Posted by: Joe @ 3:19 pm
I heard from former WGEZ radio personality Bob Gregory last week. I had an autographed picture of Bob that he identified as his 1955 Beloit Catholic High School graduation photo. He was with WGEZ until 1961 when he got into television at WREX in Rockford. Most recently he anchored “Skytrack Weather” for WTHR in Indianapolis until he semi-retired in 2000. Bob did remember hosting a “Teen Dance Party” in Beloit, but he was unsure if it was at the Pop House. He’s looking around for possible supporting evidence.
(Photo courtesy of Stankewitz family)
Bob also passed along a comment from his sister Mary (BCHS 1964):
“Oh, of course I remember the Pop House! My friends and I hung out there a lot when we were in high school. They used to have music in the back patio, sometimes bands on the weekends. Great hamburgers, or at least we thought so. Every night we went out somewhere, I think we would at least stop by there to see who was there. Lots of kids would hang out in the parking lot. Many fond memories. I look back upon that as a positive place for young people to hang out.
I remember the owner, (George) Stankewitz. …big guy, dark hair, nice man, had rules, and stuck to them. He was respected by the kids. One of the worst things that could happen to you at that time, was to break the rules or get into trouble with him and get “kicked out of the Pop House.” And of course, everyone would know it. Horrors!!!! I don’t know if Buzz (Gunderson) worked there or not. Maybe. I could pass this along to the BCHS group if you like.”
Thanks, Bob and Mary. Hope to hear more from you.
By the way… for a list of all BCHS alumni, see: http://www.beloitcatholichigh.com/ and click on Alumni Directory. Don’t know if there’s an equivalent listing for BMHS — probably would be way too long. The official BMHS site is: http://www.sdb.k12.wi.us/ .
January 26th, 2007 at 8:58 am My recollection of Buss Gunderson per Ted Reimer was that he worked at the Pop House, went into the Marines, worked at the Tembala Towers, and finally the Dal House behind the old tower in Beloit. Dave Hz
January 31st, 2007 at 9:54 am In 1963, my group The Green Men did a cover of the old “I’ve Had It” / ”So Fine” flip side. It was on Kapp Records out of New York. Bob played our Records alot; that’s what got us back into the Pop House on several occations, Don Seat and Johnny Brown, Fred Petty and Rocky Marciano (boxer) were the big agents along with T.B.Skarning. This brought other famous groups such as Conway Twitty etc. to the Pop House. Good old George was a wonderful man.