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

Other than clients, Mickey Rooney at Disneyworld. He was standing by the Studios by himself for a few minutes waiting for his handlers to come back. Very nice, just like talking to my Dad.

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

I met Niel Armstrong at the aerospace musiem in Wapakoneta Ohio back in the early 80's, I was about 12 at the time.
I also met David Alan Coe 5 or 6 times after his shows for autographs, and sat with him and his family for dinner before a show in Paducah KY ....about 5 of my friend and I were sitting at a large table in the hotel resturant when him and his family came down to eat, there were no other tables left so he asked if he could join us...we were pretty excited because we were there to see him anyway. Then later at the show in the same hotel he must have said somthing to the wait staff , because we had free beer all night at our table...it was awsome.

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

Phil Hill (the only American to be World Formula 1 champion), Sterling Moss, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, Juan Manuel Fangio, Froilan Gonzalez, Carrol Shelby, Dan Gurney, Bunny Ribbs and his son Willy T., and other famous drivers whose names escape me at this time. Barry McGuire (Eve of Destruction), Cass Elliott, and some other people in the music field. I've met most of the actors in "CSI". Jorja Fox is an incredible young woman, George Eads is a shooter like us, Gary Dourdan is very intelligent, very nice, although he has made some bad decisions in his life. My girlfriend and I had breakfast with David Berman once. Also, OJ Simpson and Al Cowlings; I played against them in college.

I also had an intimate relationship with a certain adult film star who once appeared on "Married With Children". She shall remain nameless. I have pictures of us together. One picture that was taken of us at a party would definitely not be appropriate to be shown on this forum. We still exchange emails and occasionally see each other.

Ummm... Ray LaHood, in terms of politicians (he's transportation secretary currently). Other than that, a lot of metal musicians who probably aren't notable to people who don't listen to a lot of metal.

De Niro
Pacino
Willis
Keitel
Dyan Cannon
Connie Chung
Slash
Tony Bennett
Brooks and Dunn
Don Rickles
Raquel Welch
William Goldman
Jeffrey Tambor
Dave Letterman
Jay Leno
And a boat load of others in Music and Movies. I drove a limo part time in Manhattan from '93-'99

In my Full time job I met/peformed a service for

Lauren Bacall
Peter Faulk

the owner of Babco Alarms ( His company Alarms box trucks)

Sy Sperling (sp?) I'm not only the president I'm a client.....

You let Raquel Welch out of your Limo??!!!! You fool!!!!!

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!

Jimmy Stewart at a car wash on Sunset Blvd.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Lucille Ball - I made her laugh & have the picture to prove it
Bill Veeck

I was Easter Seal Poster Kid for MA in 1970

I worked security for universal studios for awhile in the early 60s so met a lot of actors, knew a double handfull, a few friends. I pissed off a couple actors you would know. Then I worked as a security guard for lockheed aircraft 65 to 2000. In that capacity I probley knew most of the test pilots you could name. Gary Francis Powers was a favorite for the short time I knew him. A real low key humble guy, rare for most test pilots. He switched jobs and got killed flying a news chopper. I could probley list a 100 or more movie stars, but why? Jimmy stewart and brian keith were nice guys. Not too many politicians, thank God! Saw president Regan once. Once had a girl friend that was a bunney.
Got my first kiss from Kitty Wells when I was about 6 years old watching her at a county fair. At that time I thought yuck!

Mickey Mantle in the early '70's when he was opening his first (failed) restaurant chain. He even gave me a miniture autographed bat. (Wish I still had it.)

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Petty in the early 90's at Pocono speedway had my picture taken with both of them !

I ran into Sammy Davis Jr., literally, in downtown Detroit. He apologized for not looking where he was going. Nice man.

Also chatted it up with 2 of the Oakridge Boys at the Opryland Hotel one night.

Check out the November 1975 issue of Playboy Magazine for Vicki Vannini. She worked for me before she got the gig for Hef's mag, and went into modeling.

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Tom

Hey, here is another. Ed Gein! When I was a 10 year old in 1951 my mother ran him off when she caught him peaking in her bedroom window!
A few years after that moms cousins husband who was sheriff of waushara county wisconsin arrested him for a couple of murders and a lot of grave robberys. He was the killer-goule-cannible that inspired the movie, "silence of the lambs." He sure was famous for awhile!

