Even after years of collecting autographs/celebrity encounters, there are still a hefty handful of performers who regularly have done or continue to do shows, but have fallen through the cracks and we’ve done a remarkable job of missing each other. One such actor is Marc McClure who has long been a highly desire encounter for me, and one that important enough that I actually drove all the way to Knoxville on the strength of finally getting to meet him. It ended up being a great encounter that completely paid off.
Although I managed to pull off meeting Margot Kidder, who played Lois Lane in the four Christopher Reeve Superman films, ten years ago, it wasn’t until June 6, 2015, at the Fanboy gathering in Knoxville, Tennessee, that I was able to pull off meeting her Lois’ counterpart from that series, Jimmy Olsen. McClure had starred in all four of the plus PLUS had been the only linking actor to star in Supergirl. He even managed another cameo in an episode of Smallville.
It’s clear that when Marc McClure starts something, he sees it through. He not only starred in one of my very favorite films Back to the Future as Marty’s brother Dave, but also shot scenes for both sequels (although only actually appearing in Part III). And not only did he star in Disney’s original Freaky Friday in 1976, but he also made a cameo in its remake, as he told Carolyn and me when she mentioned how much she enjoyed him in the original.
And that’s not even to mention some of his other cool films (Frost/Nixon, That Thing You Do!, Amazon Women on the Moon, Used Cars, I Wanna Hold Your Hand) and TV appearances (ER, Eight Is Enough, Happy Days).
Clearly he had the credentials for a great celebrity encounter… but was he nice? You bet he was. I felt like I was chatting with an old friend about traveling from Dayton, things to do in Knoxville (Mast’s General Store and Coolato’s for example), his upcoming Back to the Future cruise, my pal Jeffrey Weissman, and the autograph shows he’s done before but I’ve managed to miss. We suggested he also bring Freaky Friday pics to future shows because… well, people like Disney.
Nevermind that at the end of our conversation I had to give him $30 for the combo of the awesome signed pic and photo op – of which he gave Carolyn one for free. It was the highlight of the Fanboy and it was as cordial and simple as pie. Hooray for Jimmy Olsen… and Marc McClure.
Celebrities of the Summer 2015 Knoxville Fanboy will continue…
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