An ode to Three’s Company…It was December 10, 1985 when my flirtation with collecting autographs from the cast members of Three’s Company first began. When sending requests through the mail, I generally steered clear of most ‘high-caliber’ stars of the current day. They were generally met with one form of rejection or another. However, John Ritter did not disappoint me. He signed both the photo that I sent him along with two notecards, even adding a humorous inscription on one. These were returned in an extremely timely fashion as well: on December 23, just two days before Christmas.
Now I won’t sit here and argue the merits or criticisms of the show itself, but I will say that I watched this show growing up in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and I find it one of those funny, entertaining, and most importantly, comforting classic sit-coms. And I think that we can all agree that John Ritter was a huge talent, even if the material didn’t quite live up to his caliber.
Priscilla Barnes who played the role of Terri made an appearance at one of the Hollywood Collectors Shows in the early 1990’s, so I wasn’t taking much of a risk when I sent this very photo along to Bob to have him get it signed for me. I would also have her sign an additional cast photo.
For years, rumors had persisted that Joyce DeWitt was not a very willing signer, so I did not want to risk sending out any of the items that had already been signed by another co-star. Instead I sent her yet another cast photo in the Summer of 1997. The rumors were squashed when she returned it signed to me…along with an additional recent photo.
Richard Kline, Don Knotts, Joyce DeWitt, Norman Fell, and Audra Lindley would make additional appearances at Hollywood Collectors Shows over the years, most prominently at one of the cast HCS cast ‘reunions’ in April of 1998, and although I never got to meet any of them, Bob was always kind enough to get my items signed for me.
The last attempt I made to get a Three’s Company item signed was in 1998 when I sent John Ritter a few photos on which I needed to acquire his signature. Alas, this time he was not quite as kind, only signing one of the photos I sent. Fortunately, it was on THE ultimate and most important of the pictures, and the signature that completed my cast shot.
My first and only Three’s Company celebrity encounter to date took place at the October 2005 show, Priscilla Barnes showed up unexpectedly to sell signed photos. She had been attending another show where O.J. Simpson was signing autographs and abandoned that show in protest of his appearance. I explained to her that she had already signed for me but I would like to get a picture with her. She agreed but then asked if I would like to make a donation to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. What authorized her to take up this collection, I’ll never know, but I endulged her with a ten buck ‘donation.’ Whatever.
Priscilla and I both looking rather large…but in different places
Finally, in lieu of ever getting to meet John Ritter, I stopped by his final resting place at Forest Lawn in Hollywood on July 29 during my Summer 2007 trip. He is buried remarkably close to both Stan Laurel and Buster Keaton.
Autographs of 1985 will continue…
Celebrities of the October 2005 Hollywood Collectors Show will continue…
I think your phrase, “comforting classic sit-com” is an excellent one.
Peter
September 1st, 2007