Description

Robert Sullivan graduated from San Diego State University and served as Vice President of Western Lumber Company and Sullivan Hardwood Lumber Company until his retirement in 1978. He served as the past Treasurer and President of the Board of Trustees of the San Diego Zoo, and chaired many of the committees. Sullivan was one of the founders of the San Diego Civic Light Opera Association, and was on the board of trustees of the Starlight Opera until his death. He was also past President of the San Diego Symphony Association, and served on the Boards of the Old Globe Theatre and All Saints Episcopal Day School. In this interview, Sullivan discusses the following topics: his family background and how they arrived in San Diego (both sets of grandparents were in the lumber business); when he was married, where he was born, and his educational background; his earliest recollections of the zoo and why he wanted to get involved; issues the Zoo faced while he was on the Board, including the Star of India incident; early fundraising campaigns; the birth of Starlight Opera, and performances in the Zoo Bowl; the relationship between Sullivan's interest in the symphony, zoo, and Starlight Opera; how he helped to build the Old Globe Theatre, serving as the building contractor liaison after the first fire in 1978; the Zoo's education department and whether the Zoo's primary function should be entertainment or education; memories of developing the Wild Animal Park; recollections of founder Harry Wegeforth, including his fundraising acumen; the effects of the Depression and WWII on the Zoo; the development of Balboa Park and the Naval Hospital; an anecdote about a bear getting loose during a Starlight in the Bowl performance; and the general feelings people at the Zoo had after Harry "Doctor Harry" Wegeforth died. He also has a different version of the elephant story told by Kenhelm Stott, Jr. This is a videotape of the same oral history interview of which the audio only is at SULLIVANROBERT. It is part of a collaboration between the Zoological Society of San Diego and the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University. Braun is from the Center. This file has been seen to have intermittent problems, losing video and exhibiting sharp sounds occasionally. Names mentioned during the interview include: Herbert Sullivan, Lettie Knight, Ted Mercier, Lester "Les" Olmstead, Howard Miner, Fred Kunzel, Bill Dean, Bruno David Ussher, and Harry Calloway.