Tom Slick: Not the Cartoon

Tom Slick Jr., an individual shaped by early exposure to wealth and high-profile situations, is a testament to how family legacy and personal tragedy can influence a person's life direction and passions.

Tom Slick Sr. was a legendary figure known as the king of the wildcatters for daringly drilling oil wells in uncertain locations. His most notable success was the Wheeler 1 well in Bristol, Oklahoma, which proved to be one of America’s most fruitful, yielding over 300,000 barrels per day. The prosperity from this well, alongside the productive Cushing Oilfield, catapulted the Slick family into extraordinary wealth, with the Cushing Oilfield at one time accounted for two-thirds of oil production in the Western Hemisphere.

The esteem held for Tom Slick Sr. in Oklahoma's oil community was profound. His passing at age 46 from a stroke, attributed to long work hours in the oil fields, was marked by the state's oil derricks ceasing operation for an hour in his honor. At the young age of 14, Tom Slick Jr.'s life was significantly impacted by his father's early death.

Tom Jr. was raised in an affluent household and exposed to high-profile situations from a young age. For instance, after the deaths of Tom Slick Sr. and Tom's aunt Flo, Tom Slick Jr.'s mother married her brother-in-law, Charles Urschel, who had been married to Flo. Urschel became a good stepfather to Tom, providing stability ...

Tom Slick's passion for the mysterious and unexplained led him on expeditions in search of cryptids such as the Yeti and Bigfoot, fueled by the stories and fascination he shared with his father.

Inspired by his father's fascination with creatures like the Loch Ness Monster, Tom Slick embarked on multiple expeditions to search for the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti, in the Himalayas.

Tom Slick followed in his father's footsteps, with a deep fascination for the Yeti, the Abominable Snowman reputed to roam the Himalayas. He considered the possibility of undiscovered species, potentially pre-human, residing in these mountains. In 1937, Slick ventured to Europe to search for the Loch Ness Monster before turning his attention to the Himalayas, where Westerners’ tales of the Yeti would draw him in.

Slick's expeditions involved extensive planning and resources, including the use of tracking dogs, reconnaissance planes, and even attempts to steal religious artifacts believed to be from the Yeti.

Slick's expeditions were well-funded and meticulously planned. His first foray into the Himalayas in the winter of 1956 fueled his passion as he returned with a plaster cast footprint. Two years later, his commitment to these explorations deepened as he equipped his teams with photographers, documentary filmmakers, professional trackers, makeshift animal gear such as snow boots for dogs, and a reconnaissance plane.

The financial burden was personally shouldered by Slick, especially after he injured his knees on a prior expedition. Subsequent excursions, including one headed by Peter Byrne, were no less elaborate. Slick's third Himalayan expedition even included an audacious plan to steal a Yeti thumb and scalp from the Pangboche Temple, which was executed with an offer of a sizeable donation to the temple. The stolen items were smuggled back to the UK, but DNA testing in 2011 revealed the thumb to be human.

While the expeditions were unsuccessful in finding conclusive evidence ...

Tom Slick was a visionary who made significant contributions to various fields through his research institutions and foundations. He was not driven by profit but by a fervent curiosity and the desire to use his wealth for the advancement of science and technology.

Research institutions and foundations

Josh Clark highlights that Tom Slick's legacy includes several prestigious research institutions and foundations, which have made substantial scientific contributions.

Significant contributions to genetics, medicine, and technology

Slick's research centers, such as the Texas Biomedical Research Institute and the Southwest Research Institute, have been instrumental in the development of groundbreaking innovations. These facilities have been involved in producing the first oral contraceptives, vaccines for diseases such as hepatitis A through C, HIV, AIDS, the Ebola virus, and their participation in COVID vaccine efforts. They have also fostered advancements for NASA, electric cars, and the oil and gas industry, striving to enhance the quality and efficiency of various products through focused research.

One of Slick's earlier successes in his early 20s was cross-breeding cattle to create the Brangus cattle breed, a cross between Scottish Angus and Brahmin cattle from India, resulting in a disease-resistant, pest-resistant breed that does well in droughts and is notably maternal. His creation of the Brangus breed was not profit-oriented but was aimed at improving cattle breeds for people in hotter climates.

Exploration and development of new technologies

Slick was known for his diverse scientific endeavors and his willingness to support a wide range of innovative projects.

Utilization of wealth to drive progress

Always interested in exploring the unknown and leveraging his financial resources, Slick co-invented the lift slab method, reducing the cost of construct ...

Tom Slick's history raises questions about his possible connections to espionage and covert activities during significant historical events.

There are indications that Slick may have been involved in clandestine activities related to the CIA's operations in Tibet during the Chinese invasion in the 1950s.

Josh Clark suggests that Tom Slick's encounters and connections hint at his involvement in spy activities, particularly with the CIA's operations in Tibet during the 1950s. It has been alluded to that Slick may have played a role in helping the Dalai Lama escape from Tibet during the Chinese invasion, as he had previously met the Dalai Lama and was tied to significant events in Tibet during that time.

Slick's connections to individuals like Peter Byrne, who aided in the escape of the Dalai Lama, suggest Slick may have played a role in these covert efforts.

Peter Byrne, who worked closely with Tom Slick, is known to have helped the CIA with operations in Tibet. Given Byrne's activities including assisting in the Dalai Lama's escape and knowing that he collaborated with Slick, particularly Byrne's participation in the Yeti expeditions funded by Slick, there is a narrative suggesting Slick's involvement or at least connection to these covert efforts.

The destruction of records related to Slick's activities in Chile during World War II has fueled speculation that he may have been engaged in espionage or other undercover work for the U.S. government.

Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark discuss the mysterious conditions of Tom Slick's work in Chile during World War II. He worked for the Board of Economic Warfare, and the obliteration of records from his time there has spurred conjecture that he may have been involved in espionage. Adding to thi ...

Tom Slick, known for his pursuits as an adventurer and businessman, also led a notably colorful personal life characterized by several marriages and a reputation for being a charming playboy.

Slick's personal life was marked by multiple marriages and divorces, as well as a reputation as a "millionaire playboy" who had numerous romantic relationships.

After his first marriage ended, Slick remarried in 1947 to a woman 12 years his junior, with whom he had three children before that marriage also ended in divorce. Chuck Bryant, while admiring Slick's boundless curiosity, does not see him as a role model when it comes to matrimonial commitment, acknowledging that Slick was often absent. Following his second divorce, Slick embraced a more carefree lifestyle, identifying more with the role of a millionaire playboy rather than that of a husband.

Slick was upfront with the women he dated about the temporary and casual nature of his romantic involvements, though he did maintain long-term connections with many of them.

Despite his aversion to re-marriage post-divorce, Slick didn't shy away from romantic encounters. He was very clear with the women he courted, ensuring they understood the fun, though non-serious, nature of their involvement. Nonetheless, he seemed to maintain enduring connections with many of these women.

Despite his busy professional and personal life, Slick remained engaged with his children and often brought them along on his expeditions, fostering a closer relationship than he had with his own father.

Slick may have been distant in some respects, but when it came to his children, he ensured to involve them i ...