John D.H. Downing (1993,94, and 97)
"J.D." is the head of the UT Austin RTF Dept. He is exactly like Sir Alec Guiness (Bridge Over the River Kwai and like Obi-Wan in Star Wars). He teaches Third World Cinema. I took this course three times (the content changed). Most of what I know about the wide world I learned from him.
Walter Metz (1993, 96 and 97)
Walter is the godhead. Many at UT Austin dismiss him for being kinda dorky... more the fool they. His deliberate method of disarming people allows him to drop bombs in their minds. He made me a better reader and a better writer. Walter is the truest and noblest academic that I know.
Sandy Stone
The article on her in Mondo 2000 says it all. She runs the ActLab at UT Austin. I had her for two classes, one I dropped because I was too much of a wuss to finish learning C and UNIX.
Gary Swaim
A great poet. He wrote a cool book called Rider of Asses. I learned the order of the humours, the aoelian harp, and the journey to Ithaca from him.
Lynne Weber
I didn't want to like Lynne so much, but she is right. About everything. She teaches Humanities at St. Mark's School of Texas. I find myself quoting her often with regard to educational theory and practice.
Dr. Ron Greene
Teaches a "history of ideas" speech class at UT Austin. His material ranges from Sojourner Truth to Valerie Xolanis.
Dr. Richard Mitterer
At UT Dallas teaches "Global Changes in Earth's History." Mindbomb. I would get dizzy in class. Imagine an engineer expalining the Gaia theory and Correolis effect.
Nick Caminos
Five minutes from him at the Movieola taught me more about storytelling than seven years of college. I never got "Consent" to take his graduate level AVID class. Rats!
Michael Bertin Heinlein
Should probably be ranked high (I'm not ranking at all), but I believe he'd prefer it if I said that he allowed me to teach myself (acting) by doing the "quiet work." I still whisper in the bathtub to this day as I test the strength of lines. Heinlein is cousin to Robert A. He works at Salvation Army now and teaches everywhere.
Tom Cox
Teaches Architecture at Skyline HS. I learned Wright, Goff, et al; then I learned how to make my own stuff. I probably learned everything I will ever know about being courteous from him.
Buck Badsen
Never missed an opportunity to scrutinize me. He also teaches Architecture at Skyline. I never took his class but he taught me some good stuff anyway.
Jay Ingrao
Jay taught me the dog with a bone schtick. He ravenously devours books with criticism for what seems like an eternity. He is rigidly formalist... and that is a good thing.
Mark Watney
Mark is a South African and a sensualist. He is totally enraptured by literature and has high praise for even some things I hadn't liked before. His enthusiasm is contagious.
Ann Shattles
Teaches Rhetoric 101 at SMU. Even though she blends in at SMU she supported my Noam Chomsky-isms. She also had me tutor this big lug football player- who wrote simple like Hemingway- but suprisingly well.
Melissa Rankin
Teaches Arthurian legends at Richland CC. Melissa is really cool. Her class is really cool. She's the only teacher I'd recommend to anybody because she doesn't really need prerequisites.
Dr. Robert Nelson
May still teach Pyschology at J.J. Pearce HS in Richardson- which would be the only reason not to put Sarin in its water supply. He founded the "Anti-Social Club." But for him my head-wetting and bed injuries would have made me dyslexic.
Jon Mooneyham
Like the great and terrible wizard of Oz. Great in his humanity and intellect. Terrible in his righteous wrath. An enormous handsome ogre. A hermit. I've never been able to pay Mooneyham any tuition although I owe more to his generosity with criticism and instruction than to any college. Jon handed me every bit of cool music that I've ever heard. Jon might yowl if I were to call him the godhead; but he is absolutely Thor the god of thunder. Mooneyham lives in OKC and runs Fate Discorporated (Visual/Sonic Art).
Gary Price
Is Loki. Not the evil Loki of comic books, but the trickster who by provocation and convocation catalyzes new perspectives. Gary looks like Barfly and is known all over Austin, TX.
Elizabeth Peters
Teaches Russian Fairy Tales at UT Austin. She also ran the Austin Film Society... but has now moved to New York to run some AIVF thing.
Phillip Reed
Was my TA in Construction 101 at UT. Its kind of cool that I only ever knew his first name. He scored a Hal Hartley Movie. He explained "ramdirt" from Morrocco to me (having first-hand knowledge of it) and bummed/loaned Lucky Strikes to me.
Warren Press
Is an amazing actor. His Shelley in 'Bloody Poetry' was the best! He taught me acting through summer camp (85?) and then let Me tag along to a bunch of non-Equity places- like the Undermain. He broke me of the nasty habit of quoting others for comedy- Told me to make up my own jokes. Sound, lasting advice.
Giselle Antoni
Runs Young Audiences of Greater Dallas. She and her husband Dana Mullen taught me everything I know; but it took me fifteen years to realize it.
Kyle Richards / Kat Owens
Taught me dance. Not that I am into dancing, but I did learn a lot of physical self-confidence (1984?) that bled over into everything else like sports, dating, and other intercourse. I think they both still do stuff at Arts Magnet.
Mrs. Foley
Was like 70 years old when she taught sixth grade history to us. She was black and had big white hair. She taught us Africa. She could have retired way before teaching me- I think she kept it up another 10-20 years too. She taught me that there are real vocations and that living for love is like immortality.