Don McCorkell

Marilyn

​

(m. 1969)​

Don McCorkell
Member of the OklahomaHouseofRepresentatives from the 72nd district
In office 1979–1996
Education	University of Tulsa (BA) University of Tulsa College of Law (J.D.)

Don L. McCorkell, Jr (June 28, 1947 - March 25, 2025) was an American politician and filmmaker who served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives representing the 72nd district between 1979 and 1996.

He ran unsuccessful Democratic primary campaigns in the 1996 United States Senate election in Oklahoma and 2006 Tulsa mayoral election.

Early life and education

Donald L. McCorkell was born on June 28, 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from the University of Tulsa and the University of Tulsa College of Law. ^[1]

Oklahoma House

Don McCorkell represented the 72nd district of the Oklahoma House of Representatives between 1978 and 1996. ^{[2] [3]}

In 1996, McCorkell retired to run in the Democratic primary for one of Oklahoma's United States Senate seats. ^[4] His campaign's top priorities were economic development and education. ^[3]

In 2006, McCorkell lost the Tulsa mayoral Democratic primary to Kathy Taylor. He spent $1 million self financing his campaign. ^[5] During the primary he accused Taylor of voter fraud in the 2000 election, however the district attorneys' office did not file charges. ^[6]

Later life and death

After the 2006 mayoral election, McCorkell travelled to Santa Barbara to visit and eventually moved to the area. There he began making environmental documentaries. His 2008 documentary, Shall We Gather at the River, was critically acclaimed throughout the western United States. ^[5] McCorkell's wife, Marilyn, died in 2023. He died on March 25, 2025 in Santa Barbara, California. ^[7]

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	Shall We Gather at the River	Director	[8]
2009	A River of Waste: The Hazardous Truth About Factory Farms	Director	[9]

References

1. "In Memoriam" (PDF). Oklahoma Bar Journal . 97 (2): 73. February 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
2. "Historic Members". okhouse.gov. Oklahoma State Legislature. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
3. "U.S. Senate Don McCorkell". The Oklahoman. 18 August 1996. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
4. "Gilbert to Seek House Seat Now Held by McCorkell". Tulsa World. 21 June 1996. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
5. Krehbiel, Randy (14 September 2008). "Ex-politician makes his point with documentary". Tulsa World. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
6. Canfield, Kevin (6 October 2013). "Tulsa mayoral candidates talk about controversies during their terms". Tulsa World. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
7. "Don McCorkell Obituary". Tulsa World . June 22, 2025. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
8. "Shall We Gather at the River". imdb.com. IMDb. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
9. "A River of Waste: The Hazardous Truth About Factory Farms". imdb.com. IMDb. Retrieved 16 June 2022.