Happy Oscars Day!
And speaking of star power, some new TV and movie faces are among the famed names heading to Chicagoland next weekend for the biggest celebrity autograph show in the Midwest.
Okay, sure, these may not exactly be today's A-List crowd.
But still, there are some fun ones to rub elbows with just the same.
Dawn Wells, who played sweet farm girl Mary Ann Summers on "Gilligan's Island," prime-time soap opera vixen Morgan Fairchild, movie and TV idol Richard Chamberlain, "Eight is Enough" teen idol Willie Aames and actress Linda Blair, the star of "The Exorcist" are among just a few of the confirmed roster favorites.
Hosted by industry royalty Ray and Sharon Courts, who organize such gatherings all over the country, the line-up for this season's event is an impressive who's who.
But for anyone who has been to these previous shows, this time around, there's yet another new hotel landscape location.
Years ago, it used to be held at The Purple Hotel, just north of Chicago in Lincolnwood, Ill., and more recently, it was at the Chicago Marriott Hotel at O'Hare Airport. Then last year, the host location was the Wyndham O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Ill., but alas, the hotel property had to close.
This time around, the event will be at the five-star Rosemont Hotel, 5550 N. River Road from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m both Saturday and Sunday next weekend.
General admission is $20 each day (or $30 for a two-day ticket) to get inside the celebrity ballroom, where the stars sit at tables for their meet-and-greet sessions. Most of the celeb guests charge for signing photos and memorabilia.
Other noted names making the trek to Chicago to appear at the show this spring are actor Ernie Hudson from "Ghostbusters," the legendary George Kennedy, "Dallas" bad guy Ken Kercheval, actress Donna Loren from "Beach Blanket Bingo," actress Carol Lynley from "The Poseidon Adventure," actor James MacArthur from "Hawaii 5-0," scheming Theresa Russell from the movie "The Black Widow," actress Rebecca Staab from TV's "Dark Shadows" and character actor Larry Thomas, who played "the Soup Nazi" on TV's "Seinfield."
For more information or details, call (847) 678-4488 or visit hollywoodcelebritiesshow.com/Rose.
What's what
With the Academy Awards presentation ready to roll tonight, "Antiques Roadshow" appraiser Phil Weiss was kind enough to offer some interesting information about some of the box office's biggest moneymakers: the props and collectibles associated with Academy Award-winning films and actors.
Five of the Highest Value Movie Props from Academy Award-winning Films:
* "The Wizard of Oz" (The iconic ruby slippers sold for $666,000 in 2000)
* "The Maltese Falcon" (The Maltese Falcon prop statue sold for $389,500 in 1994)
* "Star Wars" (Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, used in the first two films, sold for $240,000 in 2008)
* "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (A pink cocktail dress Audrey Hepburn wore in the film sold for $192,000 in 2007)
* "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (The voodoo doll modeled after Harrison Ford sold for $30,000 in 2008)
Academy Award-winning Actors with the Most Valuable Signatures and Going Rate:
* Humphrey Bogart ($1,000+)
* Clark Gable ($800-$1,200)
* John Wayne ($500-$1,000)
* Marlon Brando ($500-$1,000)
* Gary Cooper ($500-$1,000)
Academy Award-winning Actresses with the Most Valuable Signatures and Going Rate:
* Grace Kelly ($1,000+)
* Judy Holliday ($1,000+)
* Vivien Leigh ($1,000+)
* Katherine Hepburn ($500 - $1,000)
* Mary Pickford ($250-$500)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.
Today's Celebrity Birthdays
Comedian Alan Sues ("Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In") is 84. Photographer Lord Snowdon (husband of the late Princess Margaret) is 80. TV personality Willard Scott is 76. Actor Daniel J. Travanti is 70. Bassist Chris White of The Zombies is 67. Singer Peter Wolf of The J. Geils Band and actor John Heard and keyboardist Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum are 64. Football great Franco Harris is 60. Guitarist Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers is 58. Actor Bryan Cranston is 54. Actor Bill Brochtrup ("NYPD Blue") is 47. Comedian Wanda Sykes is 46. Singer Taylor Dayne is 45. Drummer Randy Guss of Toad the Wet Sprocket is 43. Actress Rachel Weisz is 39. Singer Sebastien Izambard of Il Divo is 37. Singer Hugo Ferreira of Tantric and actress Jenna Fisher are 36. Actress Laura Prepon is 30.
