Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by crazyrabbits23 on January 3, 2022 at 3:58pm

I can think of a few:

Harper Lee: Famously reclusive, stopped giving interviews decades ago, and (with the exception of one signing event I know of and the LE edition of To Set a Watchman) restricted her autograph(s) to close friends, family and the odd visitor.

Bob Dylan: 'Nuff said.

Steve Jobs: I've only ever seen one instance online of him having actually signed something -- a 1980's Apple anniversary book. Famously averse to signing anything, he commands stupid amounts of money for his signature.

J.D. Salinger: A famous recluse who rarely signed for anyone, yet produced some incredible books.

I was initially going to say Ken Dryden (Montreal Canadians), because for many years, he refused to sign autographs because he hated the secondary market and resellers, but he's lightened up a little as of late and has done a couple of book signings. He still refuses to flat-sign items in most cases, instead preferring to inscribe books and put a swirl at the end of his signature around the name to prevent it from being clipped out (which is quite smart)..

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Permalink Reply by Garrett Meadows on January 16, 2022 at 12:09pm

Thanks for reminding me of J.D. Salinger, Bob Dylan, Harper Lee, and Ken Dryden.

I know basketball great Bill Russell finally lightened up a bit in old age and would occasionally sign an autograph.

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on January 3, 2022 at 4:22pm

It's kind of a legend that Marlon Brando did not sign. It is true that he is on the record speaking badly about the practice of autograph seeking and the cult of celebrity in general. 

He would, however, seemingly randomly sign for ordinary folk who had showed kindness to him or who seemed genuinely interested in him.  Here's the front free endpaper of a book that Marlon signed in the 1980's to a fellow passenger on an airplane.  The recipient of this had shared a finished copy of a newspaper with him:

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Permalink Reply by Garrett Meadows on January 16, 2022 at 12:10pm

My goodness, I had completely forgotten about the capricious Marlon Brando who seemed to delight in being difficult and just plain weird. 

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Permalink Reply by JK on January 3, 2022 at 4:23pm

J.D. Salinger is #1 on my list. No chance with him. The best I could do was get John Updike to write a few lines about Salinger's notorious refusal to engage with fans.

Harper Lee was tough as I understood it, but I do know someone who had a few successes with her.

It's funny you mention Robert Crumb - I got three quotes signed by him TTM.  I wasn't aware he was particularly tough to get, but I guess I'm not surprised. I know that he moved to France to "get away".

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Permalink Reply by Garrett Meadows on January 16, 2022 at 12:13pm

I watched a documentary about Crumb simply called "Crumb." He walked into a comic book store and the guy behind the counter was dumb struck. He asked Crumb for his autograph, to which Crumb curtly replied, "No." 

It's interesting to know that he would occasionally deign to sign an autograph or two. 

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Permalink Reply by Nick Dimeo on January 3, 2022 at 5:22pm

Entertainment: Greta Garbo, she just wanted to be “alone”. She lived to a ripe old age and other than personal checks released by her estate a few years back there isn’t much.

Sports: Shoeless Joe Jackson, he was illiterate and his wife signed for him. A legitimate signed photo sold for 1.47 million dollars last year.

Music: John Coltrane, lived to 40 (considered middle age) you will be hard pressed to find authentic autographs from him. Autographs from him certainly exist more than the other two though. I heard he didn’t like to sign all that much.

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on January 3, 2022 at 5:35pm

Nick - I was going to mention Garbo, but knew you could cover her well.

p.s. The older I get, the more I understand Garbo's desire...lol 

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Permalink Reply by Nick Dimeo on January 3, 2022 at 5:38pm

Lol! Obviously, we could give this post a bunch of names of silent film and early Hollywood people but figured on keeping it simple, plus they died pretty young.

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Permalink Reply by Garrett Meadows on January 16, 2022 at 12:15pm

I didn't know that about John Coltrane. 

This may speak more of my inability to appreciate good acting, but I never understood the allure of Greta Garbo. She seemed like a person I would go out of my way to avoid. 

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on January 3, 2022 at 5:36pm

Andy Griffith was not a generous signer. Except on official documents his signature is rare in any form. His manager, Richard Linke signed Andy's TTM responses.

Stevie Nicks. Very difficult signer.

Fred Gwynne did not like to sign Munster related items.

Barbra Streisand.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on January 3, 2022 at 5:39pm

jackie gleason.

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