Just Two Field Rats
out for a Burger

by Mike Byers
(Dallas. TX)

George Kennedy, Actor

I met (actor) George Kennedy when he came to Anchorage in 1983.

He was on the Norma Goodman Show when I worked for KTVA.

We talked for about an hour, and he asked if I could give him a lift back to The Captain Cook.

He asked me where the best place to grab a burger was, so we went to the Arctic Roadrunner and had burgers for lunch, he was that kind of guy. He will be missed.

The rest of the story…

Mr. Kennedy was 6' 3" tall, I am 6'. At the time, I drove a fiat X19. There was no way that was going to happen. I got to use a box truck that belonged to KTVA.

The reason he took a liking to me was the fact that I had been in the Army and so had he. Me in the 80s and he had served in WWII. So, here we were, a couple of “field rats” riding around in a box truck looking for burgers and laughing our butts off at how bizarre we must have looked and telling each other our Army stories.

When we got to The Arctic Road Runner, we went in and stood in line. He offered to pay, but I bought. I ordered first, and I told the cashier that the old guy behind me was my dad and I wanted to buy his lunch. I also informed her that he tells everyone he's George Kennedy and not to pay any attention to him because that's what he wants.

She must have thought we were both crazy.

He told her that he was George Kennedy, and he would pay. I just looked at her and said “See!” She was so young I don't think she knew who George Kennedy was and thought we were both nuts.

Yours Free

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