Robert Culp SDCC and Chiller Theater 2008

I saw Robert Culp as I was walking through the booths at SDCC.  He was sitting at a table in front of prints from Greatest American Hero.  Not quite off the beaten trail but not in the heavy traffic area either.  I was moving through these aisles to avoid the worst of the traffic jams. 

I was surprised. I hadn’t expected to see him there so I walked over and said hello. I think he was about to leave to eat or something and  I told him I’d come back later but he waved off that comment and told me to stay.

This is the guy I saw in Greatest American Hero and later on Everyone Loves Raymond and dozens of others movies and shows.  But I really remember him most from the Glass Hand episode from Outer Limits. When I told him that, he paused and looked over the table and pulled out the photo.  I smiled.  I had seen that photo within seconds after I approached him and knew that was what I wanted signed.

This will sound weird but he was such a sweetie. He asked my name and signed the photo. Then with deliberate care he told me that it takes a while for the ink to dry. He then looked for a soft plastic sheath for the photo but I told him I had something to put it in.  I thanked him and shook his hand and was just very happy to have met him. As I was moving away he reminded me that it takes a while for the ink to dry.  He was very likeable.

Less than 4 months later I was at Chiller Theater in New Jersey.  I was busy hustling from room to room to get the autographs I wanted on that first night.  It was getting crowded and the wife was getting tired and I found a spot for her to sit and I was about to turn away when I saw Robert Culp step out into the busy hallway. 

I wasn’t going to bother him.  He was taking a break and I was only planning on giving him a smile and a ‘hello, sir’ as he passed.  He paused and asked me if I knew where Angie was.  I‘m sure I looked nonplussed as I quickly tried figure out who ‘Angie’ was without asking.  He didn’t wait for me to figure it out and said Angie Dickerson and started to move off.

Now I had a clue and I stepped up beside him. I let him know I did know where she was.  He told me that they were old friends and it’s been a while.  I told him it’s a long walk and he should follow me.  He seemed in a hurry and but I tried not to go too fast.

As we walked, I mentioned I saw him in San Diego and asked if he had a good time.  I then mentioned how honored I felt that I was meeting him again. Yes, I was slightly star struck.  He seemed to handle it well.

I got him to the room and I used his badge to bypass security and the long line waiting outside.  When we got in the room she was signing in, I pointed her out and I said good bye.  You could tell he was anxious but he was collected enough to thank me.

I rush back to the wife and told her all about it. There was really nothing to tell but I was so full of adrenaline I was talking a mile a minute. My wife dutifully smiled and nodded as I repeated the same few details over and over. As if repeating the facts would get her adrenaline pumping too.

I felt lucky to have helped him find Angie. Maybe that was a karma thing.  Maybe I owed that to him because he was so nice when I met him in July.

AH