Gil Gerard

He attended the University of Central Arkansas but dropped out before graduation.

Gerard landed a job as an industrial chemist, and within a few years he became regional manager of a large chemical company headed by governor Winthrop Rockefeller. Gerard's employers said they would name him the firm's vice president if he went for his master's degree, so he quit rather than tell everyone that he did not have a college degree.

He then went to New York where he studied drama by day and drove a taxicab at night. Gerard picked up a fare who showed a lively interest in the problems of unknown, unemployed actors. Before he left the cab, he told Gerard to report in a few days to the set of Love Story, which was being filmed on location in New York. When Gerard arrived on the Love Story set, he was hired as an extra. Later that day, he was singled out for a "bit" role, but this eventually wound up on the cutting room floor. Read Less

According to the show, he had been struggling with his weight for 40 years, losing weight only to gain it back. By the time of the program's production, his weight had risen to over and had many life-threatening health problems including a severe problem with type 2 diabetes. Within five days of the surgery he had lost, within three months he had lost, and within ten months he has lost a total of. Read Less