Boy - Bomba

my meeting with "Boy/Bomba" on August 15, 2004
note: click on a picture to see the larger version

I learned on a Sunday morning that Johnny Sheffield was going to be in Bellingham WA later that afternoon to give a talk and show clips from some of his films. When we were young boys, in the 1940s, my brother and I saw most of the Weissmuller "Tarzan" movies and all of the "Bomba" movies. Though I really wanted to see him, I was already committed for the afternoon (we were having about 50 people over for a neighborhood party). So I called the place where he would be speaking, the American Museum of Radio & Electricity, and asked if I could see him before. They said sure. I put on the t-shirt AMC gave me for helping with their Tarzan marathon some years ago and left immediately.

I got to spend about a half hour with the man. He was funny, charming and so willing to talk about his days as a child actor; he's a very gifted storyteller. I really hated to leave, but I had no choice. My neighbor Mike McMullen drove me there and took these photos. After some preliminary shots Sheffield began to play director, too. Holding his arm across his chest, he said "Move in Mike, from here up." Then later he turned me around so we were facing away from the ceiling spotlight: "Now, Mike, use the backlight." As we were getting ready to leave he autographed a photo for me.

What a great time I had with this wonderful man who was so much a part of my boyhood adventures. I'm very grateful to him.

I learned on a Sunday morning that Johnny Sheffield was going to be in Bellingham WA later that afternoon to give a talk and show clips from some of his films. When we were young boys, in the 1940s, my brother and I saw most of the Weissmuller "Tarzan" movies and all of the "Bomba" movies. Though I really wanted to see him, I was already committed for the afternoon (we were having about 50 people over for a neighborhood party). So I called the place where he would be speaking, the American Museum of Radio & Electricity, and asked if I could see him before. They said sure. I put on the t-shirt AMC gave me for helping with their Tarzan marathon some years ago and left immediately.


I got to spend about a half hour with the man. He was funny, charming and so willing to talk about his days as a child actor; he's a very gifted storyteller. I really hated to leave, but I had no choice. My neighbor Mike McMullen drove me there and took these photos. After some preliminary shots Sheffield began to play director, too. Holding his arm across his chest, he said "Move in Mike, from here up." Then later he turned me around so we were facing away from the ceiling spotlight: "Now, Mike, use the backlight." As we were getting ready to leave he autographed a photo for me.

What a great time I had with this wonderful man who was so much a part of my boyhood adventures. I'm very grateful to him.