In the 1960's my Father was the treasurer for a summer stock theater. I met lots of entertainers Hollywood and Broadway stars. I felt like a bigshot around age 12 when the family and I went out to dinner with Liberace twice.

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My Mother likes me.

Jungle Larry.
He was pulling the skin from a boa constrictor and gave the cute kid in the crowd the skin (I was that kid)

Michael Martin Murphy. He has been to North Dakota three times to do Concerts and I have always gone.

Attached Images

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Probably the nicest I ever met was the "Chick' Hearn the Laker Basketball announcer. Really nice guy! Having breakfast in a very small restaurant in San Fernando Valley, CA.

Denver Dick posted: "On the very table we were working on I see spotted an Academy Award (Oscar), no special display or anything, it was just sitting there. You don't see those everyday."

Dick, fascinating story. We had and Oscar in our home for years. Belonged to my wife's uncle. He filmed all the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby "Road to ........films." They used to delay production until he was available. Mr Hope and Mr Crosby wanted him. He also did most of the W C Fields movies.

He got the Oscar for Michael Todd's "Around the World in 80 Days." My step-daughter has it now along with the two Emmy's he won.

He, too, was a great guy.

Military:
Carlos Hathcock. Met him at his Brother & SIL house in Mississippi in 1993.
Jimmy Doolittle. Met him at an air show in 1982.
"Gabby" Gabreski. Met him at an air show mid 80's. Top USAAC Ace ETO WW2, Ace during Korean War. He was one of only seven pilots to be named an ace in both WW2 and Korea.

Music:
Ted Nugent after a concert, he was jammin with the house band in 1981.
Billy Joel. Radio Promo. Won four concert tickets and dinner with him before the show. Also saw him playing a local bar after the dinner and concert in 1985.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, AKA The BEATLES. I was about seven years old and in NOLA with my family visiting aunts, uncles, cousins and grand parents. We were seated at the table next to them. Had Poloroid picture and autographs, long lost to time. 1967-68.
Justin Timberlake. I did security upgrades at his home north of Memphis. 2006.
Britney Spears. Met her when she was dating Justin Timberlake.

TV/Movies:
Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Ed Harris and Holly Hunter. I did some work for the filming of the movie "The Firm" and was cast as an "Extra". I ended up on the cutting room floor along with most of the work I did for the production company. 1993.
Peter Graves (Mission Impossible). Met him at Lakefront Airport in NOLA, 1985.
Morgan Freeman. Good friend of a friend of mine (Freeman was Best Man at his wedding). We have been to his restaurant, Madidi, in Clarksdale, MS and his home in Charleston, MS on several occasions.
Don Rickles. Met him and his mother in W Palm Beach. 1982.
Linda Carter (Wonder Woman). I use to work for Maybelline Cosmetics (1980-1988). She was the spokes person for one of the Maybelline brands. 1984.
Steven Seagal. Met him at a pistol range I shoot at. I've talked with him and seen him there several times. He LOVES his Caspian 1911's.
Paula Deen. Ate at her restaurant last year and she was on sight.
Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant. Met them in a restaurant in NYC. 1992.

Sports:
Shane Battier. Security upgrades to his house in Memphis. 2005.
Pau Gasol. Security upgrades to his condo in Memphis. 2005.
Tim McCarver. Met him on many occasions 1960's.
Don Kessinger. He owned a raquet ball court in Memphis in the 70's. Met him there on several occasions.
Julius "Dr. J" Erving. I worked for Schering Plough/Dr. Scholl Footcare Products 1988-1991. He was spokes person for one of their brands.
John Madden. I worked for Schering Plough/Dr. Scholl Footcare Products 1988-1991. He is spokes person for one of their brands.
Lyle Alzado. Sat next to him on a flight from Philly to Phoenix, he went on to LA. Monster size of a man but really friendly. 1983.

Politicians:
Ladybird and LBJ. 1964. Mobile, AL Political rally. Don't remember it, but I got the picure.
Richard Nixon. 1972. Political rally. Got the pictures and I remember this one.
Harold Ford, Jr. Former Congressman from TN. Did security upgrades in his condo in Memphis. 2006. Nice guy, but don't care for his politics.

