there could be a whole lotta movin' and a shakin' goin on there too.
4 August 2006
at 8:03 a.m.

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scott3460 (Anonymous) says…

Nice that N. Lawrence is getting the pub. But if they wanted a true representation of life in Lawrence, KS, I wonder why they didn't plan the miniseries around life on 23rd Street. Or better yet, 23rd and Iowa at 5PM. Or maybe a drama set around the McDonalds, Walmart and various other blights of suburbia at 6th & Wakarusa. After all, there are so many on this board who criticize the supposed desire to “put Lawrence in a 1950's time capsule.” So, I wonder why there is no interest in all the great “development” certain powers keep inflicting on the community.
4 August 2006
at 8:19 a.m.

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altheasus (Althea Schnacke) says…

Considering that the show is about how a small town in Western Kansas thinks that the world has ended, I'm not sure North Lawrence needs to promote the idea that people in Kansas don't have crazy things like cars, phones, television, radio, or the internet. Really, I'm with the six week crowd. Considering that Chinese farmers have cell phones, I find it very hard to believe that a town in Kansas can be completly cut off from the rest of the world.
4 August 2006
at 8:20 a.m.

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Reality_Check (Anonymous) says…

Jeez, something good for Lawrence….tax revenues, temp jobs, etc. and all 90% of you can do is complain. I swear, you folks see the worst in everything.

How do you even get up in the morning: “Well, 7am. Gotta go log in to ljworld.com and spew some venom…might be someone's day I can ruin!”
4 August 2006
at 8:23 a.m.

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lunacydetector (Anonymous) says…

you mean the blights of suburbia as in all the empty office buildings the city keeps approving along wakarusa, or perhaps the empty retail space at 6th & wakarusa caused by the city commission closing off entrances to those stores at that intersection? the 'put lawrence in a 1950's time capsule' is NOT supposed, it is fact and in action today.
4 August 2006
at 8:26 a.m.

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lunacydetector (Anonymous) says…

my comment is directed to scott3460
4 August 2006
at 8:29 a.m.

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Rhoen (Anonymous) says…

Maybe the film-makers will have to construct a “prop” grocery store in North Lawrence in an attempt to create realistic feel for the place. And then when filming is finished, it could actually be left in place so that people in North Lawrence can buy some milk without using $6.00 worth of gas.

4 August 2006
at 8:39 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

In Western Kansas, it is possible for a town not to have cell phones and the internet. There are towns with a small grocery and gas station, which close at 10 pm and at 6 on Sundays. It is possible that if a disaster were to happen, that these towns would be cut off.
Just drove across South Dakota, and some cell phone companies do not have service until you hit Sioux Falls. Not to burst anyone's bubble, but why don't they just film it in Western Kansas. Lots of small towns without much to begin with.
4 August 2006
at 8:49 a.m.

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Dazie (Aileen Dingus) says…

Reality_Check- I'm with you. Bunch of crabapples IMO.
4 August 2006
at 8:49 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

wow some of the post are just to much.
4 August 2006
at 8:53 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Perhaps the props are set up in N. Lawrence for “Jericho,” can be re-used by Kevin Wilmott for his “Bunker Hill” movie about….drum roll please… how a small Kansas town deals with a nuclear holocaust. There may even be some relics left from “The Day After” - like scary Dillons.

Can someone please tell me why Hollywood and even small film producers feel it necessary to blow up parts of Kansas (cinematically speaking)? Next thing you know, the Weather Channel will do a “It Could Happen Tomorrow” segment on Kansas being overrun and destroyed by rabid free-range chickens.
4 August 2006
at 9:06 a.m.

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lunacydetector (Anonymous) says…

wereallmonkeys, i'm sorry, i should have said ford mavericks -introduced in 1969, not 1960's era ford pintos - though both cars were featured in the movie.

the day after made kansans look like a bunch of hicks who rode around in buggies pulled by horses or we drove old dilapidated cars. i know they bought a lot of cars from the Kaw Motors junkyard at the time of filming. they also liked to feature silos, grain silos that is.
4 August 2006
at 9:08 a.m.

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ljreader (Anonymous) says…

Katie Horner should play a leading role in that one.
4 August 2006
at 9:10 a.m.

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lawrenceks66 (Anonymous) says…

Amen, Rhoen!!!
4 August 2006
at 9:18 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Oh yeah, don't forget “Mars Attacks” which they actually filmed part of near Hutch. The Martian invaders blew up a diner/donut shop in….. Kansas.

4 August 2006
at 9:24 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

hey let hollywood spend some cash here no big, traffic is already bad so that would be nothing new.
4 August 2006
at 9:26 a.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

I have to agree with Reality Check….seems ironic to me that a story ran a while back about Kansas tourism being shown in Times Square was ridiculed and made fun of by a lot of people saying nothing goes on in Kansas, etc…but now, here is a chance to bring some exposure, have something fun to do and quite possibly bring in some dollars for the city (remember production crews, and filmakers need food and beds). And now people are fighting it off just because they think its not a true representation, etc. Lighten up people!! Its just a small minute in the life of the city.
Belive it or not, Kansas does have a strong film commission. They could have picked somewhere else in Kansas to do this, but seems to me they are smarter than that. They picked the coolest town on the face of a Kansas map! lol ;) Im guessing they are looking at the amenities we offer that they couldnt find in a small town…things they need for production purposes as well as conveniences. I think it sounds like a positive thing.
After all, it IS showcasing Jericho, Kansas (fiction)…NOT Lawrence, Kansas (real)….the only people that will know its really Lawrence and not Jericho are going to be us and the people that read the small print in the ending credits that say “we would like to think the people of Lawrence, Kansas…” lol.
4 August 2006
at 9:31 a.m.

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lawyerlee (Anonymous) says…

The show will probably suck, but it would still be cool to see Lawrence on a network show.
4 August 2006
at 9:40 a.m.

