If You Could Sign Here Please

Sam Peffer

2012-01-23T03:44:00.000-08:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is an extra-special one, British artist Sam Peffer.

Born in 1921, Sam fought for the Royal Navy during World War II. Upon returning to England, Sam was an amateur boxer but decided against turning professional, and turned to his artwork instead. By the mid 1950's Sam was the head of the art department at the advertisement company Pearl and Dean. Sam then went independant and made a living by painting book covers for such companies as Ace, Monarch, and Panther Books.

Then came Bond, James Bond. In 1954 Ian Fleming's debut 007 novel, Casino Royale, was published. In 1957, Sam (being employed by Pan Books at the time) created the first of his James Bond book covers. This brilliant peice of artwork symbolised everything that was great about Bond and the world in which he lives.

Sam created covers for many of the early James Bond novels, but when the film series began in 1962 with Dr. No (starring Sean Connery) the demand for Sam's work wained as the covers were replaced with images from the films.

But that didn't stop him. Sam moved onto creating British Quad Posters. Very saucy ones indeed.

Now, onto the autograph! As a big fan of James Bond, about 10 years ago I hunted down Sam's address in the UK and hand-wrote a 1 page fan letter to him. Not only did he send back a nice autograph, but he also took the time to write a letter to me as well. So, not only is he a brilliant artist, he's also a really nice guy too!

If you like what you've seen in this blog, please check out his website www.sampeffer.com for more information on his career.

Until next time!

Alyssa Milano

2011-12-24T10:07:00.001-08:00

Next in my list of celebrity autographs is Alyssa Milano.

Alyssa first became popular (here is Australia) thanks to her role as Samantha Micelli in the TV sitcom Who's The Boss? which initially ran for 8 years (1984-1992), and then entered repeat hell (ie: Saturday mornings on Foxtel's 111 Hits Channel).

During the show's run, Alyssa had roles in other projects, such as the teen-movie Dance Till Dawn (quite good), and the greatest Ar-nuld movie of all time, Commando.

When Who's The Boss finally ended, Alyssa had a role in the forgettful movie Double Dragon, alongside Party Of Five's Scott Wolf.

After this, Alyssa felt she had trouble shedding her 'Girl Next Door' image which still lingered from her Who's The Boss? days. So, like most child stars, she decided to nude up, which she did on numerous occassions. For those interested, check out the films Embrace Of The Vampire, Poison Ivy II: Lily, and her guest role in the TV series The Outer Limits.

In 1997, Alyssa found her next big role, albeit short lived, as Jennifer Mancini in Melrose Place.

Then in 1998, Alyssa starred alongside Holly Marie Combs and TV's badgirl Shannon Doherty in the supernatural-esk series, Charmed, about 3 sisters who don't really work hard but still managed to live in a mansion, using their witch-powers to fight evil. During the show's run, Shannon Doherty turned evil, so she was sacked by Aaron Spelling and her character was written out of the show, replaced by Rose McGowan. The show ran for 5 years, and managed to squeeze in a guest starring role for future-star (and one of my first celebrity autograph blogs) Kaley Cuoco.

Since her days on Charmed, Alyssa has made numerous cameo appearances, most recently in the romantic comedy movie New Years Eve.

Now, onto the autograph! During her final season on Charmed, I wrote to Alyssa requesting an autograph. After the show wrapped up, I thought this might have been in vain, however soon after I received this gem in the mail:

Until next time!

Paul McGann

2011-12-17T03:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't been posting here in a while, so I thought I'd kick-start my revival with yet another Doctor Who themed celebrity autograph, Paul McGann.

For those of you who don't know Paul, he played the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 Doctor Who tele-movie.

When the classic Doctor Who series expired in 1989, it took a joint effort between the Yanks and the Brits to get the show back on the air. This tele-movie was (sort of) a pilot, and they threw everything they could into it, including money.

Long gone were the wonky sets, cheap special effects, and dodgy aliens. Producer Philip Segal, who was the main driving force in this production, tried everything to keep the roots of Doctor Who in tact, whilst updating the story for an American audience. In keeping with tradition, British actor Paul McGann was cast as the The Doctor however when it was decided that The Master was going to be the villain, American Eric Roberts was cast in the role.

The film was also set in the US, San Fransisco to be exact, on 31st December 1999 (back before the Y2K bug was ever mentioned to the mass arena). Yee Jee Tso played the role of Chang Lee, a young man split between his allegance to The Master and The Doctor, and Daphne Ashbrook was cast as Dr Grace Holloway (the Doctor's "companion", and also the person who inadvertantly kills the Seventh Doctor).

Oh yes, Sylvester McCoy makes an appearance at the start of the movie as the Seventh Doctor, who then dies and regenerates into McGann's Eighth Doctor. Without McCoy's involvement, the audience (especially us Who-nerds) may well have discarded this tele-movie as non-cannon, and it wasn't until the show was revived in 2005 that this tele-movie was confirmed as part of the franchise (in the 2008 episode The Next Doctor, and 2010's The Eleventh Hour).

Anyway, back to Paul McGann... whilst the Doctor Who tele-movie was killed in the ratings (in the US, it went up against the final episode of Roseanne) the Eighth Doctor managed to live on in novels, comics, and for McGann's sake, audio plays.

Paul McGann was also cast in Alien 3, and most recently (well... 2009) as The Vicar in Lesbian Vampire Killers. This is a top notch film, a bloody brilliant comedy (well I laughed). This film also stars James Corden, who you Doctor Who fans might recognise as Craig Owens in the 2010 episode The Lodger, and 2011's Closing Time.

Now, on to the autograph! Paul McGann and Star Trek Enterprise's Dominic Keating were the guest at a mini convention here in Melbourne a few years ago. Not only was I lucky enough to interview Paul on behalf of the Doctor Who Club of Victoria, I also obtained this sweet signed photo:

Until next time!

Colin Baker

2011-06-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

Next in my list of celebrity autographs is Colin Baker.

Continuing my Doctor Who theme of late, Colin Baker played the 6th Doctor in the long running scifi series, from 1984-1986.

Having appeared in the 1983 episode of Doctor Who, as Commander Maxil in Arc Of Infinity, alongside (or against, to be exact) the 5th Doctor, played by Peter Davison, Colin Baker is currently the only actor to have appeared in the series before taking on the lead role.

Having impressed the series producer John Nathan Turner, Colin was cast as perhaps the most deplored incarnation of the Doctor yet. Arrogant, egotistical, and quick to anger, the 6th Doctor also didn't win over many fans with his choice of wardrobe. But this was where the brilliance of Colin Baker shone.

For those who stuck by the show, through production delays, script problems, and and attack on the show's future, they saw Colin Baker's 6th Doctor warm to his friends whilst battling his sworn enemies. During his short time on air, the 6th Doctor fought the Cybermen, the Rani, a Sontaran, Davros and the Daleks, the Master, and an evil incarnation of the 12th Doctor. This run also included a guest appearance by the 2nd Doctor, Patrick Troughton.

However, poor viewing numbers meant Colin Baker was axed, and replaced by the 7th Doctor, Sylvester McCoy. Since then Colin returned to the stage, occasionally reprising his role as the 6th Doctor for various mediums, most noticably on CD Audio Dramas.

Now, onto the autograph! Recently, Colin Baker came to Melbourne for a small-ish convention, with John Leeson (the voice of K9). I was lucky enough to interview both of them, which will appear in a future edition of Sonic Screwdriver, the magazine of the Doctor Who Club of Victoria. Anyway, at the end of the day, I received this wonderful 8x10.

Brilliant!

Elisabeth Sladen

2011-04-22T19:58:00.001-07:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is a special one, Elisabeth Sladen.

From 1973 to 1976, Liz Sladen appeared as Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who, alongside both the Third Doctor Jon Pertwee and the Fourth Doctor Tom Baker. Regarded by many as the Doctor's greatest companion, she was on hand to witness his adventures against the Sontarans (twice), the Daleks (twice) and the Cybermen (once). She also starred in many other great episodes, such as Planet of the Spiders, Robot, and The Seeds of Doom.

