Names

  In another installment of people I have met, we look at a couple of men who had similar jobs but from different angles.

 The first was Grady Nutt.  He was a Christian comedian.  You might remember him from his appearances on "Hee Haw" on TV.  I met Grady at Ridgecrest Baptist Conference Center back in the late 60's.  Let me just say that Grady was a cool guy.  He used his humor as a way to get people to think about God.  He would say that God had a sense of humor, because He made Grady.  Contrary to public opinion, Grady's last name was really Nutt.  It wasn't made up, but you could actually call him a "nut".  He also used his humor in the pulpit, as God used him to win souls to Christ.  One night, he was preaching on prayer at Ridgecrest to a bunch of young people.  I was there.  He told the audience that he was going to pray with his eyes open, and that everyone should do it, too.  We had been trained to pray with our eyes shut.  As he prayed, I looked around the auditorium.  There were some who kept their eyes open.  Most had their eyes closed.  His point was that you don't have to close your eyes to talk to God.  You can walk down the street or drive a car while talking to God.  He suggested to not close your eyes while driving.  People laughed, but he made a point.  

 The other person was Gregory Walcott.  You may not know the name, but he was an actor in Hollywood.  He was in a lot of films and TV shows including "Mister Roberts", "Plan 9 from Outer Space", "Bill Wallace of China", "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot", "The Eiger Sanction", "Midway", "The Rifleman", "Bonanza", and many more.  He also used his name to preach in churches about his Savior, Jesus Christ.  I met Greg, when I was 13.  He was preaching in a church in Sumter, SC.  He and my father were friends.  He was one of the first Hollywood actors I had ever met, and I was in awe.  Someone took a picture of me shaking hands with him inside the church after the service.  My mouth is open.  He was very kind to talk with me as a real person.  I didn't think of these actors as real people.  They were on TV or on the big screen.  He said I could call him "Greg".  That was so cool.  When I would see him in the movies or on TV after that, I would say that he was my friend.  And, he was.