The Tony Awards were tonight in New York, and here are your winners for best leading actor and actress in a play:

Marcia Gay Harden in God of Carnage
and

Geoffrey Rush in Exit the King.

Both were generous with their time following their plays last month in New York. Marcia likes to ride her bicycle to the theater as I spotted her several different days either arriving or departing. And, I got both the same night, about 15 minutes apart. How's that for ironic?

I have several updates . . . so here it goes:

I was saddened to learn of the death of actor David Carradine this past week. I met Carradine last year in Peoria, Illinois, as he was in town promoting one of his movies for the new Hallmark HD Channel. He signed several 8 x 10s from his Kung Fu days and Kill Bill DVDs and inserts. He signed each with his name and then drew a "ying/yang" symbol. And, he posed for the above photo, not once, but twice, as the first shot was a little out of focus.

Singer Frankie Valli stopped by the Sangamon Auditorium on the campus of the University of Illinois at Springfield this past Wednesday for a sold out show. As Vallie emerged from the venue after his sound check, I asked him for a photo. He sort of looked around and told me to make it very fast. As his driver fumbled to get the door to his town car open, I then asked him to sign a CD, but Valli looked ahead and ignored my request. I asked again as he returned in the town car moments before the show. His first words as he opened the car door, "I can't sign anything now, I'm late for the show." I asked if he do it afterwards, and he nodded his head yes. Almost an hour after the show's end, he emerged from the stage door tunnel. About 15 fans were still waiting. He signed my CD and two 8 x 10s, although he didn't have much to say.

Here's more from my recent New York trip:

I want to rock and roll all night and party every day with . . . Gene Simmons. The fire-breathing, blood-spitting bassist and vocalist of the rock band KISS was in New York May 15 to promote the new season of his A&E television program, Gene Simmons: Family Jewels. Simmons stopped to chat briefly and pose for this shot as he waited for his limo to arrive. Simmons was accompanied by his partner, former Playboy model and actress Shannon Tweed.

Just as soon as Simmons got into his limo, 80's rapper MC Hammer arrived at the front door looking for his ride. Hammer was a willing singer and took this shot with me. He's slated to have his own reality show later this year on the network.

Actor Benjamin Bratt was also promoting his series for A&E called The Cleaner. Even though his publicist was trying to get him through the lobby of the building and on to another appearance, Bratt stopped to take photos with a group of fans.

I returned last Friday from an 8-day trip to New York City with just over 100 new photographs. Here are some of the highlights from the trip:

On May 12, I made the trip downtown to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex. Yoko Ono was appearing at one of several events to promote the display: John Lennon-The New York City Years. As she arrived in her Mercedes V12 sedan, her "people" quickly let us know she would not have time to sign autographs on her way into the event. Nevertheless, I asked if I could wait and she nodded, "yes," as she passed by me. About an hour later, she emerged and said, "You are still waiting for me?" Upon that statement she walked over to me and signed an 8x10 photo and posed with me for the above shot.

Any Star Trek fans out there? Here I am with the new Spock and Kirk at an event May 9. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto agreed to pose for this shot after signing an 8 x 10 for me.

Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush is currently starring with Susan Sarandon on Broadway in the play, Exit the King. Rush, best known for his role as Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, couldn't have been nicer. This Australian actor really enjoys interacting with his fans. Rush signed several photos and took this photograph with me following an evening performance of the play.

I had not one, but two encounters with Academy Award winning director Ron Howard. Howard was in town to promote his latest movie, Angels and Demons. This shot is after the Colbert Report taping. Earlier in the day, Howard signed several photos and posed following his appearance on Good Morning America. Ron is one of Hollywood's definite good guys as he signed and posed at nearly all his promotional stops.

Finally, here's the legendary Jane Fonda. Fonda currently stars with Colin Hanks on Broadway in 33 Variations. This shot was taken following a weekend matinee performance of the play. In addition to signing playbills, Fonda was good about signing other items from her career. And, she always has her dog, Leah, along side.

It's time to catch-up . . . so here it goes.
On Friday night, I made the cross-state trip to the University of Illinois Willard Airport in Savoy, Illinois, to catch-up with actor Matt Dillon as he arrived for his appearance the next day at Ebertfest in Champaign. Dillon was the second passenger off the plane. I greeted him as he exited the escalator, and for a moment, I believe he thought I was his driver. I asked for a photo and he obliged. As my friend, Mark, asked for a photo, Dillon replied, "OK, let's just do this." He posed for Mark and then signed one item for each of us. It was clear that it was a "one" autograph night for Dillon. As he was signing my 8 x 10 from Crash, I tried to chat with him about his running and his favorite places to run in Manhattan. Unfortunately, he didn't feel much like talking.

