1.DANNIE HELEN LORAINE14 KNOWLES (JARRELLJAY13, JAYWILL12, LEWISWINFORD11, RUBENBENJAMIN10, BENJAMINLEWIS9, BENJAMING8, BENJAMINS7, EDWARD6, HENRY5, HENRY4, WILLIAM3, HENRY2, THOMAS1) was born May 31, 1981 in AUSTIN, TRAVIS CO., TEXAS, USA.
Notes for DANNIE HELEN LORAINE KNOWLES:
DANNIE HELEN LORRAINE KNOWLES WAS CONCEIVED IN A GOLDEN "FORTY-NINER" STYLE TENT ON THE GROUNDS OF THE "TEXAS RENESIANCE FESTIVAL" SOMETIME DURING THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF AUGUST, 1980. JAY , HELEN, AND HARRY ALONG WITH ARTIST WALTER FALK AND POTTER PHIL GILES WERE AT THE SITE DEEP IN THE PINEY WOODS NORTH OF HOUSTON, TEXAS CAMPING AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE BOOTHS WHICH THEY WOULD BE SELLING THEIR CRAFTS FROM IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR.
IN 1980, ACCORDING TO THE U.S. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, THERE WERE 39,844 KNOWLES' IN THEIR FILES AND IT WAS THE 1110TH MOST COMMON NAME IN THOSE FILES! JAY AND HELEN DECIDED TO WORK TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS.
ON MEMORIAL WEEKEND, 1981 AUSTIN FOUND ITSELF IN ONE OF IT'S WORST FLOODS OF THE CENTURY. 13 PEOPLE DROWNED IN TOWN, ONE WITHIN BLOCKS OF JAY AND HELEN KNOWLES' HOUSE IN HYDE PARK NEAR WALLER CREEK. ONE WOMAN'S BODY WAS NEVER FOUND. HELEN WAS NEAR TERM AT JUST UNDER 9 MONTHS. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORMS IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS AS RAIN POURED FROM THE SKY HELEN'S WATER BROKE! TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL JAY AND HARRY HAD TO CROSS TWO VERY SWOLLEN CREEKS WITH AN EXTREMELY COMBATIVE HELEN JANE. THEY MADE IT AND DANNIE WAS DELIVERED AT 8:39 AM BY DR. ROGER MENDELSON AT SEATON HOSPITAL ON THE BANKS OF DEADLY SHOAL CREEK. THE CREEK HAD CLAIMED 7 LIVES THAT NIGHT. DANNIE WEIGHED IN AT 6 POUNDS AND 7 OUNCES. SHE WAS 19 INCHES TALL AND HAD A 12 AND 1 HALF INCH BUST. THE WOMAN WHO HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND WAS A DOCTOR TRYING TO CROSS SHOAL CREEK. ALTHOUGH HELEN'S WATER BROKE AT THE HOUSE SHE WAS IN LABOR ABOUT 5 HOURS AT THE HOSPITAL.
DANNIE HELEN LORAINE KNOWLES WAS NAMED AFTER TWO GREAT GRAND AUNTS WHO NEVER HAD CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN. ON HER FATHER'S SIDE THERE WAS LORAINE WARD CRAVEY AND ON HER MOTHER'S SIDE THERE WAS DANNIE PORTWOOD FANCHER. BOTH WOMEN'S HUSBANDS DIED EARLY AND THE WIDOWS NEVER REMARRIED. DANNIE PORTWOOD WAS NAMED AFTER THE TEXAS RANCHING LEGEND DANIEL WAGGONER, A CLOSE FRIEND OF HER FATHER . THE HELEN WAS INCLUDED IN HER NAME BECAUSE THE 1ST BORN FEMALE CHILD IN EACH GENERATION ALONG HER MOTHER'S LINE FOR AT LEAST 7 GENERATIONS WAS NAMED HELEN. HER GODFATHER WAS ROLAND DENOIE WHO DIED FROM A GUNSHOT TO THE HEAD IN NEW YORK CITY IN 1988.
