A little help from my friends

[Dave Schwartz]

Has anyone here ever seen the movie "Six Degrees of Separation?" The basic concept is that everyone on this planet is connected by at most, six people. From an African bushman to the President of the United States is (supposedly) six steps or less.

For 15 years I have been wondering what ever happened to an old friend of mine. Actually, two of them. In the last ten years I have searched increasingly more and more often for them and in 2002 actually located one of them. The other has alluded me.

Last night I got the bright idea that perhaps I could enlist the help of the people on this BBS to help me find him.

Actually, I am going to ask you to help me find a friend of his, because I think he is a higher-profile person and will know where my friend can be found.

The person I am looking for is Peter Ballner. He and his family found the Palmer Pool Cue company years ago in New Jersey. Many people knew him as "Pete Palmer."

So, can anyone help? Is the Palmer Cue Company still in business? I searched the web and found a few references but no company location.

My actual friend, just on the off-chance that anyone knows him, is named Goerge Wadsworth. He was an aspiring actor in the early-mid seventies under the name Erik Ashton. He had a couple of a credits in children's movies (some re-make of the Wizard of Oz, as I recall). (He was quite the stud and in my young single days I had a great social life on his overflow of women. <G>)

Today George/Eric would be about 58 or 59 years old, I believe.

The connection between the three of us was pool. Eric and I played and Pete sold us pool cues by the dozen. It is possible that George returned to New Jersey, Perth Amboy, was home I think. When I knew him he was living in Miami. Last I saw or heard from him was 1975.


I appreciate the effort of anyone that wishes to accept this challenge.


Happy New Year to All
Dave Schwartz

[lousycapperII]

contacting the present day manufacturers of pool cues such as QueTec to see if they know what happened to the Palmer Co. and the person you are trying to connect with?

Also there are complete CD phone lists available for a nominal charge. My Grampa located a friend of his who had moved to Georgia years ago. His phone number was listed and they were able to connect.

Then there is the U.S. census public records or the Mormon Church Genealogy
records.

-LCII

[lousycapperII]

Do you know what high school or college he attended? They usually keep in touch. Especially universities that are always looking for contributions from the alumnae.

If you know in which state he resides try the DMV.

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

-LCII

[Dave Schwartz]

I have written to several pool cue distributors. Problem is that a Japanese company bought the name some years ago. No help.

Found a couple of new links this morning and sent some emails.

The CDs of addresses are great but often out of date by a couple of years or more. I have tried online searches by state. I have called more George Wadsworths than you can shake a stick at. ANd the Balners (I misspelled it earlier) are even harder to find.

Thanks for your effort.

Dave

[trying2win]

Dave,

I noticed at the website for the INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE...i.e. www.imdb.com ...there are no movie credits listed for an Erik Ashton. However, there are two movie credits for a George Wadsworth:

--THE WONDERFUL LAND OF OZ (1969)

--JACK AND THE BEANSTALK (1970)

--It says at the imdb.com website, that the director of the above films is deceased. The late director's wife and two children were, or still are in the movie business. Lots of info if you do a search at that imdb.com website for George Wadsworth.

--I did a quick scan of a few of the other actors in the above-two mentioned movies. Some of the actors are alive and still in the movie business.

--At www.imdbpro.com ...they give a free trial for a service that gives you contacts in the movie business etc.

--Hope that helps a little bit. Good luck in your search for your old friend.

Trying2win

[freeneasy]

if you have a friend in the highway patrol and if your pal is in your state, the hp will find him in 15 minutes. but personal searches are not allowed. thats why a member of the hp must make the search, cause its generally understood that an employee of hp woudnt "test" the rules unless it was for a pretty good reason and in that case is pretty much overlooked.

[Dave Schwartz]

T2W,

Yes, I had located those two in a Google search last year. Thank you.

I also searched New Jersey, New York, Florida and California for George Wadsworths. Made a lot of telephone calls. So far, nothing.

F'nE,

Sounds like you have intimate knowledge of Highway Patrol capabilities. Could have used that while searching for the other guy I lost... James N. Smith... Imagine how tough THAT was. And, amazingly, I found him. 'Course I did it by finding a mutual friend; one with a much less common name.

Dave

[lousycapperII]

Perhaps, the Screen Actors Guild will have information on George Wadsworth.

-LCII

[lousycapperII]

FOUND AN EMAIL LINK FOR GEORGE WADSWORTH...


Both parties' email addresses will be hidden.

- You can send a maximum of one email message to the recipient.
Your message will inform the recipient that you are trying to
locate George Wadsworth, age 55.

You can send a message to the email address we found by clicking
on this link:

8750485062@via.reunitetonight.com

[Dave Schwartz]

LC,

What is "reunion tonight?"

I tried to go to www.reuniontonight.com and got a conventional search page (i.e. business, sports, shopping, etc.).

Can you give me a little more direction?


Dave

PS: Thanks for your effort.

[trying2win]

Dave,

--That's quite a challenge you have there, trying to locate an old friend. Especially when you don't have too many leads to go on.

--Other possibilities...How about these websites:

1. www.superpages.com (has a SEARCH function to do a scan of nationwide phone books to find names, addresses and listed phone numbers). Won't work of course, if a person has a silent phone number.

2. www.peoplesite.com (people search through free message boards, or hiring someone to doing a more thorough investigation).

3. www.classmates.com (good site to locate some old, senior high school friends and acquaintances).


--Continued good luck in your search.


Regards,

Trying2win

[freeneasy]

t2win mentioned a sight where you can find and hire private investigators. if you decide to try this route then search the listings for the name, edmund j. pankau. he's a p.i. and i believe he can be recommended. he's been profiled in time magazine, n.y. times, wall street journal, 20-20, inside edition, and americas most wanted. he teaches classes here in l.a. and i will try to get his bussiness number.

[Dave Schwartz]

Guys,

Thanks for your ideas.

I have, in fact, spoken with a couple of "people finder" firms. The general consensus is that, without a SSN, high school, exact age, or even middle initial, it is pretty hopeless UNLESS I can find the friend who is a little more unique.

As one firm told me, "We would charge $39.95 for EACH George Wadsworth we refer you to. You could spend a lot of money and never get the right one."

Actually, I might spend the money looking for Pete Balner that way. Hmmm.


Dave

[Tom]

DAve, try this:

1. Call Homeland Security.
2. Report your friend as a "sleeper".
3. stay tuned to CNN.

Free! :D

[JustRalph]

Originally posted by Tom
DAve, try this:

1. Call Homeland Security.
2. Report your friend as a "sleeper".
3. stay tuned to CNN.

Free! :D

classic Tom....... now that was funny......

[Dave Schwartz]

LOL - Actually, I was considering calling VetScratch. <G>