I lost my best friend, Everett Hetzel last August, he was well known & liked by all, but not exactly famous. Had a way with people I wish I could emulate

I bowled in a Pro-Am match with Richie Allen.

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Proverbs 14:7

I flew into Indianapolis for the race in 1990, first class. A.J. Foyt sat right across the isle from me, we both had isle seats. It was an hour flight and we talked all the way. He gave me a newspaper he was reading and signed it, it has his home address mailing label on it, I have it framed.

I was also in a bed and breakfast about 6 years ago in Mississippi. There was only 2 guests, myself and Jane Powell. We had breakfast with her and her husband.

Backstage at many concerts, too many to mention.

When I worked for Telecharges parent company I had the opportunity to meet several actors/actesses, Patrick Stewart, Brian Denehy (don't think that's correct spelling but oh well), Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane and some others I can't remember. I have since been working as a field service rep for a high end appliance manufacturer and have met Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, Kevin Bacon. Bono and I'm sure been in many others homes. Many of them have their assistants or domestic staff call in so they don't get bothered.

Bob Hope back in the late 70's.

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N.R.A. BENEFACTOR Member

Joe Bowman, the Straight Shooter. Couple of times. Nice feller. Died a couple of years back.
Joe Bowman - The Straight Shooter

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I always take precautions

I dont get much farther than the blackjack tables. I know I played with nancy sinatra and richard gere when it was us at the tables in the wee hours. I was BS,ing with nancy sinantra for quite awhile and didnt know who she was untill my partner came and got me and told me on the way out of the casino. As a universal movie studio guard and a lockheed guard I met uncountable actors and test pilots. I liked gary powers the U-2 pilot shot down in russia. He was real low key. For actors clint walker (cheyanne) was my favorite. I introduced him to my wife a few years ago.

Probably not considered famous to anyone here, but had the pleasure of meeting and speaking to a Korean war Medal of Honor recipient, P-51 Tuskegee airman pilots from WWll, General Paul Tibbets, plus numerous POW's. To me, those people are famous, not actors or ballplayers.

Most famous and disliked, Jimmy Carter. I met him when I was in high school, he was Governor.

I'll do a two for one since they are kind of connected; however, for non military people I'm sure it means nothing. I once briefed GEN John Shalikashvili when he was the JCS while I was in charge of an OP in Macedonia ('94). My battalion commander at the time was LTC Carter Ham (that's him reenlisting me in '95), who was recently the USAREUR commander and currently the AFRICOM commander. GEN Ham still remembers me after all these years, which is pretty flattering since I'm retired enlisted and was pretty low on the totem poll then (and now!).

Attached Images

	briefing JCS.jpg (56.3 KB, 35 views)
	Ham reenlists Koch 95.jpg (54.1 KB, 44 views)

Pancho Villa

Pete

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NRA, GOA Lifer

My Father John "Jack" J. O`Connor:
A WW2 war hero and lifelong hero to me.

General "Chesty" Puller:
At the Naval Hospital in the mid 6o`s.
He was there to visit his son Lewis who had been severely wounded in Vietnam and was in the hospital recovering and being fitted with Prosthesis.

Dale Wilson: DAV veteran of the year 2009 Vietnam war hero and triple amputee ,a Great American Patriot and Gentleman.
I first met him at the Naval Hospital too and have kept in touch ever since.

In Memory of Colonel Robert B. Nett (Medal of Honor)

Back to the top for any newbies that would like to weigh in.

I really enjoy reading these posts. Very interesting stories.

I've recently become hooked on the old "Marshall Dillon" and "Gunsmoke" shows playing on the western channel. I remember back when the city of Wyoming, right here next to Grand Rapids used to have a rodeo. One year they had Ken "Festus" Curtis there to sign autographs. I shook his hand but autographs didn't interest me, as they still don't today. He seemed very nice and accomodating for photos and signing whatever was presented. Not like today where you pay an up front fee to stand in line and have something, which needs to be on an approved list, signed.

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Now That's Bullet Maintenance!

I met Carroll Shelby at the SEMA show a few years ago, he's a very nice guy...

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"Shall not be infringed"

In high school I met Gen William Westmoreland, and at book signings I have met Dave Thomas, founder of Wendys, and Dave Ramsey.

I also got a nice reply letter from Col Jeff Cooper one time, but never got to meet him in person.

Asia Carrera.

What was his favorite drink?

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Sure you did

Ol Smiley, Dave Keith.

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Eccentric old coot

In 1999, pre-9/11, Rudy Giulliani was Mayor of NYC and he was walking on the street with his security detail. I walked over and said: "Mr. Mayor, I want to congratulate you for doing a fine job cleaning up the city."

He responded with a sincere: "I appreciate that very much, thank you."

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

Chatted with Dick Cheney for a few minutes on the phone.

Met Presidents, movie stars, singers and all kinds of folks. When I found out they put their pants one leg at a time like me, I kinda lost interest.

