Met Muddy Waters in a small tavern called Great Midwester in louisville Ky back in the late 70s. We talked blues and I even bought him a drink, straight orange juice! I spent alot of time in that bar! Mark

Ned Beatty used to come to the local turkey shoots where he shot some sort of muzzle loading side by side. He has a home in the mountains east of town. Also, Dick Brooks 1969 NASCAR rookie of the year. He was in my class in high school.

I have met a few important people, but the one I liked the most was Barry Golwater. 5 of us got to seat down and chatted for about an hour after he gave a talk at a Ariz. convention I was attending. He was in his late 80's and he didn't sugar coat any of his answers.

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Al
Have Gun Will Travel

got to me a few along the way. the most memorable, carlos hathcock at quantico, dolly parton at a craps table at caesars for about 30 min. and tom selleck that stopped at our table at a winter vegas show to look at gun we displayed for sale. great guy and quite gun knowledgeable.

Evelyn Kowalchik (hope I spelled that right). She was a nurse who served during WWII on the beaches of Normandy during the invasion. She is a local gal, friend of ours. Some years ago there was dedication of the new D-day memorial in Bedford, VA. This event was on national TV, with George Bush Sr. presiding and Evelyn as the honored guest.

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Quoth the raven:
"Nevermore"

A few well known personalities....

Ronald Reagan, while he was Governor of Calif. I was on the security detail at NAS Miramar on Christmas Day, 1968, when the crew of USS Pueblo returned home. The plane was running late, so we were hanging around the ops center, having coffee. Gov. Reagan joined us and we chatted for several minutes. We shared a chuckle when I told him my mother had a crush on him in 1946, so she named me Ronald. Great, down-to-earth guy.

Charlton Heston, at the NRA meeting in Reno, NV, 2002. He was autographing his book, and toward the end of the day, there was no line, so I got to talk with him for a few moments. Sadly, he left the meetings the next day, shortly before announcing he had Alzheimer's disease. He was very frail.

Between the Navy and Police Dept., I worked for PSA airlines at San Diego International Airport, circa 1969 - 70. I was the smiley guy who checked in passengers at the boarding gates. I met several celebs while in that job. Most were great people who had a kind word for me/us. One passenger I had the MISFORTUNE to meet was Jerry Lewis. There is no bigger Alpha Hotel than him. Arrogant, pompus and demanding of special attention. The flight crews told me he was a pain in the *** onboard the aircraft as well.

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Retired Police, Life NRA

A lot of folks I'd to like meet already mentioned on this thread, but at a recent gun show here in Houston, A man was selling photo's of old west TV stars and I was casually looking thru them when he said "you don't recognize me" with a smile.
He was the The Virginian, James Drury and I thought he was as polite and personable as anyone I'd every talked to on a once in a life time conversation.

When I was a teenager, I used to work at a hotel as a bellhop and "go-fer". I met Terry Bradshaw when he was first drafted by the pros, and Steve McQueen when he was traveling incognito to participate in motocross races. Bradshaw was young, and still had a head full of hair. He was very nice and polite to everyone at the hotel. McQueen was quiet and kept to himself, but he was uber-cool.

Regards,

Dave

Probably THE most recognized celeb I've met and spoken to would be Sean Connery, with Bob Hope a close second.

I've also spoken with; Arnold Swartzenegger. All the main characters in "The Untouchables"......Charley Martin Smith, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, etc.
Had the pleasure to speak with Chuck Yeager , Gen. Shwartzkoff and Pres Bush Sr at a Safari Club Dinner several years back.

Elmer Keith, Craig Boddington, G. Gordon Liddy.

Natalie Portman (she's REALLY small..but very cute and was very friendly), Boyd Gaines the gym teacher who boinked Kim Cattrell in "Porkies". Patrick Mc Nee the guy who played Steed in the old "Avengers".

All I can think of now.

FN in MT

Mine were quite some time ago. Met President Johnson in the mid 60s and then met the VP, Humpfrey in the late 60s. Guess my favorite was Major General Jones. He was probably the last member of Doolittles raiders on active duty and was my boss in the early 70s.