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mztrendy (Anonymous) says…

I think some of you would bitch about winning a million dollars. Its not enough, its too much. Blah blah. Lighten up and try to enjoy the publicity our town is getting. It probably isn't going to affect your daily lives that much anyhow.
4 August 2006
at 9:50 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

No argument about the potential trickle-down economic benefit from having a film production crew or two here. My point is that most of the Hollywood attention paid to the state revolves around destroying it, cinematically. So, I'm somewhat concerned (jokingly) that instead of being asked “Where's Toto” when I tell people I live in Kansas, I will instead be asked “where's the fallout shelter?”
4 August 2006
at 9:52 a.m.

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altheasus (Althea Schnacke) says…

While true, some of these small towns do not have internet access or cell phone service, all of them can get a radio signal and every town in American has regular phone service. I'm tired of Kansas being potrayed as it was in the Wizard of Oz. We do have 20th century amenities
4 August 2006
at 9:57 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

I think this is great. I was around and watched them make “The Day After”. By the way, my dad drove his Buick Parkave in the movie, it was a brand new car. Not something from the 50' or 60's. The cars they used from Kaw Valley were the ones they torched. Why waste a brand new car for that? The only horse and buggys I saw were from after the blast, when they really needed to use it for transportation. Cars didn't work. Remember the movie “Kansas”, it had Matt Dillon and Andrew McCarthy in it, I think they were running from the law or something. They also filmed the “Sarah, Plain and Tall” series here too. Glenn Close and Christopher Walken. The film industry used to use Kansas and Lawrence alot. Those were the days, when Lawrence welcomed people and helped. AHhhhhhhhh
4 August 2006
at 9:58 a.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

Somebody needs to put a bumper sticker on their tractor that says “My other car is a Porsche”…hahahaha ….put that in the series!!
Oh, and by the way Oscar…there WAS a tornado in the Wizard of Oz…so in theory, still destruction…not man made of course!! Just kiddin around! :)
Steroytypes are stereotypes…..sometimes you just have to live with them and laugh at all the ignorant people. WE know better about our state. At least the eastern part of it!! Hee hee…

4 August 2006
at 10:06 a.m.

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mk9992 (Anonymous) says…

lunacy you need a retardation detector
4 August 2006
at 10:08 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

But it was a tornado for GOOD! Didn't it toss the house that eventually crushed the wicked witch of the east, while allowing dorothy and her dog to meet the munchkins (only eight of which are still living, by the way)
4 August 2006
at 10:13 a.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

But, but, but…..that was all a DREAM!!! lol..so it doesnt count… :P hee hee (hope you know Im just teasing)
4 August 2006
at 10:15 a.m.

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altheasus (Althea Schnacke) says…

There's a hilarous Saturday Night Live sketch that has the Munchkins sueing Dorothy for property damage, reckless endangerment, that kind of thing.
4 August 2006
at 10:19 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Let me approach this from a different angle… can someone name either a movie OR tv show which depicted Kansas is a GOOD light? I never saw “Sarah Plain and Tall,” (and apparently neither did much of the country), so not sure about that, but everything else pretty much has a negative Kansas vibe around it. Couple the fictional depictions of Kansas by the mass media with news stories about the Westboro Baptist Church, anti-evolution school board slants, etc. and we are just NOT getting any good pub here in the Sunflower State, people!
4 August 2006
at 10:26 a.m.

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Reality_Check (Anonymous) says…

oscarfactor: “couple the fictional depictions of Kansas by the mass media with news stories about the Westboro Baptist Church, anti-evolution school board slants, etc. and we are just NOT getting any good pub here in the Sunflower State”

Huh? How are the Westboro Baptist Church and anti-ev forces “fictional?” Seem pretty real to me.

Kansas deserves the reputation which comes from its increasingly amount of conservatism over the last 15 years. “You get what you vote for.”

Economically, our massive turn to the right is a disaster…what scientist or high-tech exec wants his kids to attend school here?

Will the last person to leave Kansas please turn off the lights?
4 August 2006
at 10:26 a.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

There were two sitcoms on tv within the past few years that seemed ok. Of course, they had stereotypical “rednecks n bumpkins” on them, but overall wasnt too insulting. I think they even had dance clubs, cellphones, HDTV and the internet!!
lol…of course I cant recall the names of them (tells you how popular they were!!) One show was of a man who was a farmer by day, comedian by night…and the other one was of a NY-type guy that meets a girl in the “big city” who is from Kansas and they move back here to live, be with her family, etc.
Oh, and Gunsmoke…now there was a good thing!? :)
4 August 2006
at 10:27 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

“Sarah Plain and Tall” is a good movie but more than a few years old does not show ks. in a bad light just ks. of the 1800's but not bad.

4 August 2006
at 10:28 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

There was a sitcom about 2 years back about a typical family that just had your typical family mixups, comical problems, whatever, they lived right outside of Lawrence (some fictional suburbia) and they used KU and the Jayhawks a lot in the show. One of the sons was attending. Nothing great, but hey it didn't show us in a bad light. (makes you wonder why it didn't last.mmmmmmmmmm) lol
4 August 2006
at 10:35 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Reality Check: read the post carefully. That's my point - that both fictionally AND in the news (reality) Kansas is getting all negative pub.

Regina and justmehere, I never saw the shows you are referring to. They must have been six-week replacement wonders.

I'm trying to think of a GOOD slant for a show or movie that utilizes Kansas as a setting. Hmmmmm….
4 August 2006
at 10:38 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

I believe you are referring to “Living with the Kellys” or “The Kellys”. Tony Gonzalez even made an appearance. It was a couple of TV seasons ago. Starred Breckin Meyer, I believe.
“Sarah, Plain and Tall” was a great made for tv movie, and has been shown recently on the Hallmark Channel. I believe is was set in the early 1900's, because the sequel a few years later involved WW I. I don't think it showed Kansas in a negative light at all.
4 August 2006
at 10:41 a.m.

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badger (Anonymous) says…

I am often amused at how interested the rest of the world is in, “If the world was ending, what would the people in Kansas do?”