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Eccentric old coot

Charles Bronson
Jill Ireland
Sugar Ray Lenard
Shirley McClellan
Clint Eastwood
Frick & Frack the Car Guys
Sher
A bunch of Judges and elected officials,like Police Chiefs, Mayors and different Governors all most all of them from Baltimore Maryland.
All of the folks above visited my store in Baltimore or at a store i worked at in Georgetown, DC in the early 90's

The most important person I know is my Father, Col. Joseph Rouse, Ret.
He has been in the army or worked for the Army for 70 (Seventy years) Most of that time has been spent with the Tort Claims Division at Fort Meade MD.Although during WWII he was a Infantry Officer, he attended law school after the war.
He is 92, still goes to works every day at 4:30 AM.
He served in North Africa and Italy during WWII. After the war we lived in France and Taiwan then back to Maryland.
A true American hero he literal wrote the book for tort claims for the U.S. Army.
Penmon

As a kid:Broderick Crawford at the height of his fame on Highway Patrol".
A few years later I sat in Jerry Lee Lewis' hotel room in Rome,Ga.after a rock and roll show the night before and watched him and my stepfather get drunker than Cooter Brown. It was the General Forrest Hotel.

As an young adult because of "connections",myself and a friend had the run of Chick Hedrick's Domino Lounge in Atlanta. It was there I met Patti White,former school teacher turned stripper,and the first to ever take it all off on stage.
Met in her "dressing" room.
Working movie security details years later I met Johnny Cash (Murder in Coweta County) ,Burt(yuk!)Reynolds (Deliverance) along with Jon Voight.
Harrison Ford (Mosquito Coast) and more recently Reese Witherspoon (Sweet Home Alabama)
Others along the way included Leo Derocher(sp?) and Marty Robbins. Of course I met my cousin,actor Claude Akins several times at family reunions as a kid.
Ran into Randolph Scott in a grocery store in Miami while on a family vacation and talked with him.He was polite and acknowledged who he was but asked me to keep quiet about it.
Almost forget,I also met Roger Miller at the Domino Lounge.He had just recently had dental implants and not very comfortable,but friendly and accomodating.Spent about an hour or so with him.Funny guy.
Met Wolfman Jack when he was a DJ at WAKE in Atlanta."This is the wolfman with the latest weather from the wide awake,mile high,winkin' blinkin' WAKE weather eye." That station was later bought out and played black gospel music.
My greatest regret is that I never got to meet any of the real life great gunfighters. I'm the only one I know.

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Blessed be the Lord,my Rock

Lets see:
Norm Schwartzkopf - natch. See my avatar.
Barry Goldwater - Smartest guy in the room.
Newt Gingrich - Same
Elton John (?)

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Working an airline ticket counter you meet a lot of people. The guys in Lynard Skynard, Molly Hatchet and .38 Special. Actors Billy Barty, Robert Donner (bad guy in a couple of John Wayne movies and Exidor on Mork and Mindy), Wayne Rogers. Joe Namath and Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe. But I guess the most famous person I ever met was actor, shooter and NRA President Charlton Heston. There was a certain "presence" about Heston that you could feel just being near him.

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μολὼν λαβέ

Straightshooter,I think Heston may have gotten that presence when he played Moses.

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Blessed be the Lord,my Rock

I resisted commenting in the original thread several years ago because I thought 75% of it was BS. The 25% true accounts of "I met briefly" or "I spoke to briefly" stories seem plausible. Of course this is the internet, anonymous people posting anything they choose. I'm sure some of it is true and much of it is complete baloney.

Anyway, it made me wonder why anyone would cite their personal relationships with famous, infamous, notorious or otherwise celebrity "personal friends". Those people I include among my personal friends, would hardly appreciate it and likely, might take exception. Oh, and yeah....I never met that guy Dick Burg, never heard of him. I could say we were pals and had a hot dog at Pinks last year in L.A., but that would not be true.

Cheers;
Lefty

Evil Kenievel spent the night at my house when I was about six. My dad was a golf professional at the country club when Evil asked if he could play. My dad spent the day with him playing golf and that turned into playing gin at the bar which eventually led to Evil needing a place to stay. He was hammered so I didn't get to speak to him but I remember how impressed I was when my dad introduced him to me and my brother. My mom was less than interested since dad spent the day drinking, wouldn't have mattered who it was she was going to be annoyed. When I was in high school I rode in an elevator with Greg Norman and Larry Mize, both guys were very polite and made me feel important. Good times.

Around late 64 early 65 I was a guard at universal studios for about 4 months. The other guards would say that actor is a good guy, or that one a butt head etc. Often I would find the opposite. I did see bad behavior on a few, but I suppose they could have had their reasons or just a bad day. I had a few go out of their way for me, buy my lunch etc. I sure would hate to be judged by a few snapshots of my life. Judgeing by what I read and see on tv now the newer young actors are a different breed than most I seen and met years ago.

