Thursday, November 30, 2017
Laverne & Shirley
Imagine Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams walking down this street, arm in arm, saying "Schlemiel, schlemazel, hasenpfefer incorporated." This was taken while at the Paramount lot for a conference.
Batman '66 TV Locations
While on the Warner Brothers lot one day, I made the pilgrimage to the Gotham Police Commissioner's office, where the Batmobile would pull up in front, the Dynamic Duo would hop out and run up the stairs and into the doors. Behind the doors is a room the size of a closet.
Then on National Batman Day in 2016, we went hiking in Bronson Canyon, the site of the Batcave entrance. My wife thought it would be a nice homage to use a dutch angle on the photo, like they used with the villains on the show. "Gotham City 14 miles".
NBA on TNT
On set with Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley
Signed custom Inside the NBA on TNT/Justice League comic book
Yitzchak Rabin
Taken in early 1992 at the Plaza Hotel in NYC at the end of a UJA luncheon. My grandfather, in between Prime Minister Rabin and me, put his arm around Rabin, and I thought the Israeli Secret Service was going to have a fit (or worse). Hence, the worried expression on my face.
At my grandfather's table was a man who was quizzing me about where my ex-wife and I were going on our honeymoon. When I told him "France", he gave me his card and told me to go to Mumm for the champagne tour. He wrote a message on the back of his card to give us "the royal Mumm treatment", and he told me to give it to the person at the desk. When we finally got to Mumm for the tour, I handed the card to the person at the desk, and they asked me how long I'd known Mr. Bronfman.
Cast of "Ed" signed bowling shirt
Shirt signed by Tom Cavanagh, Julie Bowen, Michael Ian Black, Lesley Boone, Rachel Cronin, Mike Starr
Birds of Prey: Ashley Scott, Dina Meyer and Rachel Skarsten
Signed at DragonCon 2017, where the BoP reunited for the first time since the show went off the air. I was first in line with Ashley Scott and she told me that this was the first time (and first item) that she had ever signed at a Con. Rachel Skarsten told me that she was half the age that she was at the time of the signing when she was on the show. All three were impressed that I had kept this poster, which I got through work when the show first went on the air.
Geoff Johns
At the Buzzfeed/CW party at SDCC 2017 with Deric Hughes (writer for TV's "The Flash" and "Scream"), Lamont MaGee (writer, "Black Lightning" on The CW) and Geoff Johns (President and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics). Showing off my first issue of "Black Lightning" which had just been signed by Cress Williams.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Batman '66 signed cast poster: Adam West, Burt Ward, Burgess Meredith, Julie Newmar, Frank Gorshin, Yvonne Craig
I purchased the poster in 1989, just as the Michael Keaton “Batman” movie was coming out. It was purchased at a comic book store in Greenwich Village that was owned by Joel Eisner, author of “the Official Batman Batbook”. I was working as a P.A. for CBS News Advertising and Promotion at the time, and I knew that Adam West and Julie Newmar were going to appear on CBS This Morning from the New York studios, with Cesar Romero and Burgess Meredith on the satellite from LA (the appearance exists on YouTube).
After the show, I went to the green room to meet them. Adam signed, and then I approached Julie. She took one look at the poster and said “I’m not in that movie”, to which I responded “but you were the best Catwoman”. She agreed with my statement with a nod and then quickly obliged. The poster sat in a tube for a few years in my office/cubes at CBS, and it followed me to my next two jobs, where I just happened to keep it stashed under my desk. One day, my boss at CBS Ad Sales Research, who knew I was a Batman fan, happened to mention that she noticed a guy who looked like Frank Gorshin sitting down the hall. I grabbed the poster, and ventured down to see if she was correct. In fact, she was, and Mr. Gorshin was there in the Casting Department to audition for a role on one of our daytime shows. I got to chat with him a bit, and that’s where I got signature #3. Sometime later, I saw that Burt Ward was appearing at a Con somewhere in New Jersey. He was appearing with both Newmar and Gorshin (I think), who were each at separate tables. I was far back in the line. Then someone from the staff came down the line and happened to ask if anyone was there for JUST Burt. I raised my hand, and the guy took me from the far back of the line up to the very front of the “Burt only” line. I took the poster up to the table and unrolled it. As he was signing, Burt remarked to his manager/friend that (I’m paraphrasing) he couldn’t believe that Adam was too lazy to sign his full name (on the poster, it just reads “A. West”). It was evident to me that either Adam and Burt did not get along or at least they were very competitive. The Yvonne Craig signature was retrieved for me by a friend of mine who took the poster with him to the Chiller convention in NJ, so it is the only signature that I did not get myself. This brings me to May 1997 for the final signature, which was from Burgess Meredith. Mr. Meredith was the last of the “big four” villains who were still living. I found a Malibu address, and in early May I wrote to it blindly with my request, just to feel things out (I hadn’t sent the poster yet). I described the poster, the signatures, and what it meant to me. On May 16, I received a typewritten response from Mr. Meredith’s assistant, Eileen Porch. I still have the correspondence.
It said, “Mr. Meredith appreciated your letter. However, he receives such a heavy volume of requests for autographs, photos, and support for very worthy causes, that his time and energies are too limited (at 89) to oblige them all. But obviously your poster is unique, and if you are willing to risk sending it we will do our best to have it signed and returned to you safely. Thank you for understanding.” Well, that’s all I needed to hear. I packed up the poster, including all the return postage, and shipped it out to the same address in Malibu. On May 30, I received a follow up letter from Ms. Porch, prior to the poster’s return. It said, “Mr. Meredith did sign your poster, and FedEx picked it up this afternoon to return it to you as you instructed. Hopefully, by the time you receive this letter, the poster will already have reached you safely. All is well!” Poster was received shortly thereafter. Burgess Meredith died on September 9, 1997, roughly three months later.
First appearances of Batman Villains
My collection of first appearances/first Silver & Bronze age appearances of Batman villains
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
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