QUOTE: Originally posted by ArmorMaster Well went down to my LHS, Burbank's House of hobbies, and was looking at the armor kits there. I heard a voice of one of the customers talking and I thought to myself, "that sounds a lot like Gary Coleman". So I peeked around the shelf and there he was. Gary Coleman. It was a little different seeing him in the store, but even though he's not a big celebrity anymore, still. But just to make this thread worth something, have you ever seen anybody famous in your LHS? Just thought this would make an intresting thread...

Well, I haven't seen any celebrities per se, but I met and spoke with Gary Colman when I was managing the Coco's in Culver City. I also met and had a great talk with Chris Tucker the actor/comedian there as well.

When I was working for Prestige Hobbies in Anaheim, I met several people who knew or worked for famous celebrities/production companies. I helped a guy who had designed and built the neuralyzer for "Men in Black"; he even brought on of the two that were used in the movie. It felt good to hold it, knowing that it was used by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones! I also met Jerry Seinfeld's best friend who had stopped in to try and find a Porsche model that Jerry hadn't acquired yet. (Jerry LOVES Porsches!!) I was successful in finding and selling a unique Porsche that Jerry's friend said he'd love!

When it comes to famous persons, I've met and worked for Tom "the Mongoose" McEwen when he came to sell items on consignment in our store. He and I worked well together; but then I idolized him as a kid watching him race the Snake every other Sunday!

"What you talking about Ryan............" I'm sorry Ryan, I couldn't resist the little poke. Nope can't say I have, but then look where I live.

Nobody famous, but I do see alot of astronauts.

Hey, celebrities have hobbies too.

Gary Coleman is very much into model trains. In fact there's a quote from him which comes up in Google quite often.
"It's part of who I am as a person. It is the best hobby I think there is anywhere. You can involve yourself in electronics, computers, puzzles... there's a lot of creativity and brain working. There's a lot to model trains that people don't realize."

Famous people into model train hobby
Celebrity Model Railroaders

The only person of note that I've met in my LHS is a deck crewman who worked on the Sydney - Australia's former aircraft carrier - he told me of a story that while on a cruise after the Korean war they took all their Sea Fury's and pushed them over the side as they were "supernumary to RAN requirements" - the heart breaks to think of what enthusiasts or collectors would pay to get their hands on one (or all!) of those planes today.........

when i was in Dallas at our LHS, numerous visitors frequented Phil's.........and
these many of these men are celebrities to me............
a JU-88 pilot who was shot down three times by his own.......he was in his early 80's.....
the son of a man (deceased) who flew with the 1st Air Commandos in the CBI.....
1 or 2 WW II Mustang vets looking to remember some of their passed on mates by commemorating a build-up of their aircraft........

i've been lucky............

QUOTE: Originally posted by cirikili when i was in Dallas at our LHS, numerous visitors frequented Phil's.........and these many of these men are celebrities to me............ a JU-88 pilot who was shot down three times by his own.......he was in his early 80's..... the son of a man (deceased) who flew with the 1st Air Commandos in the CBI..... 1 or 2 WW II Mustang vets looking to remember some of their passed on mates by commemorating a build-up of their aircraft........ i've been lucky............

You have been lucky. That is so cool. I've known several military veterans as well. One was an XO on a Charles F Adams class destroyer. He told of a time passing through the Straits of Malacca when they "killed a Krivak". Then there was the wonderful old German who came into Prestige Hobbies to buy wooden ship models. He was in the German Sixth Army in WWII as a tank driver and escaped the encirclement at Stalingrad. Later he also fought in Italy with Kesselring's 10th Army. These are just as much 'celebrities' to me as the Hollywood kind.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Duke Maddog You have been lucky. That is so cool. I've known several military veterans as well. One was an XO on a Charles F Adams class destroyer. He told of a time passing through the Straits of Malacca when they "killed a Krivak". Then there was the wonderful old German who came into Prestige Hobbies to buy wooden ship models. He was in the German Sixth Army in WWII as a tank driver and escaped the encirclement at Stalingrad. Later he also fought in Italy with Kesselring's 10th Army. These are just as much 'celebrities' to me as the Hollywood kind.

In many ways more so. The stories that German must have. Priceless.

Not in hobby stores, but do these count?

Theodore VanKirk, U.S.A.A.F. (ret.) Navigator, "Enola Gay"

Col. Steve Richie, U.S.A.F., F4 "Phantom" ace

My dad saw

Bruce Lee

I personally met a pilot of a sea-fury, 2 f18f pilots, and an cf18 pilot. got autogrpahs too

I saw Tammy Faye Baker at an outlet mall one time. Does this count??

QUOTE: Originally posted by Circuitrider I saw Tammy Faye Baker at an outlet mall one time. Does this count??

Tammy Faye Baker????

Randie

I run into Gary Coleman all the time at The Whistle Stop, a train store in Pasadena. The first time I saw him there he was in the next aisle talking to himself!! I asked him once about his stint on Weakest Link. He answered me, but seemed a little annoyed. I figured I better shut up before he punched me in the knee! The owners think he's a pain because he never buys anything.

I met Richard Karn but that wasnt in a hobby store. (Richard Karn is Al on Home improvement)

Living in New York City, you run into a lot of celebrities on the street. I guess it's probably the same in LA, but I've never seen one in a hobby shop. The closest Iv'e come was in 1979 (I think), when I met and had a brief conversation with Andy Warhol in Forbidden Planet (which was a science fiction/comic bookstore, but as I recall, they sold sci-fi models). He was odd, but nice.

Al

I met a fellow at a model show once who flew fighters for the Japanese Navy in WWII.

The guy had some wild stories to tell and talked about how late in the war his younger brother who was also a pilot got "volunteered" by his C.O. for kamikaze duty. Thankfully, the war ended before he had to go through with it.

It was a real eye opener talking to him about the notion of kamikaze duty, we all have this myth in our heads that it was some great honour to be a kamikaze and that the pilots gladly volunteered to do it. He says some young idealistic pilots were like that, but most in their hearts thought the idea was insane and tried to avoid it if they could.

My mom met Lee Ermey at a Young Marine CO's conference in Reno. If some of you don't know who he is. He was the Drill Instructor from Full Metal Jacket, also a drill instructor in Boys of Company C. Does that count. Im sure there was a hobby shop somewhere in that area that she was in.