Autograph collecting has always been a fun hobby. But I’d have to say it used to be more enjoyable in the past before it became so god-awful commercialized. It used to be that gathering autographs was the combined result of effort, talent, and luck. Now it’s mostly about the money. I don’t want to come down too hard on the Ray Courts Hollywood Collector’s Show or the celebrities who attend it, but it seems to me that the hobby is just getting out of hand. On Friday morning, February 16, Bob picked me up from David’s house and we headed for the show, held in Burbank. On the way, we stopped to see the grave of Oliver Hardy in Valhalla Cemetery, which meant more to me than most of the living people at the Courts show!
The first Courts show that I attended was back in 1995 – and before that, Bob used to attend most of the quarterly events and let me know who was there and gather autographs for me. The show provided an excellent opportunity to meet some stars and collect in-person autographs. The big difference back then was that most of the celebrities were selling their signed photos for $5.00 – and lots of them would sign your items for free and certainly no one had any qualms about posing for a photo with one of their fans. That notion is now laughable.
Most of the celebrities now start at $20 minimum and then go up from there. Most of them charge the same fee to sign one of your items. Several are even beginning to charge for you to get your photo taken with them. It’s a cold world…and these guys must be starving.
Two of the biggest draws at this particular show were Pee-Wee Herman (seen above in a photo I took from afar) and Nastassja Kinski. Yes, Pee-Wee was a talented guy, perhaps even a minor icon – so I was not too outraged by the $30 he was charging. But I did object to the $40 fee to have your photo taken with him – not to mention the incredibly long line that never seemed to abate. I decided to pass. Nastassja, on the other hand, was a second-rate B-movie queen who took one interesting photo with a snake. Yeah, sure, like I’m going to shell out $30 for that! I watched her for a minute as she signed some autographs and never even looked up at her fan/customer. The biggest disappointment of the show was that former Our Gang member Jackie Cooper, who was slated to make a rare appearance, was too ill to attend. I still have never got to meet him.
Bob and ‘Jose Jimenez’, Bill Dana
Of supreme audacity was Batman star Adam West. He was charging $40 for an autographed photo. Just so happens, I already had a signed photo of him that I brought along with me. My plan was to show it to him and tell him that I had already purchased a photo from him (which was true – it just wasn’t that day) and ask if he would pose for a picture with me. He referred me to his agent, the king of the pricks. He informed me that they weren’t “doing photos today.” The Los Angeles Times reported a similar encounter when they were told that he wasn’t “doing press” either.
Batman turns away while Robin catches me taking their picture. Quick – to the Batmobile!
In my “pre-Christmas newsletter and website” days, getting my picture with the celebs was only icing on the cake to getting their autographs and not really a priority (which I now regret), but there were actually a few stars at this show that I paid to get a photo with…without buying an autograph. So yes, you might say that someone like me is part of the problem, yielding to their ridiculous fees. However, I would certainly be inclined to buy more – and from more of them – if their prices and attitudes were more cordial.
And although I avoid eye contact with the pathetic no-names, nude models, or has-beens who either meekly sit there or attempt to tempt you by carnival-barking their specials (“buy two nude photos for $40, get a calendar for free!“), I have a hard time feeling sorry for them.
Now that I have apparently blasted the entire institution in this diatribe that has skirted dangerously close to a ‘blog’ entry, let me backpeddle and say how much I generally enjoy these shows. The truth is that they really do provide you with a unique opportunity to meet a handful of your beloved stars. Granted, most of them are from yesteryear, but I happen to love yesteryear, thank you. And I don’t even mind shelling out $20 for a signed photo when the celeb is cordial and willing to pose for a photo with me. And my other ‘scheme’ mostly worked as well; many of the people from whom I had previously purchased autographs at earlier events were willing to pose for a picture with me anyway.
In addition, there are always numerous dealers present selling their wares. Unfortunately, Bob had some bad luck when he thought he was purchasing an multi-autographed poster from a “Night of 1000 Stars” that was from the collection of Priscilla Barnes. He thought he was getting a great deal until he got it out to the car and called me out there to give it a once-over. Turned out they were all pre-printed signatures. The seller reluctantly issued him a refund once the vein on the side of Bob’s head began to twitch.
It’s nice to run into other friends and fans as well. My old pal Richard W. Bann was present, as was former Way Out West Tent Grand Sheik Earl Kress. Bob and I even ran into a lady who, as a child actress, appeared in the Oliver Hardy film Zenobia. One day we’ll actually figure out her name!
That Zenobia gal
All in all, it was a fun day. I blew lots of money and came home with lots of autographed memorabilia. And as usual, the next time I go to California, I’ll likely be planning my week around the Courts show as I did this time.
To see the other autographs and celebrities from this show, click here
To continue with the trip, click here…
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