Biography

Luther Raymond Vestergard was born 2 December 1902 in Chicago, Illinois to Christian Vestergard and Maytha Heckel. Growing up in Chicago, Luther attended local schools. Upon graduating, Luther moved to Los Angeles California where he attended the University of Southern California. At the same time he worked as an assistant deputy probation officer so he could pay his way through college. Luther would move on to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts to study law. Luther was only able to complete 2 years before running out of money. Returning to Los Angeles in 1926, Luther started acting, working under the stage name of Paul Power. Initially he appeared in 2 reel silent comedies based on the "Winnie Winkle, the Bread Winner" comic strip. The vast majority of his appearances during his career were in a number of supporting and minor roles that extended the rest of his life (over 40 years) taking his career from the days of silent films through the golden age of movies to television. His largest role was in Christian movie "Oil Town U.S.A." where he worked with his friend Billy Graham. Luther was married twice and divorced twice with no record of having any children. He also took care of his mother(who was bed ridden from a traffic accident) during the last four years of her life. Luther was also a lay minister serving at different times as assistant pastor and interim pastor for Saint Matthews Lutheran Church. He occasionally conducted services at the local movie studios and funeral services for the Motion Pictures Home in Calabasas, California. He joined the Hollywood Christian Group after it was organized in 1949. Luther passed away 5 April 1968 at the Hollywood West Hospital.