Business World:
Ted Turner. Met him in Bozeman, MT last year.
Steve Jobs. Met him at his house in Memphis before he had liver transplant surgery. I went through the most thorough background check I've ever had just to do work on his house. The background check his people did was much more than the Secret Service background check I go through every year to maintain my government contractor security clearance.
Donald Trump. Met him in 1991. Good friend of one of my sisters.

Famous for being famous:
Roxanne Pulitzer. Kind of standoffish at first. Once you get to know her she is very personable.


If I sat here all night long I could list a few more.

Class III

I met Stevie wonder when he ran into me on the street. He apologized and said he didn't see where he was going !
I also met Elvis at a donut shop outside of Memphis .

The strang thing was I met them both on the same day ...........

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gunnut2u
(Tim)

thats cool

When I was working at the Limo company I had gotten off the road for a little while and tried dispatching and reservations.

Stevie Wonders people called. They wanted a white Limo. I asked "how would he know?"

LOL

R. Lee Ermey, at Camp Pendleton.

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VIVERE MILITARE EST

Jimmy Durante and Frank Gorshin when my grandmother was the wardrobe mistress for the shows at the Conrad Hilton and Palmer House, when I was in grade school.

Carlos Hathcock at the PA Gun Collectors Association Show in Monroeville.

Got communion once from Pope John Paul II. We weren't formally introduced, but he had his fingers in my mouth, so I'd say that counts.

Well, while in the Marines I was helping set up the lights and equipment for Marty Stuart's charity concert, probably not a big suprise but we got really drunk together. I also had the opportunity to shake Clinton's hand and I refused. I met David copperfield once and he was the rudest person I have ever met. not a whole lot of famous people. Someone posted that they met the playmate angela little, well, her brother was my roomate while in the military, never met her in person but I did talk to her on the phone briefly while her brother coming to the phone.

Just the famous people here on the forum.

Don Kesinger

Ron Santo , (several times)

Randy Huntley

Furgie Jenkins

Walter Payton , (several times)

Mike Singletary , (several times)

Mike Ditka, (several times)

Wiliam Perry "Da Frig"

Glen Becker

Mr T.

Debra Norvil , (I wish I could say several times)

Marlo Thomas ,(I wish I could say several times)

Dan Hampton

Mike Hartenstine

Freddie Fender (at the old Playboy club in Geneva Wisconsin)

Mike Scifres
(punter for the San Diago Chargers football team. My son played football and long snapped to him when Mike Scifres was at Western Illinois U.)

Mike Martz (his son also played football at Western IL.)


TRUMAN CAPODY
I onced honked my car horn and waved to him as he drove his car next to me on a Chicago expressway and he gave me the finger!

Does that count?

All except for Truman were nice and I talked to them at lenght, some on more than one occasion.

Little known fact that Mike Scifres turned down D-1 scholarships to play at Western IL. (a 1 AA team) because he wanted his brother on the team with him. D-1 teams wouldn't do that but Western IL. did so he went to the Western IL. 1 AA team to play taking a chance that he would never get looked at by the pro's. Says a lot about his family values! A great guy!


Kirmdog

I met Sip once, but he won't remember me because I was disguised as Jimmy Stewart.

I guess the most memorable guy I ever met was Barry Goldwater when he visited the college I was attending a few months after his 1964 defeat. He impressed me as one of the most unaffected and together guys I had ever met, and 44 years later he still stands out that way in my mind. Met a bunch of local politicians in California who were important in a local way, but most of you won't know them except for former Senator and Governor Pete Wilson (no known relation). I got Adlai Stevenson's autograph when he ran for President in 1956. I guess I mostly met famous politicians who didn't make it to the top job. Almost met Hubert Humphrey but didn't shake his hand and so I guess I shouldn't count him.

Had a couple of lunches with writers who stick in my memory, John Hersey and Irving Stone. Hersey was every bit as smart and observant as his books would make you think he was, and Stone was a great deal smarter and more entertaining than his kind of ordinary potboiler novels would indicate.

I almost met Fess Parker in the late '60s when he made a bad freeway entry and found my car in the space he intended to occupy. But I was still young and had fast reactions, so no harm done.

My mother was the one who had the knack of meeting people that everyone else knew -- or would. Growing up in Austin in the '20s and '30s, she palled around with the girl that the rest of the world would eventually know as Nellie Connally. She crossed paths with a lot of rising Texas stars at that time, but lost touch with them when she moved to California in the '40s.

