Over the years I have been to many Star Trek and Sci-Fi conventions. Most of them have been run by Creation Entertainment and then a few have been the big Comic Con/Fan Fusion/Fan Fest that occurs in Phoenix.
I have gone to these things to see those stars from the shows I have grown up watching. I get to hear their stories, listen to them answer fan questions, maybe sing a song, recite poetry, and more. And often I would see about getting an autograph from them.
I have gotten a lot of autographs over the years. And they all are now hung in my “office” at home. (ok it is more of a storeroom and where I teach my online class from, but still isn’t that an office?).
It started way back before I was married. I don’t even remember who the first one was. I just know that I decided I wanted to see if I could get all of the autographs from all the Star Trek shows. I knew I wouldn’t get DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy from the original Star Trek) because he had already passed away, but everyone else was possible at the time.
So, it started with me buying poster images that had entire casts on them. I wanted all on one rather than individual pictures. I thought it looked cooler that way. I was able to get really cool cast images for 3 of the 5 series and the other 2 are good as well as you will see.
Then I just had to attend a convention where the stars would be attending. This involved me going to things here in the Phoenix area, but also to LAs Vegas and Los Angeles more than once to complete my sets.
Some of the actors and actresses were a sign and go for the part, but some would want to talk with me as well. That was always a nice change from the move along mentality of some of the stars.
Here we go (I apologize for the quality of the images, I didn’t want to take the off my wall or out from behind their glass):
Star Trek: The Original Series –
I have all but DeForest Kelley (as mentioned before) and James Doohan. I do have James Doohan’s autograph, but it was one I purchased from Creation Entertainment since he wasn’t doing autographs at the time due to health reasons.
Star Trek: The Next Generation –
This one was a fun one to get along the way. Most of the cast loves this photo and I would always get good comments when I brought it out to get signed. That is except for Michael Dorn. At first he said no to signing it. He was one of the last people I needed to get it signed and was shocked and a bit sad at first. So, I asked why? He told me that he has some “issues” with the people that produced the image and so he didn’t want his signature to be on one of their prints that would be used to make a profit. Once I convinced him I had no plan to sell the picture he said it would be ok and he signed it.
Star Trek: Voyager –
Nothing special here to tell. I just made sure to make it to shows where the cast was present and slowly got them all. Jeri Ryan was a hard one to get, but I finally did. I am pretty sure she was the last one I needed on this one.
Star Trek: Enterprise –
No fun image here. I was already going to conventions when this show was new on TV, and so they hadn’t produced a fun image yet of any kind, but I wanted to get the autographs while I could. So, I got this basic cast shot. I remember a few of them mentioning that they didn’t like that they were “in the back” on the image and therefore didn’t have much room to sign near their image.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – I love this one because it has all the main cast, and I got a few additional autographs on it as well from people that aren’t pictured. I was happy to get Teri Ferrell’s autograph since there was a time when she was separating herself from Star Trek and had no interest being wit that crowd. As you can see I have Jeffery Combs signature on there. He played MANY different characters over the years on the show and is a generally great guy. And I have Marc Alaimo who played Gul Dukat. He asked if he could sign in the wormhole on the image and I said, sure. That made him smile.
I also have James Darren and The Ferengi Family Hour Group also from Deep Space Nine. These were fun ones to get because all of them were kind and talkative.
With all of those autographs (and the ones that follow) I have one other thing that was special. I took a risk on the very first autograph; I always asked for a handshake along with the autograph. I knew I was in line with hundreds or even thousands of others getting an autograph, but I wanted something special to remember it by.
And I was honestly surprised that almost all of them said yes. I think of all the people you will see autographs of, the only one I remember not shaking my hand was Jeri Ryan from Star Trek Voyager. She was in the midst of an issue with people and she had major security with her at the time. I remember asking, and the security saying, “No!” I also remember her looking at me and there almost being a little bit of a “sorry” in there, but then again maybe not. I was really surprised by a few of the people saying yes, like William Shatner, Leonard Nemoy, Patrick Stewart and Scott Bakula. But they all said yes. I think they were surprised that someone would ask. I also wonder if some were just glad to put down their pen for a second and so something different with their hand. Avery Brooks was also a little bit of a surprise since he is a rather private person, but he has always seemed so engaged when people show interest in things. Maybe the same applies for all the “big stars” that I was surprised about.
Then in recent years I have gotten some autographs at the local comic con (whatever it is called now). Here are those:
Richard Herd from V (and many other TV shows including Star Trek)
James Marsters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Eve Myles from Torchwood
John Barrowman from Doctor Who and Torchwood
Timothy Omundson from Galavant
These people tended to talk a bit more, but not always. They were always happy to give a handshake with no issues at all.
I have enjoyed doing this over the years. I have really enjoyed getting that added handshake. It certainly made them a little more special to me.
I haven’t gotten an autograph in a number of years and I am not sure if/when I will do it again. They cost money (yes all of them did to varying degrees) and I am not sure I would spend money on them like I did when I was younger. None of the current Star Trek shows have struck me in a way that makes me want to get autographs from the full casts yet. Maybe someday, but at the same time the cost of all of that has gone way up as well so maybe not.