After leaving the show in 76, she appeared in a spin-off pilot K-9 And Company (which wasn't picked up as a series), and returned to the show for The Five Doctors, Doctor Who's 20th Anniversary in 1983.

She once again returned as Sarah Jane Smith (some-what) in 1993's Dimensions In Time, and the independent video Downtime. But it wasn't until 2005's episode School Reunion when she really returned, alongside David Tennant's 10th Doctor and his then companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper).

From the strength of fan-buzz surrounding this episode, The Sarah Jane Adventures began, starring Liz Sladen (of course) and her own companion K-9. The show was BBC's vehicle for children's based sci-fi, and it worked. The show gave birth to it's own toy line (Sarah Jane and a Graske are in my collection) and of course the DVDs are still for sale. In series 2, David Tennant guest-starred for episode, and in series 3, Matt Smith (the 11th Doctor) also appeared, further strengthening the show's appeal for Whovians.

Tragically, earlier this month Elisabeth Sladen passed away from cancer, which really came as a shock to alot of us fans, who had no idea she was sick. A special 'My Sarah Jane' will screen after tonight's episode of Doctor Who in the UK as a tribute to Liz, but currently there's no word if it will be screened here in Australia.

Now, as for the autograph, during the 2nd series of The Sarah Jane Adventures I wrote to Liz, and was lucky enough to receive this wonderful postcard in the mail a short time later.

Until next time...

Freema Agyeman

2011-04-15T21:25:00.001-07:00

Next in my collection of celebrity autographs is Freema Agyeman.

Who, you ask? That's definately what I said when she was announced as the 10th Doctor's 2nd companion in Doctor Who. Freema had previously appeared as Adeola in the Doctor Who episode 'Army of Ghosts' but after her character died during an invasion of the Cybermen and the Daleks, Freema was re-cast as Adeola's cousin Martha Jones, for the entire 2007 series.

Adeola

Martha

After 2 years of Billie Piper as the Doctor's companion, the character of Martha Jones' was a bold choice. Noticably in the UK because she was the first black companion, but for me it was because her character was so quick to adapt to travelling with the Doctor. Perhaps this was due to the script writing, the show had only returned 2 years previously, and the audience no longer needed (or wanted) to sit through another 'OMG, it's bigger on the inside' scenario, so that aspect was downplayed somewhat with the introduction of Martha.

As the series progressed we learnt of Martha's attraction to David Tennant's 10th Doctor, who was still infatuated with his previous companion Rose Tyler. Sure, Rose was nice, but Martha Jones is simply fantastic...

Later on, there was the Doctor Who cartoon 'The Infinite Quest' which Freema and David provided their voices for.

Freema left the show at the end of the 2007 series, as Martha returned to Earth to live with her reunited family. Of course she returned to the show, a few times in fact. As did her clone:

Since her days in Doctor Who appear all but over, Freema has appeared in Torchwood, and in Law & Order UK.

On to the autograph, when the 2007 series of Doctor Who was screening in Australia, I wrote to Freema, c/o the show's production office. It didn't take long before I received this in the mail.

Gold!

Tom Baker

2011-04-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is Tom Baker.

Regarded by many as THE Doctor of them all (currently there have been 11), Tom Baker played the 4th Doctor (in Doctor Who of course) having taken over from Jon Pertwee in 1974's 'Robot' until he was suceeded by Peter Davison in 1981's 'Logopolis'.

With his outrageously elongated scarf, wide-brimmed hat, and long coat, the 4th Doctor's personality reflected his outfit, shunning the autocratic UNIT HQ which Jon Pertwee's Doctor had grown accustomed. This bold new Doctor hit a nerve with audiences of the time, and secured the show's future for years to come.

That's using your noodle!

During Tom's run on the show, he tried to install some of his own ideas. Outrageous suggestions such as a talking cabbage as a companion where quickly thrown out. But many people felt that one of Tom's ideas had merit. 'Doctor Who Meets Scratchman' was a story written by Tom and Ian Marter, who played Harry Sullivan on the show. Basically the story's premise was that the Doctor would meet the Devil.

For a variety of reasons the story never saw the light of day.

In 1978 the producers of the Bond films came calling, as they were eager to cast him as the villanous Hugo Drax in Moonraker (released in 1979). However as the filming was taking place in France, Tom was stuck in England filming Doctor Who so he had to decline the role, which was then taken by Michael Lonsdale. Interestingly the following year, the great Doctor Who serial 'City Of Death' was filmed in France. Shame they couldn't have timed it better for Tom.

During Tom's 7 year reign on the show, the 4th Doctor had various costume changes. The most drastic was for Season 18, when he was given a mainly red outfit. It wouldn't last long.

Having left the show after the 4th Doctor's demise, Tom went on to play Sherlock Holmes in 1982's The Hound Of The Baskervilles, and he appeared in cameo roles in such tv shows as Blackadder, and Remington Steele.

No sh** Sherlock.

Tom's next big role was as the narrator of Little Britain. Great show, check it out.

Recently, Tom has returned to the role of the 4th Doctor, in a string of audio adventures. Whilst I haven't heard any of his run, the vibe is they're quite good.

Now, as for the autograph, I actually fail to recall when and where I received it. I know it's definately not a through-the-mail success. Perhaps I won it as a door prize at a Doctor Who convention? My memory is hazy but nonetheless, here it is!

Christopher Eccleston

2011-03-28T03:58:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is the one and only Christopher Eccleston.

For those of you who don't know, Christopher played the Ninth Doctor in the 2005 re-boot of THE greatest tv show of all time, Doctor Who.

Before this time, however, you might have caught him in some early episodes of Cracker (starring Robbie Coltrane) before his character was killed by Robert Carlyle, and also in the Nicolas Cage Angelina Jolie film Gone In 60 Seconds.

Now, back to Doctor Who. The show began in 1963 and ran until 1989, with a telemovie in 1996. Much loved around the world, Christopher's performance as the broody yet confident Ninth Doctor was something not yet seen in the role. Sadly, he opted out of a 2nd season of the show, which probably adds to his appeal, leaving us wanting more.

There was much speculation about Christopher's departure from Doctor Who. Many rumours pointed to a high workload needed for the show, a fear of being typecast, personality clashes, or even a desire to try new things. Regardless of the reason, Christopher left, and has since starred in numourous feature films and tv roles.

For example, there was his turn as the villainous Destro in 2009's GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra.

And more recently as John Lennon in the tv movie Lennon: Naked.

Lately there's been talk of a possible return to Doctor Who for a one-off 50th Anniversary special episode in 2013. But of course, it's all rumour. Fingers crossed though!

Now, onto the autograph, here it is, a signed postcard received through the mail of Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor.

Fantastic!

John Travolta

2011-03-11T01:01:00.000-08:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is one of the biggest names in Hollywood, the one and only John Travolta (yay!).

John's first big role was as Vinny Barbarino in the 1970's sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter" which starred Gabe Kaplan as a teacher in Brooklyn.

During this time, Travolta starred in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, and the 1979 film, Grease. Maybe you've heard of it? Or maybe like me you've watched it too many times? There's just something about a good musical. A-ha, a-ha, a wella wella...

Anyway, after these 2 hit films, Travolta continued working but didn't hit the bigtime until 1989 when he co-starred alongside Kirsty Alley in "Look Who's Talking" and the subsequent films "Look Who's Talking Too" and "Look Who's Talking Now".

The came 1994, when Travolta really hit the big time, starring as Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction". I watched this film again last week, and it's still brilliantly awesome!

Then in 1996 he starred alongside Christian Slater in "Broken Arrow", 1997 alongside Nicolas Cage in "Face/Off", and in 2001 he starred alongside Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry's boobs in "Swordfish", and don't forget his cameo in 2002's "Austin Powers in Goldmember".

In 2004 he played the villain in "The Punisher", based on the Marvel Comic book, and then in 2007 he returned to his musical best in "Hairspray". Great stuff, keep it coming John!

Anyway, onto the autograph. In the early 2000's I wrote to him, and received this nice inscribed photo in the mail. Pretty simple, but still fantastic.

Until next time...

