Dick Morel

I just found your site on the web.

In 1960 I was Ricardo, King of the Pirates and took people to Treasure Island. I also did sword fights with Captain Kidd (Herb Sauve) on the pirate cove dock and rooftop fist fights/sword fights/gunfights in Western City. Cy Milano was the sheriff. Billy O'Brien, then of Wakefield, worked at the Indian Village and subsequently became Sergeant Billy, Rex Trailer's sidekick after Pablo.

I worked there only one summer, but it was the best ever.

Great people to work and play with. I remember the Glenn Miller Band coming to the park. It was then led by Tex Beneke, probably most famous for his rendition of Chattanooga Choo Choo. After the band and singers (Paula Kelley, Ray Eberly, the Modernaires--I think I have the names right) finished "work," they would play for us until the wee hours, or at least what were the wee hours for us in those days. Strangely enough, I just moved to the Chattanooga area about a year and a half ago.

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I saw a note from Frank McGrath.... We were best friends in high school, and I've have been trying to find him through other web sites but with no success. I didn't see a way of contacting him from his note to you. Do you have any information that might help? I'd be most grateful to receive it.

Do you remember the beach parties at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester? Dion, of Dion and the Belmonts came to one. I remember him at a the party wearing his eyeglasses, talking about how he couldn't really sing all that well, couldn't really play the guitar all that well, wasn't really all that good looking, and couldn't figure out why all this had happened to him. He was kind of what you hope for in a celeb.

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I'd love to keep in touch and share additional memories and history.

Dick Morel
Wakefield High 1959
6 Hidden Brook Lane
Signal Mountain, TN 37377
(423)886-9766

rmorel@mindspring.com