January VS December

The first month of the new year is already past and I hit my goal of 10 autographs/month. Here's a recap:

January 2006 autographs

Autographs received (real or believed to be): 10
Out of that number, the amount that were purchased: 1
Pre prints: 0
RTS: 0
Other: 3 In Person (convention purchases)
Total sent out in January: 19


December 2005 autographs

Autographs received (real or believed to be): 9 (*includes 2 not shown on the blog)
Out of that number, the amount that were purchased: 0
Pre prints: 2
RTS: 0
Other: 0
Total sent out in December: 16

The mother of 'Sisters'

Today's success is the first success I received in 2006 that was (originally) sent out in 2006.

Elizabeth Hoffman - Sent: 1/19/06 Received: 1/31/06. I'm most familiar with Elizabeth Hoffman from the TV show "Sisters". She played the mother, "Bea" on the show. I watched "Sisters" for a long time but for some reason I missed the series finale. So to this day I never saw how it ended. (I read about it online but it's not the same). I really wished the show was rerunning or available on DVD. In addition to "Sisters", Elizabeth Hoffman has been a regular (or guest star) on shows such as "Dante's Peak", "Star Gate SG1", "Thirtysomething", "Matlock" and "Little House On The Prairie". A quick reply and a great success to wrap up the month.



Elizabeth Hoffman (click to enlarge)

Secretary & The City?

It's been very quiet on the mail front lately. I've been a little behind on sending out requests (not the motivation but trying to find someone to write to where I would get a reply). After this weekend I should be caught up and back on track. In the mean time it was another lucky Saturday for me at the mailbox today.

Sarah Jessica Parker - Sent: 12/13/05 Received: 1/28/06. It wasn't until the end of 2005 that I became hooked on "Sex & The City" (better late than never I guess). So naturally being a (new) fan of the show I want to add as many of the cast autographs as I can get to my collection. Today I received Sarah Jessica Parker ("Carrie Bradshaw") who signed both pictures I sent her. Well at least I think Sarah Jessica signed it. Most collectors think she uses a secretary to sign for her. I've seen "In Person" successes from her and the "Sarah" and the "J" in Jessica seem to match. After that it's more like a line. Could that be because in person she doesn't have much time and it's a faster signature, where through the mail she has time to slow down and sign her name completely? Or has she employed someone to sign for her? I'm hoping for more of the former than the later. In addition to "Sex & The City" Sarah Jessica has a full cast of credits which includes "Square Pegs", "Footloose", "Honeymoon In Vegas" and more recently "The Family Stone".



Sarah Jessica Parker - here's hoping it's the real deal

5 'Dy-no-mite' successes!

We seem to have a "child actor" theme in today's mail.

Jimmie Walker - Sent: 12/7/05 Received: 1/17/06. Jimmie is best known from the TV show "Good Times" where he played "J.J. Evans". Many people (like myself) would tune in each week to hear him say his signature phrase: "Dy-no-mite!" Jimmie charged $5 for this but provided the photo and paid the postage. The silver signature was pre-printed on the photo but the black marker signature is the real deal.


Jimmie Walker as J.J. Evans from "Good Times"


Freddie Highmore - Sent: 12/19/05 Received: 1/17/06. When I saw the new "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" movie I was very impressed by Freddie Highmore (who played "Charlie" in the movie). I thought he was a great actor who really pulled the role off. I sent this photo (and a index card) to his agency in London and both came back today signed and personalized. Freddie turns 14 next month.


Freddie Highmore played "Charlie" in last year's "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" movie.


Denise Nickerson & Leonard Stone - In Person: 10/30/05. Incredible timing today. Besides getting Freddie Highmore (from the new "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" movie), I got two from the original "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" movie. My friend Lee went to the Chiller autograph show at the end of October and picked me up a few autographs (which I received today). Denise played Violet Beauregarde and Leonard played her father Sam. I read that this autograph convention was the first time they had seen each other since they filmed the movie. Denise's inscription reads "Ryan- You got gum?".


Denise Nickerson & Leonard Stone from the original "Willy Wonka" movie.


Lisa Loring - In Person: 10/30/05. This was another autograph I had Lee get me at the Chiller convention in October. Lee did a great job picking out some awesome photo's that I've never seen before. I was always more of a "Addams Family" fan than "The Munsters". Lisa played "Wednesday Addams" on the show and later would play the popular character "Cricket Montgomery" on "As The World Turns". Lisa doesn't seem to sign through the mail so I was very happy that Lee was nice enough to help me add her autograph to my collection.


