Tulsa's 'Television Icons' honored

When TV was new, their faces were some of the first to flicker across your TV screen in Tulsa. They became members of the family, because they were in our homes every day. <br><br>And Thursday night,

Friday, May 23rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

When TV was new, their faces were some of the first to flicker across your TV screen in Tulsa. They became members of the family, because they were in our homes every day.

And Thursday night, six of them received their due as â€˜Tulsa Television Icons.â€™ You'd never know it from the smiles, but at one time or another, they were all competitors. Television, even in its infancy, was that way. They were also electronic pioneers. Bob Hower, Tulsa's first TV news anchor, on Tulsa's first television station, KOTV. Bob is one of six honored as Tulsa television icons at the Press Club Thursday night.

Clayton Vaughn was another. It was Clayton who set the standard for broadcast journalism as KOTV's anchorman for close to 35 years.

Alongside Clayton with the weather report for many of those years was Lee Woodward. And Lionel. A lion puppet that held sway before TV weather went high-tech.

And in the mornings on KOTV, there was Betty Boyd, hosting the Woman's Page.

KOTV's Lee Woodward had a puppet. KTUL's Don Woods had Gusty. A simple little drawing that Don created to spice up his forecasts. Gusty would end up hanging in the Smithsonian Institute. Don Woods ended up standing in front of Channel 8's weather maps for 35 years.

And Jack Morris began at KTUL Radio. Switched to KTUL-TV when it was KTVX, and in Muskogee. Then to anchor at Channel 2 when it was KVOO-TV. Lots of call letter changes. One constant from Jack.

Their tribute will hang permanently in the downtown Press Club.