Happy Birthday Al Gore - Collector's Treasure of the Day

The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change Book Hand-Signed by Al Gore

Happy birthday to Oscar winner and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore! Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is this First Edition autographed hardcover copy of his book The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change. The book is "An Inconvenient Truth" for everything - a frank and clear-eyed assessment of six critical drivers of global change in the decades to come. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

Happy Birthday to Billy Bob Thornton - Collector's Treasure of the Day

Billy Bob Thornton in the film Bad Santa

Happy birthday today to Billy Bob Thornton - Academy Award-winning actor, screenwriter, director, and musician! Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is an autographed copy his autobiography The Billy Bob Tapes: A Cave Full of Ghosts. Thornton is best known for his films Sling Blade, Monster's Ball, Bandits, and Bad Santa. The Billy Bob Tapes is a narrative based on late-night conversations with humorist Kinky Friedman and other friends. Brand new first edition hardcover hand-signed by Thornton and Friedman. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

Billy Bob Tapes Hand-Signed by Billy Bob Thornton and Kinky Friedman

Happy Birthday to Community's Jim Rash - Collector's Treasure of the Day

Community Poster Hand-Signed by 11 including Jim Rash, Joel McHale,  & Chevy Chase

Happy birthday today to Jim Rash - actor, comedian, producer, and Academy Award-winning screenwriter (The Descendants). He is best known for playing the over-the-top character Dean Pelton on the NBC sitcom Community. Our Collector's Treasure of the day is this one-of-a-kind oversize 36 x 40 inch Community poster mounted on foam core! To benefit the Paley Center, it has been autographed by stars Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, Yvette Nicole Brown, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Jim Rash, and Ken Jeong alongside producers Garrett Donovan and Russ Krasnoff and directors Joe and Anthony Russo. Fine condition with some bumped edges and stray marks. Provenance Paley Center for Media. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

Adventures in Autograph Collecting with Jackie Chan

Last Monday evening, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - the folks who hold the Oscars - gave a salute to martial arts superstar Jackie Chan (Rush Hour, Kung Fu Panda, Rumble in the Bronx, Shanghai Noon, Legend of Drunken Master). I was lucky enough to be in the second row for the onstage conversation between Jackie and founder of the Los Angeles Times Hero Complex film festival and EW's CapeTown Geoff Boucher. It was an incredible evening followed by a screening of the Academy's print of Police Story III - Supercop (1992). They showed the full version released in Hong Kong with 10 extra minutes - not the truncated version that was released here in the U.S.! Ok, I'm showing my true "film nerd" colors here. However, what really made it all so special was Jackie's engaging storytelling during his onstage interview. Jackie Chan is so naturally personable, so funny, so animated - it was a blast to see him in person.

What touched me the most was his answer to the question about his favorite movie. Was it some kick-ass martial arts flick? No, it was the classic Hollywood musical The Sound of Music. He said that he'd seen it countless times. When he was a child, even though he didn't understand the English dialogue he could still follow the story. He loved the music, too, and started in with a rendition of "Do-Re-Mi". He even had a poster from the film in his office, which he wished he could get autographed by the cast. He didn't think that was possible, though - he didn't have any idea where they all were. Were they even still alive? I almost jumped out of my seat! I had just the thing for him!

Last year, all of the actors who played the Von Trapp children got together for a reunion at The Hollywood Show in Burbank, CA. Collector's Shangri-La still had one cast photo left signed by all 7 - Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, and Kym Karath.

Sound of Music Photo Signed by Cast of Seven

I thought of approaching him after his talk, but he was mobbed by autograph hounds and quickly ushered backstage. I think he may have had time to sign something for a couple of children in the audience, but certainly didn't have the ability to chat with me.

Coincidentally, I had a friend working on set with him the next day for a film shoot, but she wasn't in a position to approach him. Luckily, the Academy was able to connect me with his agent over at the William Morris Agency, and we arranged to trade a few of Jackie's own autographed photos for The Sound of Music photo. I dropped it by Jackie's hotel today in Beverly Hills, just in time for him to head back to Hong Kong tomorrow. I like to think of it hanging up in his office next to his prized poster. That's the mission of Collector's Shangri-La - connecting people with their passions. I hope I made Jackie's day. He certainly made mine.

Jackie Chan Autographed Photo

Collector's Treasure of the Day - Farewell Ray Harryhausen

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Lobby Card Signed by Ray Harryhausen

The special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen died today in London at the age of 92. Mr. Harryhausen was awarded a special Oscar at 1992's Academy Awards Ceremony for his cinema magic that has spanned nearly five decades and includes such classics as The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, One Million Years B.C., and Jason and the Argonauts. He will be missed.

In his honor, we are showcasing this 11 x 14 inch color lobby card from the 1977 adventure film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger which has been hand-signed in person by writer/producer/visual effects creator Ray Harryhausen.

