Just one year after his 1952 fair debut, he underwent cosmetic surgery to correct a hooked nose and "a lascivious wink" that gave him a menacing appearance, according to "The Great State Fair of Texas An Illustrated History, " written by Nancy Wiley, the fair's former head of public relations, and published in 1985 by Taylor Publishing Co.
WSJ: In Dallas, a Makeover for 'Big Tex'