On April 17, Legendary singer, songwriter, and actor Kris Kristofferson stopped by the Bottleneck Blues Bar at the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Missouri. And, thanks to my friend, Mark, we got to see his show for free.

Following his 90-minute set, Kristofferson reappeared in the Bar to meet fans who attended the show (you had to have that magical “hand stamp”). He was in a great mood as he chatted up fans, signed autographs, and took photographs.

A few weeks earlier, I was expecting a quick down and back trip to Lambert St. Louis International Airport to meet Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin. However, it turned into an extra couple of hours in the terminal as their flight was delayed almost two hours. Upon arrival, I walked with them and several other collectors as the duo made their way to baggage claim. Mandy was accommodating as he posed for this photograph and signed an 8 x 10. Patti, on the other hand, just wouldn't take a photograph. She said she had no makeup and her hair was a mess. It didn't look that way to me. She just wouldn't budge. This made the fourth time I've tried for the photo. Maybe next time? Nevertheless, Patti did sign an 8 x 10 for the collection.

Finally, on March 28, Richard Dreyfuss was about a mile from my home. He was appearing, along with Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer, at a special Lincoln Bicenntennial program at Illinois College. Following the program, both signed autographs and posed for photos with just about everyone who wanted the opportunity. Dreyfuss signed a photo of us taken two years earlier at a Shakespeare Festival private reception in St. Louis. He had a little trouble recalling the event, but he liked the photo and joked "well, at least we both look good." Holzer, meanwhile, took a liking to the photograph too. Afterwards, he signed an 8 x 10 shot for me and posed for the picture below. He then said, "Now, you'll have to find me next year so I can sign OUR photo."

Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union and General Secretary of the Communist Party, is in Peoria, Illinois, today to visit Eureka College as part of Ronald Reagan Day at the college (President Reagen was a 1932 graduate of the college) and to speak at the college's Ronald Reagan Day Dinner at the Peoria Civic Center. President Gorbachev worked with President Ronald Reagan to end communist rule in Eastern Europe and won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his efforts.

President Gorbachev stopped for this photograph as he was leaving his hotel this morning enroute to the college. My friend, Jay, spotted his interpreter a few minutes after we arrived at the hotel. He asked if it would be possible to get a photograph with President Gorbachev. With local police, state police, and his own security detail standing next to us, we waited patiently for President Gorbachev to arrive in the lobby. He was led into the lobby by another member of the security team. The interpreter immediately motioned for us to come over for the photograph, telling President Gorbachev (in Russian) that we were the gentleman who had been waiting for the photograph. I extended my hand to greet him as I approached for the photograph and he returned the handshake. He continued to hold a firm handshake as the photo was snapped. What was remarkable was the size of his hands. They were extremely large and thick (visible in photo above). He seemed to genuinely enjoy the quick interaction he had with us. After the photographs, his security team quickly moved him out the door and into a waiting Cadillac for his trip to Eureka College.

A throng of collectors from both St. Louis and other cities greeted Paris Hilton as she arrived at Lambert St. Louis International Airport Friday night for an appearance the following day at Macy's. Paris was just as nice Friday night as she was about a year ago when she made a similar stop in St. Louis. She signed and posed for pictures with just about everyone. Paris was especially interested in seeing her high school yearbook, which she signed for my friend, Jay. She probably would have continued signing longer; however, an overzealous collector displayed a copy of her infamous pornographic DVD. Upon seeing the disk, she promptly dropped the Sharpie on the ground and literally went skipping out of the terminal to her waiting car. That would have made some interesting video for TMZ!

Earlier in the afternoon, I got a photo and a signed book from comedian Steve Harvey at the new St. Louis downtown location of Left Bank Books. Harvey's book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, is currently on top of USA Today's best seller list. Although the book signing resembled an assembly line, Harvey did take a moment to look up at the camera for this shot. I'm happy I got this shot as we heard later from other collectors that he refused to pose for pictures as he left the book signing and at the hotel.

Unfortunately, I struck out on meeting any of the cast from the movie, Up in the Air, currently filming in St. Louis. I did manage to see Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, and George Clooney, but couldn't get close enough for a photo or an autograph. I also spotted director Jason Reitman. I watched Clooney film a late night scene at 8th and Walnut Street where he was riding in a taxi wearing a space suit, complete with a helmet and mask. The taxi drove about a block, stopped, Clooney got out and walked about 10 feet, stopping right in front of the camera. I'm not sure how that scene plays into the movie, but I'll be anxious to see if it makes the final cut.