Lisa Loring is "Wednesday Addams" (click to enlarge)

Share your autograph with me

How did I get a success on a day when the post office is closed for a holiday? Well it was actually delivered Saturday (to work) and I got it today when I showed up. And it made the first day of the work week a lot easier to get through.

Kenny Rogers - Sent: 11/14/05 Received: 1/14/06. I met Kenny (for the second time) in Dubuque, Iowa last month. (See photo below). But he doesn't sign during his meet & greets. I knew someone at his management office that was kind enough to have me send my cd insert to him and he had Kenny sign it when he came into the office. It would take too long to list all my favorite songs of his but some special ones that come to mind right away include "You Decorated My Life", "You Were A Good Friend", "Islands In The Stream" and "Twenty Years Ago". If you ever get a chance to see him in concert, make sure to go. He puts on a fantastic show that is very interactive with the audience.




Kenny Rogers signed cd insert (click to enlarge)



Me with Kenny Rogers 12/13/05 in Dubuque, Iowa

Kristin Kruek strikes again

You would almost think this was a reposting of last Saturday's blog update.

Kristin Kruek - Sent: 1/3/05 Received: 1/14/06. The first request I sent out in 2005 was to Kristin. As you might remember last Saturday I received my first success from her (via my second request). It took over a year but today my original request came back fulfilled. (I wonder where the letter sat that entire time)? Kristin must be getting caught up on her fan mail as I see other people have been getting long pending successes from her as well. As usual she was brilliant in this past weeks episode of "Smallville".



second success from Kristin Kruek (click to enlarge)

Monday's mailbox

A legendary actress starts out the beginning of my mail week.

Jane Fonda - Sent: 11/22/05 Received: 1/9/06. When I started "officially" collecting autographs, Jane Fonda was the first success I received through the mail. I had her sign my "9 to 5" DVD insert. At that time I really wasn't collecting 8X10 photos. But now that I am I wanted to add Jane back into my photo collection so I wrote to her and asked her to sign this "9 to 5" photo. She did and even personalized it! (Jane is known for signing but usually not personalizing). So it was an even more special treat.



Jane Fonda (click to enlarge)

Mail from smallville

Saturday's have seemed to be the lucky mailbox day for me. Does that tradition continue in 2006? So far it's looks like it does.

Kristin Kruek - Sent: 6/15/05 Received: 1/7/06. If you looked over my pending list you've probably seen that I've written to Kristin many times (at many addresses) in the past. Today I received my first success from her. I wrote to her at the Canadian set address for a project she did this summer called "Partition". I enjoyed Kristin in the movie "Euro Trip", but my favorite role she's played so far has been "Lana Lang" on "Smallville". I didn't really care for last season's "Smallville". I was bored with some of the storylines and plots. But this season has put the show back where it was in the first three seasons. Very exciting twists and turns to the plot. I'm excited to add Kristin to my collection. She's a very talented actress with a bright future.
















Kristin Kruek (click to enlarge)

New for 2006...

Two successes start out my 2006 autograph collection today.

Sharon Gless - Sent: 6/15/04 Received: 1/4/06. I thought this was lost for sure. I remember last year on Star Archive seeing every pending request (from the same address I used) from Sharon Gless come back (within a week or so) and mine was the only one that didn't. I remember that bumming me out. But today I no longer need to be "bummed" as my "Cagney & Lacey" photo came back signed by Sharon Gless. I mailed it to a CA address but my envelope came back with my US postage covered up with Canadian postage. I guess in the 568 days it took to get the success this photo took a little vacation as well. I will send it to Tyne Daily (and hope it doesn't take as long) later this week to try to complete it.


Sharon Gless played "Christine Cagney" on "Cagney & Lacey". (click to enlarge).












Alan Ritchson - Sent: 10/21/05 Received: 1/4/06. Actor/musician Alan Ritchson has been seen on "American Idol: The Search For A Superstar" and the "Aquaman" episode of "Smallville" a few months ago (playing Arthur 'Aquaman' Curry). After the "Smallville" episode I e-mailed him and asked for an autographed photo. I didn't hear anything so I decided to try again and (believe it or not) wrote him a letter last night that I planned to mail this week. Then today's mail shows up with his success. It looks like the back insert from a cd which he signed, then unfortunately folded in two to mail out in a regular sized envelope. I'll probably try him again in the future to get a photo signed (preferably a "Smallville" one) but in the mean time this can hold me over.













Alan Ritchson autograph (front & back)