DID YOU KNOW THESE PEOPLE WERE FROM DALLAS

When the word Dallas is mentioned, people automatically think of the Dallas Cowboys and Larry Hagman, who played JR Ewing in the TV show of the same name. Singers, songwriters, actors, sports figures, political figures and others come from Dallas, too, some of which are immediately recognizable. But what about those who are not so easily recognizable? What did they do? Let’s take a look.

From the Cowboy Days

Did you know Jane Johnson Endsley (1848 to 1933) managed one of Dallas’ biggest railroad yards, coal and logging enterprises?

“Doc” Holiday was a dentist and lived in the city in the 1870s

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the infamous Bonnie and Clyde, did their dastardly deeds, not in the 1800s, but in the 1920s and 30s. They were born and buried in Dallas.

Silent Film and Early 20th Century Actors

Tommy Bond was Butch in Our Gang, an early 20th century TV show

Bebe Daniels, a child star in early silent films

George McFarland  playedSpanky in Our Gang

Travis Tedford was Spanky in another early 20th century TV show The Little Rascals

Other Than Actors

Did you know Jeff Dunham, of comedy using puppetry fame (Peanut, Walter and Jose Jalepeno) was born in Dallas?

So was Phil McGraw, better known as Dr. Phil

Chris Harrison, TV host

Aaron Spelling, who produced The Love Boat and Charlie’s Angels back in the day

Jack Wyatt wasn’t a law man like Wyatt Earp, but he hosted a Dallas TV show wherein he interviewed criminals to discover why they were criminals

Government Names You Might Not Know

Bruce Alger, former Congressman

Ramsey Clark, Attorney General

Tom C. Clark, Supreme Court Justice

Bill Clements, Governor of Texas

Michael Huffington, politician, Ariana Huffington’s ex-husband

Michael Keasler, judge

Linda Koop, Texas House of Representatives

Fred Meyer, former Texas politician and former president of Tyler Corporation

Ross Perot, businessman, and former presidential candidate

Corbin Van Arsdale,  politician

Kevin Patrick Yeary, judge

Music

Not everyone attends concerts, finding it easier to pay for a CD or download a song on their phones than pay for concert tickets. So people might not know who that amazing bass player is, nor the slammin’ drummer:

Vinnie Paul Abbott, former drummer for hard rock group Pantera. Older brother of the late Dimebag Darrell, also a musician and songwriter

Doyle Bramhall II, composer and guitarists who have worked with Eric Clapton and Roger Waters among others

Red Garland, jazz piano player

Micheal Nesmith, composer, and guitarist for the 60s rock group The Monkees

Willis Alan Ramsey, whose songs were recorded by America, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker and Jimmy Buffett

  1. W. Stevenson, whose songs were recorded by Brooks and Dunn called My Maria, Shambala by Three Dog Night and George Strait The River of Love