Have You Ever Met A Movie/TV Star or Celebrity?

[LizzieMaine]

A lot of show business people are surprisingly shy when they aren't in controlled circumstances. On a stage or in a studio is one thing, but out mingling face to face with random people who think they know you but don't is quite another. Some can switch on the "performer" persona like a light switch, but others actually really have to work to do it.

 

[belfastboy]

When I was 11 I won the trophy for Most Sportsmanlike player in the local Little League. At the trophy presentation Andy Bathgate (NY Rangers) was there to present the trophy (which I still have). He was one of my favourite players at the time but my first thought was..."damn he is not much bigger than me." ( I was big for my age!) And at that age I thought heroes should be huge or at least tower over me so I was at the end feeling let down.

 

[belfastboy]

A lot of show business people are surprisingly shy when they aren't in controlled circumstances. On a stage or in a studio is one thing, but out mingling face to face with random people who think they know you but don't is quite another. Some can switch on the "performer" persona like a light switch, but others actually really have to work to do it.

Back in the early 1990's I was in a weekend workshop and Jim Belushi was also attending. Ended up in a grouping with him or rather it was I was a member of the entourage. They were not really conversations so much as him holding court over his entourage. He was not shy in the least. Not a bad guy but overall very full of himself and very comfortable holding court. The upside we all went to his House of Blues club at the end of the workshop....well not actually his but he inherited it from the real talent in the family John.

 

[belfastboy]

I have met a bunch of musicians and singers. Had dinner in Malibu one night at the table next to Michael Douglas. Does that count?

Most of the musicians I have met over the years have been the old Chicago blues guys as I was a blues DJ and blues harp player in the old days. I have met Willie Dixon, Hound Dog Tayler, James Cotton, BB King, Johnny Shines and actually got to know Muddy Waters pretty well, along with the members of his band. They were some really good guys that I still miss today.

Became friends with Duane Allman and spent a lot of time in his house in Daytona Beach. Also knew Greg, but not as well as I knew Duane. When Duane died in 1971, it took a lot out of me.

I met Jr. Wells and got to know the best harp player in the world—Rod Piazza as a friend. Also knew some other other great harp players, Charlie Musslewhite, Kim Wilson and Jerry Portnoy (Muddy's next to last harp player). Through Fingers Taylor, Jimmy Buffet's harp player, I got to know Jimmy. And there are probably 10 to 15 others I have left out.

So, it has been a road well traveled, and I have enjoyed the journey.

Johnny Shines, now there is a name I have not heard in a long time. I will have to dig out his record and give it a spin. Charlie Musselwhite, best harp player I have ever seen live.
10-15 years ago I was in a local bar before a John Hammond show. Our seats were right by the side door that was open due to the heat of summer. A guy passes thru the door but a young security guard grabbed him by the arm and told him he would have to enter by the front door. I tapped the security guy on the shoulder and told him he would be wise to let the guy pass as he was John Hammond and was an important part of the night's entertainment. The security guard, suitably young and ignorant of Mr Hammond was dutifully apologetic. John stopped at our table to laugh and thank us for rescuing him.

 

[Zombie_61]

...My wife literally ran into Arnold Schwarzenegger in the hallway of the Santa Fe Hilton where she worked (early 1980s). He stopped and helped her back up as she just bounced off when they collided...

I briefly found myself face to face with Mr. Schwarzenegger at a bodybuilding convention in the early-1980s. He was trying to make his way through the crowd because he was the next guest speaker, and he was running a little late because he'd spent too much time chatting with Lou Ferrigno moments before. It sounds cliché, but I remember thinking, "I thought he'd be bigger."

 

[belfastboy]

One of my favourite bands from the 1960's - Siegal Schwall Band. Jim Schwall is now professor in Madison Wisconsin. Corky Siegal is still out there performing. A few years back he was at a local blues club with his Chamber Blues group. We went early to have dinner in the club/pub and found ourselves the only patrons in the club. Corky and the band were on stage rehearsing and at the end he came down to sit with my wife and I. He asked what the hell we were doing there so early!!!
We had a great long chat, reminiscing about his band from the 1960's and the many times we had seen him perform. He was a wonderful man, down to earth and truly in love with his music. What a treat to have watched the rehearsal and then get to hear the finished product an hour later.

 

[TimeWarpWife]

When I lived in Northern VA in the 1980s, I met some old Washington Redskin players - Art Monk, Brian Mitchell, Curtis Jordan (who almost ran me over in a parking lot), and Joe Jacoby (the man is the size of a tree!). Wasn't too thrilled to meet any of them, although Monk and Mitchell were very friendly and polite, because I was a Cowboys' fan. I also met President Ford's dog, Liberty, when I got to take a private tour of the White House in 1975 (a family friend's uncle worked for the administration).

 

[2jakes]

That's interesting; I have read several times that she is a pretty reclusive person, a trait that I thought odd for an actress. I can sympathize with her, though. I enjoy people, but I do get overwhelmed pretty quickly in larger social groups and start looking for an escape route!

I also retreat from large groups.
Although, If I know a topic good
mostly with one on one person....
I can be a "Chatty Chathy"!
Go figure!

 

[Peacoat]

One of my favourite bands from the 1960's - Siegal Schwall Band. Jim Schwall is now professor in Madison Wisconsin. Corky Siegal is still out there performing.

A good story. I was a fan back in the 70s when I first started playing. Corky recently performed locally a few months back, so I knew he was still around. Didn't know about Jim Schwall, though. Thanks for the update.

 

[belfastboy]

A good story. I was a fan back in the 70s when I first started playing. Corky recently performed locally a few months back, so I knew he was still around. Didn't know about Jim Schwall, though. Thanks for the update.

