Opinion: Harry the Horse made Landall Goolsby famous

It’s a mortality check, I know, but if you remember these things from 25 years ago today ... you might be an old-timer:

• The Dora Cafe was open for business. It had been vacant for months.

Newlyweds Jim and Jolene Wall opened on June 12 and were already so busy they had to hire two waitresses.

The Walls lived in the house behind the restaurant.

• McDonald’s was promoting itself on Batman’s back.

“Holy double meat, Batman. Big Macs 99 cents,” read one newspaper ad.

And four Batman collector’s glass mugs could be purchased for 99 cents.

• Landall Goolsby, 23, was fairly famous in Portales. He owned a video rental store and about 100 celebrity autographs.

(He said he waited in line six hours to get Burt Reynolds’ signature in Las Vegas, Nevada.)

But mostly Goolsby was well known because of his own stage performances at Eastern New Mexico University’s theater.

He was currently playing the leading man in “Dames at Sea,” but forever would be remembered for playing “Harry the Horse” in “Guys & Dolls.”

“People never forget that performance and are always reminding me of the character,” Goolsby said

• McDaniel’s Floor Covering in Clovis was offering a chance to win $1 million. That was $33,333.34 every year for the next 30 years.

Oh, and the carpet sale was also “one in a million,” according to the advertising campaign.

• Sunday liquor sales were a hot topic in Portales. For those who didn’t want to see that happen:

Petitions could be signed at Southwest Books & More, Bar G Western Wear, Poynors’ Home & Auto or any local church.

• Opinions varied widely on stricter penalties for those convicted of vandalism or marking walls or buildings with graffiti.

“Definitely,” said Janis Lewis of Portales. “Get them to buy the paint and paint anything that needs it around town.”

“No,” said Jon Jenks, who said he was from Ohio. “There’s a fine line between what someone considers art and vandalism.”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt,” said Zigrids Steinbergs of Portales. “For some of them punks I wouldn’t mind if they were caned a little.”

David Stevens writes about regional history. Contact him at:

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