IN DECEMBER OF 1982 DANNIE WOULD MAKE HER 1ST TRIP TO MEXICO. IT WOULD BE A 3 WEEK STAY IN SAN MIGUEL ALLENDE AND MEXICO CITY. SHE LOVED THE NIGHT LIT SPIRES OF THE CENTRAL CHURCH AND THE 10S OF THOUSANDS OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS THAT WERE EVERYWHERE. SHE PLAYED FOR HOURS IN THE PARKS WITH THE LOCAL KIDS AND WAS AMAZED AT THE GARDENS OF THE COURTYARD OF THEIR LODGINGS, BURSTING WITH GIANT BRIGHTLY COLORED FLOWERS. THIS CENTRAL LIVING AREA ALSO HELD RABBITS AND MANY BEAUTIFUL, EXOTIC BIRDS WITH WHOM SHE PLAYED. SHE RODE A PACK BURRO TO COLLECT FIREWOOD FOR THEIR ROOMS AND TRIED HER FOOT AT SOCCER WITH KIDS HER AGE IN THE CENTRAL JARDIN. SHE RODE THE "AZTEC EAGLE" TRAIN FOR 15 HOURS BACK TO THE BORDER.
AS A RESULT OF THE 1984 DIVORCE DANNIE WOULD SPEND HER YEARS BETWEEN 1984 AND 1992 IN A FAIRLY LONELY LIFE AT THE ROUND TIMBERS RANCH 28 MILES EAST OF SEYMOUR AND ABOUT 60 MILES SOUTH OF WICHITA FALLS. SHE HAD HER BROTHER, BUT AS HE GOT MORE INVOLVED IN THE LIFE OF A TEENAGER SHE WOULD BE BE LEFT ALONE WITH HER IMAGINATION WHICH SHE BEGIN TO EXPLORE IN DETAIL.THE MANY ANIMALS AT THE RANCH BECAME HER REAL PLAYMATES AND THE DOZENS OF DOGS HER GUARDIAN ANGELS. SHE QUICKLY NAMED EVERYTHING THAT MOVED AND MADE PETS OF PIGS, GOATS, CHICKENS, AND HORSES.
SHE MADE A LOT OF SMALL TRIPS AS HER DAD WOULD COME AND GET HER EVERY OTHER WEEKEND. THEY WOULD GO TO DALLAS, FORT WORTH, WICHITA FALLS, BUT MOSTLY AUSTIN ON THESE 2 DAY VISITS. SHE BURNED UP A LOT OF HIGHWAY MILES IN THOSE YEARS. IT WAS A 12 HOUR ROUND TRIP TAKEN IN A 48 HOUR VISIT, SO HER FATHER WOULD ATTEMPT TO CRAM A LOT OF EXPERIENCES INTO EACH OF THOSE PERIODS THEY HAD TOGETHER. THEY WOULD GO TO ZOOS, CIRCUS', MOVIES, PARTIES, PLAYS, CONCERTS, THEMEPARKS, ANYTHING TO MAKE THE VISIT MEMORABLE SO IT WOULD SEEM TO LAST LONGER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS A YOUNG DAUGHTER OF FELLOW CRAFTSMAN MARIA THOMAS WOULD HELP WATCH DANNIE WHEN JAY HAD HER AT THE ARTS WAREHOUSE STUDIO HE SHARED WITH WALTER FALK AND BEKI CLARKE. ELIZA AND HER YOUNGER SISTER WOULD PLAY WITH DANNIE AND GENERALLY KEEP HER ENTERTAINED DURING THE LONG SUMMER DAYS IN 1985 AND 1986. ON DECEMBER 6, 1991 ELIZA AND 3 GIRLFRIENDS WERE BUTCHERED IN AUSTIN'S MOST SAVAGE AND BIZARRE UNSOLVED MURDER. THE GIRLS WERE CLOSING UP THE " I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S YOGURT " SHOP A FEW BLOCKS FROM WERE DANNIE NOW LIVES WHEN THEY WERE ATTACKED, RAPED, TORTURED, KILLED, AND THEN SET ON FIRE.
