John DiMaggio

My next celebrity autograph blog is John DiMaggio.

Whilst John is best known for his voice-over work as the 'ultimate robot lover' Bender in Futurara, one look at John's iMDb page and you'll see he's been a very busy man.

One of his first roles was in a 1996 episode of Law & Order as a bartender.  He has also appeared in bit roles on other well known TV shows such as Becker (in 2000) NYPD Blue (also in 2000) and CSI: NY (in 2004).

But a large chunk of John's work has been behind the microphone, and he has contributed to his voice in such animated series as Spawn (1999), Dr Doolittle 2 (2001), The Powerpuff Girls (2004), The Batman (also in 2004), TMNT (2007), Asterix and the Vikings (as Timandahalf) and in the recent animated movie, Wreck It Ralph, to name just a few.

But of course, he'll always be remembered as Bender.

Now, onto the autograph!  I attended the 2011 Armageddon Expo in Melbourne, and was lucky enough to meet John at the autograph table (the line was huge, as you could imagine).  He happily signed this 3x5 colour picture of Bender.

Score!

Mie Hama

My next celebrity autograph blog is Mie Hama.

Best known for playing Kissy Suzuki in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice alongside Sean Connery, Mie Hama was already an established actress in Japan, having starred in over 60 productions from 1960 onwards, including the 1965 Bond-spoof Ironfinger.

She also starred in other notable films, such as King Kong Escapes (1967) and the 1966 film What's Up Tiger Lily? which was directed by and starred Woody Allen.

To co-incide with the release of You Only Live Twice, Mie Hama posed nude in the June 1967 edition of Playboy magazine, which is now quite a collectable, among James Bond and Playboy fans alike.  Yes, I have a copy in my collection of 007 memorabilia.

After the release of You Only Live Twice, Mie Hama returned to acting in her native Japan.

Now, onto the autograph (sort of!) a few years ago I wrote a fan letter to the Office of Mie Hama, to which I received a letter of reply rejecting my request for an autograph. Included in the letter was a brief description of her time on the set of You Only Live Twice, to which the letter was signed with her shubun, which (to me) is as good as an autographed photo!

Until next time!

Ioan Gruffudd

My next celebrity autograph blog is Ioan Gruffudd.

Born in Wales, UK in 1973, Ioan appeared in many Welsh television and film productions, before getting his first "taste of Hollywood" playing the role of Fifth Officer Harold Howe in 1997's Titantic.  Then, from 1998-2003 he played the role of Horatio Hornblower in the Hornblower series of tv films.

In 2004 he starred as Lancelot, alongside Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, and future James Bond villain Mads Mikkelsen in King Arthur.

Then in 2005 he was cast as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic in the Fantastic Four feature film, and again in the 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer.  Both films had a lot of deviations from the comic, and they had a heavy "E! Hollywood" feel to them, which was a shame as they we okay but they could've been SO much better.

In 2008, Ioan appeared as Tony Blair in W, the feature film about former US President George W Bush, and he then starred alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar in the tv series Ringer (which is now cancelled).

Now, onto the autograph (and it's a doozy!).  In between his two Fantastic Four films, I wrote to Ioan c/o his talent agency in the UK.  Soon after I received a signed colour 3x5 photo of Ioan as Hornblower, and I also received a delightful 'with compliments' slip from Gillian Gruffudd which stated "Thank you for writing to my son."

Gold!!!

Sammo Hung

My next celebrity autograph blog is Sammo Hung.

A mainstay in kung-fu movies, both as an actor and as a director, in the 1970's Sammo worked for Raymond Chan's Golden Harvest, and can be seen in the opening sequence of Enter The Dragon (1973) as a Shaolin student, up against Bruce Lee.

Sammo was also responsible for co-ordinating a number of fight scene's for Game Of Death (1978). After Lee's death, Sammo went on to direct and star in the 1978 "Bruceploitation" film Enter The Fat Dragon.

Sammo also appeared in the 1975 film The Man From Hong Kong, starring Jimmy Wang Yu and former 007 George Lazenby.  The film has the only fight scene ever filmed on Uluru (Ayres Rock). Former Number 96 star Rebecca Gilling also appears in the movie - a lot.

Sammo starred and directed a number of films in the 80's with his friend Jackie Chan (perhaps you've heard of him?) such as Project A, My Lucky Stars, and Dragons Forever.  In 1997 he teamed up with Jackie again for Mr. Nice Guy which was set and shot in and around Melbourne (and the Yarra Valley).

After a number of projects, some more profitable than others, and a falling out with Raymond Chan, Sammo once again appeared alongside Jackie Chan in 2004's Around The World In Eighty Days (starring Steve Coogan as Phileas Fogg).

In 2010, Sammo Hung was given a lifetime achievement award at the New York Asian Film Festival.

Now, onto the autograph!  In 2003 I wrote a fan letter to Sammo, and shortly after I received this terrific inscribed colour 8x10 photo:

Until next time!

Karl Urban

My next celebrity autograph blog is New Zealand actor Karl Urban.

Karl's first big movie role was as Eomer in The Two Towers (2002) and The Return Of The King (2003), the final two installments of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy.  Although his characters role was diminished somewhat compared to the JRR Tolkien novels, so you can be excused (almost) for not remembering him.