Mark Viduka

2011-03-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

Next on my celebrity autograph blog is former Socceroos Captain Mark Viduka. Yep, that's right, the V Bomber!

Mark Viduka started his football career in 1993 playing for the Melbourne Knights in the old NSL (National Soccer League). As top goal-scorer for the club, he was selected to play for the Socceroos in 1994.

After 2 seasons with the Knights, he moved to Croatia to play for Croatia Zagreb (now Dinamo Zagreb) for just over 3 years, playing in their UEFA Cup and Champions League teams during this time.

In 1998 Viduka moved to Glasgow Celtic in the Scottish League, where he experienced headaches with the club, mainly due to stress, and financial problems the club incurred with his transfer from Zagreb.

Then in 2000 he moved to Leeds United in the English Premier League, where he played the bulk of his career (130 matches). The highlight of his time at the club would have to be his 4 goals against Liverpool.

In 2004 he moved to Middlesborough, and with regular team appearances he was elevated to captain of the Socceroos under Guus Hiddink's tenure. Playing in the 2006 World Cup for the Socceroos, he failed to score but proved to be effective distraction for the opposition, which allowed other players (such as Tim Cahill) to score the goals. Hooray!

Then in 2007 he moved to Newcastle United, which struggled in the league and was eventually relegated to the First Division. With the club's relegation, Viduka retired from professional football. Since this time there has been rumours of a move to the A-League, most likely for either Melbourne Victory or Melbourne Heart, but Viduka has recently re-iterated his decision to retire from the game.

Now, onto the autograph. During his time at Leeds United I wrote to Viduka (despite me being a Liverpool supporter and he having just scored 4 goals against the Reds). Not long later I received this nice signed postcard.

Goal!

Martina Hingis

2011-03-01T21:44:00.001-08:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is former Women's World Number 1 Tennis Champion, and my favourite player of all time, Martina Hingis.

Hingis was born in 1980 (like me!) in Slovakia, and represented Switzerland on the international stage. She spent a total of 209 weeks as World Number 1, won 5 Grand Slam singles titles, and 9 Grand Slam doubles titles.

Not only was she a fantastic player, but she was also very outspoken. Noticibly towards other players such as Steffi Graf "She is old now. Her time has passed.", Amelie Mauresmo "She's here with her girlfriend. She's half a man already.", and also Anna Kournikova "What rivalry? I win all the matches".

And I'm not even going to discuss what she said about the Williams sisters. Look it up.

In 2007 she tested positive for cocaine during that years Wimbledon tournament, and thusly retired from the sport before any ban could begin. But by then she'd already won over $20 million US.

Now, onto the autograph. During her playing career I wrote to her via the Swiss Tennis Institute and requested an autograph. Not long later I received this in the mail:

Score!

David Tench

2011-02-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

My next autograph is a bit obscure, since he only existed for a few months in 2006, and when you think about it, he didn't actually exist at all. Of course I'm referring to: David Tench.

"Who the hell?" you ask? Good question. David Tench was the host of a chat show on Channel Ten called David Tench Tonight, which aired from August to November 2006, with a Christmas Special the following month.

The show was created by Andrew Denton, and David was created via computer technology. He would interview real people (albeit celebrities) and according to funnyman Mick Molloy, the interviewee would simply interact with a TV setup behind the desk, with the CGI entered in later on.

During the 2006 season of Big Brother, the show was promoted via viral marketing, with the BB demographic their obvious target. Some of his guests included Pat Rafter, Nelly Furtado, Jimmy Barnes, Layne Beachley, Meat Loaf, and future Australian PM Julia Gillard.

How emabarrassment!

David Tench was played by Australian actor Drew Forsyth (uncredited), given an American accent, and was also meant to be very cheeky and contriversial. Although a lot of people didn't really get his jokes, enjoy the show, or even watch the show. That's why it was cancelled.

Regardless, just like I did with Hamish and Andy when they were on Channel Seven, I emailed David Tench Tonight via their website and asked for an autograph. What I received was not your standard signed photo, but a jpeg image:

Not bad considering he never existed.

Matthew Pavlich

2011-02-22T03:51:00.000-08:00

My next celebrity autograph for you is one of my most recent, Matthew Pavlich.

For those of you who don't know (as I don't have many sportspeople on this blog), Pavlich is the current captain of the Fremantle Football Club, having been in the role since 2007 and with the club since 2000.

Whilst the club, joining the AFL in 1994, has yet to win a premiership and even play in a Grand Final, it has made the finals in 2003, 2006 and 2010, mainly due to Pavlich (let's be honest).

As at the end of the 2010 season, Pavlich has played 236 matches and kicked 468 goals, which is pretty good considering he's more of a Centre Half Forward and not a traditional Forward.

Originally from Woodville West Torrens in South Australia, Pavlich ended intense media speculation and fortified his loyalty to the club, by re-signing with Fremantle in late 2007 for a further 3 seasons.

The club changed their logo and guernsey for the 2011 season, perhaps that may take them a bit closer to a premiership? Only time will tell.

But not only is Matthew Pavlich a champion on the field, he's also a decent bloke off the field, as an Ambassador for PBF the Paraplegic Benefit Fund. For more info please check out their website: http://www.pbf.asn.au/index.php

Now, onto the autograph. As a long-time Essendon supporter I wrote a letter to their current captain Jobe Watson, and all I received in reply was a pre-printed autograph of the 2010 team. Disheartened with that dismal response, I then wrote to Matthew Pavlich and included his 2006 trading card (wearing the club's away guernsey at the time). It didn't take long and I received this reply:

Terrific stuff!

Burgess Meredith

2010-12-24T03:34:00.000-08:00

My next celebrity autograph is definately one of my most interesting, Burgess Meredith.

Who? You may ask. Tisk! Tisk! Perhaps you may remember him better as The Penguin from the 1960's Batman tv series? That's right. The Penguin. One of Batman's greatest enemies, Burgess Meredith appeared in 21 episodes. Not bad considering the show only went for 120 episodes in total. But lets not forget, he also appeared in the 1966 Batman movie, alongside The Joker, The Riddler and Catwoman, which shows you not only how popular the tv show was, but also how popular his character was.

Is that it? Definately not! Prior to his days as The Penguin, Burgess Meredith appeared in various episodes of The Twilight Zone, and Rawhide (amongst other Westerns). In fact, Burgess had a fairly extensive acting career, even after his breakout role as The Penguin ended.

But it wasn't until 1976 when he was cast as trainer Mickey Goldmill in Rocky alongside Sylvester Stallone that Burgess Meredith found his next big role. He continued the role in the subsequent sequels, up until 1990's Rocky V (that's the fifth one).

Is that it? No! Burgess Meredith also appeared as Grandpa Gustafson, alongside veterens Walther Matthau and Jack Lemmon in the 1993 movie Grumpy Old Men, and the 1995 sequel Grumpier Old Men.

Had Burgess Meredith not died in1997 I'm sure he would've appeared in many more movies.

Now, onto the autograph. As a teenager my brother and I used to collect comics from our local comic book retailer (in Ringwood, VIC Australia). We became friendly with the owner of the shop who was intrigued by our autograph collections. Then one day, he gave me this little gem, a Batman trading card which he had signed by the one and only Burgess Meredith. Golden!

Thanks Ian! Until next time...

David Faustino

2010-11-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

My next celebrity autograph is David Faustino, who I met at the recent Armageddon Expo in Melbourne.

For those of you who don't know, David played the role of Bud Bundy in 259 episodes of the sitcom Married... With Children, which ran for 11 seasons from 1987 to 1997.

In the beginning, Bud's role was purely as a villain to his older sister Kelly (played by Christina Applegate), but as the show progessed and David grew up, his role was defined to be the classic lonely virgin.

Of course, there was also his time as Grandmaster B.

Throughout his time on the show, Bud had quite a few girlfriends (despite living in the basement of his parent's house) which contradicted his "virgin" tag, but it was a humourous running theme for his character, so who cares, right?

Anyway, onto the autograph. Like I said, I met David at the Armageddon Expo. He was there promoting his latest project, an internet-based show called "Star-ving". He was a really nice guy, he shook my hand and seemed genuinelly happy to speak to his fans. Great stuff.