IN DECEMBER OF 1992 SHE WOULD MOVE TO AUSTIN TO LIVE WITH HER DAD AND BROTHER. JAY SOON BECAME AWARE THAT DANNIE HAD NEVER SEEN IN PERSON THE SEA, A REAL MOUNTAIN, OR EVEN A DESERT, SO HE AND HARRY BEGAN TO PLAN AN EPIC TOUR OF THE GREAT AMERICAN WEST. THEY WOULD SET OFF IN AUGUST OF 1993 FOR A 23 DAY ADVENTURE AIMED AT GIVING DANNIE AN EXPERIENCE SHE COULD NEVER FORGET. THEY WENT TO GRANT N.M., ICE CAVES WITH 200,000 YEAR OLD ICE, LAVA BEDS, VOLCANO RIMS, 2000 YEAR OLD INDIAN CLIFF CITIES LIKE EL MORO, THE PAINTED DESERT, THE PETRIFIED FOREST, THEY FLEW IN A 4 SEATER INTO THE GRAND CANYON, LAS VEGAS, DEATH VALLEY AT 200' BELOW SEA LEVEL AND THEN YOSEMITE VALLEY WITH IT'S GIANT RED WOODS AT 10,000' ABOVE SEA LEVEL, SNOW IN AUGUST, THEY TREKKED THE 49ER TRAIL,SAN FRANCISCO, HIGHWAY #1 AND IT'S SEA CLIFFS 1000' HIGH, THE CASTLE OF SAN SIMEON, HOLLYWOOD, THE ACKER MANSION AND IT'S COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSAL CITY, DISNEYLAND, SAN DIEGO AND ITS ZOO, TOMBSTONE, AND FORT STOCKTON, TEXAS AMONG OTHERS. DANNIE SWAM IN THE FRIGID PACIFIC, CLIMBED CLIFFS, VISITED MUSEUMS AND EXPLORED MASSIVE PRIVATE COLLECTIONS, SHE SAW MOVIES IN BEAUTIFUL FILM PALACES AND VISITED UNBELIEVABLE LUSH MANSIONS, SHE STOOD AT THE BASE OF 400' TREES AND FELT THE FREEZING COLD WINDS BLOWING OUT OF 4 MILE DEEP LAVA TUBES. THEN THERE WAS THE FOOD. THERE WERE DOZENS OF WORLD CLASS MEALS AT SOME OF OUR COUNTRY'S MOST FAMOUS, LANDMARK SPOTS. DANNIE TRIED DUCK, SQUID, CONCH, SUSHI, CALAMARI, LEG-OF-LAMB, AND LOTS OF OTHER EXOTIC STUFF. SHE ATE IN CHINATOWN, JAPANTOWN, AND GREEKTOWN. SHE TASTED THE DELIGHTS OF NORTH BEACH ITALIAN MAFIOSO CAFES, SHIEK MELROSE PLACE WALKUPS, FISHERMAN'S WHARF'S VENDORS, BRITISH PUBS, AND MOVIE STAR'S HAUNTS. SHE STUFFED HERSELF AT HIPPIE ESPRESSO BARS, ITALIAN BAKERIES, SOUTHWESTERN BLUECORN HEAVENS, KOSHER DELIS, AND ARNOLD'S PLANET HOLLYWOOD. ONLY ONCE DURING THE 23 DAYS WOULD SHE EAT SOMETHING ORDINARY AT SOMEPLACE NORMAL, AND THAT WAS AN ACT OF SHEAR DESPERATION ONE HOT L.A. AFTERNOON, WHEN EXHAUSTED EVERYONE WENT FOR WHAT -A- BURGERS NEXT DOOR TO A HOLLYWOOD COMICBOOK SHOP ON VINE. IT WAS ON THIS TRIP THAT SHE WOULD MEET DOZENS OF COMICBOOK ARTISTS INCLUDING JACK KIRBY, BERNI WRIGHTSON, DAVE STEVENS, MIKE PLOOG, MATT GROENING, TRINA ROBBINS, STAN LEE, MIKE KALUTA, WILL EISNER AND JEFF JONES. SHE WOULD FALL IN LOVE WITH UNCLE FORREY, FORREST J. ACKERMAN ( PUBLISHER OF FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND ) AND HIS COLLECTIONS FILLED 4 STORY HOUSE. AT THIS WRITING IN 1995 SHE HAS VISITED WITH FORREY ON 3 OCCASIONS.
