It’s taken ten years, but I’ve become acutely aware of how I spend my money at autograph shows these days. At one time I insisted on either having both an autograph and photo op or nothing at all. I didn’t like paying for photo ops, but now I’ve become grateful for them because when they’re separate from the cost of the autograph – and typically cheaper – I can actually save money and still be happy. The picture with the celeb is worth a thousand words, and the autograph of someone of whom I’m only minimally interested in becomes extraneous. A perfect case in point to this notion (which I’m sure I’ve now stated a dozen times before, probably using different words) is Shane Rimmer, who made what was touted as his first ever appearance at the Hollywood Show on April 9, 2016.
I’ll admit it right off the bat. I had no idea who he was. If he had been the airline pilot who brought me to California, I wouldn’t have been any the wiser. Mostly this is because his biggest claim to fame is that he provided the voice for the character Scott Tracy in the 1960’s British series Thurderbirds (above), which was some sort of partially animated marionette series, that I’m assuming has a cult following in some circus. You could have knocked me over with a feather duster.
Bear in mind, I’m in no way saying anything negative about Shane Rimmer. After all, as inexpensive as it was to get a photo with him, I was the one who shelled out $10 of hard-earned money to do it.
But you can bet your bottom ten bucks that there was another reason outside of Thunderbirds that I did it. Namely these: uncredited roles in the James Bond films You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, and Live and Let Die, as well as an uncredited role in the original Star Wars (directly above). He did however receive credit in other films like Dr. Strangelove, The Spy Who Loved Me, Reds, Gandhi, Out of Africa, Superman III, and Batman Begins.
The real reason of course is that someday in conversation Shane Rimmer’s name is going to come up… probably for Thunderbirds… and I’m going to be able to say “oh yeah, I have a picture with him too.” So thanks Shane Rimmer, the pleasure was mine.
Celebrity encounters from the Spring 2016 Hollywood Show will continue…
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