Mary Lou Retton
Came to my workplace and had a meet and greet.
Still got her autographed picture hanging on the door inside
my gunsafe.


chuck

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They hold no Quarter

When I was 14 I met Dan Donegan of Disturbed, I was at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando and my brother called me to make sure and I walked up and started talking to him and i ended up having a cup of coffee with him.

Where I live in Houston Ive SEEN NOT TALKED TO alot of the Houston Rappers, but when I was working as a cashier at Academy Slim Thug ( famous houston rapper) came through my line to buy a basketball and we talked for abit and signed the receipt.

This is NOT political but last night I spent three hours in a 20X20 room with about 12 Secret Service Agents, a small group of multimillionnaires (not one of them being me) and a person that is one of the Big Three on the Republican ticket. Even had a few photo ops with me beside him. Unfortunately the media was not allowed and the location was not publicized. He and I had a few interesting conversations and his daughter even took a photo of her father and I.

Never met a famous person. I am however distantly related to Andy Griffith but we have never met. Even tho he has been invited numerous times to the family reunion he has never atended. Ergo we have never met.

"Mean" Joe Green
Franco Harris
Willie Stargell
Rep. John P. Murtha
Nick Clooney
Shirley Jones
Ernest Borgnine
Fred Rodgers

Francis Crick, winner of the Nobel Prize for discovering DNA

Several actors at Charity Events for Quail Unlimited and the American Indian Association (Private premier of ances with Wolves" )==Wes Studi, Lou Ferrigno, Joe Mantegna and others.

Several scientists who got the Nobel Prize for discovering climate change (Don't remember who was who=after all about 40 people shared the Prize)

Ned Beatty, from Deliverance and other movies.

Growing up in L.A. it was no big deal==everybody knew someone in Hollywood. My cousin was dance instructor for several of the Mouseketeers=including Annette.

It took me one second to come up with my answer - John Lennon. Oh, and by the way, the add that popped up to the left of the forum while I was reading this thread wasn't bad to look at either! There's "something incredible" about Jennifer Love Hewitt that makes you wanna just reach out and touch someone! Thanks S&W forum, you made my day !

I've met a bunch of presidential candidates over the years, but the most memorable was actually getting to visit for a few minutes with G.H.W. Bush when he was V.P. Really nice guy.

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72

While I've been in close proximity to, and even exchanged a few words with some famous people, not a lot of them mind you, the one that I knew was someone that I never really knew how popular he was. I still don't, but heard that he was quite the celeb in his day.

My Dad grew up with Lynn Chandnois, who played for the Pittsburg Steelers if I'm not mistaken, where he was supposed to be one of their better players. That's what I heard anyways. Based on his age this must have been back in the 1950's & early 60's?

Lynn used to come up to our place in Northern Michigan snowmobiling on a regular basis back in the early 70's.

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Ogy

I walked right past Ron Paul a few years ago......

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Even older, even crankier....

I met Donny Osmond and one of his sons this last Christmas eve. He is good friends with my girlfriends' brother. Donny is a short little fella.

I have been drunk with a few who will never be mentioned.
LBJ, AW--just a lot.
Most notable person I have ever known is Steven O'Brian Jones.
But, that is just me.
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

I forgot two of the nicest: John Astin (as funny in real life as in Addams Family!) and talked to John Carpenter on the phone=he had loaned an employee some money: No interest, no payments.

I met him at a airshow in Florida about a year before he died. Super nice guy, bought his book. He was a great story teller.

Jack Kevorkian
Shaquille O'neal
Charles Barkley
Jeff Foxworthy
Barbara Walters
Hank Aaron
Ted Williams
Mitch Ryder
Bob Seger

....to name a few.

Evander Holyfield.

Met him at some fights a few months back. He looked the same as he did 10 years ago.

Chuck Connors of Rifleman fame: Neighbor of friend, got to use his tractor for brush clearance.

Clint Eastwood: I was background extra in Gauntlet movie.

Gen. Chuck Yeager: Ground support when he flew F-20 and F-15's at Edwards AFB.

Stan Musial
Jack Nicklaus
Jerry Lee Lewis
Muhammad Ali
David Crosby
Steven Stills
Steve Cropper
Marlo Thomas
Jerry Lawler
Lex Luger
"Birdman" Koko B. Ware......on my speed dial.
Sam Phillips......discovered a guy named Elvis
Al Gore......washed my hands after I shook his
Ernie Ladd
Harmon Killebrew
Gaylord Perry
Bill Mazeroski
Chi Chi Rodriguez

I've been around for a while.

Oh one more and perhaps the most memorable, Raymond Vohden, held in a North Vietnamese P.O.W. camp for 7 1/2 years. Met him in 1973 just after his release, his family lived about 15 houses down from me.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

President & Mrs. Regan
President George Bush Sr.
President George W. Bush
(The Infamous)Ted Kennedy
La. Gov. Edwin Edwards, before his stint in the pen.
Steve W.