Notable Natives
Famous (and infamous) People From Oak Cliff

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"Charles Franklin Reaugh (1860-1945) was an accomplished landscape and cattle artist as well as an inventor and photographer. Known as the 'Dean of Texas Artists' he helped start the Dallas Art Association (now the Dallas Museum of Art) and founded the Dal las School of Fine Arts. He lived at 6th Street and Crawford (near Lake Cliff.) The building called El Sibil he used as a studio is still located at 5th Street and Crawford. 'It is my hope that my pictures portraying those times, aside from any artistic me rit that they may possess, will tell their story, and will be preserved because of historical value; for the steer and the cowboy have gone, the range has been fenced and plowed, and the beauty of the early days is but a memory.' -Frank Reaugh, December, 1 936."

"Coby Rhinehart, A TSCA 94 graduate went on to play with SMU and then with the Cardinals."

"Jerry Rhome, Played for the Cowboys in the 60's -- graduated from Sunset."

"Dennis Rodman - Dennis attended South Oak Cliff High School in the late1970's. As a freshmen he showed little athletic inclination. At only 5-foot-6, he failed to make the the football team and quit the basketball team midway through his freshman season b ecause he got little playing time. However, after graduation he spurted to 6 foot 7 inches and caught the eye of the coaching staff at Cooke County Junior College. He lasted only one semester there, but then went on to Southeastern Oklahoma State where he was named first-team NAIA All-American for three straight seasons. In 1986 he was chosen by the Pistons in the draft. In 14 seasons in the NBA, Rodman averaged 7.3 points and 13.1 rebounds and he led the league in rebounding for seven consecutive years, an NBA record. In his final season (1999-2000), he returned to his old home town and appeared  in 12 games as a Dallas Maverick. In many way, Dennis is remembered more for his on and off-court hi-jinx than for his stellar athletic records."

"Stephen G. Rodriguez graduated from Adamson High School in 1954 or 1955. He was a long time well known Dallas musician until his death in 1994. He  with Fats Domino at the Dallas Convention Center in the mid 1980's. Stephen did arrangements for song write r Sid Wayne -- 'It's Impossible' , 'See You in September', 'I'm Gonna Knock on your Door' as well as co-writing close to 40 songs which were recorded by Elvis Presley."

"NANCY TAYLOR ROSENBERG (Maiden name Taylor.  Would have graduated Kimball ’64) – Authored about a dozen books, mostly mysteries.  See her website for more details:  nancytrosenberg.com.  She attended Kimball in 8th through 10th Grades, then transferred to Gulf Park (a Hockaday-type school in Gulf Port, MS no longer in existence) and graduated from there."

For more information: nancytrosenberg.com

"Rosemary Rumbley -- Speaker extraordinaire, humorist, writer for the Oak Cliff Tribune and other newspapers and author of four books. She also appeared as Aunt Billy in the movie Paper Moon. Books include Dear Santa- Thanks for the Piano; The Unauthorized History of Dallas; Dallas, Too and What? No Chili: Meet Hot Shot and Visit Food Festivals over Texas."

"Jeryl and Jason Sasser both attended Kimball High School. Jason graduated in 1995 and Jeryl in 1997. Jeryl went to SMU and then to the NBA with Orlando Magic. Jason went to another college and played mainly in Europe. Jason (at Texas Tech) earned Southwes t Conference Player of the Year honors in 1996."

"Nancy Schaadt is a freelance journalist and the lead restaurant critic and food writer for the Fort Worth Weekly. Her reviews also appear in the Dallas Morning News. In addition to food journalism, she also writes about travel, women's issues, health, fit ness, and business, pretty much anything but football. She has also worked in small and medium market radio news (in Allentown, Penna. and Washington, NJ), performing arts publicity (in Washington, DC and San Francisco). Ms. Schaadt lives in Stevens Park w ith her husband Jamie Rafftesaeth, dog Jackie and one very old cat named Coco."

"Stuart Sikes currently lives in Oak Cliff. He was the engineer/producer for several successful records including the Grammy winning album by Loretta Lynn, 'Van Lear Rose' and the White Stripes 'White Blood Cells'."

"Southwest State University ex-president Lee H. Smith (Sunset '53) Smith was the first Ph.D. graduate in the statistics department at Texas A&M in 1964 and has had a distinguished career in statistical research, educational administration and business mana gement. He has provided exceptional service to the state of Texas and the higher education system at the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Houston and Texas State University (then Southwest Texas State). "

"Actress/singer Sally Soldo (Sunset '64), active in Theater Three productions."

"Terry Southern (1924-1995) was a prolific writer who graduated from Sunset in 1942(?). His first novel, Flash and Filigree was published in 1958. Other novels include The Magic Christian (1959) and Candy (1960). He contributed to the movie Dr Strangelove in 1964, The Loved One (1965), The Cincinnati Kid (1966) and Casino Royale and Barbarella in 1967. He also co-authored Easy Rider in 1969. In the early 80s he wrote for Saturday Night Live. He taught Screenwriting at NYU and Columbia University from the la te 80s until his death in 1995."