Until next time!

Cameron Diaz

2010-11-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

Next in my on-going list of celebrity autographs is Hollywood megastar Cameron Diaz.

Cameron's first movie was opposite Jim Carrey in 1994's The Mask, which she did at the age of 21. I was 14 at the time, so yeah I was pretty smitten with Cameron at the time. I re-watched The Mask on DVD a few months ago. Meh, it's funny how some films seem better in your head.

After this, Cameron went on to star in My Best Friend's Wedding (which I call My Best Friend's Weeding because I'm just so funny), and then in one of her biggest films to date, There's Something About Mary opposite Ben Stiller. One look at this pic and you'll see why it was such a hit.

The next film was yet another blockbuster, Charlie's Angels, which co-starred Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore. Mindless violence, dance sequences (who doesn't love those?) and just fun. Shame about the sequel (pee-eww!).

Of course, Cameron did a few "artsy" films like A Life Less Ordinary and Vanilla Sky, but I never got around to seeing them.

And of course, Cameron played Princess Fiona in the 4 Shrek films, which grossed something like a combined billion dollars worldwide (not including the money made on Happy Meal toys).

So, on to the autograph... When Cameron was filming Charlies Angels, I sent this promotional postcard for Australian Women's magazine Cosmopolitan to her through the mail. It took a while to get a reply, but it was worth it (sorry about the scan, her skin isn't really that blotchy).

Until next time!

Karen Gillan

2010-11-05T04:52:00.000-07:00

Next in my line of celebrity autographs is my most recent addition, Karen Gillan.

When David Tennant decided to leave the role as the ultra-popular Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, it signalled a big change in the show itself. Head Writer Russell T Davies also decided to leave, with Steven Moffat taking over. That meant a change in the overall cast. Little known actor Matt Smith was signed on as the new Eleventh Doctor, and Karen Gillan was signed on as his new companion, Amy Pond.

I've found that being a Doctor Who fan can be a funny thing. Those of us who have seen the Doctor regenerate from one actor to the next are used to change. But this time, I guess a large portion of the "new" fans didn't take it so willingly. There were death threats made, people went overboard. But, casting a 29 year old as the next Doctor, and a 21 year old read-head as his companion, went over a treat with their (internet based) key demographic.

Photos of Karen Gillen (like this one) also helped.

As did these ones of her first episode on the show.

Half way through the season, there was talk that Amy Pond was too sexy for the show, which is funny because they said the same thing about Louise Jameson, and Nicola Bryant.

Anyway, Amy Pond survived her first season as the Doctor's companion (just) and will appear in the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special in the UK this Dec 25. Still no word on when it will air here in Australia...

So, on to the autograph, it was just a simple through-the-mail request, which took about a month to receive this really nice reply.

Until next time!

Blade Trinity

2010-10-06T01:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted any celebrity autographs in a while, so today's you're in for a treat... here are 3 autographs I obtained, in person, in December 2004 at the launch of Blade Trinity, starring Wesley Snipes, Ryan Reynolds, and Jessica Biel.

Unfortunately, Wesley Snipes didn't appear, so in his place was director David S Goyer.

(This pic was found via a Google search)

The launch was held at Myer Melbourne, and was hosted by Fox FM's Adam Richards. My brother and I waited in line for an hour and a bit, and were pleased to be (not too) far from the stage.

The 2 co-leads (Reynolds and Biel) were introduced and gave a quick run-down of their roles in the film, as well as a discussion about their previous work. For Reynolds this included Two Guys A Girl And A Pizza Place, and for Biel it was Seventh Heaven. During this time there was a LOT of noise about Reynolds being cast as The Flash. That never eventuated, but he did land the role in Green Lantern (due out in 2011).

For Biel, there was not much else that was talked about, and her nude spread in Gear Magazine was DEFINATELY not discussed...

Anyway, here are the autographs:

(David S Goyer signed Wesley Snipes' promo postcard)

Ryan Reynolds as Hannibal King

Jessica Biel as Abigail Whistler

For so-called "Big Name Hollywood Stars", they were pretty nice people and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Too bad the movie bombed.

Mr Fantastic - Alex Hyde-White

2010-07-18T04:06:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is the original Mr Fantastic, Alex Hyde-White.

Many people don't know this, but before the Fantastic Four films of 2005 and 2007, starring Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba, there was the 1994 film, directed by Roger Corman, starring Rebecca Staab (Invisible Girl), Michael Bailey Smith (Thing), Jay Underwood (Human Torch), and English actor Alex Hyde-White (Mr Fantastic).

The making of this movie is actually much more interesting then the movie itself.

In the early 1990's, Constantin Films were going to lose the rights to the Fantastic Four unless production on a feature film went ahead. They didn't have $40 million to play with, so they did it for cheap, without ever intending the film to be released. Funny thing was, Constatin Films didn't tell the crew about their intentions. So the end result is a Straight-To-Shelf movie, which you can only get by download from the internet, or by purchase from ebay.

The movie wasn't all bad. The story stayed relatively close to the comics, and the actors did fairly well in the roles.

As for Alex Hyde-White, he was passable as Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic, but the special effects didn't help.

After the film was made, Alex went on to various other projects, such as Pretty Woman, Days Of Our Lives, and on the Celebrity Golf circuit. Much more information can be obtained from his official website.

As for the autograph, once again it was a simple "through the mail" response. A wonderful 8x10 black & white of Alex Hyde-White as Mr Fantastic. What's nice is he inscribed it to me "Fantastically Yours".

Great guy!

George Lazenby

2010-07-07T05:32:00.001-07:00

Next up for my celebrity autograph blog is ex-James Bond star, George Lazenby.

During the filming of 1967's You Only Live Twice, Sean Connery famously quit the role of 007, mainly in part to the constant interruptions by the fanatical Japanese. The search was on for the new Bond, and Eon Productions searched the world over, with many famous names up for contention, including future 007 Timothy Dalton, Adam West (Batman), and Hans de Vries (who was also a contender for the role in 1962's Dr No).

But, thanks in part to his rugged good looks, and his fighting skills, Australian-born George Lazenby was announced with much fanfare as the new 007, to much derision (just like what was seen when Daniel Craig secured the role in 2004, and when Matt Smith was announced as the new Doctor Who in 2009). Nontheless, production for what was to be the greatest James Bond film over them all, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, began in 1968.

With leading lady Diana Rigg cast as the heroin, Teresa (Tracy) di Vincenzo, late in the production, filming occurred at Pinewood Studios, and on location in Portugal, and Switzerland. In what was to be the last Bond film of it's kind (aside from 2006's Casino Royale), the plot for OHMSS was taken almost entirely from Ian Fleming's novel. At 140 minutes long, it involved Bond tracking down arch-villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas), who had built a scientific institute at Piz Gloria in the Swiss Alps, and who had assumed the identity of Comte Balthazar de Bleuville. Eager to has his title ratified by the College of Arms, Bond pretends to be Sir Hillary Bray, in an attempt to lure Blofeld across the German border so he can be arrested and prosecuted for his crimes.

The film also had Bond falling in love with Tracy, the daughter of Portuguese mafia boss Marc Ange Draco (played by Gabriele Ferzetti). At first Tracy is distant to Bond's attempts to save her from her own distruction, but she soon has feelings for Bond, and they agree to marry.

Cue an escape by Bond from Piz Gloria, a rescue attempt for Tracy with the help of Draco, and the wedding, and it all seems to be going swimingly for Bond, until the final scene where the newlywed Tracy is shot in the head by Blofeld in a drive-by. The film ends with Bond consoling his dead wife, which many movie-goers felt to be a real downer.

This, coupled with the fact that George Lazenby had rejected Eon's offer of a 7 picture contract (which he later revealed to be poor advice given by his manager), by the time OHMSS at his the cinemas, the search was on for the next Bond.

Regardless, the film is STILL the best James Bond movie of them all. In terms of plot, script, casting, locations, stunts, and the music, it's 10 out of 10.