In 2004, he starred in The Chronicles Of Riddick alongside Vin Diesel, and in The Bourne Supremacy alongside Matt Damon.  In 2005 he landed his first international lead role, starred opposite Rosamund Pike in the video-game film adaptation, Doom.

During this time, there was talk that Karl was in the top 4 contenders to replace Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.  The role eventually went to Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, 2006) who was an excellent choice and is still going strong.  When Daniel Craig decides to move on, Karl could step right into the role (in my opinion).

In 2007 he starred in the viking movie Pathfinder (not to be confused with the Nissan vehicle), and in 2009 he starred as Leonard "Bones" McCoy in JJ Abrams re-booted Star Trek feature film.  If any Trekkers are reading this and haven't watched the movie (firstly, wtf?) and secondly, go and watch the film, as Karl Urban has managed to make Bones into even more of a hard-ass.

In 2012, Karl starred as Judge Dredd in Dredd 3D, the re-make which had to happen, if anything, to erase our memory of the original Judge Dredd film starring Sylvester Stallone.  I'm not sure why it was called Dredd 3D, as my brother and I watched it in 2D.  Anyway, this film is the ultimate guilty pleasure, adrenalin boost, testosterone rush, from the opening motorbike gun battle to the final violent gore-fest.  Thankfully it's based more on the comic (2000 AD) than the original movie.  Watch it on DVD/Blu Ray, but make sure the kids have gone to sleep first.

Next up, Karl is scheduled to star in Riddick, and Star Trek Into Darkness.  Can't wait!

Now onto the autograph!  My brother and I had tickets to the Melbourne Armageddon Expo earlier this year, and Karl Urban was the major guest star.  So, in preparation I made a Judge Dredd Super Peg (a 6cm tall hand-painted wooden peg, which I sell for $5 each).  When I met Karl at the autograph table, I gave him this peg, which he liked and thanked me for (I didn't get $5 from him though).

Anyway, we had a brief chat about Star Trek and Dredd (which hadn't been released in Australia as yet) and he inscribed this 8x10" colour photograph of him as Dredd.

Score!

George Baker

The next entry into my celebrity autograph blog is British actor George Baker.

As is with many distinguished British actors, George can be seen in various well known productions, such as the Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Minder, Coronation Street, and Doctor Who (in the episode Full Circle). 

However I will best remember George for his portrayal in 3 of the best James Bond films of all time.

His first appearance was in You Only Live Twice (1967) starring Sean Connery, as an uncredited NASA Engineer.

His second appearance was as Sir Hilary Bray in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) alongside George Lazenby's 007.  George Baker also dubbed Lazenby's lines (for the scenes where 007 goes undercover at Piz Gloria) as Lazenby had difficulty with the 'proper' English accent required for the scenes.

And his final appearance in a 007 film was as Captain Benson in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) alongside Roger Moore.

According to the legend, George Baker was one of Ian Fleming's original choices to play James Bond (he missed out due to other committments).  He is also (currently) only 1 of 4 actors to have starred in Bond films with (at least) 3 separate actors as 007 (the other actors being Bernard Lee as M, Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, and Desmond Llewellyn as Q).

Anyway, onto the autograph!  Once again it was a standard through-the-mail success, a 4x6 b&w photo inscribed to me with "Best Wishes", which I obtained in the mid 2000's

George died of pneumonia in 2011 aged 80, so I'm really pleased to have his autograph in my collection.

Jacinta Stapleton

I haven't been blogging for a while so I thought I'd get back into the swing of things by detailing my next celebrity autograph, Jacinta Stapleton.

Jacinta is an Australian actress born in 1979 (making her one year older than I).  A former model, Jacinta is blonde, pretty, and with a throaty voice, so she was always going to be popular (at least amongst the male community).

She is best known for her role as Amy Greenwood in the soapie Neighbours, which she played from 1997-2000.  She returned to the role in 2005 for a cameo in the shows 20th anniversary episode.

In 1999 she returned to modelling for a riske photo shoot in the artistic celebrity porn magazine Black & White.  I think my brother might have a copy, as well as the issue featuring fellow Neighbours star Michelle Ang...

From 2002-2004 she played Christina Dichiera in the cop series Stingers, and she had a recurring role as Chloe Davis in the medical drama MDA.

Unfortunately that's pretty much where her acting credentials stop, which is probably due to Australian TV's obession with screening US made tv shows and "reality" shows in place of good Australian-made and proud TV.  Sure, in order to retain their licence the Australian TV Networks are legally bound to provide a % of Australian-Made TV, but when that percentage is something like 5% and can be filled with garbage like Big Brother, and the xenophobic Border Security, quality productions are few and far between.  I heard a rumour she took a job selling women's shoes on Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn.  I'm not sure how true that is, but if what I just rambled is any indication as to the difficulty of being an Australian actor, I wouldn't be surprised.

Now, onto the autograph!  During her run on the show I wrote to Jacinta c/- Stingers at Channel 9 and requested an autograph.  Not long after I received this terrific signed headshot!  Funny story, in 2006 I attended a celebrity gargage sale at the Richmond Football Club (of all places) where I saw the exact headshot, signed by Jacinta and inscribed to some celebrity (who I can't remember, not me) with the asking price of $35.  I had a chuckle, all mine cost me was a $0.60 postage stamp!

Until next time.