"PENNY STALLINGS (Kimball ’64) – Authored books about the TV and Movie industries.  Also helped organize Woodstock."

"B.W. Stevenson was a well-known musician born on October 5, 1949 in Dallas and graduated from Adamson H.S. in 1967. His most popular song is the 1973 smash country hit 'My Maria.' He started in music playing in local rock bands before attending college an d eventually joining the Air Force. Later he settled in the Austin area and eventually signed with RCA. Stevenson died in 1988 after undergoing heart surgery."

"Kay Sutton (York) (SOC '59). While in high school, she was considered to be the most photographed woman in Texas. She currently lives West Hollywood with her professional photographer husband, Gary Bernstein. She has two daughters and  teaches acting and paints under her professional name, Lena Harris. She has a website for her paintings http://www.paintingsbylena.com  She is a former Miss Flame -- remember those parades down Jefferson? "

For more information: http://photo.net/columns/bernstein/4

"Karl Sweetan - (SOC '61) NFL quarterback in the 1960s and 70s: first-round draft pick of Detroit in 1965; tied NFL record by throwing a 99-yard touchdown pass to Pat Studstill in 1966; and also played for New Orleans and Los Angeles."

"Stephen Tobolowsky graduated from Kimball High School in 1969 and went on to the Meadows School of Arts at SMU. He married Ann Hearn. Since then he has gone on to have quite a successful acting career. He had significant roles in Groundhog Day with Bill M urray, The Grifters with Anjelica Huston and Annette Benning, Mississippi Burning with Gene Hackman and many others including an appearance on That 70’s Show on television. He also turned down the role of Al on Home Improvement. Steve was nominated for Ton y award as Best Featured Actor in a Play, for role in 'Morning's At Seven', May 2002."

"Bobby Wayne Vandiver -- Charged with being a hit-man in a sensational 1969 Houston murder was subsequently freed on a mistrial but killed later  in a shootout with police  in Longview Texas -- Vandiver attended Sunset High School class of '56.  A best sel ling book, "Blood and Money" by Tommy Thompson, portrayed the life and death of Bobby Wayne Vandiver.This book was also made into a movie, starring Farah Faucett."

"Jimmy Vaughn (brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan ) is a well known guitarist who release his first solo album in 1994. Guitar Player Magazine calls say of Jimmy: 'He is a virtual deity--a living legend.'"

"Blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan attended Kimball High School. (He dropped out in 1972) Born in 1954 at Methodist Hospital, he picked up the guitar in 1963 and left home at 16 when his parents tried to stop his music career (over concern about alcohol a nd drugs). He joined the Nightcrawlers in 1973, the Cobras in 1974, and Triple Threat in 1977. Vaughan married in 1979 to Lenora. He renamed his group 'Double Trouble' in 1980 and signed with Epic Records in 1982. They released the album Texas Flood 1983 a nd Vaughan won his first Grammy in 1984. In 1986, he entered a London drug rehabilitation clinic. He recorded his first 'drug-free' album In Step in 1989 which climbed to #1 and earned him a second Grammy. Vaughan died in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1 990. He is buried in Oak Cliff at Laurel Land. Click for more. See info about Jimmy Vaughn below."

For more information: http://www.oakcliff.com/SRV.pdf

"Buna Merritt Veach, after graduating from Sunset at age 16, started working as a package-carrying clerk at Sears on Ross Avenue.  She became a sales clerk and later was moved to the Catalog Department.  Eventually she became the highest ranked/paid female in the Sears organization, nationally, and stayed with Sears until her retirement."

"GLEN WAGGONER (Sunset High School 1958)  A graduate of Sunset High School (1958) and SMU (1962), GLEN WAGGONER is the co-author (with John Daly) of My Life in and Out of the Rough (2006), a New York Times bestseller. He also collaborated with former Phila delphia Phillies star Mike Schmidt on Clearing the Bases (2006). A second book with John Daly, Golf My Own Damn Way, will be published by Harper Collins in December. He is currently working on a book with former New York Yankee centerfielder Bobby Murcer e ntitled A Yankee for Life, scheduled to be published by Harper Collins in 2008.  Waggoner, who first started playing golf at Stevens Park in Oak Cliff in 1955, is also author of two other books about golf, Divots, Shanks, Gimmes, Mulligans, and Chili Dips: A Life in 18 Holes (1993) and The Traveling Golfer (1991); and the co-author (with Jim Flick) of Jim Flick on Golf (1997). Other books include Esquire Etiquette (1990) and Baseball by the Rules (1989). In addition, Waggoner is one of the founders (in 1980 ) of Rotisserie League Baseball, which spawned fantasy sports in America, and the editor of 14 editions of Rotisserie League Baseball: The Official Rule Book and Draft-Day Guide (1984-1998. He has written extensively about golf and other sports, as well as about cooking, health and fitness, travel, people, manners, even fashion, for various national magazines, including Esquire and Men’s Journal. His articles and essays have also appeared in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and numerous o ther publications. A founding editor of ESPN The Magazine, he is currently Executive Editor of ESPN Books."