After OHMSS, George had trouble finding the next big break. In the 70's he was in talks with Bruce Lee to star in a dual Hong Kong/Australian production, but when Lee died in 1973, the role was re-cast to Jimmy Wang Yu, and when The Man From Hong Kong (aka Dragon Flies) premiered in 1975, it did poorly at the box office, despite having some ripping stunts, the world's only fight-scene atop of Ayres Rock (as it was then known), and Rebecca Gilling showing her boobs.

In the late 80's, George was cast as Jor-El in the tv series, The Adventures Of Superboy, but despite the show running for 4 seasons, it never hit the heights of other sci-fi shows at the time (eg: Star Trek: The Next Generation).

Now, as for the autograph, this is a great one. In 2005 I visited Pinewood Studios as part of "An Evening with George Lazenby" which involved a guided tour of the Studios. Production of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory had just finished, and they were currently shooting The Da Vinci Code, and Basic Instict 2. It also included a screening of OHMSS, attendances by former James Bond celebrities, a meet and greet with George, followed by a dinner and Q&A session. It was a real treat!

Until next time.

Britney Spears

2010-07-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

Next in my line-up of celebrity autographs is the one and only Britney Spears.

Britney really hit the big time with the release of her single, ...Baby One More Time, in 1999. I started following Britney's career when one of my friends (who shall remain nameless) told me about her.

The song title was also used as the album title, and was then followed by Oops!.. I Did It Again (2000), Britney (2001), and In The Zone (2003).

This was what many people consider to be the high point of Britney's career, as it culminated in DVDs, posters, t-shirts, even her own dolls. She also had a guest spot on The Simpsons, her own feature film, Crossroads (co-starring Star Trek's Zoe Saldana), and a cameo as a Fembot in Austin Powers In Goldmember.

Since then, Britney married twice, once (briefly) to Jason Allen Alexander, and then to Kevin Federline, the father of her two children.

Reported drug and alcohol problems surfaced, which resulted in Britney shaving her head and then going in for therapy. The paparazzi didn't help either.

Britney returned to the recording studio, releasing Blackout (2007) and Circus (2008). Once again, the media went crazy about her less-then-well received on stage performances in the US and Australia. But what do you expect from blood-sucking parasites?

Anyway, when In The Zone was released, I wrote to Britney and sent her a Cleo postcard. Not only did I get the postcard signed, I also received an 8x10.

Good times!

Dan Castellaneta - Homer Simpson

2010-06-22T16:07:00.000-07:00

My next celebrity autograph is from Dan Castellaneta, who for the last 20+ years has been the voice of the most popular animated character of all time, Homer Simpson.

Here's what Dan looks like in real life:

Dan started out as a comedian, and got his big break when he was cast on The Tracey Ullman Show in the late 1980's, which also featured the first animated shorts for The Simpsons. When the show was picked up by Fox, Dan moved across as the voice of Homer, and also provided additional voices for Grandma, Barney, Krusty, Groundskeeper Willie, Mayor Quimby, etc.

But it's not just The Simpsons which Dan has provided voices for, you can also hear him as Doc Brown in the Back To The Future cartoon, as Megavolt in Darkwing Duck, and also as The Robot Devil in Futurama.

Dan himself has also appeared up in many other TV shows in the past, such as ALF, Married With Children, and as a kid's basketball coach in an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond (brilliant!).

For more information on Dan's extensive career (of which I have only briefly mentioned), please consult Wikipedia, or his website http://www.dancastellaneta.com/

Now, as for the autograph, many years ago I wrote to The Simpsons c/- Fox in the US, and received this brilliant inscribed 8x10 photo of Homer in the mail. If you look closely you can see the photo has been folded right down Homer's face, damned posties!

Until next time!

Anneke Wills

2010-06-17T04:58:00.000-07:00

Next up on my blog site is something special, an interview with Anneke Wills!

For those of you who don't know, Anneke Wills co-starred in many of Britain's best tv shows of the 1960's, such as The Saint (opposite Roger Moore), The Avengers (with Patrick Macnee, Honor Blackman, and Diana Rigg), and Doctor Who (as the companion to the First and the Second Doctors).

Anneke recently had published two autobiographies, Self Portrait and Naked, and they both can be purchased at this website: www.hirstbooks.com

Now, onto the interview:

In 1966 you starred alongside Roger Moore for one episode of The Saint. Although you had already been acting for 10 years, how did it feel to land the role? Could you foresee this leading to your ultra-successful TV career?

As an actor one is always hoping that everything you do will enhance your career. Of course, it was more satisfying for me to get the leading roles in the BBC dramas, like “The Primitive” in 1960, but at the same time there was some kudos attached to being in “The Saint” – and great fun to work with Roger Moore, who gave me the nickname “Knickers”...

You starred as Polly in Doctor Who from 1966’s The War Machines, until 1967’s The Faceless Ones, witnessing the Doctor’s first ever regeneration (from William Hartnell into Patrick Troughton). What was it like to work with 2 different actors playing (essentially) the same role?

Of course, this was the first time The Doctor had regenerated, so that in itself was nerve-wracking, because the bottom line as an actor is that you just want to be in work, and we weren’t sure whether the British public would accept the transformation. For Michael Craze and I, all the fuss about it paled into insignificance because we got to work with Patrick Troughton, who was such a nice man, and a great actor. Pat reinvented the role, and really set the standard for future Doctors. It was also a relief, because William Hartnell had become difficult to work with because of his illness, so the atmosphere on set changed overnight.

All of your Doctor Who episodes, excluding The War Machines, are either completely lost or incomplete. How does that feel to you? Would you like to view the lost episodes, should they be recovered?

To be perfectly honest, I have lost and had to let go of so much in my life, that a few Doctor Who episodes, for me, is neither here nor there. Of course, for the fanbase, it’s frustrating to not have a complete collection, but how many people do have a legacy from work they did 40 years ago? A tangible downside is that I miss out on the fees for the DVD commentaries! But there’s always hope that the episodes are out there somewhere... in an Australian cellar perhaps?

In 1963 you starred in The Avengers alongside Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman, and again in 1967 alongside Macnee and Diana Rigg. What are your memories from your time on the show? Do you prefer one episode to the other?

As a young actress, it is always wonderful to work with such consummate professionals as Pat Macnee and Honour Blackman, and I enjoyed flirting with Pat in my pussy cat costume! And it was also lovely to work with the wonderful Leonard Rossiter. One of the great things about acting is the camaraderie between the cast, which I felt in my scene with Diana Rigg – we felt like buddies. I suppose I preferred the first episode, because I had more to do!

You have made a return to Doctor Who, both by playing Polly and as a narrator for numerous audio adventures (I loved your work on The Tenth Planet, by the way). How does it feel to return to the Doctor Who franchise?

It feels like complete magic! I feel honoured to be involved, and to have worked with 4 more Doctors, and especially to have had the stories written for Polly (with more to come!). It was a challenging experience to read the whole of the Target book “Doctor Who and The Cybermen”, as this story had - with the exception of me - an all male, multi-national cast – so lots of different voices to do! Reading The Doctor’s lines, as Pat, was a transcendent experience – I felt as if he was sitting on my shoulders, chuckling! In fact, I often feel him sitting on my shoulders chuckling, when I’m at conventions.. his spirit is so pleased to be so fondly remembered.

Your two auto-biographies Self Portrait, and Naked, and your work on Doctor Who have made you a fan favourite at conventions the world over. Do you have any plans to visit Australia?

It was the warmth and encouragement shown by fans at conventions which encouraged me to write the books. I love going to the conventions – we’re one big happy family – fans and actors – which now includes Sir Derek Jacobi! If it wasn’t for the conventions, I wouldn’t have stood in the Tardis again 40 years later, and met David Tennant! Colin Baker and I had great fun climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge a few years ago, but as for the future... who knows?

Anneke also has her own website, www.annekewills.com check it out!
I would like to thank Anneke Wills for a really awesome interview, it was a real treat!
Until next time...

Rosamund Pike

2010-06-13T04:35:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is English actress, Rosamund Pike.

