Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Some FAMILY TIES with a couple of SINGING SIBLINGS

I tagged along with a couple of other hunters and decided to try for both Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter from Family Ties (both of which I never met). This was the opening night of their show. Later that evening in PA were singing duo Donnie and Marie Osmond. I had met Donnie before but needed Marie. When I tried the hotel that day I saw him who was nice as can be but never saw her. So due to this it made even more sense to go that day.

First stop is the Gross/Baxter event. Arrive there an hour early and scope the place out. One combo hunter noticed the director was actress Judith Ivey. Since it was opening night this likely meant she would be there. To me that's a better name than who I set out for because I value movie names over TV names. We all looked up how she looks like. 

We wait and the place has multiple entry points. We managed to find out that they were using the back door but stationed one guy in the front just in case. Not a minute later we see Judith, nice as can be. Even she informed us the others would come out of the same door (basically same info we got earlier). 

Michael Gross comes out, nice as can be does combos. Shortly after that get Meredith Baxter combo. Nice as can be.

I could not believe how easy this was. However, after this every other story I heard was a horror story with staff being nasty and actors sneaking out. Some people managed to get autos via send ins but that's about it. I guess we chose the only perfect day to do this. I wonder what could have happened. My only gripe is the fact that Gross was clean shaven as he has facial hair on the show. So if I ever does Chiller again and he has a beard I'd probably upgrade. 

With this clean sweep I have almost every main cast member of Family Ties. Looking at the wikipedia entry they list 


  • Meredith Baxter-Birney as Elyse Keaton
  • Michael Gross as Steven Keaton
  • Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton
  • Justine Bateman as Mallory Keaton
  • Tina Yothers as Jennifer Keaton
  • Brian Bonsall as Andrew "Andy" Keaton (seasons 5–7)


Justine is the only one I am now missing. 

Michael Gross 

Meredith Baxter

Judith Ivey

Autographs


Next up drive to the Donny and Marie venue. Unfortunately it's a big ass venue, but we spot where we believe they will drive out of. To kill time till exits we go to a nearby Chinese buffet which was quite the feast. It was a rare Chinese buffet where even the meat they served was delicious. It was slightly more expensive than most as it amounted to about $15 per person. 

Here is the kicker. Right after the show let's out it is POUNDING rain! To be honest, I don't remember the last time I ever witnessed rain that bad in person. Fortunately we were able to catch a glimpse of the cars. We saw one of the cars leave (which looked like a regular car) and went to a nearby hotel. Naturally we went there but we didn't know who (if anyone) was in that car. Turns out it is Donny who does combos no problem! While upgrading my Donny photo op and getting some autos was nice, I didn't get my main price of the day, Marie. 

We go back to the venue at this point we don't know if Marie's car left the venue or is still in. Someone tells us she is in and has to come out but we're not sure if he's lying. 

We wait some more, even check out the bars. Nothing. Eventually the second car we see arrives from out of nowhere and stops at the same place Donny stopped. Turns out it is Marie (I guess as we got Donny she went somewhere else). As we ask she refuses photo ops citing her red hair. She said she would sign but in the excitement stupid me forget my items in the car. Sadly as she is signing for someone else I rush to the car and back but she is in the elevator. 

While the day was overall pretty successful, it did sting to miss my main target. I then go home and the next morning early to try for actor John Corbett (my shot with him is technically valid but so blurry I don't even count it). Since this was a last minute tip I had nothing to get signed. I had him ONE ON ONE and he sadly declined a photo op saying he doesn't do them. Another fail! 

Couple of days pass and I'm sitting at home late in the evening and get a Masterful phone call. Apparently the private plane of Donnie and Marie is landing 30 minutes from my house and arriving soon! Holy crap! They had no show here, so was the plane coming with nobody on it? Are both Donnie and Marie on it? Is it just Donnie? Is it just Marie? That was a mystery. Only way to know is to go there and find out. 

I rush there with my items. And it's deja vu as it's pounding rain. Go to the spot where I believe the plane is landing, but I see no cars waiting and lots of rain. Did I arrive too late? On a whim I rush to a second spot 5 minutes away and a regular car is waiting. Almost instantly after I arrive Marie exits the building going into the car! I couldn't believe it. Rain subsided thankfully and I get my vinyls from the car. There she is, no red hair! I ask for a photo op and she does it no issue! Now I have 4 vinyls signed by Donnie from way back. Turns out she is only valid in one of the four and signs it. I rush to my car to get the photos (again, deja vu) she says she has to go. But as she is in the car I plead for one photo to get signed which she does. 

Marie Osmond would be the final photo op I score in the lifetime of 



Donny Osmond

Marie Osmond

Autographs

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