Tom Lester

[When asked if he kept in touch with Green Acres (1965) castmate Eddie Albert] Oh, yeah! We really stayed in touch a lot, the last years of his life [Albert died at age 99]. It was real funny, I mean, sad, but such a great guy, funny, little things happen because of that--the last couple years of his life, he was beginning to start a little bit of that, little things he would ever forget, and that sorta thing. Alvy [Alvy Moore, who played Hank Kimball on "Green Acres"] used to tell a funny story about Eddie. He said that "Eddie had that organic garden". And his whole front yard and he lived up in Pacific Palisades, and the whole front yard of garden, an organic garden in the backyard is where everybody else got grass. He said, "One day, Eddie came out to pick some of his organic vegetables and he looked over there, and looked at a guy that was yellow, his next door neighbor, and it just disturbed him so much". So we went over and said, "Oh, my goodness, let me help you". So we began to feed him vegetables and he went, got him a vitamin regimen, to put him on a certain amount of vitamins, and everyday he'd take them to his next-door neighbor, all these vitamins and minerals and all these organic vegetables and everything. And this went on for about six months, and he realized the guy was Chinese. Show less «

[after turning down a beer commercial, resulting in his agent dropping him] I couldn't go into a church and share my faith and be in a movie downtown that people in the church wouldn't see because of the subject matter or language. Show less «

[about moving to Los Angeles to become an actor] God never took the time to make a nobody. People go through life wishing they had tried to do something, but they're afraid to try because they're afraid they'll fail. The failure is in not trying. Show less «

[How he found his faith and values after Green Acres (1965)] I had all the fun of being on "Green Acres" and laughing every day and having a great time. I had all the fun of traveling across the country and meeting wonderful people in churches. God gets all the credit, and I get all the fun. What a great deal! Show less «

[on his on- and off-screen chemistry with Eddie Albert] He was never angry, he was just frustrated all the time with us, and he never finished the sentence, and then, they would continue their dialogue, and said, "What the?", "Oh, for the . . . !". Show less «

[about being told in Hollywood about his looks] They said, "You are too tall, too skinny, too ugly, you have a Southern accent and you don't look like Rock Hudson". Show less «

I have a farm and I raise vegetables. I speak a good bit across the country. I have some investments. I stay busy. Show less «

If, with God's help, I wasn't living the Christian life, then me speaking across the country wouldn't have the effect that it has. Show less «

[Of Eddie Albert] I did my screen test with Eddie Albert; and he was just reading it. He didn't have the lines memorized, and I just was . . . and I had mine memorized and I worked the whole weekend [with acting coach Lurene Tuttle]. Show less «

[about his audition for the Eb Dawson role on Green Acres (1965) opposite Eddie Albert] About a month went by, and in the middle of June I got a call on Saturday morning from Mrs. Henning [wife of producer Paul Henning]. She said, "Tom, Mr. Henning wants you to go try out for "Eb". Now they want an older man, but he thinks it will be good experience for you". So I went over there and met with the producers, and they said, "We want you to do a screen test on Monday with Eddie Albert", who played the part of 'Mr. Douglas. I did the screen test with Eddie, and on Thursday they called and said that I had the job and that I started work the next week. They tested over 400 guys for the part, and all of them had more experience than me. I ended up getting the part--of course, I was "Eb" in real life--and I was on the show for six years. Show less «