I began the era of the late 1980’s with one thing on my mind: collecting autographs. 1985 saw a renewal in my interest of the fine art of the famous signature. While I had really began my collection in 1980 at the Hollywood Sons of the Desert convention (click here), and then took up the hobby again in sixth grade (under the influence of my school teacher) – it wasn’t until 1985 when the hobby really began to take flight.
It was in the latter part of 1984 that our Towed in a Hole tent Grand Sheik Carl Ahlm (read more about him here) began to collect and prominently display his autographs in several neat photo albums on his kitchen table for all who visited his home (site of our meetings) to see. There I would stand at the beginning of each meeting, mouth open, drool running down my chin, gawking at these relics of the motion picture industry. As you’ve gathered, I’ve almost always loved the cinema and this new hobby opened the door to grab a piece of film history to collect and cherish.
Carl had promised me an address list late in ’84 and I anxiously awaited its arrival through the winter months. One day Denise went out to get the mail and approached the house with a big white envelope. I yelled across the yard “Is that for me?” and she smiled and nodded. When she brought it in the house, I looked at the return address and noted that it was an issue of “Stereo World,” a neat 3D magazine of which my parents had gotten me a subscription for Christmas. I was crestfallen.
So I waited and waited for the list to arrive through the cold, bleak winter months. I almost began to forget about it and just went about my 7th grade schoolwork at Ankeney Junior High and satiating my obsession of the TV show It’s Your Move by repeatedly watching my video tape of the episodes I recorded. Then Carl sent out our tent newsletter announcing a meeting on March 31. It was a great meeting with a tribute to the Academy Awards, naturally featuring The Music Box and Our Gang’s Bored of Education. But most importantly, I finally got my celebrity address list.
It wasn’t long before my interest soared again and I began sending out autograph requests immediately after the meeting. There was an art to it, as Carl taught me. You had to introduce yourself, flatter the heck out of the person, request the autograph, and enclose a self-addressed-stamped-envelope. He also taught me to always include two blank notecards. Sometimes they would just sign them and drop in them in the return envelope.
My first request was to Arthur Lake of Blondie fame. It was a failure. Nothing came back. My second request was to Jerry Mathers (the Beaver). Alas, also a failure; it was the wrong address. But the third, which only took two weeks to get back, was Charles F*rrell – and it was a success! As you see in the note (presumedly from his nurse), he had a difficult time signing both notecards (one displayed below right) and a photo from My Little Margie, but did his best. I had a more difficult time actually hanging onto the photo. Later on, I attempted to send it to Gale Storm and it never came back. One of the risks of autograph collecting – but a shame since it was my first one, and meaningul since we shared the same last name.
My fourth request was a simple note to Our Ganger Spanky McFarland, asking for permission to mail him a couple of Our Gang lobby cards for signatures. Below you will see his response. When Spanky did come to Dayton, I telephoned him at the Stouffer’s hotel and actually got his room. He explained to me that I could come by and find him on the North putting green on Saturday morning June 8 at the Bogie Busters golf tournament. My Dad took me there and amazingly convinced the guard at the gate that I had been invited by Spanky and that we shouldn’t have to pay for admission. I remember seeing Fred MacMurray and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson walking around on the grounds…but never did find Spanky. Idiotically, I never bothered to approach anyone else for autographs or photos.
That evening, I gave him a follow-up call at his hotel and he advised me that he was meeting friends for dinner so could not meet with me, but if I dropped the lobby cards off at the front desk, he would sign them. Being the spunky kid I was, that was exactly what I did. However, he only signed one of the two lobby cards, since he didn’t appear on one of them. I also tried to slip in a couple of reproduction photos but he didn’t sign them, letting me know via handwritten note that he never signs photos that do not have ‘copyright approval.’ Oh well, getting to talk to the famous Spanky on the phone gave me quite a boost of confidence in dealing with celebrities that would come in handy later on…
To read more about 1985 autograph collecting, click here.
To continue with other 1985 events, click here.
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