Apparently, the first thing that comes to mind when people think about nuclear disasters is how the fine people of Kansas would conduct themselves and respond. Would they cower in fear? Would they get their guns and defend their farms? Would they mobilize a tractor convoy to save the day?

I may start selling t-shirts with ” W.W.K.D: What Would Kansans Do?” over a mushroom cloud logo.

Good for Lawrence, whether the show dies or thrives. I think it's kind of cool.
4 August 2006
at 10:42 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

“Smallville” is supposedly a small town in Kansas.
I think I remember seeing a welcome sign, with a population of, like 40,000.
4 August 2006
at 10:45 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

The movie about the minister in Emporia many years back did nothing for us, and I believe they even shot some scenes there and used locals as extras.
I don't know if the movie made about Mary White, also from Emporia, was shot there or not, but it was good.
4 August 2006
at 10:47 a.m.

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scott3460 (Anonymous) says…

“the 'put lawrence in a 1950's time capsule' is NOT supposed, it is fact and in action today.”

OK, true enough, the inclination isn't just supposed, but is, in fact out there. Still the sentiment is criticized regularly on these board. Yet when someone finds something interesting and worthwhile about Lawrence it is never the “development” that blights our fair city. That was my point. Why is that, I wonder?
4 August 2006
at 10:47 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

and some shows were filmed in the area, but took place somewhere else. But it's still money for our state and the area.
I hope “Jericho” scenes are filmed here. It would be good for the economy, if nothing else.

4 August 2006
at 10:48 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

There is also that new show about some brothers who are types of “ghost buster” or something that are from Kansas and even drive a car with Kansas plates. I don't know the name of it. But it was on last season and very popular. I have no idea how they depicted Kansas.

But I always find it amusing when you tell somebody were your from and they ask if we have out houses. I mean really, are folks that clueless to think every state in the nation has a contempory way of life BUT Kansas? Come on.
4 August 2006
at 10:50 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

“Supernatural” and I think they were actually supposed to be from Lawrence. My daughter watches that show, and doesn't like how it depicts her home town
4 August 2006
at 10:54 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Yes, I like little bits of trivia, especially tv trivia.

“China Beach” had a main character (Dana Delaney's nurse) from Kansas, maybe from Lawrence, but she only returned once during the series.
4 August 2006
at 10:55 a.m.

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emilyhadley (Emily Hadley) says…

This is cool. Why not?

We do have ambulances, they do go over the bridge, and traffic in Lawrence is not bad by any standard, especially in North Lawrence. We will all be fine. :)
4 August 2006
at 10:57 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

mom-of-three it was a good movie wasen't it.
4 August 2006
at 11:01 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

“Sarah, Plain and Tall”, and it's sequels were very good, mommaeffortx2, and depicted farm life as it was at that time.
4 August 2006
at 11:02 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

I'm taking stock of what in Kansas is really REALLY good, and would appear that way to a national/international audience.

1. Flint Hills - they're beautiful and pretty cool.
2. Lawrence and Manhattan - cool college towns, and (at least Lawrence) has a pretty happening music scene.
3. John Brown, abolitionist (but some would say murderer - this one's iffy.)
4. Wichita - home of Boeing and the jet industry, (but also of BTK - another questionable call)
5. Brown v. Board of Ed. - deseg ground zero?
6. Eisenhower's birthplace

dammit, only coming up with six.
4 August 2006
at 11:03 a.m.

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born_n_raised_n_kansas (Anonymous) says…

In the last year Kansas has been the butt of several jokes in both “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” regarding our stances on evolution.

I think kansas will always be looked at by the east and west coasts in a different way.

Every trip I have taken I have been asked “Do you live on a farm” or “How's Toto”. It's just the way it is.

Also, another thing that bugs me from the tv trailer for “Jericho” is that it shows people in Kansas being able to view the mountains of Colorado! That is impossible!

4 August 2006
at 11:04 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

just me - I think you are referring to “Rodney”, which was about a guy who was a comedian at night, trying to break into the business.

“The Kellys” and “Rodney” were not mid season replacements. I believe both were on an opening fall schedule. Rodney was even on last season for a while and may have been a replacement then. “Living with the Kellys” didn't last, but a few weeks.
4 August 2006
at 11:06 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

mom of three, you win the trivia question of the day!! That was it. Good memory!
4 August 2006
at 11:08 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

I am also good at TV and movie trivia except for those one hit wonders. I remember the shows, just can't place the names. I need more coffee.
4 August 2006
at 11:09 a.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

oh yeah…and there was that one show too…with Theo from Cosby show..where he owned a bar with his friend (think it was Kellys in Westport)…although it took place in Kansas City..still a midwestern area.

But again, I still stick by Gunsmoke…whenever I speak to people outside the country and I tell them I am from Kansas, their responses are either 1. Hows Dorothy/Toto? or 2. You ever been to Dodge City?
lolol..I just laugh and tell them I am too busy sorting out evolution to worry about Dorothy or visiting Dodge!!
(By the way, very funny spoof on Family Guy in regards to evolution and Kansas.)
Where did Damnation Alley take place? That was a mini series too about nuclear fallout.
Have a great day everyone!
4 August 2006
at 11:09 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

“Married to the Kellys'.

That was the actual name.

Thanks, regina.

Now, if I can just remember where I put my …..
4 August 2006
at 11:12 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

oscar…to add to your list

7. William Allen White - journalist and national book award named after him

8. Used to be “Aircraft Capitol of the World”
9. Alf Landon - ran for president and lost - hhmm…..
4 August 2006
at 11:14 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

“Malcolm and Eddie”
4 August 2006
at 11:15 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

I think “aircraft capital of the world” is kinda covered in my Wichita spiel.

Alf Landon… the loser tag doesn't help.

William Allen White is a good one - and perhaps all the attention that's being paid to Edward R. Murrow (Good Night and Good Luck) and Cronkite now may draw more attention to this country's leading journalists and their roots.

4 August 2006
at 11:16 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

also loved Gunsmoke - the actor who played Doc, Milburn Stone, was from Kansas.

