Autograph Stories

[BdwayBella585]

Hi everyone! This list just came out and I was curious if anyone had any good, bad, indifferent autograph stories about meeting celebs. I asked for one from local sports icons when I was little... and one time when I met Greg Proops... I ADORED Greg Proops, but I was not too into getting an autograph from him, just because I knew I would loose it and he was hanging out after a show chatting with people, and I started chatting and he was like "so do you want an autograph or something..." and I was honestly thinking "not really...."  but I said sure... and that turned me off a bit.

Since then I have met many actors and the only time I have gotten anything signed was a playbill So I have John Lithgow, Ben Chapman and Vanessa Redgrave's John Hancock somewhere in my room on the playbill from the show I saw them in!

Very proud to say I have met the first person on this list a couple times and he is by far the NICEST actor I have met(famous that is, and yes I know I gush about him... but he is REALLY nice) , cannot say enough good things about him. I am interested in hearing other peoples stories!

http://stricklerautographs.blogspot.com/

[Lily]

I have met Cliff Robertson, Louise Mandrell, Jimmy Carter, Britt Hume and have seen Jack Lemon in a bar.
I don't collect autographs either.  My husband had a nice little conversation with Mr. Robertson about flying.
He was a real gentleman.

[ladycrim]

I've met Greg Proops several times (he's my favorite stand-up), and I have witnessed multiple occasions where fans wanted autographs but were too shy to ask.  That's probably why he asked you if you did.  I've actually found him to be a very nice guy offstage.

As for me, I like getting things autographed, especially memorabilia (programs, CDs, etc).  But I'm weird that way.    I'm happy to say that I do not have any unpleasant autograph stories that I can think of.  I'd say the nicest celeb I've met so far is singer Antsy McClain of the Trailer Park Troubadors.  (Between him and Greg, I guess I have a soft spot for guys with poofy hair and glasses. )  He signs autographs, talks to the fans for a long time, and is a genuinely friendly, down-to-earth guy.

[Audrey Quest]

Mark Hamill, Liz Taylor

[Miss Misery]

I met Bruce Campbell for the second time at the E Street Theater in Washington, DC on June 22, 2005, his 47th birthday. There were literally a couple hundred people there waiting to get his autograph. The line slowly but surely moves along and everyone is chatting quietly while waiting there turn. The closer I got to the table, the more I could hear Bruce's conversations with other autograph seekers. He was very nice and polite with everyone, asking people what they do for a living and whatnot. Being his birthday and all, the staff brought out a cake and began cutting slices of it. Then it's my turn with the big man himself. I say hello and wish him a happy birthday. He offers me the first piece of his birthday cake.    He signs my copy of his book (Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way!) and asks me what I do for a living. I tell him where I work and he seems genuinely impressed. At the time I had a website up devoted to reviews of bad movies and some of his films were on it. I told him this and he smiled knowingly and joked, "How many? Five? Six?" (Campbell himself is the first to admit that more than a few of his films suck. One of his quotes on his IMDB page is "The movies that are the easiest to make are the hardest to watch." Oh, and I had reviewed only two of his films: "Tornado!" and "The Love Bug" remake).

Heh Heh. The guy is beyond awesome, very friendly and down-to-earth. Hail to the King, baby!  
  

[RubySlippers]

I find that asking for an autograph is kind of something to do while you try to actually think of something clever/witty/flattering to say to the celebrity.
Usually I stick to after show occasions when they are (usually) in the mood to chat and sing:

Sir John Mills
Mandy Patinkin
Eric Idle (I have this one framed in my dining room)
Patrick Stewart
David Hyde Pierce
Rudolph Nureyev
Kathleen Turner
Mr. Dressup (Ernie Coombes)

All those listed were lovely people as long as you didn't ask them to sign random stuff (like Star Trek posters!)

[Miss March]

When I was pretty young, I happened to be in a hotel lobby with Vincent Price. I shyly asked him for an autograph and he said "Why certainly, my dear," with his warm and unmistakable voice. He was extremely gracious and I will forever hold a sweet fondness for him.

Many years ago a friend of mine played the role of "Bottom" of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and Keanu Reeves happened to see the show (a college held production in the Berkshires) and he came backstage to mingle with people and complimented my friend on his acting. For this reason, I hold him in very high regard-- as his moment of kindness and attention really bowled my friend over.

[PeterM]

The only autographs I ever got were from professional wrestlers in the 70's when my dad used to take all the neighborhood kids to the matches down at the Armory. This was years before the WWF really took off, and the wrestlers were mostly just normal guys who were in really good shape. The only autograph I really remember was a match where two big names were fighting and another big name wrestler was the ref. Before the match all the kids in the arena were mobbing the corners of the guys who were fighting, but I was the only one who thought to get the ref's autograph. Dominic Dinucci, if I recall correctly. He was very nice.