A hundred years from now what the heck difference will it make? Ten, even.

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David Wilson

I and another person went to NBC studios in Rockefeller Center for some high school newspaper thing, or a tour his brother had arranged for us - I don't remember why. We met Chuck Scarborough. But on the way out, a very tall man got onto the elevator with just the two of us. He was in a long black overcoat and wore a white silk scarf. He kind of looked down at me and smiled and I suppose waited for me to recognize him... which I didn't. I didn't even know who it was until we exited the elevator on the ground floor and a bunch of people came running over, exclaiming, "Charlton Heston!!!!"

Great topic and thanks for sharing!

Al Pacino.

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Regards,

Ted Nugent after a show- cool guy that guys got enthusiasm and intensity for days

Last time I was in Vegas I was at a hole in the wall diner and looked over at a person who was ordering something to go and nearly choked on my eggs. MIKE TYSON. Say what u want about this guy but he was a great boxer and he was a pretty cool person to talk to.

When I was a kid my family went to green bay to the packers training camp in the summer. We watched the offense run through some plays and chatted with some unknown QB that we just picked up from the falcons. Talked football, small towns and a plethora of other things. Who was the QB? Brett Favre. Have an autograph and picture.

Dinner with Cary Grant...July, 1976...Chicago.

Dinner with Joe Namath & Farrah Fawcett (a non-publicized dating couple)...1977...NYC.

Dinner with Margo Hemingway...1978...NYC.

Dinner with Lola Falana (WOW!)...1978...NYC.

Above 4 business dinners...they all worked for Faberge fragrance company...I was a purchasing agent for a large retail chain.

As an interesting side note...Cary Grant stated to me he thought President Ford's daughter (Susan) was the nicest woman he ever met. Quite a compliment from him!!

I forgot to mention Mel Torme, the singer.


He was a Colt collector, and was in a gun shop where I was. Very friendly and unaffected. Knew his Colts, especially the SAA.


T-Star

I shook hands with Jerry Lee Lewis one night after a concert. He had a better buzz going than I did. It was in a club, and the country singer Johnny Paycheck was standing next to me much of the night. He was a nice guy, was about five feet tall, looked like he hadn't washed his hair in three days, and had quite possibly the most attractive woman I have even seen in person with him.

My favorite celebrity story was when an uncle of mine was in a bar just off Route 66 in Western Oklahoma in the late 1940's. A guy in a "stupid looking white suit" was drinking beer next to him, then finally turned and shook hands with him saying, "Hi, I'm Hank Williams". My uncle, who didn't like country music, thought Tommy Dorsey and the big bands ruled, said, "Pleased to meet you, I'm (his name)", and went back to his beer. The next day, when he told my dad about it, my dad nearly crapped his pants-Hank Williams was probably his all time musical hero.
roosterk

Dick Rutan - My wife and I were seated at the same dining table for a 2 week cruise of the Baltic. His girlfriend was hot.

Bernard Kalb - Borrowd 20 Kroner from me in Sweden on the same cruise. He said he had to use a pay phone to call his friend at the embassy. Never paid me back.

Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Derik Sanderson when I was kid in Boston.

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AL
Pax Per Potens

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss. Top Marine fighter ace in WWII. Appeared on the cover of Life Magazine as a Marine Captain. South Dakota's youngest governor (two terms). First Commissioner of the American Football League. Host of the old American Sportsman TV show. He was also a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and became president of the NRA. A true hero, and a finer man never lived. There are more famous people that I've met, but I'm proudest to have met and talked extensively with Joe. An exceedingly humble, personable and likable guy, he was one of a kind.

Just as an aside, he once was boarding a commercial aircraft while in possession of his MOH, which he wore on formal occasions. The idiot security people told him he couldn't board with the Medal, as it was sharp enough to be used as a weapon. That's when the merde hit the ventilateur!

I'll let you guess whether or not Joe got to board the plane, complete with his Medal of Honor...

One my most treasured possessions is an autographed copy of his book, A Proud American: the Autobiography of Joe Foss. Here's the inscription:

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Sterling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jackie Stewart, Denny Hulme, Carrol Shelby, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Froilan Gonzalez, and more racing drivers. Phil Hill and I talked about my Jaguar XK120 that was originally owned by Charles Hornburg, and Phil remembered Hornburg driving it.

