Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Discussion of the actors, directors and film-makers who 'made it all happen'
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Lomm
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Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Lomm »

I haven't. I met Yvonne Craig once, and I saw the skeleton of the original King Kong model. That's about it for me. :lol:

But I love hearing the stories tossed around here and there in various threads, and thought maybe it would be nice to have a thread dedicated to such encounters.
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Rita Hayworth »

I've met Adam West, Burt Ward, Yvonne Craig, and the Fearsome Foursome - Lee Meriweather as Catwoman, Frank Gorshin as the Riddler, Cesar Romero as Joker, and Burgess Meredith as Penguin all in the 1970's when I was busy attending the various Comic Cons in California. Got all of their autographs - signed by the role that they played in.

I also met Lynda Carter, Raquel Welch, and Micheal Douglas too.

About Carter - I met her once at a fundraiser in the 90's in New York City. We've talked for 3-5 minutes while getting her autograph.

About Welch - I met her once at a Convention and got her autograph too. Even talked to her for 15-20 minutes. That's was about 10 years ago.

About Douglas - At an Autograph Function and we met just briefly.
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Lzcutter
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Lzcutter »

I met Clint Eastwood many years ago at a tribute we (the Film Society at USC) did for director Don Siegel. We had a reception for Siegal and Eastwood and Sondra Locke attended (that gives an indication of how many years it was). Eastwood requested Olympia beer be served (who knew he was an Oly fan?).

Sam Peckinpah also came in support of Siegal that evening as Don had given Sam one of his first real breaks in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

Thanks to those tributes we did, I met Orson Welles who was a bit of diva but I could listen to that voice for hours. We did a tribute to Sam Peckinpah that brought Jason Robards, LQ Jones David Warner and Strother Martin's widow to attend.

Another tribute we did to John Cassavettes brought not only John but Gena Rowlands as well and they were both very gracious.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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Lzcutter
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Lzcutter »

Jack Lemmon drank us under the table but a very charming gentlemen none the less.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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Lomm
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Lomm »

I'd love to hear more of that story. Jack Lemmon is one of my favorites.
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Lzcutter
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Lzcutter »

He came down to USC for a pre-release screening of Missing and did a Q & A with Arthur Knight (the prof of the class who also wrote film criticism for Playboy back in the day) and was very gracious to the audience. He took questions about the film and about his career and had the audience in the palm of his hand. He loved working with Shirley MacLaine, Walter Matthau and Billy Wilder.

After the class was over, he invited a handful of us stragglers (theater staff, Lemmon fans, teaching assistants) out for a drink.

We ended up at the Hotel Fig (Hotel Figueroa) not far from the campus. Thanks to Jack, we got to go up to the rooftop pool where they sent waiters to take our drink orders in, what in hindsight, seems like a never ending line of waiters bringing us drinks.

It was spring in the City of Angels, as I recall, and the weather was balmy. We sat up on the roof around the pool with Jack and he recounted his career while drinking us all under that table.

He was still there when the group I was with finally called it a night but we heard from those who stayed that they closed the place down after last call at 2:00 am in the morning and Jack picked up the tab.

A wonderful evening.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
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Lomm
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Lomm »

That sounds fantastic.
Western Guy
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Western Guy »

When I had my modeling/talent agency, my partner Elissa and I made frequent trips to California to attend various conventions. Back in 1994, we attended a convention in L.A. We were booked into the Knickerbocker Hotel (in a pretty crummy part of the city) while the convention was held at the Beverly Hills Hilton (a world apart). This was a neat event, many stars in attendance, including James Garner and Jack Lemmon. At one point I was in the lobby of the "pink palace", the elevator door opened and out walked Al Pacino. Now I'm a HUGE Pacino admirer and here he is walking in my direction. Years prior, I walked right by the Canadian actor Douglas Rain who was appearing at MTC in "Sleuth", and I love this guy and kicked myself forever that I couldn't muster up the courage to stop and speak with him. Wasn't going to make the same mistake with my favorite movie star Pacino. So - summoning up my courage, I approached him, told him who I was, why I was in California, and said that as the instructor of the Media Actors Workshop in Winnipeg, it would mean a lot to my students if he could give me an autographed photo to hang on what I called my "Wall of Fame" - Garner had and later Jack Lemmon provided me with photos inscribed to my class. Pacino said he didn't have a picture with him but would be pleased to give me an autograph (which he did: signed, strangely: Pacino, Al). Told him that I'd really like a photo to hang on my studio wall. Pacino asked me if I was staying at the Hilton. Told him no, we were at the Knickerbocker. Al nodded and assured me that he would have a picture sent there later that day. Sure enough, after my partner and I returned to the Knickerbocker, the desk clerk told me I had received an envelope. In that envelope was a personally-autographed study of my favorite actor: Mr. Al Pacino.

I think I walked on clouds for the next six months.
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Lomm
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Lomm »

I was so afraid that story was going to end badly! Glad it turned out the way it did.
Western Guy
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Re: Ever met a classic film star? Share your stories here!

Post by Western Guy »

Pacino seemed a little shy, but a true class act.

Actually most of the celebrities I've met or spoken with were first-class people. Particularly the older stars. Down to earth, no airs about them, and often very funny. I've found, in fact, that some of our local so-called "celebrities" - media people - have larger, more inflated egos.
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