Whenever I go anywhere, they always ask if Kansas is actually flat.
4 August 2006
at 11:16 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Malcolm and Eddie was based in KCMO, I believe.
4 August 2006
at 11:17 a.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

10. Amelia Ehrhart
11. William S. Burroughs
12. Langston Hughes
13. Charlie Parker
Oh, I can go on…lololol
4 August 2006
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Oscar…

Did you forget Bob Dole on purpose??
4 August 2006
at 11:18 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Langston Hughes only lived here a short time, as did William S Burroughs. Don't know if you can count them from Kansas.

Amelia Earhart was born in Abilene, and lived there off and on. She definitely counts.
4 August 2006
at 11:19 a.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

mom of three—
you are hot today!! lol….thanks for jogging my memory…my moneys on you… ;)
4 August 2006
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badger (Anonymous) says…

Do you say, “Scientifically proven to be flatter than a pancake!”
4 August 2006
at 11:21 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Oscar,

Gordon Parks - definitely one to add to your list.
What a great photographer, author, and well, you get it.

4 August 2006
at 11:23 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

No, but I will remember that for next time, badger.

I think I did say, once, that the manufacturers still install parking brakes in our cars, so it can't be too flat.
4 August 2006
at 11:26 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

Damnation Alley was a movie first with George Pippard and Michael (something?) god, I can see his face. I'm not having a good trivia day….aghhhhhhhh Anyway, I didn't realize it was made into a series. I remember the movie well. They had those giant cockroaches, that survived the nuclear blast. Blahhhhhhh
4 August 2006
at 11:30 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

Actually, people that visit Lawrence are amazed we have hills and small mountains. I heard that alot. I think they all still think we are living in huts made of straw and mud and all the land around us is flat wheat fields with an occasional rolling brush blowing by. Oh, I know who to blame. Little House on the Prairie! Wasn't that in or around Kansas??
4 August 2006
at 11:30 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

van patten i do believe his name was yep huge roaches yuck.
4 August 2006
at 11:31 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Nope, actually met Bob Dole - very funny and clever guy, in my opinion - too bad his handlers didn't allow more of that to show in 1996. I guess I would group him with Alf Landon - the “loser” connotation kinda dampens the interest in a TV/movie deal about said KS. politician.

But I do like some of the other suggestions added.
4 August 2006
at 11:33 a.m.

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Andini (Anonymous) says…

Hey Oscar,

Fred Phelps
4 August 2006
at 11:34 a.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

Oh man! We could of done without that person being mention all day long!
4 August 2006
at 11:36 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Little House on the Prairie traveled through Kansas on their way to Minnesota, and was set in Minnesota.

Bob Dole was a long time senator, so I think that offsets his losing presidential campaign.

Lynette Woodward - 1st woman on the Globetrotters, set NCAA records and is from Wichita

4 August 2006
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

the running back who played with the Lions and is from Wichita - my memory is starting to fail me
4 August 2006
at 11:39 a.m.

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Andini (Anonymous) says…

I always find it funny that whenever you see Fred Phelps and his followers on TV is that one of them is always wearing a K-State shirt or jacket. I have never seen any of them wearing KU attire.
4 August 2006
at 11:39 a.m.

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Andini (Anonymous) says…

Barry Sanders
4 August 2006
at 11:40 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Barry Sanders. But again, we're looking for positive Kansas stories that will hold the interest of a national and international audience. Barry was a great running back, but he was never on a team that won a championship.
4 August 2006
at 11:40 a.m.

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Andini (Anonymous) says…

Johnny Damon was born in Kansas at Fort Riley.

Tiger Woods Dad was born in Kansas. He was also the first black baseball player at K-State.
4 August 2006
at 11:43 a.m.

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badger (Anonymous) says…

A co-worker, tired of answering 'is Kansas really that flat?' questions, once patiently explained that oh, no, it wasn't nearly as flat as they said it was. Why, there was a full difference of ten feet of elevation from north to south, which is why Kansas cattle ranchers have to have fences. Cows, as everyone knows, are like water in that they tend to pool at the lowest point, so if Kansas weren't properly fenced, all the cattle would eventually collect at the state line (because Kansan cows are sensitive to Oklahoma soil, you see, so they'll stay in-state), and would have to be redistributed through the state by truck because it's really hard to get a cattle drivers license these days. It's one of the reasons many people in Kansas are turning to bison ranching, because bison packs stay within their hunting territories and you don't have to repair your fences every week after the tornadoes.

I was out of view of the conversation, tears streaming down my face as I tried not to laugh audibly, but the person to whom my co-worker was speaking, trying not to appear ignorant of what 'everyone knows' about cows and elevation, said he'd never realized that, but he could see how it might have caused problems if there weren't fences.

I think Midwesterners can get away with a lot of ridiculous stories about cows and farming because people from outside the Midwest are reluctant to admit that they don't know anything about what this 'dumb hick' is talking so confidently about. There's a guy in Florida somewhere who probably still believes that in Missouri, when the popcorn ripens, the whole town turns out for the harvest because you only have a day or two before it starts to pop right on the cob.

*looks innocent*
4 August 2006
at 11:43 a.m.

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altheasus (Althea Schnacke) says…

Pizza Hut's from Wichita
4 August 2006
at 11:44 a.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

I could see a story about Tiger Woods that contained a lot about Earl Woods, his dad - the K-State baseball part would be pretty positive coverage for Kansas. Maybe we are on to something here - John Brown, abolitionist; Brown v. Topeka Board of Ed.; Earl Woods…

4 August 2006
at 11:45 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Okay, understand……

Jackie Stiles - holds the record for scoring the most points in Kansas high school history in basketball and was the WNBA rookie of the year. numerous awards in college and high school, including 1st team MVC scholar-athlete
4 August 2006
at 11:47 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

badger, that was funny
4 August 2006
at 11:51 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

didn't know that about Earl Woods. Just read a short bio on-line. Very cool.
4 August 2006
at 11:56 a.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Actually, Abilene isn't Eishower's birthplace. Just checked to verify my original thought. He was born in Texas, but the family moved to Kansas when he was young. His presidential library is in Abilene.
4 August 2006
at 12:01 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

little late with the info, bialy. “Supernatural”- i don't know if my daughter thought it was negative, but stereotypical.