I never got Andre the Giant's autograph but I saw him fight a couple times, and touched his elbow when he was walking away from the ring. His elbow was the highest I could reach. He was a very big man. Also very sweaty.

[Azrail]

My brother-in-law (my sister's hubby) met John Voight. They had a nice little chat at a bar and got a photo taken together. That is my BIL's pride and joy. When he married my sister and they got the wedding video back, they discovered that BIL had had the videographer put that photo in the opening credits (along with their childhood photos). With the subtitle 'BIL with John Voight', for anyone who didn't know who it was. We found it absolutely hilarious.

[MasterofSquirrels]

I did not meet this person..

Rodney Atkins... he played at our county fair last year. everyone that asked for an autograph got one.. they (the fair people) had to ask people to leave.. as it was getting late and the fair was closing for the night. but Rodney just kept chatting away with all his fans.

my boss' daughter was there, and she said he was the sweetest guy. though it took hours to get his autograph, it was worth it.

[shadowfox79]

I'm a member of an autograph collectors' board and there are always threads running with horror stories about in-person experiences. I've never met any of the people in question so can't comment, but I have read many stories about three celebs in particular who are apparently extremely rude when you ask, even if it is in a situation where it might be expected, such as at the stage door or at a premiere.

Funnily enough, a lot of these stories would be flagged up on eHell as being ruder on the side of the OP than the celebrity. You would not believe how many people post stories along the lines of "I asked her to sign my bottom, and she said no! What a (bleep)!" or "She waved and came over, but then her bodyguard dragged her away. Snooty cow!"

For this reason, I follow other routes for getting autographs. I did meet Darren Day once at a Radio One roadshow, though, where he was both charming and generous with his signatures. Of course, that was back in the days when he was a game show host on Going Live - I don't know what he's like now. 

[WoogsGal]

The only celebrity I've met has been Michael Crawford.  He's very nice and extremely generous with members of his fan club.  Often will have Q&A's for them.

DH has met Robert Downey Jr (I posted about it), Jamie Foxx, Zach from The Hangover, John O'Hurley and probably other ones he didn't know were famous.  He doesn't follow movies/tv so a lot of them go unnoticed around dh.

[T'Mar of Vulcan]

I've met a couple of South African celebrities, even taught some (who became celebrities as adults - I'm a primary school teacher) and got one guy's autograph for my mom since she was a fan (Scot Scott). I have some autographs of American celebs that other people got for me, either at cons or after plays or whatever.

My favourites are Stan Kirsch's. I have four or five of his autographs. (Stan played Richie in the Highlander TV series.) Absolutely everybody mentioned me to him at cons, and so all my autographs say things like, "The Ultimate Flag Waver!" or, "Thanx for being such a great fan!" and are signed, "Love, Stan." 

The writers of the show even named a character in an episode after me (Marina, in the episode "The Ransom of Richard Redstone" - the character with my name kidnapped Richie and tied him to her bed!!!) because I was so notorious for being Richie's "Chief Flag Waver".

I also have Avery Brooks's autograph, Leonard Nimoy's, Michael O'Hare's (he played Sinclair in Babylon 5) and Paul Gross's (Fraser from Due South). I don't collect autographs, though - people just get them for me because they don't weigh a lot unlike if I asked for souvenirs.

I kind of wish I'd asked another local celeb (Loysio Mangena) for his autograph, if only so I could put it up in my class - when I taught him, he was quite a naughty kid - but he's gone on to be a successful actor and rap artist. And the first time I saw him after he became famous, I responded something like, "Loyiso, is that you? Give me a hug! What are you doing with yourself?"  ... By this stage he had already been in a TV show and had a CD out. But I didn't know that, and he was happy to give me a hug and fill me in on his life. But whenever I see a pic of him in a magazine, I flash back to this 12 year-old kid who never sat down when I told him to!

[Audrey Quest]

My brother-in-law (my sister's hubby) met John Voight. They had a nice little chat at a bar and got a photo taken together. That is my BIL's pride and joy. When he married my sister and they got the wedding video back, they discovered that BIL had had the videographer put that photo in the opening credits (along with their childhood photos). With the subtitle 'BIL with John Voight', for anyone who didn't know who it was. We found it absolutely hilarious.

My mom met him a few months ago at an airport.  She recognized him and they had a nice chat.  She really likes him.  She didn't have anyone take a picture though--she should have.

[Black Delphinium]

My brother-in-law (my sister's hubby) met John Voight. They had a nice little chat at a bar and got a photo taken together. That is my BIL's pride and joy. When he married my sister and they got the wedding video back, they discovered that BIL had had the videographer put that photo in the opening credits (along with their childhood photos). With the subtitle 'BIL with John Voight', for anyone who didn't know who it was. We found it absolutely hilarious.

My mom met him a few months ago at an airport.  She recognized him and they had a nice chat.  She really likes him.  She didn't have anyone take a picture though--she should have.

Apparently, his sister lives here in State College, so he comes to visit her sometimes.