Many of you may remember Rosamund as Miranda Frost in the 2002 James Bond film, Die Another Day. But what some of you may not know is the trivia behind the role, and the casting.

Miranda Frost was, as her name would suggest, cold towards Bond, denying his sexual advances for all of 3 tries before she did the dirty with him in her hotel room in Iceland (in the novel this was preceeded by a romp in a jacuzzi). Her personality was similar to that of Gala Brand, the "Bond Girl" from the Ian Fleming novel Moonraker, and this was Frost's original screen-name, before Lee Tamahori decided to go with the whole Frost/cold theme.

Another interesting story was the casting process for Gala Brand/Miranda Frost. Remember that British pop star Sophie Ellis Bextor, of "Murder On The Dance Floor" fame? Yep, that's right, she was one the last few people who Lee Tamahori considered for the role. Of course, you might also remember that Madonna sung the film's title song, and that she had a cameo as "Verity" the lesbian fencing instructor who introduces Bond to Miranda Frost. Hmmm...

After the box office success of Die Another Day, Rosamund Pike followed this up with a role in the feature film of the video-game Doom, which I didn't see. But, I did enjoy her performance as Jane Bennett in the 2005 film version of Pride & Prejudice (alongside Keira Knightly).

More recently, you may have seen Rosamund in An Education (the film in which Carey Mulligan was nominated for as Oscar for Best Actress), or in Surrogates (where no one was nominated for an Oscar).

Now, getting to the autograph... you may remember my previous post about Pierce Brosnan, how I saw him in Melbourne for the premier of Die Another Day? Well, Rosamund Pike was there as well, so I took her photo and sent it off to her in London. About 2 weeks later, I received this totally awesome reply in the mail!

You may not be able to read it, but she's written "To Manuel, Merry Christmas and best for 2003 and beyond, love Rosamund".

Until next time!

Interview with Louise Jameson

2010-06-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

My next post is a real treat, another Doctor Who related interview, this time by one of the Doctor's greatest companions, Louise Jameson!

For those of you who don't know Louise, she is perhaps best remembered for her role as Leela, alongside Tom Baker's 4th Doctor in Doctor Who.

The character was introduced in order to "sex up" the show, even though some people thought a warrior woman dressed in a loin cloth with a hunting knife was taking things too far...

You may also remember her as Rosa di Marco from EastEnders:

Anyway, enough with the introduction, here's the interview:

As a graduate of RADA, and with a successful stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company under your belt, what was it that drove you towards Doctor Who, and to television in general?

Immediate after RADA I got a couple of 'classic' one off TV jobs, and as you rightly say, some prestigious work with the RSC... my then agent and I decided it was time to up the profile and hold out for a TV series. I tried several (got down to the last 10 for Perdy in the Avengers!) and another series called ANGELS - but eventually Dr Who came good - aren't I the lucky one!

When you joined the cast of Doctor Who, the show was experiencing what many have described as its renaissance period. What are some of your fondest memories during your time on the show?

My fondest memories... I think they have to be during the filming of THE SUNMAKERS - such a fabulous script, and fabulous cast, a lot of it filmed on location so the cast bonded more than normal. Also working with Alan Lake on a different story - he was an absolute joy to be around.

One of my favourite Doctor Who stories of all time is Horror Of Fang Rock. How did it feel to not have to wear Leela's classic leather outfit (instead opting for the grey woolen jumper, which looked very nice I might add)?

I wanted a VERY different costume for that story - I thought the clothes should have been absolutely HUGE - why would they have clothes that fitted me? It just wasn't truthful. Also I don't know if you know but that story was originally written for Sarah Jane, so it was hard to haul the character towards Leela - I had to cut several screams!

In 1998 you were cast as Rosa di Marco in EastEnders, who was part of a family which were heralded as the new leads for the show. However, many critics have suggested that the di Marco's failed due to poor script writing for the characters (despite Rosa having some pretty decent story arcs, in my opinion). What are you thoughts on the subject, and of your character of Rosa di Marco?

At the very point where they 'let us go' I thought we were about to fly. In the November before, the then-producer had asked if I was prepared to commit for 5 years as they wanted us to take over the pub and become the lynch pin of the series. I jumped at it. New Producer in February, we are out by May... That's fine, it's the way it works, but I was VERY pissed off that they let the press know before they told us; the BBC has always treated me with such respect and I've had a marvelous career with them over the years, so it was a real shock to be discarded in that way.

As a former Doctor Who companion, you get invited to conventions the world over. Recently, through First Contact Conventions, we have had highly enjoyable visits by Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, and Paul McGann, which have been fantastic opportunities for us fans in Australia to meet the actors from the show. Have you ever thought about visiting Melbourne as part of a convention?

There is the vaguest of possibilities that I may be there this October - my next email. I have had a west end job pending that has just fallen through so I am now available and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get to the other side of the world.

Hopefully see you soon,

Love Louise X X X

So there you go. Even though I didn't get her autograph (a traight of this blog sight) I did manage to get a really ripping interview from a remarkable woman.
Thanks Louise!

Sophie Aldred

2010-06-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

Now here's a treat, not only do I have another celebrity autograph success to show you, but I also managed to score an interview as well!

Sophie Aldred played Ace in Doctor Who, from Dragonfire in 1987 until Survival in 1989, alongside Sylvester McCoy's 7th Doctor. Many regard her as one of the best companions of all time, she certainly had the best character arc. Since leaving Doctor Who, Sophie has appeared in various childrens shows, on radio and on stage, and is a regular on the convention circuit. But enough from me, here's the interview!

When you joined the cast of Doctor Who in 1987, what impace did you have on the design and character of Ace?

I was one of the lucky one! Having come from a background of fringe and children's theatre, I naturally assumed that I would have a lot of say in my costume. Also the new young script eidtor, Andrew Cartmell, came up to my at the read through and said he really liked the way I was dressed (stripey t-shirt, army shorts, Doc Marten boots) and did I think that was a good sort of look for Ace. It always felt like a collaborative process, including character. Before I did my first season proper, Andrew got me together with the writers for tea so that we could discuss character and they could meet me and suss me out. I thought this was great as it made for a lot more realism I felt.

Looking back, how do you feel about Ace's personal journey throughout her time in the show? Many have argued that Ace had the greatest character arc during the show's run, one that had never been seen before or since.

Well, I would say that certainly before, there was not such a rounded complex character and that was partly due to the generosity of Sylvester as an actor (although he was only too happy to give me the techno jargon lines) and the foresight of Andrew Cartmell. I didn't really think of it - I hadn't watched Dr Who for a long time - but with hindsight it really was rather remarkable, considering there were no other drama roles for young actresses at the time. I would like to think that Rose couldn't have happened without Ace, but then Russell T is an extraordinarily clever man with his finger on the zeitgeist, but to me there were similar elements, especially with "Survival" Ace.

In 2008, the readers of SFX Magazine rated Ace as the 4th Best Doctor Who Companion of all time. How does it feel to still be so highly regarded by the viewers?

I am always delighted that fans have been so taken by the character of Ace, and that she continues to be a force in her own right!

When the show ended in 1989, the character of Ace lived on in various novel and comic books, and there are varied fates which could be attributed to the character, depending on which medium you followed. What future would you have liked to see for Ace?

I must say I did like the idea that she was going to be taken to Gallifrey to train as a Time Lord and put the wind up them! I can't see her having been married off, can you?

With the resurgence in popularity of Doctor Who over the last 5 years, have you ever thought about a return to the show, either as Ace or perhaps even as a new character? If asked, would you like to?

I love the new series with a passion. I am so delighted to see friends who were originally fans of ths how now working on the series and doing such a great job. My 10 year old son has just been allowed to watch his first series live, and his first episode was the first Matt Smith. I had tears in my eyes as I watched his open mouthed wonder and wide eyed excitement. What a great introduction...

I would be honoured to go back, as all of us companions would.

As a former Doctor Who companion, you get invited to conventions the world over. Recently, through First Contact Conventions, we have had highly enjoyable visits by Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, and Paul McGann, which have been fantastic opportunities for the fans in Australia to meet the actors from the show. Have you ever thought about visiting Melbourne as part of a convention?