FROM MAY 30 THRU JUNE 2 ND OF 1996 DANNIE EXPLORED NEW YORK CITY. THE VIKING BAND WENT THERE TO PLAY ON THE "TODAY" SHOW AND TO PERFORM A CONCERT AT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY. DRESSED IN HER FORMAL POWDER BLUE BEADED GOWN SHE HAD SUPPER THE 1ST NIGHT AT THE MANHATTAN HARD ROCK CAFE UNDER A BEAUTIFUL JIMI HENDRIX OUTFIT & SIGNED GUITAR FOLLOWED BY AN EVENING PERFORMANCE OF "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" AT BROADWAY'S HISTORIC MAJESTIC THEATRE. THE 2 CONCERTS OCCURRED ON HER BIRTHDAY AND SHE SAW A METS-DODGERS GAME AT SHEA STADIUM LATER THAT NIGHT. ON THE 1ST SHE TOURED THE CITY; WALKING THE CANYONS OF 5TH AVE.; CLIMBING TO THE HEIGHTS OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING; LUNCHING AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER; PHOTOGRAPHING THE HARLEM THEATRE, THE CORNER WHERE JOHN LENNON WAS KILLED, ST, PATRICK'S, & GRANT'S TOMB AMONG OTHER SPOTS FROM THE DOCKS TO THE VILLAGE. THAT NIGHT SHE SLIPPED INTO HER SLINKY CRUSHED BLACK VELVET DRESS & FULL LENGTH VICTORIAN BLACK LEATHER COAT AND WAS OFF TO BROADWAY AGAIN, THIS TIME TO THE IMPERIAL THEATRE TO EXPERIENCE "LES MISERABLES" AFTER A GREAT MEAL IN AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT WHERE SHE WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE OWNER AS AN AUSTIN MOVIE POSTER DEALER. WHAT A RUSH!!!!
1997 WAS A TROUBLED YEAR FOR DANNIE. SHE FELL IN WITH THE WRONG CROWD FROM SCHOOL, EXPERIMENTED WITH DRUGS, AND HER GRADES FELL OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE SCALE, SHE DROPPED OUT OF BAND, AND SHUT HER DAD AND BROTHER OUT OF HER LIFE. LUCKILY SHE RECOGNIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER AND RESOLVED TO TURN HERSELF AROUND. IN EARLY 98 SHE WENT COLD TURKEY, CUTTING HERSELF OFF FROM THE DRUGS AND THUGS WHO HAD LED HER TO THEM. IT WOULD WORK.
AT 5:30AM ON APRIL 14TH OF 1998 DANNIE REPORTED TO THE SET OF DIRECTOR ROBERT (DUST TO DAWN) RODRIGUEZ & WRITER KEVIN (SCREAM) WILLIAMSON'S NEW HORROR MOVIE FOR EXTENSIVE MAKEUP AND COSTUME TESTS. FOR YOU SEE DANNIE HAD BEEN CAST AS "TATTOOED-PIERCED GIRL #2" IN THE LATEST HIGH SCHOOL/TEENAGED SCIENCE FICTION-HORROR-THRILLER. THE FILM TO STAR ELIJA (DEEP IMPACT,ICE STORM) WOOD, ROBERT (TERMINATOR 2) PATRICK, JOSH (HALLOWEEN H2O) HARNETT, SELMA (DUST TO DAWN,DESPERADO) HAYEK, FAMKE (GOLDENEYE, DEEP RISING) JANSSEN, CLEA (LITTLE WITCHES) DUVALL, BEBE (CHEERS,JUMANJI) NEUWIRTH, DUANE (SCREAM II) MARTIN, MEGAN (MILLENNIUM) GALLAGHER, SHAWN (THE POSTMAN,IN & OUT) HATOSY, JORDANA (AS THE WORLD TURNS) BREWSTER, DANIEL (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS,BASIC INSTINCT) BARGEN, CHRIS (THE HEARSE, THELMA & LOUISE) McDONALD, LAURA (SUICIDE KINGS) HARRIS, AND PIPER (CARRIE,THE HUSTLER) LAURIE WOULD NEED DANNIE'S SERVICES FOR 15 DAYS OF SHOOTING OUT AT THE OLD TEXAS STATE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF ON SOUTH CONGRESS IN AUSTIN AND OTHER LOCATIONS AROUND THE HILL COUNTRY. DANNIE'S CHARACTER HAS SEVERAL KEY SCENES, INCLUDING CLOSE UPS AND INTERACTIONS WITH SOME OF THE MAIN ACTORS. DANNIE WOULD ACTUALLY PLAY 2 DIFFERENT CHARACTERS IN THE FILM, A DISTURBED LONER STUDENT AND LATER THAT STUDENT POSSESSED BY THE ALIEN ENTITY. MANY OF THE ACTORS AND CREW (APPROX. 30) OF THE FILM ATTENDED DANNIE'S 17TH BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH ABOUT 40 OTHERS TO EAT BARBIE-QUE & CAKE, AND WATCH 16MM MOVIES (TIME AFTER TIME, ABBY,ETC.) & BETTY BOOP CARTOONS IN THE BACKYARD TILL DAWN.