Farewell Ernest Borgnine

McHale's Navy Photo Autographed by Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine (1917 - 2012) died yesterday July 8th of renal failure at the age of 95 in Los Angeles, California. His wife and children were at his side. With a career that spanned six decades, he was best known for his Oscar-winning role in 1955 for Marty, the 1960s TV series McHale's Navy, and the 1980s action series Airwolf. Most recently, Borgnine played the voice of Mermaid Man in SpongeBob SquarePants. Borgnine was a generous autograph signer and a sweet man. He will be missed.

Calendar of Celebrity Autograph Signings for November 2011

As a service to our fellow autograph collectors out there, Collector's Shangri-La provides a monthly calendar of selected celebrity autograph signings through our blog at: http://collectorsshangrila.blogspot.com/

Sign up to follow our blog to stay up-to-date!

11/2/2011 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Union Square. New York, NY.
11/3/2011 5:00 PM at Costco - South Fern Street. Arlington, VA.
11/3/2011 7:00 PM at Politics & Prose Bookstore – Connecticut Avenue NW. Washington DC.
11/8/2011 4:00 PM at Costco - 16th Street West. St. Louis Park, MN.
11/17/2011 7:00 PM at the Carter Center - Freedom Parkway. Atlanta, GA.
Tom Brokaw, news anchor, signing his book The Time of Our Lives

One from the Hart Book Signed by Stefanie Powers

11/3/2011 7:00 PM at Book Soup - Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA.
Stefanie Powers, star of the TV show "Hart To Hart", signing her book One From the Hart

11/3/2011 10:30 AM at Williams-Sonoma - North Beverly Drive. Beverly Hills, CA.
11/18/2011 1:00 PM at Williams-Sonoma - Northpark Center. Dallas, TX.
Martha Stewart, TV personality and publisher “Martha Stewart Living”, signing her book Martha Stewart's Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations


KISS Psycho Circus Autographed by Todd McFarlane, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss

11/3/2011 12:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Fifth Avenue. New York, NY.
11/4/2011 6:00 PM at BookEnds - East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.
11/7/2011 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Walnut Street. Philadelphia, PA.
11/10/2011 12:00 PM at Books-A-Million - South Clark Street. Chicago, IL.
11/15/2011 4:00 PM at Changing Hands Books - South McClintock Drive. Tempe, AZ.
11/20/2011 4:00 PM at Book Soup - Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA.
Ace Frehley, lead guitarist of the rock band KISS, signing his book No Regrets

11/4/2011 6:00 PM at the Hue-Man Bookstore - Frederick Douglass Blvd. New York, NY.
Tyra Banks, host of “America’s Next Top Model” and “The Tyra Banks Show”, signing her book Modelland

My Song: A Memoir Signed by Harry Belafonte

11/4/2011 7:30 PM at the Philadelphia Free Library - Vine Street. Philadelphia, PA.
11/8/2011 6:00 PM at the Chicago Public Library - State Street. Chicago, IL.
11/16/2011 7:00 PM at the Carter Center - Freedom Parkway. Atlanta, GA.
11/21/2011 5:30 PM at the John F. Kennedy Library - Columbia Point. Boston, MA.
Harry Belafonte, popular Calypso singer and social activist, signing his book My Song



Shaft Photo Signed by Richard Roundtree

11/5/2011 - 11/6/2011 Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Los Angeles, CA.
Scheduled guests include: Amber Benson, Elvira, Erik Estrada, Morgan Fairchild, Tippi Hedren, Stan Lee, Richard Roundtree, Michael Winslow, and many more. Click here for discounted tickets!

ER Photo Signed by Anthony Edwards

11/7/2011 7:30 PM at McNally Jackson Books- Prince Street. New York, NY.
Alec Baldwin, Sandra Bernhard, Anthony Edwards, Andrew McCarthy, etc. signing the anthology Lights, Camera... Travel!

I Didn't Ask to Be Born (But I'm Glad I Was) Book Signed by Bill Cosby

11/8/2011 6:00 PM at BookEnds - East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.
Bill Cosby, creator of ‘The Cosby Show” and “Fat Albert”, signing his book I Didn’t Ask to Be Born

Get In the Van Poster Autographed by Henry Rollins

11/10/2011 7:00 PM at Brookline Booksmith - Harvard Street. Brookline, MA.
Henry Rollins, hardcore punk star and spoken word artist, signing his book Occupants

11/12/2011 5:00 PM at Vroman's Bookstore - East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA.
Julie Newmar, Catwoman from the TV series "Batman", signing her book The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth

11/14/2011 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - South Tamiami Trail. Sarasota, FL.
Stephen King, author of “The Shining” and the “Dark Tower” series, signing his book 11/22/63

11/14/2011 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Warren Street. New York, NY.
11/17/2011 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA.
Bill Maher, host of “Politically Incorrect” and “Real Time with Bill Maher”, signing his book The New New Rules