Muhammad Ali
Floyd Patterson
Carmen Basilio
Billy Backus
Jake LaMotta
George Chuvalo (and his memorable driver, Marvin!)
Bob Foster
Larry Holmes
Sandy Saddler

Jesse Jackson
Nelson Rockefeller
Hank, Jr (phone call about guns)
Joe Arpaio


But...the BEST of all was that I, a onetime small-town cop, did indeed stop Broderick Crawford for speeding. No, I did not give him a ticket.

10-4.

Tim

Saw Hank Jr at National Gun Day in Louisville in '95.

actually met:

R. Lee Ermy
Charlton Heston
Wayne LaPierre
John Y. Brown Jr. (owned KFC)
Several other Kentucky governors
Former Congressman Bob Barr
Mitch McConnell

Dave Dellinger, friend of the family when he and his family lived in Newark and, later, in Glen Gardner. Good guy, but just wrong on some of his politics.

Roland Masimino was a history teacher (and, of course, basketball coach) in my high school, and had the homeroom opposite mine (another history teacher). Not sure I saw it myself, but my older sister noticed that there was often a bunch of girls hanging around him when classes changed. Even I could see why.

It was 1970 and I was just a kid about 6 or 7. My mother worked for an influential judge and was invited (required) to attend a party at a local park. Something came up last minute and Dad couldn't watch me, so off I went with Mom. She brought along a fishing pole so I could catch bluegills and not bother the grownups. Tall guy with one arm smaller than the other leaves the party, and sits down next to me.
"Any bites?"
"a couple."
"What'cha using?"
"Worms."
"Is your Dad at the party?"
"Mom. She said I hafta fish & be quiet 'cause the grownups have important stuff to talk about."
"Nothing's more important than fishing, young man."
"Yessir"
"Call me Bob"
I stuck out my right hand as I'd been taught, but he shook it with his left. Just him and me. No cameras, no handlers. I told my mother later that he shook hands funny, and she told me that he'd been hurt in the war. His name was Senator Dole, and someday she hoped he would be President. He was just Bob to me.

Then there was BTK. He lived a couple of miles from me, and we would speak while in line at the store, things like that. Very unassuming guy. Absolutely normal. (Yeah, right)

That reminds me, I met another member of the Chicago Seven, Jerry Rubin, in 1976 when he was trying to get publicity for his book, Growing Up at Thirty-seven. I thought he was a self-serving, self-obsessed little jerk.

Really interesting read. Thanks for posting everyone. It's interesting how many famous folk are so down to earth nice when you meet them. Most likely their upbringing and parents that taught them respect at a young age. Sadly missing with so many of todays "look at me" celebs.

George Bush Sr. when he was Vise Pres.

As a messenger in NYC when i was 18 or so, I met Woody Allen ( as someone already said: before i knew what a creep he was) and John Belushi. But the one i remember most vividly was Faye Dunaway (circa 1976) i rang the bell at her apartment at the Dakota Building (famous for John Lennon's death about 4 years later) and she invited me in while she finished writing a letter to her agent for me to deliver. She was in a bathrobe, and we were alone!

Much less interestingly, but also in the mid 1970's,Willie Mosconi, the pool playing champion came into the pool hall i hung out in around 2AM and put on a show for my friends and me....

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I used to be disgusted..

For what it's worth, my wife and I met Savanna Samson a few years ago in Huntsville. She's famous for being in movies, but not necessarily Academy Award winners. However, in my opinion, she was quite motivational to me.

Robert Redford at his sky resort, Sundance
Marie Osmond in the Orem Mall
Alan Osmond in some sporting goods store, he was buying shotgun shells
Bob Hope in Provo Utah, he was trying to get change for a phone call
Elmer Keith
Col. Charles Askins in Texas
P.O. Ackley made rifle barrels for me
Bliss Titus " " " " "
Val Browing at Bliss Titus's shop in Heber, Utah
Karl Malone, John Stockton, at the Delta Center in S.L.C.
There are others but I can't remember them (I am 74 yrs. of age)

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joseph whitney

None other than Elvis Presley. After he finished Army basic training, he was assigned to active duty in Germany. His MATS plane landed at Ernest Harmon AFB, Stephenville, Newfoundland in the wee hours of the morning. Almost every mother on base took their kids to the base terminal to see him. What impressed me most was that he was a polite, humble guy that made time for everyone to take a picture or get his autograph. Mom still has the picture she took.

