Recently I heard a phrase: “Every human has a unique history.” Indeed, Terry Sanders, the hardest working entertainer in the music town of Branson, Missouri, has a unique history. However, Terry wears multiple faces. He has created a story and a history for numerous characters in his creative career. Terry is one of those college drama graduates whose parents kept asking, “When are you going to get a real job?” However, Terry had his plan for a career. With a degree from Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University), he headed to Branson. He worked at various jobs and especially gained from “The Toby Show” founded and directed by the late Shad Heller. Working in concessions, Terry memorized every line of every performer in the show. One evening when an actor fell ill, his break came. One break was all he needed. With a flair for transforming himself into different characters, Terry landed a job at Silver Dollar City, an 1890’s themed park a few miles from Branson. For 34 years, he has developed and played multiple characters throughout his days in the park.
A visitor might suddenly find himself being measured with a long yardstick by Mr. E. Balmer, who never speaks a word. Later in the same day, a wacky genius with powder burns in his lab coat might pass by muttering something about experiments and traveling in time. That would be Doc Harris. Often, a Southern gentleman, Colonel Paisley Parnell, greets guests in a honey-coated voice. Sometimes getting off the tram at the City, a no-nonsense prison warden, W.P. Warburton, barks orders to stay behind the white line until the tram comes to a complete stop. At Silver Dollar City’s Old Time Christmas, he is Clarence Peabody, Santa’s helper at Kringle’s Krossing.
Once at a fall festival, scarecrows decorated the City, standing in the flowerbeds, hanging from tree limbs, and lounging on benches. One life-sized scarecrow perched on the end of a bench near the entrance. A lady sat down to catch her breath and silently, with no discernible movement, the scarecrow’s white-gloved hand slipped behind and tapped her on the shoulder. Yes, inside those overalls stuffed with straw, Terry Sanders worked his magic for visitors to Silver Dollar City. The screaming woman recovered and the scarecrow gave her a huge hug. All in a day’s work to make a visit to the City memorable.
Nevertheless, work does not end with the daytime for Terry Sanders. For many years, he finished at Silver Dollar City and made his way to Braschler’s Music Theater where he filled the role of Homer Lee, the theater’s janitor. His character and the name Homer Lee have become synonymous with Terry Sanders. In fact, most of his fans think his real name is Homer Lee.
At the Braschler’s Theater, Terry honed his impersonation skills in a Joan Rivers look alike character. He often appeared in the show as the acclaimed star—and began making personal appearances as Joan Rivers at other venues. He also changed into his own grandmother, Grandma Beulah. Soon, Terry’s face appeared as Terry the Tour Guide on Branson’s Vacation Channel. For 16 years, he has played his tour guide role, as well as seven other characters in a one-hour show called “Branson Country.” The show airs several times daily on the Vacation Channel.
For twelve seasons, Terry played two characters at the Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama: Doc Coughlin, the doddering old man whose repeated phrase, “What would Sarah and the girls say?” became the character’s signature, and Ollie Stewart, the city slicker who blew onto the scene in his fancy uptown car to claim the heroine’s hand. All those years, Terry and his wife Dede raised two sons, who each performed as Little Pete in the “Shepherd of the Hills.” The drama turned into a family affair as Dede played Mrs. Wheeler and Evan Sanders recently played “Ollie” on Monday evenings when his dad performed the role of “Doc.” The cast of “Shepherd of the Hills” took their final bow as the drama closed on October 19, 2013.
For six seasons in September and October, Terry Sanders has led one-hour campfire/wagon rides at Big Cedar Lodge on select evenings. As “Deputy Birdy Tweedle,” he tells the history of Big Cedar Lodge—and adds a few tall tales. Playing “Barney Fife,” he has performed for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) on several dates and at different locations.
Also for six seasons, Terry has written, produced, and performed in Bass Pro’s Christmas celebration. For 2013, he has written, produced, and directed a new show for Bass Pro in Springfield called “Rock n Roll Breakfast with Santa.” Scheduled on five Saturday mornings starting on November 23 and running through December 21, a breakfast buffet opens at 8:00 a.m. Terry’s show starts at 8:30 a.m.
Terry is in his second season performing on Kelly’s Kountry Junction, a locally produced TV show currently shown on local PBS stations in Joplin and Springfield, Missouri. The show follows a format similar to “The Carol Burnett Show” with many characters and skits. Terry stretches his creativity in many characters.
Terry and other Branson stars filmed “Boonie Woonie,” a local movie that premiered at the Branson IMAX Theatre on September 8, 2013, to a sold-out crowd. The movie will be available on DVD in time for Christmas 2013. In May 2013, Terry staged a sold-out “Homer Lee Reunion” at the former Braschler Theatre in Branson. Terry says, “I knew every single person in the audience.” Of course, he knew every single person onstage, as well, entertainers with whom he has worked over the past four decades. Bob Leftridge of the Baldknobbers was the “voice” of the show. Former cast members of “The Toby Show” that gave Terry his first break appeared on the stage: Jae McFerron, Ray Jones, Rick Medlin, and Greg Becker. Also appearing were Berry Wynne and South Wynne, the Braschler Quartet, four singers from the Braschler Show: Merissa Braschler, Susie Sims, Raphel Thompson, Dee Schrock-Dolloff. Barbara Fairchild, Clay Cooper, Toni Roi, Doug Gabriel, Shoji Tabuchi, Dino Kartsonakis, and the “real” Joan Rivers also made guest appearances on the show.
Terry Sanders says he plans to do personal appearances “everywhere” for the rest of his life. Although he is the busiest entertainer on the Branson scene, going from his regular job at Silver Dollar City to his regular job at Big Cedar Lodge, and now his regular job at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, he books appearances at special events, anniversaries, birthdays, family reunions, corporate meetings—and even at the Baker Creek Seed Company. His parents finally conceded that he has a “real” job.
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