There’s a news story I need to hide from my friend Judy. It has to do with the piano used in Casablanca being sold for $602,500 at a Sotheby’s auction last month. That was surprisingly, $200,000 less than they thought they’d get.

The piano was tiny, and had only 58 keys (that’s 30 fewer than a regular piano). The scene it was used in showed a flashback at the Parisian café (the words “La Belle Aurore” were on the window of the place).

A different piano was used in the scenes…

I’m always surprised when I interview an actor and the subject of memorabilia comes up. Sometimes they’ll tell me about things they took from the set. More often than not, they regret that they didn’t take an outfit they wore in the movie or TV series.

I was thinking that while watching Django Unchained, since Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz wore such interesting outfits.

I remember when talking to Barry Pearl (Barney), who played Doody in Grease, I noticed…

I am still blown away thinking about how love letters Mick Jagger wrote brought in over $300,000. Well, a recent piece of writing I can see bringing in $3 million.

Fairy tale author Hans Christian Anderson, who has had his works translated to over 125 languages, wrote the classics Thumbelina, The Little Mermaid, The Tinderbox, Princess and the Pea, and The Emperor’s New Clothes – has written a piece that was never published. In fact, it was never found. Until now.

A Danish…

The Rolling Stones have been talked about a lot lately. I recently posted on this site about the Top 10 list he did on David Letterman (of course, our favorite line was: “Every 10^th autograph I sign ‘Doris Goldblatt’.”

On the 12^th, The Stones were part of the 12-12-12 concert for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Now, the story that blows me away is the fact that love letters a young Mick Jagger wrote sold for $301,472 in a Sotheby’s auction. This must be one…

A Florida judge said that George Zimmerman, the “vigilante” that shot and killed Trayvon Martin, can’t remove his GPS tracking device and can’t leave Seminole County. Zimmerman is currently out on a $1 million dollar bond. It wasn’t this story involving the 28-year-old defendant that I found so interesting yesterday. It was one from a few weeks earlier.

Zimmerman and his attorneys came up with an idea to help pay his legal costs and make some money – he’d sell autographs. The defense…

What do you get that hard to shop for person on your Christmas list? That autograph collector that seems to have every signature from the local baseball team. Well, on December 18^th Profiles in History is having an auction from an American collector getting rid of his 300 historical documents.

If that autograph collector is the person you got for your Secret Santa, and they like art – might I suggest the letter written by Vincent van Gogh?  It’s expected to bring in…

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has been having a decent season on a bad football team. He was in the news a few days ago because of the horrible tragedy involving the linebacker Jevon Belcher on his team that killed himself in front of the coaches, after thanking them for everything. Belcher had just killed his girlfriend and drove to the stadium.  

A few of the more in-depth stories have brought up the fact that it was Charles wife who introduced Belcher to this…

Our magazine had put former Saturday Night Live comedian Will Ferrell on our worst list. I’ve heard from many collectors that he just doesn’t sign. And I was thrilled the night he was on Conan O’Brien and held a copy of AUTOGRAPH. Conan asked him about why he was so bad at signing autographs, and Ferrell did this bit where he said it was impossible for him to sign. He then held up his hand, showing an elaborate hook he had instead of a hand.

Well, Zach is out promoting the movie THE…

Josh Brolin, who does a great impersonation of Tommy Lee Jones in the latest Men and Black (which is also a great movie; take it from me, I'm a film critic).

Brolin was talking about all the various countries he has been going to for premieres and walking the red carpet. Brolin said people will yell out for his autograph, and he'll sign. They'll then look down at the paper and say "What's your name?" He found that hysterical, that somebody would ask for your autograph, and not even…

Aerosmith and Ronald Reagan -- The two best autograph stories I've heard in weeks!

