Have You Ever Met A Movie/TV Star or Celebrity?

[happyfilmluvguy]

New or Old?

I met Mickey Rooney, shook his hand, and got his autograph. My parents met Lucille Ball's daughter, Lucie Arnaz.

One interesting night in the MGM Grand of Las Vegas, NV, I was with my parents walking through the casino, people began to get excited. By what, I didn't know. Next thing I know my parents stick me next to this very tall man who could hardly move and snapped a photo. Here's the turn out.

Not a movie star, but I didn't know who this man was until years later. What a trip.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Years ago, I worked at the Hughes Airwest ticket counter at LAX. Hardly a day went by when some celebrity or another wasn't passing by, or stopping by. I have a long list of celebrity/stars that I had the opportunity to chat with. Some of the most memorable were Linda Blair, Joey Bishop, Donna Mills, Cheryl Tiegs, Lee Marvin, and Liberace. One's I saw in passing were Michael Landon, Mickey Dolenz, Jerry Lewis, Clint Eastwood,Tom Snyder, Georgie Jessel, and Joni Mitchell to name a few. I sat and chatted with David Gates one day in the coffee shop, and rode the electric cart with Nadine Henley (Howard Hughes secretary) once.

My most bizarre episode was with John Astin (Gomez Adams); while Patty Duke waited in the car outside, he frantically attempted to locate his son who didn't get on the airplane in Las Vegas. That turned out to be Sean Astin, who must have been just a young teen at the time!

Joey Bishop was the funniest - he hurled a few zingers while chatting and kept it up, talking over his shoulder as he departed. But I can't leave out Larry Hagman, walking around the terminal in full Indean headdress. This would have been before the new liver!

Los Angeles International Airport seemed like the crossroads of the world when I was working there. I was just at 22 or 23 at the time and was wide-eyed in awe. Ahhhh, those were the days!

-dixon cannon

 

[Diamondback]

Doolittle Raiders, Paul Tibbets (Enola Gay's pilot), Gene Kranz of Apollo 13 fame, Black Sheep and Flying Tigers. Lots of aviation notables.

Seattle has a huge air museum with bigtime clout for notable guests and events with 'em, and my membership card was actually issued before my birth certificate.

 

[pretty faythe]

When we lived in So Cal a gabillion and two years ago (ok, we moved 24 years ago so thus was prob about 26) we saw Will Shatner walking his dogs on the beach during a break of filming on TJ Hooker. I "meet" Brent Spiner last year. Went to the Star Trek convention after about a decade of not having been to one. They tell you that your not supposed to have a conversation at the photo op, but Mr Spiner is a very friendly giu, and was the one asking all the questions! Hopefully he will go again this year that way I can go dressed in vintage, in much better shape this year, and not after being at work all day looking like poo!

 

[cooper]

I met Betty White at Disney years ago.

 

[Liz]

I've met Edd Byrnes and Tab Hunter -- maybe I'll post my photos later. I met Edd Byrnes at a Hollywood Collectors Show and he signed my copy of the "'Way Out With Kookie" book. I met Tab Hunter at a book signing at Borders and was so starstruck that I didn't manage to say anything other than "Hi" and "Thank you"!

Dixie Cannon, I am SO jealous that you got to meet David Gates! I'm a huge fan of his pre-Bread work and I (as well as most of my record collector friends) would love to talk to him about all of the amazing songs he wrote, produced, arranged and sometimes sang during the late '50s and early '60s!

 

[LizzieMaine]

I had a very pleasant conversation with Noel Neill of "The Adventures of Superman" at the Friends of Old Time Radio conference a couple of years ago -- she's a tiny little woman, but still very much the Lois Lane we remember. Childhood inspiration from Lois was one of the reasons I became a reporter myself, and I was very happy to get a chance to tell her so.

At that same convention, I got groped by a 1940's teen radio actor who I won't name. But I know it was just the vodka talking.

This past December, we hosted a Star Trek film event at the Strand with Jonathan Frakes (who lives near here) in attendance for the occasion. Since I was projecting the film that evening, I told him he needs to ride herd on those hacks at the Paramount film exchange who send out prints full of bad tape splices, and he strongly agreed.

I supplied some 1930s radio material to Milton Berle, who paid me with a very nifty personalized autographed photo. He also enclosed a photo personalized to someone named "Janie," who is probably still wondering what happened to her pic.

I have gotten fan mail from Keith Olbermann. I don't know what that says about him, or what it says about me, but there it is.

My best celebrity encounter, though, was when I was eight years old. In the parking lot at the Mammoth Mart in Bangor I met Eddie Driscoll, a legendary local TV personality who hosted the local kiddie cartoon show, and was one of the most brilliant improvisational comedians I've ever seen. Meeting him was the only time in my life I've ever been genuinely awed.

My mother once made a sarcastic wisecrack to Dr. Benjamin Spock that nearly doubled him over with laughter.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I used to go skiing every winter in Stowe Vermont with my family. We stayed at this great little B&B called the Gables Inn. It was off the beaten track and very lovely. Anyway, Christopher Reeves and his family would be there the same week we were. He was a really nice guy, and his wife was so lovely, she would have hot chocolate waiting for all of us when we came in after doing a few runs. It's so sad how his life ended up. He was really an extraordinary skier.

