This Boomer Was Impressed

It's not too often that you meet someone who might be classified as really special. I meet people all the time who are interesting, are good conversationalists, and in time could become good friends. But, how often do any of us actually meet someone with a history, the guy who's been there - done that, someone who upon first impression really wows you? Last week I met such a person. Let's flashback to just before Christmas. I was scanning eBay one night looking for items that I collect (60's era Duncan yo-yos in their original packing, comic art, and such). I spotted a listing for an animation cel from the Houston Astrodome. After a right mouse click, I was soon reading the description of an original piece of art used to create one of the black-and-while illustrations seen by millions of fans on the giant Astrodome scoreboard for decades. I bought several cels and animators drawings that night that were destined to be given as holiday gifts. Last week there was another posting of new art, so I bought a few more, but this time asked the seller if I could pick up my purchases at his home in southwest Houston to save on shipping costs. He agreed. The encounter turned out to be one of those unexpectedly special times that don't come around too often. Ed is an elderly gentleman who lives in a nice home not more than 15-minutes from the Dome. After exchanging basic "howareyas" the conversation turned to, "so, how did you get all this stuff?" That's where the fun started. It turns out that while in his prime, Ed owned a production studio in Houston and was contracted by Judge Roy Hofheinz (who built the Astrodome and AstroWorld theme park) to create and coordinate the animation for his "Eighth Wonder of the World". Ed also worked with the Judge on the design and graphic art package for the adjacent AstroWorld, today known as Six Flags - Houston. The wow factor was now growing. As we continued to talk I learned that before owning his own shop here, Ed had been a animator for Disney, Columbia Pictures and Screen Gems. He was no "in-betweener" filling in the motion and scenes between primary drawings. Ed was AN ANIMATOR. As a team member one of his most famous projects was Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" in the mid 1950s. Having grown up in the day of the Mickey Mouse Club and Huckleberry Hound, and having worked with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera for a short time, I have always been an incredible fan of cartoons. But, there was more . . . Ed began to tell me about the work that his company had done for NASA during the Kennedy/Johnson years concerning the Apollo mission. His team had created the animated visuals that would be used to explain the complicated maneuvers necessary to land on the Moon and return safetly. The Astrodome, AstroWorld, Disney and now the manned space program . . . the only thing that could have made it better was if he had told me that his daughter was Barbi Benton. It's not too often that you have the opportunity to sit and talk one-on-one with someone who enjoys telling the stories as much as you enjoy hearing them. Ed is one of those guys. For a full hour he allowed me to share a few bits from his professional past and for that I'm grateful. Yes . . . this Boomer was impressed.