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Julie Newmar and Harry Hamlin � Wizard World

Lars
12 years ago

Saturday Kevin and I went to the Convention Center in Anaheim for Wizard World Anaheim. Kevin had never been to Anaheim, and I hadn't been there in a few years, but I thought I would be able to navigate okay, which I could until just before we got to the convention center and ended up in Disneyland instead. It was very confusing because the streets were not well marked, and it was sort of like LAX where suddenly the three left lanes take you one place (Departing flights/Disneyland) and the three right lanes take you to another (Arriving flights/Anaheim Convention Center). We were in the left lanes and had to be escorted out of Disneyland, which an officer did very cheerfully. They had a stack of "Exit" tags ready for the windshields of people who are trying to get to the convention center.

Once we got to the ACC and entered WW, we found Julie Newmar sitting at a booth signing autographs, and so I gave her the inner sleeve of the DVD Li'l Abner with her picture on the back. She was not wearing glasses and swayed her head around trying to examine what I had given her and finally said, "What's this???" rather emphatically. I told her what it was and then she said, "Oh, this is the movie version." I asked her whether she was in the Broadway version because it appears that she remembered that much better. Anyway, I had to point to where I wanted her to sign the DVD cover, but she signed under her photo over some of the text instead, which was probably a better place than the one I pointed to. She didn't charge us for the autograph and someone behind us wanted to buy a photo, and so we moved on and walked past Della Reese to try to find Harry Hamlin.

As it turned out, Harry was giving a Q&A session upstairs with wife Lisa Rinna (whom I had never heard of), and so we went there for the last 10-15 minutes (which was enough), and I learned a lot about Lisa. After Q&A, Harry and Lisa went downstairs to sign autographs; Harry was selling copies of his autobiography and they were both selling photos to be autographed. We stood in line for that, and I bought a photo of Harry for $25 (the book was $40), which he autographed while talking with me, and I also gave him the DVD case of Class of the Titans, which he started to autograph as well, but his agent behind me told me I would have to pay $25. I said that I already gave Harry $25 in cash, and Harry continued with the autograph even though the agent wanted me to pay another $25! Julie Newmar's autograph was free, and when we met Ray Harryhausen, we got two autographs from him (on DVDs) for $20, but I guess the price has gone up. Anyway, Harry was very nice about it and said I didn't have to pay for the DVD autograph. He remarked that I had a very old DVD, and I told him that I had bought it as soon as it came out and that I had the VHS version before that.

On the way home we stopped at Bevmo. Kevin put photos of the event on Facebook, and maybe I can copy some of them.

Lars

Comments (10)

  • dedtired
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OMG, Lars, you scared me and made me feel very old when I saw that picture of Julie Newmar. I still think of her as the very sexy Cat Lady from the old Batman tv series. Holy wrinkles, Batman.

    Sounds like an altogether interesting day. I can't think of anyone whose autograph I would want enough to pay $25, unless they were signing on a check payable to me.

    Would you go back again?

    I accidently drove through the gates of the Vanguard company (investment company). They escorted me out in a hurry and they weren't smiling. Unfortunately, once you had made the incorrect turn, there was nowhere to go but through the gates.

    What is Bevmo?

  • Lars
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Pam, I've only paid for three autographs, and they all included photos. If I hadn't wanted the photos, I would not have paid for the autographs. I got Bob Paris' autograph in West Hollywood on a workout book that he wrote, and there was no extra charge for the autograph, but then there never is when you buy a book. The photographs are not as good a value.

    Julie Newmar was a bit scary in person, but that's partly because she is so tall. I have read that she is not eligible to have any more plastic surgery. Maybe she spend too much time out in the sun. She was interesting to talk to, but she seemed a bit dazed or confused - maybe she was in Cat Woman mode and on the prowl. That would explain why she had such wandering eyes. I do appreciate that she was instrumental in getting a temporary ban on gasoline powered leafblowers (because of noise and pollution), but the leafblower operators lobbied to get the ban overturned rather than to find a quieter, less polluting solution.

    If you thought she was bad, you should have seen Adam West and Burt Ward. Burt looked especially bad, but both are seriously overweight. The batmobile was there also, but I had better pictures of that from the Culver City Car Show.

    Bevmo is a very large liquor store in CA and AZ. I went there to get chocolate and mocha liqueurs. I'm still looking for a good sipping rum.

    Lars

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bevmo wine & spirits

  • dedtired
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If Julie can get rid of leaf blowers, she is most welcome in my neighborhood. Those and gas powered lawn edgers. Horrible.

    I remember reading Dennis the Menace cartoons as a kid and identifying with Dennis. Then I became his mother and now I am Mrs. Wilson. Not good. I guess no one is getting younger.

    You are lucky to have good liquor stores. We are stuck with the state store system in Pennsylvania. It still surprises me to walk into a grocery store in another state and find beer, wine and liquor. We drive to Delaware to Super Liquors to stock up.

  • sally2_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I used to love Julie Newmar when she was in Batman, and in everything she did. It saddens me to hear about how she was when you met her, but I can't imagine having to sit there and sign autographs all day long for hundreds of people, and try to be nice to them, without my eyes starting to roll around, too. I haven't seen any recent pictures of her, but I imagine she must be in her late 60's to early 70's.

    Even though I enjoyed Knight Rider, I have never been that interested in Harry Hamlin. Or was it LA Law he was in? Oh, yeah, that was David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider, (or however his name is spelled.) They both had big '80's hair and square jaws. lol I did like Harry Hamlin in L.A. Law. That was a great show.

    What an experience for you, Lars.

    Sally

  • Lars
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Julie Newmar is 77 now - about the same age as my boss. She didn't have to sit and sign autographs if she didn't want to - there was no contract to force her to be there. I sort of felt that she was enjoying herself while she was there, and I believe she had a Q&A with some of the others from Batman as well. She can choose which appearances she wants to make, and I think her fans appreciate her for that.

    I guess there is a Dennis the Menace movie coming out soon, and I remember reading about another Dennis the Menace cartoon in England that had a slightly different spelling. I somewhat identified with Dennis because we both had blond hair, but I think the resemblance ended there!

    I never saw Knight Rider or L.A. Law, and so I'm not familiar with those shows. I watched very little TV in the 70s and 80s, with the exception of Mary Hartman and Dynasty.

    Lars

  • dedtired
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I loved Mary Hartman. What a wacky show. I still think of it whenever I see Mary Kay Place. Most recently, I watched her in Big Love on HBO.

  • sally2_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mary Hartman was great. That was back when they used imagination in t.v.

    Sally

  • spacific
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Was Ray Harryhausen speaking at the event? He has great stories. Many years ago, I got a chance to visit with him and his wife at their London home. He showed us tons of original drawings and scale models from his movies, including the famous skeletons from Jason and the Argonauts. It's great to see he's still out there for his fans. Isn't he past 90 now?

  • Lars
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We met Ray Harryhausen at the Shrine Auditorium, about 5 or so years ago. He was born June 29, 1920 (in Los Angeles), and so he's past 90 now. We bought a book of his drawings and also a lot of the scale models that were available, although we did not see the skeletons from J&A. He did sign the book and a DVD for us, and we got to talk with him for a while, as it was a smaller event than the one last week-end. I didn't know he had a home in London.

    Lars

  • spacific
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cool! It's always great to talk to someone who's a legend in their industry. A side note. In the animated movie, "Monsters Inc." the sushi restaurant is called Harry Hausen's. That always gives me a chuckle.

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