The TV Stars of the Sheriff’s Department Now Have Their Own Groupies

Lieutenants in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department often appear on television giving press briefings, and it appears some have developed followings.

Sgt. Richard Longshore, a homicide investigator, answered the phone the other day and was asked by a woman whether Lt. Larry Lincoln was in. Longshore said Lincoln was out and asked if she wanted to leave a message. Instead, she asked if Lt. Dan Rosenberg was in.

She added: “He’s the cuter one, isn’t he?”

On the road: In Seattle, Al Ross of Westwood saw indications that the city has gone vegetarian by law (see photo).

Letter imperfect: An ad writer on a San Diego-area newspaper, meanwhile, no doubt had to eat a bit of crow (see accompanying).

And, finally: Steve Durgin of Woodland Hills found a dry cleaner that stands squarely on its guarantees (see photo).

Personal touch: George Putnam, age 87, recently was axed as a radio host by KRLA (AM-870) but vows he’ll be back, and I hope he’s right.

Many will remember Putnam for his sign-off as a TV news anchor: “And that’s the up-to-the-minute news, up to the minute, that’s all the news.”

He’s a reminder of a time when broadcasters had enough personal stature to use signature phrases--before most were forced into a mold of formatted programming.

One survivor is KCAL’s Jerry Dunphy, who still opens with “From the desert to the sea to all of Southern California, a good evening.”

But there are other trademark phrases of local TV and radio personalities that I miss, including:

* “Time to call ‘em as we see ‘em” (TV sports anchor Gil Stratton, a former umpire).

* “Is it true?” (gossipy sportscaster Jim Healy).

* “Tina Delgado is alive, alive . . .” (disc jockey the Real Don Steele, who never revealed the origin of the phrase).

* “Whoa Nellie!” (wrestling and roller derby announcer Dick Lane in the ‘50s).

* “I’m walking out the door” (excerpt of Nat King Cole song played as a sign-off by disc jockey Dick Whittinghill).

And, finally:

* “Get off the freeways, peasants, His Highness is coming (mock arrogant sign-off of disc jockey Emperor Bob Hudson).

Speaking of exit lines: A recent PBS TV special on Sam Goldwyn related how President Nixon visited the movie maker in 1971 to give him the Medal of Freedom.

The 91-year-old Goldwyn, who had suffered a stroke, was in a wheelchair and didn’t seem to understand what was happening. But when Nixon finished his speech before a large media gathering, Goldwyn tugged at his sleeve and whispered into his ear: “You’ll have to do better than that if you want to carry California.”

miscelLAny:

Here’s a footloose school: The Princeton Review college guide says of Claremont’s Harvey Mudd: “Like most schools of engineering and science, Mudd attracts a student body that can be, at times, a little strange. Students describe themselves as ‘weird nerds who never take showers and are always picking things off their feet.’ ”

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., 90012 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.