ANd we didn't forget “Smallville”. already mentioned.
4 August 2006
at 12:02 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Gale Sayers - KU alum, and native Kansan.
read his book (I am Third) in high school. It was great.
4 August 2006
at 12:04 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Don't think kids in Lawrence are required,(don't remember mine doing this) but when I was in 7th grade, in my Kansas hometown, we had to make a Kansas notebook, with interesting facts and information about Kansas. People, places, geography, etc. I remember some of this information from that year.
4 August 2006
at 12:11 p.m.

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Kam_Fong_as_Chin_Ho (Anonymous) says…

Don't forget the older movie legends:

Louise Brooks was from Cherryvale, KS

Fatty Arbuckle

Buster Keaton

Hattie McDaniel - 1st African American woman to win an Oscar

4 August 2006
at 12:17 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

I was trying to stay away from movie stars, but I would agree with Hattie McDaniel.

The others are good, too. But the list could be big with all the stars and athletes from Kansas. You would have to really think about their contribution.
4 August 2006
at 12:20 p.m.

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mztrendy (Anonymous) says…

Lets not associate Johnny Demon with Kansas. k?
4 August 2006
at 12:21 p.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

dang people enough already making my head spin.
Needless to say there are many great people from ks. And I do not see a negative coming from this as long as no snooty stars come in acting like God himself, all good.
4 August 2006
at 12:23 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Okay, I can't resist.

“Splendor in the Grass” was set in a small Kansas town before the stock market crash.
How do you think that made Kansas look??
4 August 2006
at 12:28 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

sorry mommaeffort. As I said, I used to study this in school, and this trivia stuff stays with me. Can't find my shoes I wore last week, but I can remember tv trivia. Go figure, must have something to do with age.
Oscar was just trying to name things and people to portray Kansas in a positive image, to make a story from.
4 August 2006
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

but I like Johnny he sorta cute:)
4 August 2006
at 12:39 p.m.

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betti81 (Anonymous) says…

don't forget KU and if you want to talk national spotlight, don't forget the men's basketball team.

Kirstie Alley, one of the new guys on SNL (who has done his best to plant as many KU and Lawrence references into his skits—including using The Wheel in one), Danny Manning, Wilt Chamberlain (not from Kansas, but known for attending KU), …I will keep thinking, there are more.

also, I would argue that Barry Sanders should be on the list. Anyone who knows anything about sports knows who he is. Do you think Dan Marino's state doesn't claim him because he never won a super bowl? I think not. ;)
4 August 2006
at 12:42 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

Regina - Jan Michael Vincent (not certain of the spelling) is the Damnatiion Alley star you couldn't remember. Ruined his career with alcohol and drugs.

4 August 2006
at 12:43 p.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

But I haven't seen a nationally released movie OR tv show about Dan Marino, either - and many more people associate Marino with Miami, where he played pro ball, as opposed to Pennsylvania (Pitt) where he played college ball. Same holds true for Sanders. People interested in him think of him more as a Lion than as a Wichitan or Kansan.
4 August 2006
at 12:47 p.m.

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Shelby (Anonymous) says…

Kirstie Alley, Wichita
4 August 2006
at 12:47 p.m.

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born_n_raised_n_kansas (Anonymous) says…

the last “little house on the prarrie” movie was shot at 95th and metcalf in Overland Park. They built the house in a small feild by the old sprint building and then used computer graphics to place them in the middle of the prarrie. I would watch them shoot the movie when I would get my hair cut as a kid across the street.
4 August 2006
at 12:49 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

New Kansas movie idea - “Kirstie Alley Eats Wichita”
4 August 2006
at 12:52 p.m.

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betti81 (Anonymous) says…

oscar-

too true about the movie OR tv show. but I know Wichita claims Barry for their own for sure. He is on a few commercials there.
4 August 2006
at 12:57 p.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

this is so much fun to read. You know if people from around the country read any of this they would see Kansas is not so bad. You all have some fun things to read in here I like born and raised story.
4 August 2006
at 1:07 p.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Oh MAN… I would pay to see “Kirstie Alley Eats Wichita.”

How about:

“Wilt does Kansas,” or the sequel,

“Wilt does Kansas - and your little dog, too.”
4 August 2006
at 1:08 p.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

mom-of-three no you misunderstand I think this is all so cool so many people coming up with so many fact and stories is great please keep going. I missed that post earlyier or I would have responded sooner.

4 August 2006
at 1:23 p.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

yes, blueharley, thats it! Thanks for jogging my memory. I could see his face and his name was on the tip of my tounge. I hate when I can't remember something…..
Now be nice about Kirstie, she's cool.
4 August 2006
at 1:29 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

Regina - I actually do kind of like Kirstie but you gotta admit she was really CREEPY in those Pier One TV ads. She was like the deranged shopper wearing Medieval-style dresses with WAY too much make-up. (And posting this statement tells the world that I watch WAY too much TV!)
4 August 2006
at 1:34 p.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

Oh hell, me too. Aint it fun?? Thats why I have so much useless crap stuck in my head……lol
4 August 2006
at 1:42 p.m.

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mztrendy (Anonymous) says…

Chely Wright and Martina McBride….
4 August 2006
at 1:49 p.m.

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Shelby (Anonymous) says…

I have no idea who those people are, Mz. Trendy, but their names have the suspicious ring of “crappy modern country stars” to them.
4 August 2006
at 1:51 p.m.

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mztrendy (Anonymous) says…

wow, thats not nice.
4 August 2006
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

really and if you heard martina sing wow the woman has a voice.
4 August 2006
at 1:58 p.m.

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mztrendy (Anonymous) says…

I guess since Shelby doesn't like country, he/she gets to criticize me because I do. I'm sorry Shelby, I didn't mean to offend you.

