A friend suggested we contact the Smithsonian (American History museum) for some help. They do this sort of thing all the time.
Only if you’re blind.
I think that any “big name” is going to have a much better photo from a high caliber photographer.
I’m going to say local guy. State rep. Mayor. High school principal. Police chief.
Definitely, emphatically not Churchill. Pretty sure it’s not any of the others mentioned so far either.
Alf Landon, maybe? Nah. Probably not: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1524&bih=734&q=alf+landon&oq=alf+landon&gs_l=img.3..0l2j0i10i24j0i24l7.1032.2602.0.2867.10.10.0.0.0.0.198.954.5j5.10.0...0.0.0..1ac.1.15.img.oBANVHEzYI8
+1
We need closure
WAG: Dana Elcar of The Sting and MacGuyver fame.
Uncle Pete?
The Team USA badge makes a certain amount of sense, because there was one that looked very similar for the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. He was some kind of Olympic Official, maybe?
The pin/ribbon is just the escutcheon of the United States, a very common patriotic motif. It’s what the eagle is supporting on the Great Seal. Absent further information, I doubt the unknown gentleman has any Olympic connection.
But that particular shield shape, and the arrangement of blue and stripes, is very specific and not the most commonly used. Team USA is where that particular design crops up most frequently.
It’s Hill Valley, CA mayor Red Thomas!
Looks more like the Salvation Army shieldto me.
Have him send you a closeup of the pin.
Surely the odds are that it’s an ordinary person. But if it is a Salvation Army shield, you might see if they have archives for images of persons associated with them.
There are many different shield shapes. It’s hard to see the shape from such a small picture, but I think it’s this shape, which is slightly different from the salvation army or team USA shapes.
We need a close up.
Also his tie. Possibly a tie of a particular organisation. Maybe. Can’t hurt to get a close up.
I don’t think Hill Valley can be in California if its local drive-in is in Utah.
and the spelling