Obit of Gerlach, Virgil "Cal" - Okmulgee County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 15 Nov 2009 Return to Okmulgee County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okmulgee/okmulgee.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::NOT LISTED Gerlach, Virgil "Cal" Virgil "Cal" Gerlach passed away Jan. 14, 2007, after a monthlong hospitalization. He was 82. All four of his children were present at his passing. Cal was born Dec. 1, 1924, in Harrisburg, Pa., Soon the family moved to Cambridge, Md. There, his interest in history and films began as a boy. At the age of 12, he produced several black-and-white movies all based on historical characters. When color film became available he made "Swamp Fox" based on Gen. Francis Marion, hero of the Revolutionary War. Cal never wanted for actors, as his school friends were always happy to join in the adventures. After high school he went to the Art Center School in Los Angeles, where he studied photography under the renowned Ansel Adams. In 1942 he entered the U.S. Army. He served in Manila in the Philippines as an instructor of photography. After the war, the Army posted him in Okmulgee, Okla. It was there that he met and married Sue Lindsey. Cal and Sue came to California, where he became the story editor in the motion picture studio called Enterprise. He later became a freelance writer and did original scripts for Walt Disney. Ten of his scripts became episodes on Death Valley Days, hosted by the well- known actor Ronald Reagan and one episode was the life of western artist Charles Russell, played by Robert Taylor. As his family grew, Cal decided he needed a part-time job so he joined National General Theaters, later to become Mann Theatres, as an assistant manager at the La Reina in Sherman Oaks, but soon went on to become manager of the Capri, Lido, El Portal, Studio City, Whilshire Twin, Northridge, Alex Theatre in Glendale and the Fox Ventura. That "part-time" job didn't last very long! He spent four years traveling as district manager covering 28 theatres in Southern California and Las Vegas. He returned to the Mann Theatre Ventura, where he retired after 31 years. He always felt that he had been privileged to have trained and worked with so many young people. For most of them, it was their first job. They called him "Mr. G." During his retirement, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends he had known for so many years. He loved to travel, and they covered places that he had written about and explored new places from coast to coast always finding an idea for a new story. Calvin is survived by his wife of 61 years, Sue; sons, Cal Jr., and Christopher; daughters, Deborah Colley and Carolyn Westberg; 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18 at First United Methodist Church, 1338 E. Santa Clara St., Ventura. Published in the Ventura County Star on 2/11/2007. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Okmulgee County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okmulgee/okmulgee.html