Funnily enough I have just been invited out in the Autumn, so looking forward so very much to seeing you all!

Many thanks; hope that's all ok for you

Sophie

So there you go! My heartfelt thanks to Sophie for such a great interview. Sophie can be seen at Armegeddon Melbourne, in October 2010.

As an added treat, here is the autograph I obtained, this time through a raffle at a meeting of the Doctor Who Club of Victoria. It's not usually how I get my autographs, but I'm very pleased.

Until next time!

British PM David Cameron

2010-05-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of autographs is the new British Prime Minister, David Cameron.

I noticed David on an British News Report a few months ago, and there was a lot of buzz around him as a possible future PM, so (as I have a few British PM autographs in my collection) I decided to ask him beforehand, just in case he did get the job.

It was just a simple email to the Torrie Party HQ. Now I don't really support either the Conservatives or the British Labour Party, but I thought I'd send a supportive email and see where it got me. Well... it got me this:

1. A pre-printed autographed photo of David (I can tell it's pre-printed because the autograph is pixelated).

2. A poorly spelt letter from the Conservative Party (I counted 2 mistakes, the first being no Full Stop in the second paragraph, and the second is the word "their" instead of "they're"). Hmm, makes me wonder if I can get a job at 10 Downing Streeet?

Until next time, be good!

Conan O'Brien

2010-04-30T02:24:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is acutally one of my first ever successful through-the-mail replies, Conan O'Brien.

For those of you who don't know Conan, he was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 1987-91, and then he was a writer on The Simpsons from 1991-93.

Later that year, he replaced David Letterman as the host of NBC's "Late Night" when Letterman switched to CBS after being denied hosting duties on The Tonight Show (then held by Johnny Carson).

Foxtel's Comedy Channel used to show "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" from Monday's to Friday's, straight after The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Although, as Late Night was beemed off the satellite, Tuesday night would show Monday's episode, Wednesday would show Tuesday's episode, etc, and even worse, Monday night would show Friday's episode.
It was a bit confusing, and the jokes were a bit outdated (especially on Monday nights) but the show itself was terrific, with many awesome sketches, such as:
Triumph The Insult Comic Dog

and, In The Year 2000 (which co-starred O'Brien's side-kick Andy Richter)

Despite initial poor ratings, Late Night soldiered on, and it was this under-dog status that really made O'Brien stand out. Even when Andy Richter left, and the show seemed to be at it's lowest ebb, O'Brien really started to own it, and people started tuning in. Big time.
On a side note, when I visited New York City in 2005, I did the tour of NBC Studios, and stood in the Late Night studio. Unfortunately, O'Brien was on holidays in Norway at the time, so I never got to meet him (that would've been cool).

Late Night was such a hit that O'Brien went on to host The Oscars, whilst in Australia, the Comedy Channel switched The Tonight Show and Late Night (until they were told to switch it back to the normal format).

Then, in 2009, O'Brien got his wish to finally host The Tonight Show (once Jay Leno left). He moved everything from New York to Los Angeles, including the Max Weinberg 7, and he even got Andy Richter back to introduce the show each night.

Sadly, NBC didn't like O'Brien's version of the show, and after only 7 months he was forced out (with a hefty severance package), and replaced by the returning Jay Leno.

Conan O'Brien then started his "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour" of 30 cities across the USA, and the latest word is that O'Brien has now signed on to host a new late night talk show TBS in November 2010. Hopefully the Comedy Channel picks it up...

Anyway, back to the autograph. Here it is, a nice b&w 8x10 of Conan O'Brien on the set of Late Night.

:D

Kaley Cuoco

2010-04-25T22:11:00.001-07:00

Next in my line up of celebrity autographs is American TV star, Kaley Cuoco.

Kaley's first decent role was as Maureen McCormack (the actress who played Marcia Brady) in the biopic "Growing Up Brady". She received some applaud for this role, and having seen it once on Foxtel, I can agree. The film wasn't that bad either. Well, it was definately a lot better then "The Brady Bunch In The White House".

(That's her in the red top in the middle of the stairs)

After this, Cuoco went on to star in the mega-hit sitcom "8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter" which was then shortened to "8 Simple Rules". Unfortunately, during the filming of the show's second season, John Ritter, who played the Dad, died of a congenital heart defect. The producers put the show on hiatis, and when it returned they wrote the death into the storyline. Going into it's third season, the show was never the same again (despite Katey Segal taking a more prominent role, and the casting of James Garner and David Spade), and was cancelled.

Then, Cuoco went on the star in the final 22 episodes of Charmed, as apprentice witch Billie Jenkins. But her biggest role (to date) was just around the corner...

Kaley Cuoco can now be seen as Penny in the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" on Channel 9, Go!, and Foxtel's Comedy Channel. For those of you who haven't watched the show, it's a delightful romp about two 20-something "nerds" who live aross the hall from Penny, a wanna-be actress. It has some great laughs, and a lot of comic book/movie/pop culture references. In the more recent epsiodes, Penny has hooked up with Leonard. In the past, when the 2 lead roles get together, this has lead to the show's downfall, but in this case it has reinvigorated the dynamic of the show and has lead to better storylines.

Anyway, back to the autograph, when Cuoco was starring in 8 Simple Rules, I sent my usual letter of request (including a self-addressed envelope) and not much longer, I received this charming 3x5 card as a reply. Sa-weet!

Pamela Anderson

2010-04-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is 1990's sex symbol, Pamela Anderson.

Born in Canada and moving to the USA, the story goes that Anderson initially found fame when, whilst sitting in the crowd at a football match, she appeared on the big screen to the cheers of the crowd. She was then signed up as a model, and eventually moved to LA to appear in Playboy and become an actress.

It didn't take long before she was cast as Lisa, the "Tool Time Girl" on the popular sitcom, Home Improvement. 2 years later, she left the show and starred in what would arguably be her biggest role, as CJ Parker in Baywatch, aka "the most watched TV show in the world".

You can see why the show was so popular.

A year before she left Baywatch, she appeared in her only lead role feature film, Barb Wire. Savaged by critics, the film did very poorly.

After Baywatch, she starred as Valerie Irons in her own TV show, V.I.P. which lasted 4 seasons. A few guest appearances later, it wasn't until the Fox Network aired her sitcom Stacked, set in a coffee/book shop. Co-starring Christopher Lloyd, this show had a few good laughs, for an American show anyway.

Since then she has spoken out for PETA against Kentucky Fried Chicken, appeared in Australia's Big Brother, and had a cameo in the movies Borat, and Superhero Movie.

Hilarious!

Anyway, during her time on V.I.P, I managed to find her fanmail address, and wouldn't you know it, I received a successful reply in the mail. Booya!

Oh yeah, she also married a couple of blokes, and filmed a couple of home-made sex videos... but that was before it was "the cool thing to do".

Julie Newmar - Catwoman

2010-04-05T04:46:00.000-07:00

The next autograph I have to show you is actually one of my most recent through-the-mail successes, Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman in the 1960's Batman TV show.

Here she is during a photoshoot in the 1960's.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Batman TV series, it ran for 3 seasons, from January 1966 until March 1968, and also included a feature film in between the 1st and 2nd seasons. It was a worldwide hit and made stars out of the two leads, Adam West as Batman, and Burt Ward as Robin. The show also had some of the biggest names in showbusiness as villains, such as Cesar Romero as the Joker, Burgess Meredith as The Penguin, and Vincent Price as Egghead.

I was born in 1980, far too late to watch the show during it's original run, but thanks to Foxtel, I can now watch it every Saturday and Sunday morning on Fox Classics. My daughters love it!

Now, Julie Newmar was the first of 3 actresses to play the role of Catwoman during the 60's, the second being Lee Meriwether in the feature film, and Eartha Kitt in Season 3. I always thought Newmar was the best, which is why I wrote to her.

Which Catwoman do YOU prefer?
Julie Newmar

Lee Meriwether

Eartha Kitt

Julie Newmar also had a cameo in the low budget bio-pic Return To The Batcave, which included a cringe-worthy dance-scene between herself and Adam West. The movie is actually very good, and the actors playing Adam West, Burt Ward, etc all did a very good job in the roles. Check it out, it's camp, but it's good (just like Batman, actually).

