The Stanley Brothers

Ralph Stanley has been performing Bluegrass Music for over 60 years. Over 40 of those years he has done so alone, as his brother Carter Stanley passed away in 1966. Despite the onset of electrified instruments and other modern changes to Country music, he never faltered and always stayed true to his roots and his music. He became known to a whole new generation of people for his rendition of "Oh Death" in the film "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" He is in his early 80's now and is still performing.

Yvonne DeCarlo

Yvonne DeCarlo is known to many as Lily Munster from the 1960's TV show 'The Munsters." She had been a very popular actress in Hollywood for nearly 30 years before that. One of the major roles in her film career was that of Sephora, Moses's wife, in "The Ten Commandments." She passed away in 2007 at the age of 84.

Dustin Hoffman

Dustin Hoffman has appeared in countless films over the years, but my favorite of his roles has always been that of 121 year old Jack Crabb, who recounts the story of how he was the only white man to survive Custer's Last Stand at the Little Bighorn. I thought this one was long gone, but lo and behold a year or two after I mailed it, i got it back. Whether or not the signature is actually his I can't say for certain, but hopefully the long wait means that it actually got to him personally.

Buck Leonard- The Black Lou Gehrig

Buck Leonard played Baseball in the Negro Leagues from 1933-1955, retiring at age 48. He played the majority of his career as a first baseman for the Homestead Grays, usually in the batting line-up right behind Josh Gibson. The Grays of the 1930's and 40's have been called the greatest team of any race ever assembled. Late in his life he suffered a stroke which affected his ability to write. You will notice his signature here is very labored- it looks like it took him quite some time to sign his name, but he was always very obliging to the fans who took the time to write to him.

Hank Aaron- baseball's Home Run Record Holder

Hank Aaron played Baseball from 1952-1976, first playing with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues. His most well-known acheivement is breaking the Home-Run record of 714 set by Babe Ruth. He was one away from tying the record at the end of the 1973 season, and over the winter received numerous death threats and other racist mail. Some people did not want to see a Black man break Ruth's record. Ruth's widow even spoke out in support of Aaron, stating her husband would have enthusiastically cheered him on. Aaron ended his career with 755 Home Runs, a feat which has never been eclipsed except by a player who took steroids and cheated his way past that number.

It is quite difficult to get Hank Aaron to sign things these days. When i sent this, he was signing things if you sent a donation to his charity. I was more than happy to do so to have an autograph from this Baseball legend!

Gene Autry, The Singing Cowboy

Gene Autry was always one of my favorites. I was too young to have grown up with him, but I always enjoyed listening to CDs of his old Western songs. He was one of the first people I ever wrote to. He was always a true gentleman- definitely lived up to the persona he portrayed on the screen. Needless to say I was pretty thrilled when I got this one back!

Sir Alec Guinness

Sir Alec Guinness probably received a ton of fan mail from people who knew him as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. Personally I preferred watching his other roles. I wrote to him in 1995 and I don't think i even mentioned Star Wars at all. The picture I chose to draw him from was from one of his first films, Great Expectations (if I remember right). His signature is in the lower left corner.