I was one of the extras in a movie called "The Explosive Generation"
starring William Shatner. (1962)
As you probably were aware parts of it were filmed at Mesa High. Maybe even you were in it too! A friend was able to find the movie on Amazon and surprised me with it this past Christmas. I really enjoyed watching it.
I thought you might like to know that it exists and can be found on Amazon for anyone interested.
I've attached a screen shot off of the movie screen. I'm in the black and white (lol)shirt next to the title. We were a bunch of good looking teenagers!
Aloha, Fred Anderson - MHS Class of 63
The previous statement by Lonnie Wagner is timely and coincidental. We have received leads recently that have pointed in the direction of the individuals mentioned. One has been covered earlier but may need to be revisited. It has been reported from an informant that Lonnie Wagner and Bill LeSueur were planning to open a men’s clothing line with a French Label called “Le Wagneur”. It is said that they were additionally creating a line of men’s accessories with Alligator accents, wallets, belts, attache’ cases and the like. They had supposedly been working with Butch Tucker on pin-striping suits for their label. According to sources their first supply of alligators somehow escaped from the trunk of Lonnie’s 55 Chevy, in front of the high school, one morning. With the surely unwanted publicity and loss of their supply of alligators it seemed best to abandon their plans at least for the time being. We may need to question Wagner and friends. This could be the big break we’re looking for.
This brings us to another story we had been working on but had dropped . We were provided information that a Louisiana Sheriff had retired and moved to a trailer park in Apache Junction. We were told that he might have something for us.
When we interviewed him he told us that they had been in pursuit of Amos Moses in the early sixties and they were ready to apprehend him when he mysteriously escaped. He said he was later told it was thought Amos had been reportedly seen in Mesa Arizona. Being a long way out of his jurisdiction and their problem now solved they did not pursue the matter further. He told us that Amos would have probably been a senior in high school at that time.
When we considered the facts we thought that this might not be our guy since the alligators in Mesa were taken alive and not by the same manner as in Louisiana. However, with this more recent information we might take time to revisit this lead also.
I don't know who brought them to school. What I do know is that Gary, Dickie and I went out to the alligator farm over lunch. The fish and game guys were there feeding the alligators. Dickie jumped in and started throwing the food. He was on the news that evening. The next morning they were at school cutting through the irriagation water in front of the entrance. Gary had one inside his VW after school. He took in home and put it in his swimming pool.
We were able to get a statement from a retired police officer from the Mesa , Officer Ballentine. This is what he recalled at around the time of the alligator caper .
“I was workin’ my beat late one night, when my eyes beheld an eerie sight
Thru a window I saw two men in tights, t’was Jeffrey Clark and Lanny Dwyer
They did the mash, they did the Gator Mash; They did the mash, it was a schoolyard splash
They did the mash, it was the hit of the class: They did the mash, they did the Gator Mash
There on a slab lay two poor souls, one alligator and a teenage boy
I could hear them talking about their plan, about the alligator and the young man
They did the Mash, They did the Gator Mash; They did the mash, it was a schoolyard splash
They did the mash, it was the hit of the class; they did the mash, they did the Gator Mash
The gator would become a court Jester, but what would happen to poor old Lester?
He would acquire from the rep-tile, incredible speed and a great big smile
They did the mash, they did the Gator Mash: They did the mash, it was a schoolyard splash
They did the mash, it was the hit of the class; they did the mash, they did the Gator Mash
I was thrown back when they flipped the switch, lightening flashed and I hit the ditch
I’m not sure just what went wrong, but the alli-gator was wearing a thong
They did the mash, they did the gator mash; they did the mash, it was a schoolyard splash
They did the mash, it was the hit of the class; they did the mash, they did the Gator Mash
What the young man got from the gator, he became a hard-shelled legislator
And the gator became a T-Rex-orous, fell in love and She married Boris
They did the mash, they did the Gator Mash; they did the mash, it was a schoolyard splash
They did the mash, it was the hit of the class; they did the mash, they did the Gator Mash”
Update: We have just followed up on a tip that led us to Canyon Lake. It was reported that an alligator was seen recently in one of the small reedy coves. Our investi-gators worked several days to get close enough to interview him. He was indeed a very large alligator and seemed to be quite old.
When we were finally able to let him know who we were he really opened up. He said that, as he remembered , he had come from Mesa. He said that he remembered staying with a nice young fellow for a couple of months. He was kept in nice comfortable area in his back yard. He said he thought they had become really good friends and had a good relationship. “We even called each other by pet names, he called me “Smiley” and I called him “Tibby”. He often commented on my pretty white teeth which he called the “Pearly Gates”.
“Then one day he asked me if I would like to go for a drive up to the lake and I said sure. When we got there it was beautiful! I went out for a swim and when I turned back I saw Tibby driving away! He was leaving me. I couldn’t believe it. I was Crushed. He was gone! Not even a See Ya Later..! That was hard to swallow! …..By the way, if you do ever see him,,, tell him I’m really sorry about his dog.”
“ But as far as where I came from before that? I really couldn’t tell you.. My memory isn’t that good anymore. That was a long time ago, I was just a Whipper- Snapper. “
Well, that was all there was to our interview, not a lot to go on. We are going to see if we can get any leads as to who this Tibby fellow is, and if he is still around.
As far as our investigation goes, we will Carry On.
F.A.I.R.- G.O.S.I.P. is asking that anyone who can recall anything of an an-phib-ious nature during the time of this serious crime back in 1963 to please report it on this site. Each lead will be taken seriously and followed up. This site will be monitored on a regular basis for new information as well as keeping you informed on existing leads . Names of informants will be kept somewhat anomonous when possible. A "witness protection" program is being set up for informants who feel it may be necessary.
Thank you
I just got wind that a new investigating agency called F.A.I.R. (Forensic Alligator Investigative Reporting) aka. G.O.S.I.P. (Gator; Ongoing Story In Progress) is conducting a new investigation and following up old leads in the case.
One possible lead is that it could have been Herschiel Shipley. That he wanted to bring them to Coach Koski to use to help train the wrestling team for next year. He was hoping to win favors with Koski and improve his final grade in PE.
at this point it is just rumor.
Do you suppose that Darvil, the sly fox that he is, claimed to be the first culprit in the alligator caper in order to get the real perpetrator to break the silence?
Could it be that it was really Chandler High putting them in our irrigation for a practical joke? Or maybe Paul Freestone might have an idea?
The truth is, it was Byke Bennet and myself that was the first to bring the alligators to the school, and turn them loose in the irrigation on the front lawn.
The class of 64 boys were foolish enough to take them out and get their pictures taken.
But that was all the bad deeds I did during school hours.
Well maybe except when ......
2012
PLEASE SEND U...
2010
Thank you
One possible lead is that it could have been Herschiel Shipley. That he wanted to bring them to Coach Koski to use to help train the wrestling team for next year. He was hoping to win favors with Koski and improve his final grade in PE.
at this point it is just rumor.
Could it be that it was really Chandler High putting them in our irrigation for a practical joke?
Or maybe Paul Freestone might have an idea?
The class of 64 boys were foolish enough to take them out and get their pictures taken.
But that was all the bad deeds I did during school hours.
Well maybe except when ......