Anyway, back to the autograph... I wrote a letter to her in 2002, with a self-addressed envelope and an international reply coupon, and I received the autograph 7 years later, making it (to date) my longest wait for a positive reply. But, it's a great autograph...

Although, I would've liked her to have written "To Manuel, Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar" but still, it's great nontheless.

David Tennant - the Tenth Doctor

2010-02-27T03:46:00.000-08:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is David Tennant, one of the most popular actors to play The Doctor in the long-running BBC sci-fi show Doctor Who.

Fans of the show would know that in 2005, Christopher Eccleston played the Ninth Doctor, but declined a second season in the role for fear of typecasting. Therefore the producers decided to cast one of their original choices, David Tennant, whose claim to fame in those days was in the TV shows Blackpool, Casanova, and a cameo appearance in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The Tenth Doctor was a cheeky upgrade on the brooding Ninth Doctor, and the fans loved it. Dressed in his "Geek Chic" suit and overcoat, sneakers, and with a boofed hairstyle and sideburns, the Tenth Doctor was zany. He appeared in the show from his end of season cameo in 2005, until his recent demise on New Years Day 2010.

David was a self confessed fan of the show (which had originally been on the air from 1963 until 1989 (with a tele-movie in 1996). The Tenth Doctor fought against some of the great villains, such as the Daleks (of course), the Sontarans, the Master (played by John Simm), a new-look version of the Cybermen. He also had a collection of wonderful companions, included Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman, and Catherine Tate.

If you watch the Doctor Who Confidentials (the behind the scenes features in the DVDs) you will notice that David Tennant uses his natural scottish accent. However he decided to switch to a regular English accent for the show, which he felt would add to his character's appeal. If you would like to hear the Tenth Doctor in a Scottish accent, you just need to watch the episode "Tooth and Claw" to catch a glipse of it.

Now back to the autograph. In 2006 I wrote a letter to David Tennant asking for an autograph. You will notice, however, that when I received his autographed, David also included a letter, asking me to give thanks to my Mum for writing to me. Cheeky!

I hope you enjoyed my blog on David Tennant, the Tenth Doctor!

Pierce Brosnan - 007

2010-02-24T03:37:00.000-08:00

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is Pierce Brosnan, the man who, in 1995, reinvigorated the James Bond movie franchise after it's 6 year absence from the silver screen. He's appeared in many other films, The Lawnmower Man, Mrs Doubtfire, and Dante's Peak, but since I'm a Bond nut, I'm devoting this blog to his years in the tuxedo.

Brosnan first came to the attention of Eon Productions, the team behind the cinematic super spy, back in 1981 when his wife, the late Cassandra Harris, played the role of Countess Lisl alongside Roger Moore in the brilliant For Yours Eyes Only.

When Roger left the role after 1985's A View To A Kill, Eon tried to secure Brosnan's contract, however he could not break free of his commitments to the TV series Remington Steele. 10 years later, Timothy Dalton said "thanks but no thanks" (apparently) to reprising his role for a third time, so Pierce was finally secured.

Brosnan as James Bond

1995's Goldeneye saw an all-new James Bond. Not just in his appearance, but also his character. Gone were his cigarettes, his dark brooding manner (introduced by Dalton), and gone was his overt sexually. Sure, he necked with Caroline in his Aston Martin DB5, had a hot sweaty romp with Xenia Onatopp in a spa, but it wasn't until he met Russian computer programmer Natalya Simonova that he finally did the nasty.

Buoyed by the box office success of Goldeneye, 1997's follow up Tomorrow Never Dies had one of the fastest production times for a Bond film since the 60's. It had some great elements, an interesting plot, and (in true Bond style) some cracking stunts, but if you took away all of the action, the film would probably have been 30 minutes long. If they had've allowed a longer pre-production time, the film may have been better. Also, screening it alongside James Cameron's Titantic was a poor decision.

1999 gave us The World Is Not Enough, my personal favourite. Brosnan finally seems comfortable in the role of Bond. With the longest pre-title sequence of all time, we get to see Brosnan fall out of a three storey window in Bilboa, take the Q-Boat on an action packed tour of the Thames, and ride a hot air balloon. The film also has Denise Richards (aka Dr Christmas Jones) parading around in next to nothing, with a great wet t-shirt competition in a nuclear sub near the end (I'm no expert but I think she won that competition).

The longest gap between films brought us to 2002's Die Another Day, which is the first time since 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service that a Bond film would use CGI (to it's detriment, I might add). 40 years since the first Bond film, Die Another Day was a celebration of all things 007, and you can spend hours trying to pick out all of the references. In terms of Box Office, it was also Brosnan's best, so you can see how he'd be miffed to then be axed from the role, in favour of the younger Daniel Craig.

This leads me to my autograph (I bet you forgot all about that, didn't you?). In late 2002 I was fortunate enough to see Brosnan at Melbourne's Crown Casino for the premier of Die Another Day. I wasn't one of the red carpet attendees, and I didn't even have a ticket, but I did wait for 2 hours under the hot December sun, just to catch a few minutes of 007 in the flesh. I didn't have anything for him to sign, so I was happy just to take photos. Oh, and Rosamund Pike was there as well. Lovely.

So, this shot was taken with an old film camera (remember them?) and I sent the best image to Pierce in the mail. About 2 months later, this is what I received. That's his autograph along with a PEACE symbol. Groovy man. Before you say it's a fake, please note that I have had this authenticated by a German collector (God bless the Germans).

It's nice to know that even big name Hollywood movie stars like Pierce Brosnan will sign autographs through the mail.

Matt Smith - the Eleventh Doctor

2010-02-19T11:29:00.000-08:00

First in my collection of celebrity autographs is actually my most recent acquisition, Matt Smith, the Eleventh Doctor from the long (LONG) running BBC Sci Fi show Doctor Who.

Matt Smith

Matt Smith was announced with much fanfare last year as the new Doctor, to be replacing the much loved David Tennant. Many things were said about Matt Smith, and not all of them good:

"He's too young". He was cast in the role at age 28, which does make him the youngest Doctor, but Peter Davison (the Fifth Doctor) was cast at age 31, so it's not un-heard of.
"He looks like a Goth/Emo". Well yeah, the first production shots were very dark, and Matt Smith was wearing all black, but that doesn't mean he'll be wearing that costume in the show. Like I said in forums at the time, his costume might change (and I was right too). So now instead of an Emo Doctor, we have a College Professor Doctor (at least it's better then the rumoured Pirate Doctor, arrgh!).
"He's hair is too long". So?
"He's a bit of a spunk". I guess, if you're into that kind of thing. Perhaps this was just the rant of an ex-Tennant lover, too eager to jump on the bandwagon.

Lately there has been some BAD things written about Matt Smith by "fans" who want to see David Tennant return to the role. Now, as a Doctor Who fan and a James Bond fan, I'm used to feeling a bit down when an actor leaves the role, but leaving death threats on Facebook is just not cool. You have to just accept that a new actor is in the role (sometimes they're better, sometimes not) but it's 2010, you can always watch the reruns or pop on the DVD.

On 1st January 2010, David Tennant finally said farewell to Doctor Who in The End Of Time Part 2. I won't spoil anything for you if you haven't watched it yet (this episode airs on the ABC here is Australia tomorrow at 7:30PM) except to say that we're treated to 1 minute and 6 seconds of Matt Smith. My immediate summation, MANIC.

Matt Smith on set in costume.

Anyway back to my autograph, this was obtained through the mail after I sent a fanmail address (including a self-addressed envelope) to the BBC Wales. It's an incribed 3x5 card featuring the very first image taken of Matt Smith after he was announced as the new Doctor.

Interesting point, the TARDIS in the background was photoshopped in. There was much secrecy about the new Doctor, and the BBC didn't want anyone to leak photos onto the net too early.

Matt Smith autograph

In any event, I'm quite pleased to have received the autograph, as many actors out there (not just confined to Doctor Who) fail to reply to my requests. You know who you are! Grrr!