Hollywood Show
Los Angeles, CA
April 28-30, 2017

Front row Dedra, David Hedison, Wanda, C J. Second row Steve, Gail, Sherry, Linda, Janet. Photo courtesy of Diane Kachmar

Twenty-one of us descended on the Hollywood show to welcome David to his first con appearance since October 2015. David had agreed to do Saturday only and all of us were pleased he was willing to come out and sign pictures and many other items for us. John kissed me goodbye at 4:00 AM so I could catch my 5:40 AM flight out of Palm Beach. It was an uneventful flight and I touched down around 11:00 AM CA time, after a bumpy last 500 miles. Everyone who came in after me complained about the bumpy ride. One by one all the Friday people checked in with me. I was doing table prep in the room and they were watching Voyage DVDS on the hotel TV and passing my picture binders around. We had lunch and dinner in the restaurant, watched more Voyage and agreed to meet downstairs at 8:30 am.

I had many hands helping me to get the pictures and the books and the pre-sales to the table. C..J. and I ate in the take out cafe thinking it would be cheaper. It was not. We were hustling because David had agreed to come to Early bird ( at 9 AM) and we wanted to have his table set by then.

David showed up promptly at 8:45 AM. Gail was still in the line for wristband pick up, so she saw David first and directed him my way. I've got the table half set up when I hear "Get to work, Kachmar," in that unmistakable voice and he was ambling up the hall. David was the first one there and he got out his bag of markers and started signing for my fans who were there. I had told everyone I brought to buy an early bird pass as to have that extra hour with David. He started signing and really never stopped, until his photo-op. David knew who everyone was because John had made Hedison VIP badges for all the people I had brought. Worked really well.

David had his hearing aids, but they didn't seem to be helping all that much. I spent most of the morning taking pictures of fans with David after he signed their items. Gail's husband Steve took off with Janet's husband Ron and they got all the other Bond autographs I had been given money for from a David fan In the UK. I got David's items signed, they did the rest. Thanks, guys! They told me they had a great time spending the UK guy's money...

I got the picture box up, gave C.J. the one-page thumbnail guide to the box. She sat in her rollator and helped the fans find the photos they wanted. My books were stacked next to her. David had half to the table to sign posters. He signed a lot of posters. I found I had forgotten the bag of signs in the room, so I went and got them. I signed David in. Talent coordinator was not happy he strolled right past (too early). We got the wall sign John made up on the pole behind David. It helped block the wall light that was backlighting all our photos with David. Thanks, John.

Our neighbor Brett Halsey showed up first. He brought his wife Victoria. She is so nice. Priscilla Barnes (on our other side) showed up about 10:30 AM. All the Saturday only people were out in the Hall and there was a huge crowd down at the end for the Batman group, I guess. I got down there, although I would have liked to have had met William Daniels. We were too busy and they were Saturday only, like us. I never made it into the ballroom, either until very late in the day, when David was visiting with Brett. I went in for a bit and talked to Bruce Boxleitner, who I had wanted to meet for a long time.

David's pile of money kept growing larger and larger. We finally told him he needed to put it away. We all thought he was enjoying watching the pile of bills get bigger and bigger and bigger. It was amazing how many people came to the table, thanked David for coming; told him how nice it was to see him out again and how well he looked.
There were 20 of us at his photo op. I hate mine, but everyone else looks great. I do not take good pictures. And our photo op was delayed, because of all the people in line for the very expensive Batman four shot. Julie Newmar was on a scooter, and she was scooting around, while we were being shot. David did great and looks great in every shot. Linda Howey finally rolled in 5 minutes before the photo shoot began. Right under the wire. Her flight was delayed.

It finally slowed down around three, so we took some group photos. John called and I relayed what he was saying to David since David could not hear him on my cell phone, but John could hear him. I was they got to talk together one last time. We walked down and took a group photo with the Knight order car because David guest starred on that show. David didn’t see the point, but we all loved it.

Gail made David tea at 3:00 PM. I gave him some almonds, C.J. gave him an oatmeal raisin cookie. Linda made me and C. J. tea. It was our first and only break, we worked right through lunch. We were that busy. When David asked me to find the restroom for his first bathroom break, I turned the corner and told him “Wow, you are really popular today.” He shook his head, a bit bemusedly, and answered, “Yes, I know.” David likes to stay busy and was he ever.
David was starting to tire, so after several more sales, we started to pack up. David wanted to give me my percent so we went to my room to tally his money and he gave me my share. It was a very impressive total. For one day. For an eighty-nine-year-old with a 52-year-old TV series. David was tired, but he was also happy to be remembered so much and so well.

We came back to the lobby to find everyone gathered to say goodbye. David was touched. He said to let him call for his ride, which he did. Then he gave each and every one of us a goodbye hug, which I thought was really classy. Everyone had fun with David and it was a great day at the Hollywood Show.

John called in the middle of a Voyage episode Saturday night and they thought his alarm (ringtone) was the sub alarm going off. That was funny – the circuitry room was blowing up on the TV and my phone alarm starts blaring. Everyone said hi to John. I told him how great a day David had. John said, “Wow.” And he so happy David had done so well. I told John Brett Halsey was still using the tables signs John made for him (unasked) in 2012 and how great his badges where.

And that was Saturday.

Diane Kachmar
5/3/17