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Community Corner

Guest Editorial: Remembering Cliff Robertson

Our sports columnist reminisces about running into the late actor at a local eatery.

I picked up the daily paper on Sunday morning and doing what I hear most folks my age do when they look at the newspaper, I turned to the obituary page to find actor Cliff Robertson had died.

My long career at the daily had many great experiences interviewing mostly college, high school, amateur and the occasional professional athlete.

One of my many goals as a journalist was not to be a name-dropper like others I have known.

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However, I have to make an exception here because I had the good fortune to meet and speak with the late Mr. Robertson over dinner a few years ago.

Robertson died Saturday, Sept. 10, one day after his 88th birthday. He is most famous for playing President John F. Kennedy in the World War II film PT 109 and for his work in Charly in 1968 when he won an Oscar.

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It was the early fall of 2007, and I was going to pick up dinner at Charlie Gitto's downtown. I phoned in my order and left work for my lunch hour.

The restaurant owner and my longtime friend, Charlie Gitto, greeted me when I came in the door. He said my order wasn't ready, and asked if I would like to have a drink with him. I ordered a diet soda, and we talked for a few minutes.

Gitto asked me to look over at his favorite table, named "The Tommy Lasorda Table,” after his friend and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager.

"See that guy sitting at the Lasorda table, do you know who that is?" Gitto asked.

I told him it looked a little like Cliff Robertson, the actor. He said I was correct. Gitto told me to go over and introduce myself. I was hesitant since Gitto is great at playing practical jokes on his friends.

I slowly approach the table, excused myself and introduced myself to the man. He looked up from his plate, smiled and extended his hand.

Yes, it was Robertson, and it was no joke.

He explained he visited St. Louis several times a year to confer with his lawyer, Bonnie Wedel of Bryan Cave, as well as Brian Lorenz of New England Financial. Both were having dinner with Robertson.

Robertson asked me to join him, but I did not want to intrude. I sat down for a short time and told him he starred in one of my favorite war movies To Late the Hero made in 1970 and one of his 60 films.

"To Late the Hero, I can't believe you remember it," Robertson said. "How could you remember that?"

I told him I enjoyed his character and the character of his co-star, Michael Caine, and the story line about a group of British soldiers led by Robertson to destroy an enemy radio post.

Reading his obituary in the New York Times, Robertson was once quoted as saying the film was "a bunch of junk."

Robertson asked what I did for a living, and I told him. The conversation suddenly turned on me and Robertson asked questions about my career.

He told me after serving in the Merchant Marines in World War II, he attended Antioch College in Ohio and studied journalism.

Robertson worked at the local newspaper and radio station.

Robertson said the print world had changed many times since he left for an acting career. I told him I started at 15 as a copy boy when hot metal was just leaving and cold type was the rave.

The daily printed word was changing again at that time thanks to the invention of the Internet. Robertson asked my opinion of the revolution.

I said there was no balance being considered. A large portion of readers want the paper in their hands in the morning. They don't have cellphones, answering machines, cable TV, DVD or VCR players, call waiting, caller ID or home computers.

Robertson smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"Interesting, very interesting," Robertson said. "I really enjoyed working at that small-town paper."

He again asked me to stay a few more minutes to have dessert, and I told him I had to get back to work. Deadlines, Cliff. And the Cardinals were playing.

He smiled and shook my hand again.

I can honestly say he seemed friendly and genuine. Above all, he was interested in my life on the job at the daily, a job that I would lose about one year after we spoke.

It was a strange and memorable coincidence meeting an Oscar winner and talking about the newspaper business changing both of our lives.

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