www.dailynews.com/ci_7938513 -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 1/10/2008
Last Visited: 1/11/2008
- Michael Teilmann, retired State Guard brigadier general and executive director of the Bob Hope Hollywood USO center at LAX
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"He paid $1,500 a month rent (that never changed) for the suite at the top of the Roosevelt and spent about $50,000 fixing it up when he moved in 16 years ago," said Mike Teilmann, one of Grant's closest friends.
They met at a USO show in Vietnam in 1968 and struck up a friendship that lasted 40 years.
Whenever Grant was off entertaining troops or traveling the world as Hollywood's goodwill ambassador, Teilmann was often standing at his side.
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"All he wanted to talk about was planning our next trip to visit the troops," Teilmann said."That was his life.He was never happier than when he was in front of a GI audience."
Johnny was a humble, honest man, Teilmann and Lugo say.
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"He never thought people outside the country knew who he was," Teilmann said."We were in Rotterdam, Holland, walking down the street before inaugurating an International Walk of Fame, and Johnny said to me, `Damn, Mike, why are we here?