The entire cast of CSI. Jorja Fox and Marg Helgenberger are very nice, very sweet, very beautiful ladies. William Petersen is the exact opposite of "Grissom". He is a very funny, very jovial guy. George Eads is just the way he is on TV. He is a friendly ordinary guy with no big star ego, and he likes to shoot. George spent a lot of time talking to my girlfriend once. I think he liked her. Gary Dourdan was very quiet and thoughtful when I met him. Very much the professional and very intelligent. Before anyone has anything to say about Gary, remember what Vince Lombardi once said, "There is no shame in falling down. There is only shame in not getting up." Gary fell down, and now he is getting back up.

I occassionally hung out with Barry McGuire (Eve of Destruction), I met various members of rock bands in the 60s, and I want to make this absolutely clear; that was not me dancing naked in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco in 1967 at a free concert.

One more thing; I have met some politicians over the years. I ain't proud of that. I would rather be dancing naked in Golden Gate Park.

President Gerald Ford
Burl Ives
Greer Garson
Mayor Carl Stokes (1st African American mayor of Cleveland)
Tim Conway
Fred Williamson
Skeeter Skelton
Donald Hamilton (author of Matt Helm series)
Howard Pardue (for you vintage aircraft fans, or air racing fans)
Richard Boone

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Have Canon, Will Travel

My father-in-law....Bob Bolin, pitcher for the SF Giants from 1962-1972.
Phil Neikro
Gaylord Perry
Those guys still get together quite a bit.
Toy and Tommy Caldwell
Paul Newman
David Ball

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bigcat

Charlie Crist, current Governor of Florida, shared an office with me for a short time when I was a young Prosecutor in St. Petersburg. Talked to him at one of the local ranges when he was running for Governor a couple of years ago.

Jeb Bush, Ehhhh.

Candy Loving, January, 1979 25th Anniversary Playboy Playmate-she was dating a guy I knew. Beauty truly is only skin deep, but the skin was nice.

Ann Margaret, in VietNam. Very nice lady.

Janet Reno when she was the State Attorney down in Miami. Offered me a job, but I did not accept. (Smarter than I look).

Bob

I met John Force at a race, but only briefly. People SWARMED him when he exited his trailer. I also met Don Garlits at Memphis dragstrip once. Super nice guy, his wife also a nice person. Talked to them for the longest about their two little Yorkie dogs that were with them. He also had a 1940 black Ford coupe with a Chrysler Hemi in it, I believe. Met Sterling Marlin, the NASCAR driver once at a Chrysler dealership in Florence, another really nice man. Got autographs from all these guys; great people all. I was just in awe of Garlits. Anybody who knows drag racing history, and Top Fuel in particular, also knows what this man has accomplished in the sport, and what an innovator he was as well.

Look who's on top.





NHRA 50th Anniversary Top 50 Racers Complete List

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WALSTIB

Mother Teresa -- in 1984, when she came to Norristown, PA to open a mission and convent. There was a lot of local opposition at the time to opening the mission, but it all melted away when she came. I was a reporter for the local paper at the time and not only got a one-on-one interview with her, but when she found out I was Catholic she invited me to kneel and pray with her.

Spoke with Barbara Eden for a few moments at one of her appearances. As sweet and nice as a person could be. She was about 50 at the time and more of a knockout in person than she was on TV. Absolutely gorgeous.

Met Mike Huckabee briefly when he was governor of AR and I was working at a state agency. Very nice man.

Met Jonathan Harris who played the evil Dr. Smith on the old Lost in Space TV series. Kind of a dick.

Spoke to Richard Keil who is most famous as "Jaws" in the 007 film Moonraker. We had flown on a plane together. He is a huge man, nearly seven feet tall but like many tall people he has bad hips and it was painful to watch him walk through through the airport. Nice guy.

Alan Autry was Bubba on the TV show In the Heat of the Night. After the show ended he lived in my hometown of Fresno, CA and was elected mayor. I never really met him but I sat next to him in a restaurant one day.

Marty Ingles, comic and actor who is married to Shirley Jones, stood in line ahead of me at a McDonald's in SoCal in 1971.

That's it. Only a few minor brushes with fame.

Luis Guzmán a couple of times since he lives around here. Almost had a chance to play pool with him one night at a club, but he ended up having to leave before we had a chance to get the game going.

Real nice guy and very much a family man.