Elmer Gantry

At first Lear thought of making a feature film satirizing Swaggart and his ilk—sort of an updated Elmer Gantry.

Elmer Spiker interrupted to inquire whether the turtles I had seen were "black-legs, red-legs, or yaller-legs."

Elmer Spiker, mine host of the inn, was huddled close to the stove, and was reading by the light of a lamp.

Having evolved this sage remark, Elmer twisted back to his old position and raised the paper.

The suggestion seemed a likely one, so I interrupted the flow of Elmer's troubled thoughts to say good-night, and went out.

This was too direct a slap at Elmer Spiker to pass unnoticed; Elmer was too old an arguer to use any ponderous weapon in return.