Delmar Watson’s stories live on.
Posted by donraymedia on June 17, 2009
When Delmar Watson died in October of last year, he left behind a collection of 20th century news photographs — mostly about people and events in Southern California. He and his five photojournalist brothers made most of the photos, but their uncle, pioneer news photographer George R. Watson contributed thousands of them (see “He Made the News Click” in an earlier posting). The collection grew even larger when other “photogs” donated or willed their collections.
Before the famous Watson brothers began documenting the news in Los Angeles, they and their three sisters were child actors in scores of films. Fans remember Delmar for his role of Peter Goat Boy alongside Shirley Temple in “Heidi” and sharing scenes with Jimmy Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” There were so many more.
Delmar understood the value of oral history interviews clear back in the early ’70s when he sat down with Uncle George and recorded hours upon hours of amazing stories.
Fortunately, Delmar was also willing to be at the other end of the microphone and camera in November of 2005 when he told oral historian Don Ray about his childhood, his career, his family and the harmless, but inventive, pranks he, his brothers and other photogs dreamed up and executed.
In this video, Delmar recounts a handful of such mischief back in the ’40 and ’50s.
Thanks to oral history interviews, future generations can laugh along with one of the most pleasant and humorous people anyone could wish to know. (Please forgive the incorrect year of death at the end of the video. Delmar lived to be 82 — not two years)
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