Robert Cummings and his visit to Delmar 1946

First for those younger than 50 you are asking who is Robert Cummings? Robert Cummings was an actor who played in Movies and Television from the 1930's on up until his death in 1990. He was a pilot and frequently in his TV shows or movies he played a pilot. He played in over a hundred movies and just as many TV shows. He never quite reached legendary fame as a movie star as other actors of the period. I remember him more for his obsession with taking vitamin pills and other diet related foods. I seem to recall him taking over a hundred pills a day. Like Dick Clark he seem to stay a certain age and never really looked his age when he was older.

He had a TV show called Love That Bob 

So why was he in Delmar? Mrs. Robert Vincent, of Delmar Maryland, won a contest in 1946 called "How I would like to spend a day with Robert Cummings." She said she would like for him to spend the day helping her husband and his father run their Delmar grocery store. The Grocery store at 301 Pine Street was called J. R. Hines and Sons.

Mrs. Vincent was the former Edith Hudson and had just been discharged from the Army Nurses Corp as a First lieutenant. She had served 17 months in Europe.

The Avenue theater had a special showing of his movie "The Bride Wore Boots" also starring Barbara Stanwyck, for the visit.

From The Bi-State Weekly October 11, 1946

ROBERT CUMMINGS VISIT DELMAR TO PAY CONTEST DEBT

There was excitement a plenty in Delmar and hundreds turned out to greet Robert Cummings when he came to Delmar to keep a date with Mrs. Robert J. Vincent, who had won the movie and screen star for one day in a national radio contest.

Cummings and his wife arrived at the Salisbury Airport in their own plane last Thursday, where they were met by Mr. and Mrs. Vincent and a group numbering about 1000 persons. Arriving in Delmar, the Cummings and their welcoming party had lunch at the Rainbow Grille. Then Mr. Cummings helped Mr. Vincent wait on customers at the J. R. Hines Grocery Store. The store was crowded during the afternoon, many of whom were more interested in seeing the movie star than in buying groceries, although business was brisk, and the sales amounted to a neat sum.

Cummings role as clerk in the store was the outcome of a contest in which Mrs. Vincent’s letter was judged the best in 42,000 received from all over the U. S. on how they would like to spend a day with Robert Cummings. Mrs. Vincent asked that the movie star come to Delmar and help her husband run the grocery store for a day.

After playing grocery boy, Mr. Cummings was taken to the S. N. Culver Clothing store, and presented with a new hat by the manager, Howard T. Waller.

The Vincents and Mr. and Mrs. Cummings had dinner at the Vincent’s apartment in a sort of family affair. Then they went to the Avenue Theater, where Cummings picture, “The Bride Were Boots” was playing. The theatre was packed and many stood outside on the street.

Later a party at the Cozy Cabin Club on the Delmar Road in celebration of Mrs. Vincent’s birthday, brought an end to the activities of the day which could well be termed “A Perfect Day”.

Cummings and his wife, the former screen and stage actress, Mary Elliott, left the Salisbury Airport Friday morning in their red rocket-powered two seater plane for their return trip to Hollywood.

Of the Eastern shore, Mr. Cummings said “It is beautiful country,” and Delmar reminded him so much of the little railroad town in “King’s Row”, a picture in which he starred.

The Washington DC Evening Star October 1 1946