The Death of Robert Preston

I remember when I was a youngster I saw the late Joe E. Brown in a movie called “Elmer the Great,” which I liked very much.

When I first went to Lincoln High School in 1934 there was a senior by the name of Preston Meservey who was a good actor in school plays and whenever there was a play at school that he was in it, almost everybody in school would ditch classes to see Preston in that particular play.

The cost to see the plays in those days was 10 cents and believe me 10 cents was hard to get in those days, especially for me because our family was on relief at that time. It is the same thing as welfare now days.

One day at school there was a play called “Elmer the Great” and Preston had the leading role, the one played by Joe E. Brown in the movie. I believe if my memory serves me right the play ran for a week or so. Well, I didn’t have 10 cents and I was determined to see Preston in that play so I went around picking up papers, rags, bottles to sell to the junk man who came around our neighborhood every other day in a horse and buggy, believe it or not. I succeeded and I got to see Preston in “Elmer the Great.”

LEO VILLARREAL

Hacienda Heights