4 August 2006
at 2:11 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

There are a group of people that like country music but are snobs about putting down some of the more “commercial” artists. They listen to Shooter Jennings, Hank 3, etc. Shelby's statement sounds like something my son would say!

The biggest crap-fest on the radio right now is all the “Emo” music being played on Alt. Rock stations. I will take Country any day over that.
4 August 2006
at 2:14 p.m.

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crazyks (Anonymous) says…

Oscarfactor, if you've ever read Wilt's autobiography, you begin to ask, “who DIDN'T Wilt do?”

Melissa Ethridge is from Leavenworth.

Every time someone from out of state used to ask me about Toto, I would tell them he was killed in a tragic speeding covered wagon accident.

If you've read the Little House books, and seen the pilot movie for the series, I find it amusing that they were supposed to be travelling through eastern Kansas, and yet it showed miles and miles of nothing but level ground and endless prairie grass. Where do you find that in eastern Kansas? With all the creeks and trees, bushes, and weeds that grow wild, if you didn't do anything to your backyard for two years, it would be unrecognizable to you. Definitely not something you could drive a wagon through.

I also find it amusing that in the books, Pa stops in the middle of nowhere, points his finger and says, “Independence is three miles thataway. We'll build our cabin here.” Out in the middle of that supposed level ground and prairie grass.

Number one, how could he possibly know, without a map or GPS or anything, where the hell he was? Number two, I never heard of a pioneer family who decided to build a log cabin where there was no water. Number three, if there was nothing but endless prairie grass and no trees visible, what the hell did they use to build a log cabin?
4 August 2006
at 2:20 p.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

Mud and straw, thats what my house is made out of.
4 August 2006
at 2:21 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

For those that do like Kansas, check this out…

http://www.explorekansas.org/

I recently joined.
4 August 2006
at 2:25 p.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

You have to register to live in Kansas??
4 August 2006
at 2:28 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

Only if you are from Misery;-)
4 August 2006
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badger (Anonymous) says…

It depends on which one, crazy.

In 'Little House in the Big Woods' they obviously built the cabin out of the Big Woods. When they moved down into Oklahoma, they were close to a riverbed (where they all got malaria, IIRC), which had trees, and I seem to recall they lived in the wagon till a house could be built out of the wood from the trees along the river. Then, when they moved again, they moved into an existing sod house near a creek, and from the sod house they moved into a nearby house built from cut lumber. If I'm remembering the “Town is three miles that way, we'll build here,” correctly, he'd scouted the area before and met someone who knew where things were. But it's been nearly a quarter century since I read those books last, so I may be misremembering. I'd have to ask my sister, who read and reread and rereread them obsessively.

And prairie dwellers didn't always build right along the creekbed because many people believed that creek bottoms contained bad air that gave you a fever (malaria, from the mosquitoes often found along the creeks), so often people would build on the bluffs above a creek or nearby high enough to be out of any flooding, if they had a choice.
4 August 2006
at 2:30 p.m.

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scott3460 (Anonymous) says…

This probably barely qualifies, but painter John Steuart Curry is from just up the road in Dunavant, Kansas. Famous American artist and painter of the famous John Brown murals in Topeka

4 August 2006
at 2:31 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

There are many famous people from Kansas ynot mentioned or on any “lists” yet, because the original topic of the list was “what is good and Kansas and appealing to an audience.”

Wilt wasn't born here, and I am pretty sure that Danny wasn't, either, but both could be mentioned as part of KU, which was already on oscar's original list.
And as far as you anti-country fans, Martina has a voice you would not believe. She has been around for over 10 years. Saw her the other day on the biography channel. Chely Wright has had some hits, and has had some moderate success, but nothing like Martina.

And OSCAR, I would like to add Erin Brockovich. yeah, i heard she was a wild child in school, but look at the good she accomplished.

There has to be some famous doctors from Kansas. We did have the Menninger clinic, but I don't know if those folks were from Kansas, and it is shut down now.
4 August 2006
at 2:37 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

William Inge - the award winning playwright.

I keep thinking of them ….make it stop
4 August 2006
at 2:38 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

Ya want a list? Here it is…

http://www.kshs.org/exhibits/famous/f…
4 August 2006
at 2:41 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Yes, blue harley, I know where the list of famous Kansans is. The fun part is coming up with your own list…..

it also needs noted that some on the famous Kansans list are not originally from Kansas - they just lived here at some point in their lives.
4 August 2006
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Adolph Rupp was from Kansas, played at KU, and then went on to Kentucky and was very successful. But I have heard he wasn't too nice about breaking the color barrier in college basketball.

Dean Smith is from Kansas, played here, etc…..mainly known for betraying his alma mater…..no, wait, did I say that out loud??
4 August 2006
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Andini (Anonymous) says…

Gale Sayers is from Omaha, Nebraska, not Kansas.

John Riggins is from Osawatomie, Kansas.
John Hadl is from Lawrence, Kansas
4 August 2006
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Andini (Anonymous) says…

Marion Sydney Lynn
4 August 2006
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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

The inventor of Basketball, Mr. Naismith.

4 August 2006
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prospector (Anonymous) says…

Ms- Canada get dibs on Naismith.
4 August 2006
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Gale Sayers was BORN in Wichita, and raised in Omaha
4 August 2006
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

very good prospector.
4 August 2006
at 3:21 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

HHMM
very interesting

Walter Chrysler was born in Wamego. -founder of the Chysler Corporation.
4 August 2006
at 3:22 p.m.

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Andini (Anonymous) says…

Oh yeah. I forgot. So sorry MO3.
4 August 2006
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

not a problem….read his book in high school, was very good.
4 August 2006
at 3:29 p.m.

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Irene (Anonymous) says…

M of 3, thanks for getting William Inge on the list!