Was he performing with Chamber Blues?

 

[Peacoat]

Was he performing with Chamber Blues?

No, he was in the Siegal/Schwall band.

 

[belfastboy]

No, he was in the Siegal/Schwall band.

I meant a few months back when he performed in your area. When I last saw him he was doing a blues/chamber music fusion. About a 7piece chamber music group and him on blues harp. He has at least one album out "Contemporary Colours" with Chamber Blues. It is a great album and the fusion of the two genres really works well.

 

[Peacoat]

I meant a few months back when he performed in your area. When I last saw him he was doing a blues/chamber music fusion. About a 7piece chamber music group and him on blues harp. He has at least one album out "Contemporary Colours" with Chamber Blues. It is a great album and the fusion of the two genres really works well.

Yes, it was something like that. If it had been a straight blues gig, I would have probably gone. The city where he was going to be is about 30 miles from me, and it takes a really interesting show to get me there and to fight the traffic.

 

[belfastboy]

Yes, it was something like that. If it had been a straight blues gig, I would have probably gone. The city where he was going to be is about 30 miles from me, and it takes a really interesting show to get me there and to fight the traffic.

With a bit of luck my wife and I will head down to Tennessee this May/June and hope to find some good ol' time bluegrass or simple mountain folk music. We have a motor home and will meander your way and see what we can find.

 

[MisterCairo]

My only celebrity run in - Andrew Sachs, aka Manuel from Fawlty Towers.

He portrayed Manuel in a Christmas pantomime at Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario, in 1984. Canadian ballet star Karen Kain and her stage actor husband Ross Petty (who still produces pantos every Christmas, now in Toronto) starred in "Mother Goose", and "Manuel", for reasons I cannot recall, is magically transported to the land of fairy tales.

My father was pretty ballsy, and he called up the stage manager to ask if we could meet Mr. Sachs after the performance. He asked the actor who said he'd be pleased to do so.

Andrew told us he was staying with his sister who lived in Mississauga, Ontario, immediately west of Toronto.

Mr. Cairo, aged 16, is on the right. A family friend's son Scott in the middle.



December 1984:

 

[Rmccamey]

That's how I met Ralph Stanley...a bluegrass festival in Oklahoma.

With a bit of luck my wife and I will head down to Tennessee this May/June and hope to find some good ol' time bluegrass or simple mountain folk music. We have a motor home and will meander your way and see what we can find.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

When I lived in Montecito,CA in the late '70s I used to see stars from time to time. The Hollywood community was mostly older and semi-retired, though I once exchanged greetings with Michael Douglas when he was jogging one way and I was jogging the other. I'd see Richard Widmark from time to time at restaurants and he looked remarkably different in real life than on film. This was when the gas shortages were going on so there were gas lines. At a Montecito gas station I found myself behind a blue pickup and when it pulled up to the pump who should emerge but Robert Mitchum. The gas attendant said "Hello, Bob," so I knew I wasn't mistaken. Later I sat at a restaurant table next to him when he was talking some business with two or three other men. There were numerous others, but Mitchum was the only star I ever saw who looked and sounded exactly in real life as he did in the movies.

 

[Edward]

I've met a few big names over the years; most have been a joy. Marky Ramone was perfectly polite (unusual, he's known for being difficult at times). A fair few of the Rocky Horror cast (Richard O'Brien, Patrciia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Tim Curry, several others...). Beverly 'Guitar' Watkins I met in 2012, she was adorable. Played like a demon on stage. So tiny - a Stratocaster looked like a double bass on her, but it didn't stop her playing with her teeth, behind her head, the works. Wanda Jackson, marvellous. Imelda May back when she still had the band and played rock and roll (I don't care for her newer, blander mainstream material so much - damn you, Bono!). Friend was her bass player; I followed them from playing toilets in North London to headlining the Albert Hall. Good times. Dave Vanian of the Damned is an absolute gent; we talked tailoring.

A few years ago, a friend who works at the National Theatre was dressing Helen McCrory (pre-Peaky Blinders and Aunt Pol, but she was still a big name in the UK already). I caught up with my friend for a coffee before the show one evening. We were sitting in the lobby of the theatre when Ms McCrory arrived, and came over to say hello to her. She introduces me - "This is my friend Ed" - and the famous Helen McCrory reaches out the shakes hands and says "Hello, I'm Helen." I just adored how "normal" that was, that she didn't assume I knew who she was or stand on celebrity or anything. Even if it occurred to her that I would recognise her, it was just so polite. Gustav Temple recently interviewed her for The Chap, and he said she was possibly the most un-luvvy person he's ever interviewed, so down to earth.

 

[Harp]

He came to the division to award a DSC to an FO friend of mine. He was put in for a MOH but was downgraded to DSC. He called in artillery on his position during a pullback. Charlie was that close...

A buddy of mine was the son of a Master Sergeant; whom, when derosing stateside out of Saigon was preparing to board
his transport plane when informed that he would be one of only two passengers on the flight to California, the other
was an Air Force brigadier general, James Stewart.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

Lizzie has mentioned the "shy" celebs, who are very private and uncomfortable being confronted in public, though most of those I saw in Montecito were good sports about it, especially with kids. And then there was Jonathan Winters. He was one of those comedians who are always "on" and always over the top. He would practically ambush strangers in public and turn on one of his innumerable personae. I saw him most often in the parking lot in front of Pierre Lafond in Montecito Village. He'd always have a small crowd of locals or tourists cornered and reduced to tears of helpless laughter while he harangued them with an improvised routine, often making them participate. Those people must have returned home with some stories to tell.