Oral History Videos

Rusty Kimura
Interview Length: 1:37

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT:
He and I and a fellow named George Fraiser, we were buddies.  We went to a movie one Saturday night.  And it was a comedy called, "Flying High" was the title.  And you may have heard of this comedian, his name was Bert Lahr (L-A-H-R).  The female lead, never heard of her before.  Never heard of her since either but her name was Charlotte Greenwood.  Anyway, Bert Lahr, his nickname was “Rusty” in that picture.  And I imitated him Monday at school.  I was imitating him, I'm a clown.  I was imitating him and so a girl called, started calling, calling me, “Rusty.”  But it didn't take hold until after high school days.  My older brother started calling me Rusty when we moved to Oakland, way back in 1937.  And from there it took hold.  And even in Tokyo, I was in Tokyo after the war in the Army of Occupation for 19 years and three months.  And there were fellows there in all that time, they didn't know my real name.  I've heard two or three fellows while I was at working at the desk standing a few feet away, "what was Rusty's name?"  And I turn around and say, “you mean I've been working with you guys for ten years and you don't even know my name, huh?”