Gerald Ford around 1976

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I drank what? - Socrates

Myself and 3 or 4 others would eat lunch every day during high school with Leslie Van Houten.

wyo-man

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Live free or die

When I was stationed at Ft. Bragg, I saw guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke play in Chapel Hill, NC. I got to meet him after I told his manager that I'd paid a buddy to cover guard duty for me so I could see the show. Nice guy, very cool to talk to.

My Army roommate was from a wealthy family in DC. His father was a big supporter of the National Symphony, and Mstislav Rostropovich, lead cellist and National Symphony musical director at the time, played a private concert for his 75th birthday at their house. The cello he played was the Duport Stradivarius, which has a dent in the side from the time that Napoleon Bonaparte straddled it while wearing spurs. He insisted that everyone call him "Slava," and he brought bread and salt to bless the house because it was a Russian tradition. Also nice and approachable, but he'd hug you at the drop of a hat.

I also met Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, after I wrote several websites for them. He liked my work, so we were introduced formally a couple of times. I also body-checked him on a stairwell by accident once time, which was like running into an apartment building. Very nice guy, a blue-collar kid from the projects who made good.

I also used to work with SmithNut.


Okie John

Peter Fonda, at the Medicine Wheel in the Big Horn Mts., not too long after he hit a deer on his Fat Boy near Spotted Horse, the true incident that forms the basis for his character's riff in "The Limey". Clint Eastwood, at his Mission Ranch in Carmel. Once shared a cab with Kurt Vonnegut after a reading with Muriel Rukeyser at the YMHA in New York. Shared a bottle of brandy and talked about motorcycles with Robert Pirsig, after a reading at the Zen center in Mpls.

Was she pretty normal or was there any reason to think she would become so notorious?

as a band roadie i met jody payne & paul english willies' guitar player & drummer both great guys, david allan coe, donnie van zandt, the outlaws what a show they do, the molly hatchet band, 38 special,most all were just normal guys who say they got lucky

Chuck Yeager - at the Andrews A.F.B. open house, last year.

Bud Anderson - at the Andrews A.F.B. open house, last year.

Tony Curtis - he carried my two year old daughter off the plane, in San Jose (early boarding).

Michael J. Pollard - (played CW in Bonnie & Clyde) he was cruising his Excaliber on Reseda Blvd & stopped to say hello.

Drew Carey - in Bob's Big Boy, in Tejunga, Ca.

Rodney Dangerfield - at a bus stop in Vegas.

Bruce

John Wayne

He was walking thru our squadron compond in DaNang.
I thought he looked pretty fair sized in the movies, but to me,
he looked huge. He actually looked a little embarrassed at my
enthusiasm at meeting him. TACC1

Muhammed Ali.

He was reaching around the adults and giving autographs to little kids. My then 8-year-old son got one. He's 36 now and still has it.

I learned a lot about the man from others over the years. Aside from his politics (I don't care about politics much anymore, anyway) a true champion.

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and what his trumpet saith

In the gun world......

Jeff Cooper

Jerry Michelek

Roy Jinks

Others.......

Ollie North

Jimmy Swaggart

Bufurd Pusser

Lloyd Bridges

Rocky Marciano

Donna Douglas



In the music world......

Actually too many to list....I used to work in the music business,touring,etc....and being a musician myself,I sat in with some very well known performers.....Some of them,I'd like to forget.

I worked at ADT, when Dennis Rader was also employed there, he had killed the Oteros and Nancy Fox by that time, there was nothing about his demeanor to make you think he was such a monster.

I would have really enjoyed meeting Buford Pusser and Ollie North.

Met Condoleezza Rice several times at the Camp Diamondback Airfield in Mosul Iraq. Met several of the SC members of this forum in SC.
Chop

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MSG US Army

For an obscure Texan I've met quite a few famous personalities: music and entertainment industries, sports, and politicians at all levels of government. They were no more impressed with me than I was with them.

A couple in the gun world that were truly worthwhile and worth a mention: Roy Jinks and Bill Jordan.

I'm much more impressed with my family and friends!