"T-Bone Walker (1910-1975) - Born Aaron Thibeaux Walker in NE Texas, T-Bone Walker grew up in Dallas. He learned banjo by the age of twelve and his big break came in 1929 when he won a contest to play in the band with Cab Calloway. This led to a recording contract with Columbia where he recorded Witchita Falls and Trinity River Blues under the name Oak Cliff T-Bone. While playing a gig in Ft. Worth in 1934 he met his future wife Vida Lee. in 1940 his act was so popular in Los Angeles that the club allowed i ntegrated crowds -- a first in the area. Some of his hits include the T-Bone Shuffle and Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday's Just as Bad). He went through the ups and downs of blues popularity throughout the 50's and 60's and in 1972 he won a Grammy for h is Good Feelin' album produced by Polydor. Shortly after that he was in a car accident. he had a stroke in 1974 and passed away in 1975."

"Malcomb Walker, a former the Dallas Cowboy, (drafted from Rice, 1965) graduated from SOC in Dallas in 1961. "

"Carol Helton Walt, Sunset Class of '62 --author and speaker, graduate of Sunset High, Class of '62.  Her books include 'West Texas Classified', 'Dreaming in Italian', and soon to be published, 'Assisted Living'. "

For more information: http://carolwalt.blogspot.com

"Critically acclaimed singer, actress and motivational speaker, JENNIFER LEIGH WARREN has been lauded as an 'origina'" for her theatrical work, from her show-stopping performance as the slave 'Alice's Daughter' in the original Broadway cast of BIG RIVER (s inging a song written for her by Roger Miller), to originating the role of 'Crystal' in the Alan Menken/Howard Ashman Off Broadway smash LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, to her performance in the original Broadway cast of Michael John LaChiusa's MARIE CHRISTINE at Lincoln Center. Jennifer was featured on the Grammy Award-nominated original cast albums of all three of these shows, and also sang 'Stranger to the Rain' on the 'Stephen Schwartz Album' (Varese Saraband)."

For more information: Website: http://jenniferleighwarren.com/index.html

"Carl Warwick played baseball at Sunset 52-55 and then to TCU on a baseball scholarship. He was an All- American in 1956 when TCU won the SWC Title. Carl went professional in 1958 and played for six years in the Major Leagues. In 1964 he was a member of th e St. Louis Cardinals World Championship Team when we beat the Yankees in 7 games. In that series he tied a pinch hit record for the series with 3 pinch hits. Warwick played 6 years in the Bigs and retired in 1966. He is a member of the TCU Hall of Fame, w as recently elected to the TCU Legends Association and is a member of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame. He is now a member of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority and has built and financed three sports venues in Houston.--Football, Baseball and Baske tball. Carl tells us, 'Yvonne Craig (see 'Cat Woman') and I sat next to each other in a History Class for two years at Sunset.'"

"Delon Washington (Kimball '91-'94) played football at University of Southern California  from '94-'97 and later played in the CFL in'99. He currently lives in Los Angeles were he is acting and working with at-risk kids."

"Davey E. Williams (nickname - Bogan) graduated from Sunset in 1945 and played Baseball (second base) for the New York Giants."

"Rockabilly star Lew Williams graduated from Adamson High School in 1951. Lew Williams is known as the, 'Cab Calloway of Rockabilly.'"

For more information: http://www.lewwilliams.com/

"Doyle Willis (Adamson Class of 1926) served for 42 years in the Texas Legislature as State Rep/Senator and was president of the Texas Senate. He served the second longest tenure in the history of Texas. He was Chairman of important committees such as the Senate Education Committee, House Committee on Child Abuse, and was author of over 100 Texas Statutes."

"Jim Wright (Adamson High School, 1939 -- Senior Class President). Jim attended The University of Texas in 1940-1941; enlisted in the United States Army Air Force in December 1941; flew combat missions in the South Pacific; and was awarded the Distinguishe d Flying Cross and the Legion of Merit. He was elected to the  Texas State house of representatives in 1947 and was elected mayor of Weatherford in 1948. Wright ran for and won the election to the U.S. congress in 1955. He served as Speaker of the U.S. Hou se of Representatives from 1987 to 1989. As a member of Congress, Democrat Wright represented the area around Fort Worth for 34 years. He resigned from the House on June 30, 1989 and currently teaches at Texas Christian University."