In Las Vegas I read in a local paper, about an Aerosmith concert. A guy with a fake leg (sorry, I can't spell that other word), was holding it up in the crowd (next to all the folks that hold their lighters when a classic ballad like Dream On is played). The drummer (I believe his name is Joey Kramer...I met him once in L.A. and he's a short dude, not very friendly...but he signed my CD). He asked for…

So, in the movie THE ARTIST (which is a great film by the way…my review at the end of this)…

There are two autograph scenes. In the beginning, there’s silent film star (played by Jean Dujardin), and he’s hamming it up for a crowd waiting for signatures and photos.

One girl drops her note pad. Her name is Berenice Bejo (she’s gorgeous, although a bit thin for the actresses of that day), and she gets a photo, and ends up becoming a star.

Later,…

I met actor/comedian Kevin Pollock after his performance at the Irvine improve years ago. The weird thing was, I had been at a party in Hollywood earlier that day, with a co-star of his from The Usual Suspects.

We talked for a long time about the many impressions he does, and a few other things. He signed autographs for a handful of fans that came up to ask him.

Well, on the Marc Maron podcast (he’s another funny comedian you should check out if you get the…

I don't know the details or exact price. You can Google. I don't spend as much time writing the stories as I used to when I was paid.

But, an auction of Elizabeth Taylors furniture and other items, included a photo he signed to her. It had an inscription with her full name, and something about him loving her so much. They expected a few thousand dollars for it, and it got in the 6 figures. BAFFLING, as an autographed 8 x 10 of Michael sells for so much less. Now, one thing if it was a…

Okay folks...aside from being one of many taken by Bryan Slaven and Autograph Central years ago, I purchased about 5 albums from a guy from L.A. His name was David Dettman, and he had a company called GENUINE AUTOGRAPH.com

Of course, that's nowhere to be found now. He also worked at a place called Paper Image in Canoga Park, CA. Also nowhere to be found.

I remember when I purchased the albums from him...around $900 each...he was sweating a lot, and super nervous. I should've…

I must've spent a fortune on pieces from them years ago -- and upon looking at them now, I see some that are bogus, some that are secretarials...and can't find the business anywhere.

They had great deals, but I was in my early 20s then. I didn't realize that -- most autographs that are sold from companies are bogus. Especially the ones that are great deals.

I sometimes like to throw little silly things on here, so it's not all about this forgery, that forgery...

So on David Letterman Friday night, the first guest was Herman Cain. And the hysterical red-headed announcer Alan Colter goes to commercial saying something along the lines of:

"I can't wait to get his autograph, in my famous pizza executives autograph book!"

Good times.

Another Bogus Autograph on Reality TV:

Tonight on AUCTION KING, they had a poem written and signed by Jim Morrison. Seller wanted a thousand bucks. It sold for $2,000. Problem was...writing looked NOTHING like Morrison's. And neither did the signature, which was just slightly in his style.

The guy selling it said he lived in a storage locker when he was homeless for a month, and found it there -- and that he contacted Danny Sugarman (doors manager, longtime friend of band who has…

I remember around 1992, doing a bit on the radio where we promised listeners concert tickets if they gave us phone numbers to a celebrity they might know, and we call them and they get on the air.

A lot of Padres and Chargers players, as we were in San Diego. One person called w/ Andy Rooney's digits. We called him, and were shocked he answered. He sounded grumpier than the old man in UP, and barked at us "What do you want?" It was a Monday, and we said "We missed what you…

Most of you might only know Bobcat from being that crazy '80s comedian that would scream and make weird sounds. Even back then, I thought he was hysterical. His material was always strong.

It was nice to see him get parts in movies (remember him trying to kill Bill Murray in Scrooged?) Oh, and speaking of "remembering him" in various parts, he said in his stand-up the other night when I saw him, that he loves signing autographs and is flattered anybody wants his autograph,…

I was falling asleep on the couch, with CNN on.

They did a story, and the details I can remember before passing out:

Guitarist Richie Sambora did a concert for Marines at Camp Pendleton near San Diego. He also gave away 10 autographed guitars.

They were accoustic guitars that you can fold up and put in your napsack.

I'm a big rock 'n roll autograph collector, but Bon Jovi is a band I've never liked. I've heard they're all good…