Also, Amelia was born in Atchison, not Abilene, in case that error hasn't been caught yet.
4 August 2006
at 3:51 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

true, true, Irene.
I go to Atchison every year during the Amelia Earhart festival and should have known better

4 August 2006
at 3:57 p.m.

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compmd (Anonymous) says…

clyde cessna, walter beech, and bill lear come to mind, they fall under the “aircraft capital of the world.”

clyde tombaugh grew up in kansas. he discovered pluto, among other objects in space.

I believe helium was discovered here also.

wasn't white castle started here too?

folks, this has got to be one of the best discussions on this board I've read in a while.
4 August 2006
at 4:06 p.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

Sorry I guess I missed that one earlier. My apologies.
4 August 2006
at 4:07 p.m.

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Irene (Anonymous) says…

M of 3, so many 'A' towns in Kansas (so little time?), it's tough keeping them straight! Lots of 'O' towns too, have you noticed?

Osawatomie is where Lynn Dickey is from (my mom was born there, so I've heard of LD playing for the Green Bay Packers), but I don't think John Riggins is from there, as someone said earlier, but is from another Kansas town.

Did anyone mention Gordon Jump, from the old WKRP show, and later the lonely Maytay guy? He's a K State grad and spent years in Kansas, but he wasn't born here.
4 August 2006
at 4:08 p.m.

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oscarfactor (Anonymous) says…

Thanks to all of you…there are plenty of people (both native Kansans and pass-throughs) who give the Sunflower State a good name. Now we just need to get Hollywood to spend a little time and money on portraying some of those folks on film (or DVD).
4 August 2006
at 4:09 p.m.

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Andini (Anonymous) says…

Gordon Jump aka Mr. Carlson is sadly no longer with us.

He was also a weatherman for WIBW-13 at one time.
4 August 2006
at 4:14 p.m.

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Irene (Anonymous) says…

compmd, yes on White Castle starting here. Mmm, I miss them. I grew up in Illinois, so I have delicious WC memories. When I visited my friend in Indiana last summer, I wouldn't leave the state till we went to White Castle.
4 August 2006
at 4:24 p.m.

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mztrendy (Anonymous) says…

Harold and Kumar went to White Castle too…

Is that the same thing?
4 August 2006
at 4:34 p.m.

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reginafliangie (Anonymous) says…

Never had the pleasure of WC. Sounds good.

4 August 2006
at 4:36 p.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

Wasn't Lou, from the Mary Tyler Moore show also a native Kansan?
What about Billy Mills? the famous Native American track olympian? He was from Kansas and there was a movie made of his life I think….
Think Carrie Nations was a Kansan too…
William Allen White would be a good one considering his involvement with bringing WWII realities to America…
Dont forget Bonnie and Clyde…were they from Kansas?
Mom of 3, I think I have it the same as you…cant get it out of my head…grrrrr!!!! :) Its like that bad pop song you cant get out of your head! “OOps I did it again…..” (hope that gets stuck in somebodys head..lol)
4 August 2006
at 4:42 p.m.

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justmehere (Anonymous) says…

Oh, and I almost forgot…..a native Kansan that is actually mentioned in the original article….Stan Herd…he is a brilliant artist for those of you that may have never seen his work. He is also a really, really nice person and very down to earth. He has gained world-wide success over the years, and well deserved at that. I believe there is a book of his works in publication if anyone wants to check it out. Very creative and a true original!!
4 August 2006
at 5:08 p.m.

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Wilbur_Nether (Anonymous) says…

OK, I'm seeing Rupp, Smith, and Naismith here…but what about Phog Allen? Or Lynette Woodard, for that matter. Gwendolyn Brooks of Topeka won a Pulitzer. George Washington Carver grew up in Ft. Scott and farmed in Kansas. Has anyone mentioned Langston Hughes yet? Charlie Parker was born in KCK and was influential in creating the KC jazz scene. Charles Curtis was the only U.S. Vice President of Native American descent. Astronauts Ron Evans and Joe Engle—Kansans both. Emmett Kelly was from Sedan. Grandma Layton was a Wellsville resident. Clarina Nichols was a suffragette (shhh. don't tell Sen. O'Connor) who strongly influenced the writing of the Kansas Constitution. Rex Stout is a popular writer of mystery fiction, and lives in Topeka. Max McCoy, another author, is in the Pittsburg area. The world's first (trained) woman dentist, Lucy Hobbs Taylor, lived and practiced in Lawrence. Georgia Clark Gray was the first woman U.S. Treasurer. Susan B. Anthony lived in Kansas for a couple of stints; her brother owned a paper in Leavenworth. Garmin is headquartered in Olathe. Cobalt Boats, maker of luxury small- and mis-sized recreational boats, is in Neodesha. Helium was indeed discovered in gas form near Dexter, Kansas. Russell, KS produced not only Bob Dole but also Arlen Spector. General Frederick Funston, “The Man Who Saved San Francisco” after the 1906 earthquake, grew up in Iola, KS.
4 August 2006
at 8:34 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Someone has reading the famous kansans website, because Naismith was not born here. George Washington Carver only briefly lived in Kansas, and yes, Langston Hughes was mentioned, as he only lived in Kansas during his youth, but wasn't born here.

I was more thinking of people who were born here and made a contribution, other than making movies or tv shows. (If you were going to mention actors, I would have mentioned Hugh Beaumont, who was born in Lawrence, and Vivian Vance, who was born in Cherryvale. They contributed to some of the best loved shows of all time)
The men who developed the aircraft industry were not all born in Kansas, but the men who invented the helicopter were.
4 August 2006
at 8:45 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Walter Johnson
4 August 2006
at 8:45 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Shirley Knight
James Reynolds
Dee Wallace Stone

again, famous Kansans, but what significant contribution??
4 August 2006
at 8:48 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Stan Kenton
4 August 2006
at 8:49 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Dennis Hopper

4 August 2006
at 8:49 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

yes, I know, thats what I mentioned her in the same sentence with Hugh Beaumont
4 August 2006
at 8:51 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Billy Mills attended school here, but was born in South Dakota (just visited there, and he is involved in the Crazy Horse monument - it gave his biography)
4 August 2006
at 9 p.m.

