Marion's goals; famous Jayhawkers
In case you weren't aware of it, or had forgotten, the City of Marion in 2002 adopted three strategic objectives for 2003 (although one extends two years beyond this year). They were:
1. To pursue the economic development of Marion by fostering a business environment whereby existing businesses can succeed and grow and by recruiting new businesses to Marion.
2. To complete the necessary upgrades to the city's water treatment plant to meet Kansas Department of Health and Environment water-quality standards by Jan. 1, 2004.
3. To complete the 12.5 electric loop around Marion by Dec. 31, 2005.
What ever happened to Jim McMullan? Not exactly a household name, I admit, but he was a pretty good character actor who got his training at the University of Kansas' School of Speech and Drama. He was in a lot of television shows and probably a few movies in the 1960s, '70s and '80s.
I had forgotten about McMullan until watching an old "Rockford Files" episode last Wednesday night on WGN. It was called "The Competitive Edge." I got to wondering what became of him. Is he alive? Dead? No longer working (acting)?
Craig Stevens, who played "Peter Gunn," back in the '50s and '60s, was a KU grad, too. He's now deceased. "Gunn" was state of the art at the time, a great show in its day about a Los Angeles private eye, his girlfriend, his clients, "perps," etc.
Henry Mancini even wrote the theme song, plus a whole album of "Peter Gunn" episode songs, including "The Brothers Go to Mother's." (Mother's was an L.A. watering hole.)
Stevens, who died several years ago, was married to the beautiful red-headed actress Alexis Smith. She died in 1993 at the age of 72. Errol Flynn, a mutual friend, was best man at the couple's 1944 wedding.
Then, of course, there's Annette Bening, a world-class actress from Wichita. I don't know that she has any "KU connection," but she sure has that Kansas one. And she's not just "Mrs. Warren Beatty," she's proved her own talent in "American Beauty" and many other films.
Scott Bakula attended KU, I'm told. He was the star of "Quantum Leap," of course, and I guess now plays a starship commander on the latest "Star Trek" sequel/series.
Mandy Patinkin, I know, went to KU. I saw him play Tevye in KU's production of "Fiddler on the Roof" in 1970 or 1971. He was only about 19 then, obviously not yet a star, but it was a riveting performance. Everyone in the show was good, but he was "Broadway quality" even then.
Vera Miles (actress — she played Janet Leigh's honest sister in the original "Psycho" in 1960) is from Wichita or thereabouts. So is Kirstie Alley. Shirley Knight, so great as Helen Hunt's mom in "As Good as It Gets," is from Lyons.
Dennis Hopper used to live in Dodge City. Singer Melissa Etheridge is from Leavenworth. Martina McBride, as all Kansas C&W fans know, is from the Sharon/Medicine Lodge area.
Sam Ramey, perhaps the best operatic bass singer in the world, hails from Colby.
Buddy Rogers, who was married to Mary Pickford, was from Eastern Kansas — Olathe, I think, or Ottawa. And he, too, was a KU grad.
And the late Emmett Kelly, the king of clowns, was from Sedan, in Chautauqua County.
Oops! Almost forgot Don Johnson from Wichita, star of "Miami Vice," "Nash Bridges," the movie "Dead Bang" and others, Buster Keaton, and Milburn Stone, the lovable-but-curmudgeonly Doc Adams on "Gunsmoke."
And those are only a few of the Kansans who have made it big in show biz.
— JERRY BUXTON
