Travolta, Morganna and more: Houston as it was 30 years ago this month

KLOL's Mark Stevens, left, and Jim Pruett prepare to give fellow disc jockey Moby (James Smith Carney) a haircut on Jan. 17, 1989, at Allen Park Inn. During the Star-a-Thon '89 for United Cerebral Palsy telethon, Moby said he would cut his hair like KHOU meteorologist Neil Frank for a $5,000 contribution. Soon thereafter, the money rolled in and Moby lived up to his promise. less KLOL's Mark Stevens, left, and Jim Pruett prepare to give fellow disc jockey Moby (James Smith Carney) a haircut on Jan. 17, 1989, at Allen Park Inn. During the Star-a-Thon '89 for United Cerebral Palsy ... more Photo: Ben DeSoto, Houston Chronicle Photo: Ben DeSoto, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 80 Caption Close Travolta, Morganna and more: Houston as it was 30 years ago this month 1 / 80 Back to Gallery

If there was a time when Houston reached peak 1980s, it might have been in January 1989.

Granted, we have 11 more months of Houston Chronicle photos to review over the course of the upcoming year, but the bar seems to have been set pretty high.

Here's a rundown of what happened 30 years ago this month in Houston.

* When all was said and done at Frank's barbershop at Allen Park Inn, the cast of characters had involved Stevens & Pruett, Moby, Astros infielder Billy Doran, Oilers linebacker John Grimsley and Dr. Neil Frank.

It all started when Moby, then working the afternoons at KLOL, co-hosted Star-a-Thon '89 for United Cerebral Palsy. A woman called, offended that KHOU would stoop so low as to have some long-haired dude hosting their telethon.

Soon Moby (real name James Smith Carney) said he would get his hair cut like Dr. Neil Frank's for a $5,000 donation. The longtime KHOU meteorologist, for those who don't know, wears a flattop.

Here's what happened next, according to Louis B. Parks' article from Jan. 18:

With the prospect of Moby having to cut his hair, the contributions were quick to come in.

"Stevens and Pruett (morning disc jockeys on KLOL) kicked in $5,000, and then (Astros second baseman) Billy Doran and Oiler John Grimsley kicked in another $5,000," Moby said.

"Then Dr. Neil Frank kicked in $500 from his own pocket, and here comes this lady named Sandra Johnson who's giving $200 for a lock of it. So, that's $10,700 - 85 percent of which stays here in town to help UCP patients."

(Sandra Johnson, if you still have that lock, we'd like to hear from you.)

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* John Travolta was back in town. But rather than visit Gilley's, he put in an appearance at the Hard Rock Cafe off Kirby to promote his new film "Experts."

Here's what Maxine Mesinger saw, according to her Jan. 16 column:

When word got out he'd be there, teen-agers and young adults were both inside and outside of the building screaming, cheering, and begging for autographs.

Later, when John and his co-stars, Arye Gross and Kelly Preston, appeared onstage at the Loew's Southwest before the screening of "Experts," the packed theater audience also cheered wildly.

It must've made Travolta feel great because he caused as much excitement this time as he did when he was here for the world premiere of "Urban Cowboy," which was filmed in Houston. The adoration from the crowds was equal, but of course there weren't as many big public events as there were for "Cowboy," thereby lessening the pandemonium.

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* Morganna stormed the Summit court before the Rockets were set to take on the Lakers. Here's what the Chronicle's Eddie Sefko reported on Feb. 1.

What is it like to be kissed by Morganna, the Kissing Bandit?

Well, judging from Tuesday night's proceedings at The Summit, it depends on your point of view.

"We laughed, we loved, she's part of me," said Chuck Nevitt, the Rockets' 7-foot-5 reserve who got the smooch-scene treatment from Morganna.

She had run onto The Summit court before tip-off and kissed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who looked genuinely surprised and almost a little scared.

"She seemed to be a nice lady," Abdul-Jabbar said of Morganna, who is an exotic entertainer.

She then ran toward the Rocket bench, and planted one on Nevitt's cheek.

"I guess in a roundabout way, this means I've kissed Kareem," Nevitt said. "That's a scary thought."

Morganna had previously interrupted a Houston sporting event in 1985, when she ran out on to the Astrodome field and planted a kiss on Nolan Ryan and Dickie Thon.

J.R. Gonzales, a third-generation Houstonian, covers local history with an eye toward the people and events that have mostly been forgotten to time. Follow him through Bayou City History on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 713-362-6163 or john.gonzales@chron.com.