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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

Lucy Hobbs Taylor moved to Lawrence after graduating from dental school.
But I do believe she lived here (over 30 years) and died in Lawrence.
which is very interesting.
5 August 2006
at 6:46 a.m.

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angel4dennis (Anonymous) says…

Don't forget Danni Boatwright that won Survivor was from Kansas.

There are other small towns that would love the opportunity to have movies filmed in them but sadly they are overlooked. My little town shuts down about 6pm and the only thing we have been on tv about is tornados. Guess they could film something about a Threshing Bee…. anyway, if they want to film a moving in North Lawrence I hope it will be a success. I also agree with the grocery store being brought back. I lived in NL in 1993 when the flood came, there was a store back then. I would rather shop in NL then get into the traffic of S, W, E Lawrence.
5 August 2006
at 8:47 a.m.

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MrsG (Anonymous) says…

Jerico would not be filmed on location in Lawrence; it's already been shot and will be on TV next month. They are just talking about doing some promotion for the series here. Big difference. It still sounds fun.
5 August 2006
at 9:24 a.m.

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rednekbuddha (Kelly Powell) says…

I can't believe you guys forgot “carnival of souls”……They need to make a movie about the bender family. For todays audience they would have to jazz it up and make them cannibal satanists, but hey never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
5 August 2006
at 12:17 p.m.

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as_I_live_and_breathe (Anonymous) says…

the man who invented the ICEE machine in the 1950s, Omar Knedlik is from Coffeville, KS

and my 2 cents on supernatural. One of the brokeback boys is in it and I love it….. I don't know what is 'stereotypical' about Lawrence in it…. is there a lot of demons burning ladies on ceilings that I don't hear about here???

My only issue with the show was that the older brother is a huge music freak and at the end they would mention a band or show a cd title like AC/DC or Metalica then…. as they took off to the next town, they'd play a song by a completely different artist…. but other wise… a fun ride.
6 August 2006
at 10:15 a.m.

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sixtwelvewest (Anonymous) says…

“What's Eating Gilbert Grape?” was filmed in Eudora. I am pretty sure it wasn't the end of the world for them.

Many states/communities are giving massive tax cuts and benefits to Hollywood for filming in their area. Lawrence should be happy for the potential exposure (and potential positive change) of a network television show. Don't be scared, fellow Kansans. I know it's something NEW, but it might be GOOD.

6 August 2006
at 12:24 p.m.

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badger (Anonymous) says…

OK, now I have to watch 'Gilbert Grape' again, because I didn't know that.
6 August 2006
at 12:59 p.m.

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prospector (Anonymous) says…

Badger.

Enjoy it again, but don't look for Eudora.

The movie was set in Endora, Iowa. Wikapedia states it was filmed in Manor, TX.
6 August 2006
at 5:36 p.m.

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as_I_live_and_breathe (Anonymous) says…

there was a movie shot in Eudora, I can't remember the name of it….. It was like the groove tube or kentucky fried movie. It might have even been one of them….lol I have some short term memory loss associated with that particular time period (early '70s.) I remember a running gag was they were going to a big concert in Eudora KS. ….and there was nudity…..I'm pretty sure on screen if not in the particular car I was in at the drive-in….. anyone else have this memory, or was it chemically induced?????
8 August 2006
at 1:42 p.m.

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Wilbur_Nether (Anonymous) says…

Very few of the individuals noted on this page were born here, as mom_of_three noted. mom_of_three also pointed out that “the original topic of the list was 'what is good and Kansas and appealing…'” Each individual here was strongly connected to Kansas in a very real way. John Brown spent a very short period in his life in Kansas—but is inextricably tied to our heritage. Lucy Hobbs became a dentist in Ohio, and trained her husband in the orthodontic trade before moving to Lawrence.

Of those born here, many are tied to Kansas in more than one spot. Chrysler, for example, was born in Wamego but actually spent most of his time growing up in Ellis. Smith was born in Emporia, played in Topeka in HS, and in Lawrence during his college years. Bill Kurtis is originally from Independence, worked in Topeka where he gained national attention during the tornado of '66, and although he doesn't live in Kansas owns a large ranch near, and has helped rehab much of, Sedan, KS.

The significance of their contributions? Well, that can be debated, and will be, and I will make no warrants one way or another.
7 September 2006
at 5:02 p.m.

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abbygene (Anonymous) says…

Now not that there is anything wrong with North Lawrence, but if the producers of “Jericho” wanted to replicate the town of Jericho after a small Western Kansas town, why didn't they just go visit a small Western Kansas town? Why not take their camera crews there? I'm sure Goodland would love the publicity, so would Sharon Springs and Coolidge. Then at least they could see what life was really like in a town similar to what they are supposed to be portraying on television. Lawrence is small by California standards it's true, but it is not “small town life” by Kansas standards. Believe me, I am 24 years old and there were nine in my entire grade in school. There were 350 people in the town. We did shut down at five o'clock, aside from the bar. And I'm really not that far from Lawrence. So if Jericho is the remote, small town they say it is, why not go out of their way a bit to actually do some research and make it just a little more accurate and a little more believable? Go to the small farm towns where kids drive tractors to school because they came straight from the fields and have to return as soon as school is over. Go to the towns where if a teenager wants to own an automobile, she has to work for it. I went to school with a girl who got up at four thirty in the morning before school and milked cows and then returned after school for the evening milking so she could buy a car. Yeah, there are towns in Kansas where not every kid in school has a cell phone, or even cell phone service. Trying to use your cell phone from my town, other than standing atop the roof of the three story brick school building, is impossible as it is like you've dropped off the face of the wireless earth at the county line. There are really very few “big” cities in Kansas and by Kansas standards, Lawrence is one. Otherwise the state is pockmarked with tiny little towns full of farmers and cattle ranchers. Also, to make sure to be really accurate, they need to visit Western Kansas and see that there are no mountains visible from there!!! LOL sorry had to throw that one in.