Regis Philbin Signed Photo

11/15/2011 12:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Fifth Avenue. New York, NY.
11/15/2011 7:00 PM at BookEnds - East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.
11/16/2011 7:00 PM at Book Revue - New York Avenue. Huntington, NY.
11/26/2011 12:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Americana Way. Glendale, CA.
11/30/2011 7:00 PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers- Riverside Drive. Cincinnati,OH.
Regis Philbin, host of “Live with Regis and Kelly” and “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”, signing his book How I Got This Way

11/15/2011 3:00 PM at Barnes & Noble- Fifth Avenue. New York, NY.
11/15/2011 7:00 PM at Books & Greetings - Livingston Street. Northvale, NJ.
11/16/2011 7:00 PM at Mendham Books- East Main Street. Mendham, NJ.
11/28/2011 7:00 PM at Vroman's Bookstore - East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA.
11/29/2011 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble- Third Street. Santa Monica, CA.
Shaquille O'Neal, basketball star, signing his book Shaq Uncut

Then Again Book Signed By Diane Keaton

11/16/2011 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Union Square. New York, NY.
Diane Keaton, star of “Annie Hall” and “Looking for Mr. Goodbar”, signing her book Then Again



Confessions of a Prairie Bitch Book Signed by Alison Arngrim

11/16/2011 at the Santa Monica Public Library - Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA.
Alison Arngrim, star of the TV show "Little House on the Prairie", signing her book Confessions of a Prairie Bitch

11/16/2011 12:30 PM at Barnes & Noble- Fifth Avenue. New York, NY.
11/16/2011 5:30 PM at BookEnds - East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.
11/18/2011 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA.
Khloe, Kourtney, & Kim Kardashian, stars of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, signing their book Dollhouse

Places, Strange and Quiet Book Signed by Wim Wenders

11/18/2011 4:00 PM at Book Soup - Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA.
Wim Wenders, director “Wings of Desire” and “Paris, Texas”, signing his book Places, Strange and Quiet


Brady Bunch Limited Edition Lithograph - Autographed by 6

11/18/2011 - 11/19/2011 The Hollywood Show Vegas at Harrah's Hotel & Casino - Las Vegas, NV.
Scheduled guests include: Gary Conway, Erika Eleniak, David Fasutino, Ernie Hudson, Christopher Knight, Tommy Kirk, Mike Lookinland, Susan Olsen, John Schneider, Felix Silla, Beverly Washburn, Barry Williams, and many more.

Breakfast Club Cast Photo Signed by Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy,
Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, and Anthony Michael Hall

11/19/2011 - 11/20/2011 Super Mega Fest at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel - Boston, MA.
Scheduled guests include: Sean Astin, Jeremy Bulloch, Tia Carrera, Tracey Gold, Anthony Michael Hall, Patrick Stewart, and many more.

Star Trek Cast Photo Signed by Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Walter Koenig

11/19/2011 2:00 PM at Dark Delicacies - West Magnolia. Burbank, CA.
Walter Koenig, Chekov from "Star Trek", signing his book Things To Come #1


Friday the 13th Jason Reunion Poster Signed by 20

11/20/2011 12:00 PM at Dark Delicacies - West Magnolia. Burbank, CA.
Kane Hodder, star of "Hatchet" and the “Friday the 13th” horror series, signing his book Unmasked

11/21/2011 7:30 PM at the Tattered Cover - 16th Street. Denver, CO.
Judy Collins, pop and folk singer/songwriter, signing her book Sweet Judy Blue Eyes

11/30/2011 7:00 PM at Book Soup - Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA.
Barry Livingston, Ernie from the TV show "My Three Sons", signing his book The Importance of Being Ernie

Information sometimes changes. Before showing up, please contact the event location to verify accuracy, and let us know if there are any errors in our listing. Thanks!

Thanks to the following resouces for schedule information: 92nd Street Y, American Cinematheque, Amoeba Music, Barnes and Noble, Book Ends, Books & Books, Books and Greetings, Book Passage, Book Soup, Celebrity Signings & Events, Chiller Theatre, Collectormania, Creation Entertainment, Dragon*Con, Garden State Comic Con, Hollywood Celebrities & Memorabilia Show, LA Comic and Sci-Fi Con, Malaprop's, McNally Jackson Books, Mendham Books, Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, Outwrite Books, Politics & Prose Bookstore, Powells, Vroman's Bookstore, Warwick's, West Hollywood Book Fair, Wizard World

Win Tickets to the Academy Salute to Malcolm McDowell in Los Angeles!

CollectorsShangri-La.com has two extra tickets to the sold-out Academy Salute to Malcolm McDowell with a special screening of A Clockwork Orange and we want to share them with you!

Featuring a 40th anniversary screening of a new digital restoration by Warner Bros.

Onstage discussion with honored guest Malcolm McDowell

Hosted by Los Angeles Times writer Geoff Boucher

When: Friday, September 16, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

For a chance to win, simply send your email address to collectorsshangrila@gmail.com with "A Clockwork Orange" in the subject line. Winner will be chosen at random and notified by email.