I just remembered - I met General of the Army Omar Bradley when I was in the Army as a student at Wm. Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX. He was visiting one of the clinics that we were serving our rotation on, so the Head Nurse made all of us nasty students cram ourselves into a broom closet so that GOA Bradley wouldn't have to look at us. There were so many of us that we couldn't get the door closed, and when they pushed GOA Bradley by in his wheelchair, he sized the situation up in a heartbeat, snapped his fingers, and pointed towards us. His aide ("pusher") wheeled him up to the broom closet where we all saluted him and shook his hand - boy, did that p-ss off the Head Nurse! GOA Bradley spent his last years on the base. His wife, so I heard, was very pretentious and abusive and wore the 5-star rank device on her clothing.

Regards,

Dave

Double-O-Dave,

I never did meet Gen. Bradley, but attended his funeral at Fort Bliss, since I lived in El Paso at the time of his death. I understand that he died in NYC while dining at "21" with his wife. A short while after that, I bought an old wind-up portable army record player (painted olive drab) from his estate, including some 78 rpm records. He was reported to have played Reveille on it for his troops via loudspeakers in the early days. I still have it. Ike, Patton, and Bradley were my boyhood heroes when I was a kid during WWII.

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

The last Famous person that I have met was Bill Cosby.

Bob Dole, on a campaign stop in Wheaton, IL

Pete Williams, the NBC correspondent. Gave him a citation for driving on an expired license one night when he was reading the evening news on a local station in Casper, WY. It had expired 3 years before. Too busy, I guess.

Bob Rissler, the FBI BSU profiling pioneer. Took his "road tour" profiling class.

Amen! Even his own wife didn't know. I really feel sorry for her. She's a nice lady. I bought coffee, smokes and gas from the little store she worked at in Park City.

Tom Seleck (twice) while stationed at Sub Base Pearl Harbor in the mid 80's.

He was very nice, quite friendly and a gentleman.

I did'nt know he was a "gun guy" at the time. If I had, our
conversations would have been much more interesting.

Mike.

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A Gun Without Ammo; Is A Club!

I've met Jerry Rice and Joe Montana. Go '9ers!!

Forgot that I did meet Roy Jinks in Huntsville, Al. a few years ago. My wife met Hank Jr. a few years ago as well, but she hasn't had any use for him since. Shook hands with Reba McIntyre at the same event. George Jones used to live just around the corner from me in Florence, Alabama for a while when I was a kid growing up.

J FRAME,

I met Ollie North at an NRA convention.I met Buford Pusser at a truck stop in Jacksonville Fla.(of all places).He was a friend of a friend of mine and we had coffee together.That was in the early 70s.

In 1978 I went to basic training at Ft. McClellan Alabama. For three months I slept 2 bunks away from Jeffery Dahmer. He was in my training squad. At that time he had already killed and buried his first victim under his porch near Akrin Ohio.

Probably the most well known person I've ever met was Carrol Shelby, he is a really down to earth guy. I also had the pleasure of meeting R Lee Emery who is also a stand up guy. Sam Donaldson was the north end of a southbound horse...

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"Shall not be infringed"

Jack Kemp's brother. Ok not so famous, but the closest I ever been.

Oh yea, James Garner, actor, and he was mad as hell at me and a foreman. Worst potty mouth I ever heard. Happened the morning of the first Bush inaugeration in '89. A few months before that in a road rage incident, someone beat the **** out of him on the I405 near LA. He used to raise hell about backup alarms on construction equipment. In real life, he's not the affable character he portrays on tv.

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9tenz

She was voted class princess for homecoming (still have photos).
She was a normal teenager until her parents divorced. Then she went looking for a father figure..............

wyo-man

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Live free or die

Hi Paladin,

Check this out:

One of his last public appearances was in connection with the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan on January 20, 1981. Omar Bradley died on April 8, 1981 in New York City of a cardiac arrhythmia, just a few minutes after receiving an award from the National Institute of Social Sciences. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, next to his two wives.

source: Omar Bradley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Best of luck,

Dave

LOL

She was actually with another driver at an event that evening at Rockefeller center. She did not seem very approachable in any case. some "regular" citizens tried to say hello and she wasnt having it.

I'll tell you, the up close eyeball on her is just as good if not better than all the TV and movie appearances etched in my mind...huba huba!