Staff

From the Ground Up – Ozark Public Television (OPT) documentary – (assembled the writing team, lead script writer, co-producer and co-director), The three-part series covered the history of Jasper County and Joplin from the Osage Indians to Joplin’s 100 year anniversary in 1973. The video series received an “Award of Merit” from the American Association for State and Local History.  3 hours, 1995-1996.

Tri-State Mining Roundtable – Joplin High School production – (writer, director, producer, commentator and host), Former area miners, geologists and historians converse in a round table discussion on lead and zinc mining history, processes and production, 1 hour, 2002.

Joplin History & Mineral Museum – OPT Ozarks Watch series – (script writer, co-producer and appeared), Story of the Joplin Historical & Mineral Museums located in Schifferdecker Park which were established in 1931, 30 minutes, 2003.

Scientific, Geological Wonders and Curiosities In and Near Joplin – OPT Ozark Watch series – (script writer, co-producer, site guide and appeared), 30 minutes, 2003. 

Exploring the Mausoleums at Mount Hope Cemetery– OPT Ozarks Watch series – (script writer, co-producer, and appeared), 30 minutes, 2005.

Route 66 Missouri Mother Road – OPT documentary – (script co-writer, co-producer and appeared) A documentary history of Route 66 from St. Louis to Joplin. The film received three awards a National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) award, and a special documentary program award from the Missouri Broadcasters Association. The video also received top honors at the National Telecommunication Association (Telly) annual conference in Columbus, Ohio. 2 hours, 2006.

Hometown Heritage Series – Channel 16 – (script writer, producer, director and appeared) A sixteen-part series titled “Hometown Heritage Series” which showcased buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Newton and Jasper Counties., 38 minutes, 2007.

For the Families – Ronald McDonald House Celebrates the First Ten Years – KOAM film – (co-produced and film’s interviewer), 2008.

Thomas Hart Benton . . . from the Ozarks and Beyond – OPT documentary Paul Wannemacher director – (script writer/consultant and appeared). The 30-minute documentary was sponsored by the Newton County Tourism Council and underwritten by The Empire District Electric Company. 2008.

Heart of the Community: The Story of Freeman Health System – OPT documentary – (script writer/consultant, and co-producer), 1 hour, 2008.

Missouri Southern State University – KOAM – (script writer, editor, layout design, producer, and director), History of the Joplin Junior College and MSSU., Sonya Parker photo layout designer and Dale Switzer narrator, 30 minutes, 2009.

Jasper County Courthouse – OPT Ozarks Watch series – (script writer, co-producer and appeared), History of the 1894-95 courthouse at Carthage, Missouri, 30 minutes, 2010.

Heartland – Erica Tremblay film – (appeared), Joplin May 2011 tornado related, 1 hour, 2012.

Joplin, Missouri A Tornado Story – director Chip Gubera – (script consultant and appeared), Joplin May 2011 tornado documentary, provided an historical background of Joplin, 1 hour, 2012.

If These Walls Could Talk, History of the Newman Building – Missouri Southern State University KGCS television – (script consultant and appeared), Explains the story of the 100-year history of the Newman Department Store/City Hall building, 30 minutes, 2012.

Community Ties the Frisco Railroad in Southwest Missouri – OPT documentary – (script writer/consultant and appeared), History of the Frisco Railroad Company in southwest Missouri, 1 hour & 30 minutes, 2013.

The Ozarks Uplift – OPT documentary Paul Wannemacher director – (script consultant and appeared), History of the Tri-State Lead, Zinc and Coal Mining District, 1hour, 2013.

Lost & Found – OWN network – (script consultant and appeared), Tornado related story with a portion of the film showcasing the Murwin Mosler negative retrieval program. The sixty minute story was the grand finale for the national television series. 2013.

Links to the Past, Fairways to the Future – OPT documentary – (script consultant, co-producer and appeared) History of golf in southwest Missouri, 1 hour and 30 minutes, 2014.

Bad Men of Joplin – KODE – (script writer, co-producer and appeared) Longtime Channel 12 reporter Bob Phillips produced a four-part series titled “Bad Men of Joplin,” to complete the 30 minute show 11 minutes of additional footage and stories were added, 2014.

Joplin Old and Bold: Three Historic and Renovated Buildings – OPT Ozarks Watch – (script writer, co-producer, co-director and appeared), Building history and restoration efforts pertaining to the Newman/City Hall building, Frisco building and Fox Theater, 30 minutes, 2015.

The Discovery at Sherwood/Rader Farm Civil War Park, – MSSU KGCS television – (master of ceremonies and co-producer), Chris Dukes presented his archaeological study at Sherwood/Rader Park and a Civil War round table discussion by area authors, 58 minutes, 2016.

Empowerment – The Electrification of the Ozarks – OPT documentary (script consultant and appeared) 58 minutes, 2016.

1931 Dedication of the Joplin Stockyards – MSSU KGCS television – (script writer and master of ceremonies), Showcases the historic grand opening of the Joplin Stockyards, 28 minutes, 2016.

Joplin Junior College – MSSU Public Relations documentary (script writer), historical overview of the Joplin Junior College, 15 minutes, 2017.

MSSU 50th Recollections – MSSU Public Relations – (interviewed Robert Warden) short video for the university’s rededication luncheon, 6 minutes, 2017.

Memorial 100th Anniversary 1918 – Joplin High School – (interviewed, appeared and produced) the film celebrated 100 years of students and faculty, 14 minutes, 2018.

OzarksWatch video magazine’s 20th Year Anniversary show titled “A Celebration of People, Places and Traditions” (appeared) 55 minutes, 2018.

Marian Days: A Spiritual and Cultural Homecoming – OPT documentary (script writer, appeared and co-produced). In 2020 the film received a First Place Missouri Broadcasting Award, 2019.

Teen Hop – Missouri Southern State University – (assisted in production), historical video on the Joplin’s channel 12 television station Teen Hop program, 2019.

Missouri A Bicentennial Celebration – OPT documentary – (appeared), history of the state’s 200-year state history of Missouri, 2 hours, 2021.

Route 66: The Main Street of America is the title of a new documentary by First+Main Films. Directed by John Paget, the film will be released in 2026. It is the official sanctioned project of the U.S. Route 66: Centennial Commission.