 

[Lee Lynch]

Tom Savini of horror movie fame.

Brinke Stevens in a Q&A (I know this doesn't count as "meeting" face to face, but we did converse)

Alice Cooper in a Q&A (he was one of a panel of people working on an upcoming film, and we were all supposed to be talking about the movie, but the questions were all directed at Alice, about Alice. It was funny. He was nice)

Tom Baker, Doctor Who, just for a few seconds.

Not a movie star, but I consider meeting Chuck Berry as a good one.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Besides numerous politicians...

I spent two hours sitting next to Cliff Roberston once from Salt Lake to Helena or Missoula. We had a great chat, although I don't remember about what exactly.

I also spent an hour chatting with Robert Redford in the Western Airlines (or Delta) lounge in SLC. He has a most engaging smile and is even nicer in person than you would think...

However, by far my most memorable convseration was with former ambassador Averell Harriman. We spent nearly an hour in Senator Frank Church's hideaway office in the Capitol while Church was tied up in a series of early evening speeches. We drank scotch and talked about Sun Valley (which he founded), the Union Pacific Railroad, the UPRR Railroad Ranch in eastern Idaho, WWII, and a variety of other subjects. Harriman, then in his mid-80s was warm, talkative, and down-to-earth. It was one of the highlights of my career in the Senate.

 

[Fletch]

In 1992, I and several friends shared two wonderfully convivial hours with Edward Herrmann at a hotel bar in New York after a formal banquet we'd all attended. Jane Alexander was an honoree, and she and Herrmann had read a scene from Eleanor and Franklin. He was an absolutely delightful drinking companion, holding court as we all wanted him to but very interested in all of us.

A few years later I was Leslie Caron's arm candy at a dinner given in her honor (she's a friend of my mother's, long story, but I'd played with my trio at another party for her my mom organized that week). She's reserved in person, kind of deadpan, but very sweet and candid, and expressed great interest in my musical activities. I felt honored to be with her.

I have a few more but those are the best!

 

[tallyho]

Lauren Bacall, Charlton Heston, Douglas Faibanks Jr., Eddie Albert, Harvey Coreman. Lived across the street from Pierce Lyden. Tex Beneke

Aviation Notables: Hub Zemke, Bud Mahurin, Gabby Gabreski, Bob Rankin, Gunther Rall, Don Blakeslee, Chuck Yeager, Bud Anderson, Robin Olds, Kit Carson, Richard Peterson, Tony Levier, Kelly Johnson, Ed Heinneman, Dick Best, Memphis Belle Crew, Pappy Boyington, guy that shot him down, Joe Foss, Jimmy Swett, Ken Walsh, Mel Deblanc, Ben O. Davis, George Gay, Bill Evans. those are the ones I can remeber but there have been many others.

 

[cooper]

I met Betty White at Disney years ago.

Forgot I sat next table over from Steven Tyler and his wife at the Magic Pan in town.They were both dressed in fur.

 

[The Wolf]

Not including conventions, I met Tom Smothers at a hamburger stand and talked to him for a little bit (nice guy). I served ice cream to Harry Morgan (pleasant man). I met Dan Aykroyd (very nice and funny), Donna Dixon (so sweet), T.K. Carter (seemed nice) and Howard Hesseman (seemed like a jerk) in a contest (long story). Maybe others but my mind is going.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Hi, Neighbor!

Last month I met another redhead, Jerry Tucker from the 'Our Gang' comedies. Nice nice guy. Still cute as a button. http://www.lib.umd.edu/LAB/COLLECTIONS/schatz.html He assured me that that particular photo of the stars playing marbles with him was candid, but then they staged some funny ones immediately after.
I've seen plenty of celebrities but haven't met so many. It's interesting to hear how nice and classy most of them are, but then some of them are nothing more than jerks.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Dixie Cannon, I am SO jealous that you got to meet David Gates! I'm a huge fan of his pre-Bread work and I (as well as most of my record collector friends) would love to talk to him about all of the amazing songs he wrote, produced, arranged and sometimes sang during the late '50s and early '60s!

Thanks Liz. It was quite the serendipity - nice fellow. I'll tell you another nice guy I got a chance to meet and chat with was Burton Cummings of the Guess Who. He actually was quite humble and self-effacing and was quite willing to share stories about the band and answered some questions about album photos too. What a great voice! I'm a big fan! -dixon cannon

 

[Diamondback]

Not to threadjack, but Mr. Cannon, what was it like working for Hughes' company? I have a theory about the man I'm considering for my PhD, and was wondering about his "corporate culture".

 

[beaucaillou]

Hmmm... working in fancy restaurants, you get to meet a few from time to time. I worked for Michael Jordan for 2 years. Others I've met:
Michael Cain, Isabella Rossellini, Sandra Bullock, Sting, Marcia Gay Harden, Alan Lee, Barack Obama, Neil Gaiman.

 

[Elaina]

Yeah.

 

[jazzzbaby]

Living in SoCal you have opportunities to cross paths with
a few. I sat next to Steve Martin in a favorite restaurant
of mine in Laguna Beach a few years back...and perhaps
he is the biggest 'bonafide' star I have met. I have met
Kevin Bacon...some television actors...and briefly dated
a small named actor who had been in some 1990s flicks.