It is one thing to simply meet celebrities. That is an occurence at which I’ve become more than adept. Seldom does my voice quiver with nervousness when I encounter one. On the other hand, meeting them rarely brings a lump to my throat or a swelling of my heart – because it is often nothing more than a fleeting, cold encounter. But it is another thing to call one of your favorite performers a long-time friend. This is the case with my pal Jerry Tucker Schatz. Every since I first met the former child actor who had starred in 18 entries in the Our Gang/Little Rascals series, he has enchanted me with his stories, his humility, and above all his kindness.
Our first encounter came on Tuesday, July 29, 1986. My friend Bob had contacted Jerry via mail and invited him to attend the Sons of the Desert convention being held in Valley Forge that year. Jerry graciously accepted, bringing along his lovely wife Myra, and an incredibly entertaining slideshow highlighting his fascinating film career. His slide show was so good in fact that my Dad assumed that at the end of it Jerry would be trying to sell us all something. But he didn’t. And yet everyone who was in the room that day was sold on this man, and we all knew that we had a new friend – his kindness only matched by his lovely and endearing wife Myra.
Jerry and Myra went on to be a guests at succeeding Sons convention in 1988 (Minneapolis), 1992 (Las Vegas), 1994 (Tareytown, New York), 1996 (Caribbean Cruise), and 2002 (Nashville). Sadly, this was the last time I saw Jerry for nearly 11 years, and the last time that I ever saw Myra. She passed away on August 2, 2012, to the sadness of Sons and other friends the world over, but most of all Jerry, who considered her his whole world.
I was very excited of the prospect of seeing Jerry again as my friend Bob and I traveled through New York and made our way to Long Island. I insisted on holding off our visit until Carolyn could get to New York, as I desperately wanted her to meet this amazing man.
As we pulled the car into Jerry’s drive-way at his home on Long Island on Sunday, June 2, 2013, he was waiting on his doorstep. Bob rolled down the window and yelled “Hi Neighbor!” – referring of course to the 1934 Our Gang short of the same name in which Jerry plays the snooty rich kid who goads the other kids into a fire engine race down an impossibly steep hill. Instantly a lump came to my throat as I saw him waiting for us. He looked great and he seemed very excited for our visit.
We went into his living room and took our seats and began the job of catching up. He was very sweet to Carolyn as we went around the room and told of what we had been up to. We told him how it was really the Our Gang that brought the two of us together. Jerry took us down to his basement to show some of the items that still remained on his wall, both items from his younger years as well as more recent family photos. Jerry had served in the Navy during both World War II and the Korean war and has the war wounds to prove it. For his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart. His medals hung proudly on the wall as well. Most of his memorabilia however had been donated long ago to the University of Maryland.
Seeing Jerry again after 11 years
Carolyn and me with Jerry in his basement
Jerry with his Purple Heart and other medals of distinction
Very cool photo of the Paramount contract players in 1931, among them Jerry holding Carole Lombard’s hand in the front row.
Jerry offered up as many signed photos as we wanted. I got one for myself and Silas and Carolyn got one for herself, her Mom, and her sister.
Then we all headed out to a local eatery called the Lindencrest Diner. Naturally Jerry would have it no other way than to treat us to dinner. We then went back to his place and chatted further, discussing such things as how he got hired by Paramount, how he came to work for Hal Roach (he was never under contract as an official Our Gang member), working with Shirley Temple, how he became Jerry Tucker (the studio wanted to name him Tommy Tucker, but his mother insisted he keep his first name), how he came to live in New York, the four distinct phases of his life (as a child actor, a Navyman, an electrical engineer with RCA, and as a retired husband, father, and grandfather), his involvement with the recent release of the Our Gang films, and other assorted memories of the Our Gang. But overriding it all was one certain thing: he missed his beloved wife. We did too.
Dinner at the Lindencrest Diner
Three chaps who first met at the 1986 Valley Forge convention, 26 years later
I had that lump in my throat once again as we parted ways that night. Over the years, I had exchanged holiday cards and occasional letters with Jerry and Myra, but we had fallen out of touch in more recent days. I vowed to myself to keep in better touch with Jerry through email, and that’s what I intend to do. Jerry prefers to not do much traveling these days to Sons events, but I know his door is always open if I make it back his way. I sure hope I do someday soon.
Goodnight neighbor!
Return to Sunday in New York…
What a wonderful treat that visit must have been for all of you!
Dave Chasteen
September 13th, 2013