Fame and Fortune

My first wallet was quite a prize.

I still have a red wallet.

Red and shiny, with that new plastic smell, it had the added bonus of a photo of a famous movie star, tucked into the clear plastic pocket. Back in the day, they would put a photo there to illustrate how cool it would be to feature a picture of your loved one in that spot.

I gazed at the black and white photo and wrinkled my nose a little. To my five-year-old mind, he was an old, dad-looking guy. He looked like he would be nice, but I didn't recognize him, so he had no real appeal to me.

"It's Gregory Peck," my oldest sister said, as if that clarified all.

 "Who's Gregory Peck."

"He's a movie star. He's been in a bunch of movies," Diane informed me, rolling her big-sister eyes.

I shrugged, not impressed at all. But since I didn't have a photo to place in the pocket of my prized plastic wallet, Mr. Peck continued to hold his place of honor for as long as I owned it. 

Given that pretty much everything non-edible that came into our house was kept forever, Greg and I became well acquainted.

In real life, I haven't had many encounters with famous folk. More often than not, my brushes with fame have been by association. My son, as a preschooler, met and spoke with President Clinton. Harry, former-boss-now-friend, once ate in the same restaurant as Woody Allen. And my brother-in-law, Brian, has had hilarious meet-ups with Jay Leno (from a manhole during a traffic stop), Jim Carey (while helping to fix his stereo) and Garret Morris (who ran from him because he thought Brian was going to serve him papers from his ex).

 

Admittedly, I do like to read about the rich and famous, although, honestly, I'm more apt to read biographies about fascinating people who were not terribly famous themselves, but who hobnobbed with those who were.

Are there any movie stars I'd like to meet?

Giving it some thought (but not too much), I chose five alive and five not-so-alive:

Alive

1. Sam Elliott

2. Jody Foster

3. Tina Fey

4. Jon Stewart

5. Tracy Ullman

Not-so-Alive

1. Cary Grant

2. Jimmie Stewart

3. Harpo Marx

4. Carole Lombard

5. William Powell

I'd love to hear your favorites. Isn't that what social media is all about? 

Spill! (Please.) 

My friend, Gregory Peck, would approve.