THE SUMMER OF 98 DANNIE SPENT GOING TO SUMMER SCHOOL, NOT ONLY DID SHE MAKE UP HER FAILED GRADES, BUT SHE ACTUALLY ENTERED THE FALL SEMESTER OF SCHOOL AHEAD OF WHERE SHE NEEDED TO BE. SHE DOUBLED UP ON CLASSES THAT SEMESTER AND MANAGED TO FINISH UP HIGH SCHOOL 1/2 A YEAR EARLY ON DECEMBER 16, 1998, THE SAME DAY SHE WOULD ATTEND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF HER MOVIE "THE FACULTY".
COOL!!! DANNIE WORE HER ULTRA HIP, UBER COOL, CUSTOM MADE, 100% LEATHER, SKIN-TIGHT, ENGLISH/GERMAN MOTORCYCLE SUIT TO THE PREMIERE AT AUSTIN'S MOVIE PALACE, THE PARAMOUNT. SHE ATTENDED THE PRE-PARTY $100 A TICKET AFFAIR AT ANTONE'S HOME OF THE BLUES WITH LOBO, HER BRO & DAD, ERIC, JASON, REBECCA, JED, AND ABOUT 400 OTHER GUESTS. WHERE THEY LISTENED TO THE LIVE BLUES SOUNDS WHILE THEY OVERSTUFFED THEMSELVES WITH SMOKED SALMON, CRAB QUICE, ROAST BEEF, PATE, AND OTHER DELIGHTS. THEN IT WAS OFF TO SEE HER ON THE GIANT SCREEN IN SDDS SURROUND SOUND FROM FORTH ROW CENTER OF THE GLORIOUS PARAMOUNT THEATRE WITH 1300 HYPED FILM FANS. SHE AND HER GROUP THEN TREKKED OVER TO THE LIBERTY LUNCH FOR THE "AFTER" PARTY WERE SHE WAS JOINED BY ROLAND, MARCUS, ANDY, SANDI, TALINE, AND ABOUT 800 OTHERS TO ROCK TO THE SOUNDS OF FLAME TRICK SUBS AND CATCH THE EROTIC MOVES OF SATAN'S CHEERLEADERS. HER CORE GROUP OF 18 (THE ABOVE NAMES PLUS 4 PARIS GEEKS AND ANOTHER FROM CLEVELAND) THEN DROVE TO THE 24 HOUR KERBY LANE CAFE FOR EARLY MORNING MUNCHIES AND RIOTOUS GEEKING-OUT OVER THE NEW TEENAGE/MONSTER/THRILLER MOTION PICTURE EPIC THEY'D JUST EXPERIENCED. NOT TOO SHABBY OF A GRADUATION PARTY NIGHT, HUH? WELL? CAN YOU TOP IT?
More About DANNIE HELEN LORAINE KNOWLES:
BOY SCOUTS: WAS A BROWNIE IN GSA.,
CLUBS: LANIER ART CLUB
COMPANIES: PORTWOOD RANCH & COMPANY,JAY'S 20TH CENTURY ESOTERICA
Education: SEYMOUR ELEM.,BURNET MID.SCH.AISD.,LANIER H.SCH.AISD.,
Friends: CIARA GAMMON,JANETA LUNA,MARY ANDERSON
HOBBIES: SEWING,ART,BEADING, PLAYS THE TRUMPET,COLLECTS DOLLS&FEMALE ACTION FIGURES
IN MEMORIAM: NAMED FOR DANNIE PORTWOOD AND LORAINE WARD,HER MOM CALLED HER "ROSEBUD"
Occupation: RANCH,FARM,& OIL INTERESTS,POP CULTURE COLLECTIBLES
PETS: DONOTELLO&BABYFACE HORSES,SPLINTER TURTLE,HOUDINI GERBIL,SADIE DOG,RAPTOR GECKO,
RELIGIOUS: June 21, 1996, DELEGATE TO THE TEXAS BAPTIST EVANGELISM CONFERENCE IN DALLAS AT REUNION ARENA
SPORTS: SEYMOUR GIRLS BASKETBALL 90-92,SHIPE SWIMNING TEAM 93,ICE SKATING
