The Man Who Would Become Google-Able

Every community has them, the town characters. People who, for whatever reason, dress a little differently and act a little differently than others. They add texture to the fabric of our lives while they are here and we remember them fondly when they are gone.  I met one such character when I was 13 years old. His name was Melvin Presar and he was the dad of my best friend Beth.

Melvin was unlike any parent I had ever known. He was a lanky fellow who wore his pants high-waisted and too short at the bottom. He had large tears in his stained clothing and, when asked about it, he would simply state that they were perfectly fine. His sturdy dress shoes had paint splotches from previous projects that he worked on in his garage that itself was filled to the rafters with stuff. Melvin grew up in the 1920s-30s and skillfully learned how to “make do” with a little tape and string.

I soon realized that, while Melvin looked odd, he had a heart of gold and loved his family dearly. He had a broad smile, a contagious laugh and would listen to stories intently. His response was almost always, “You don’t say!” During his life, he had various jobs as a farmhand, cook, Fuller Brush salesman, and a pest exterminator for 26 years. Those jobs paid the bills but they definitely weren’t his livelihood.

Melvin wanted to be an entertainer. He spent his whole life in pursuit of this dream. He left his hometown of Wapakoneta, Ohio and headed to Hollywood by way of Tujunga. He worked his paid job during the day and performed in piano bars, karaoke clubs and on Hollywood Boulevard at night, hoping for that big break. I would describe his style as … eccentric. He reminded me of the TV character Gomer Pyle – goofy yet lovable. You just had to chuckle at Mel because he had so much fun performing while having a good laugh at himself.

Melvin caught the biggest break of his life when he auditioned for “The Gong Show,” a 1970s game show that was the precursor to modern-day talent shows like “America’s Got Talent.” The show was perfect for Melvin’s unique type of talent. His first performance was as “Dead Pan, the Sheik of Hollywood” where he wore a bedsheet and played a bed pan tambourine. He got “gonged” that time but returned to the show six more times. In 1978, he dressed as a chicken and cackled to “In the Mood” that caused the audience to shout, “One more time!” for about five encores. Beth and I attended that performance and we laughed so hard. Everyone did. Melvin was beyond ridiculous but he won the big prize at the end. After the show, we were all hungry and went to eat at Jack in the Box across the street. People stopped and shouted at us, “Hey, Chicken Man!” Melvin was all lit up and smiling.

Not long after his winning performance, Melvin was invited to be in “The Gong Show Movie” to play himself. The movie imagined a week in the life of the show where Melvin got so worked up on stage that he had a heart attack and landed in the hospital. Melvin dramatically overplayed the role but it was his shining achievement. He had made it in Hollywood.

Throughout his life, and for as long as he could, Melvin played local venues, sang in a barbershop group and performed for retired seniors. He loved it. When he passed away in 2014 at age 93, I “Googled” his name and found him in “The Gong Show” credits. Since then, he has gained 50 references that include over 12 countries. You don’t say! He would be pleased by his notoriety.

Susan Bolan

susanbolan710@gmail.com

  Susan BOLAN