Born in San Diego by parents who had met in the Navy I grew up in Asia and found myself in South Carolina after a time in Virginia. Post 62, but I think JFK was still President.

My mom had me watch Vincent Price movies and along with my FAMOUS MONSTERS collection I had been exposed to his work on TV. I loved Boris Karloff as a kid, but Price was in the top 5. With Groucho, WC Fields, Bogart- good company!

When mom asked me if I wanted to go to Sears and meet him, I could come with her! Well that was a quick yes!

I couldn't think of much more than asking for his autograph and telling him I loved HOUSE OF WAX ! He was selling an art line for Sears, which allowed people to buy rare art prints for a few bucks down, and sold millions of dollars worth of art for Sears. (A Picasso limited edition might go for $300- a bargain and investment it would later turn out).

We walked into the store and it was the end of his time there. He was standing and talking to a couple that walked off, and I ran up to him.

He was very polite to me and I told him how much I liked his movies like HOUSE OF WAX and he laughed, turned to my mom and said, "Kids are watching those horror movies on TV and I hear this all the time. I wish they'd see LAURA-"

and I interrupted him and said I did! My mom had me watch it with her and he was great in that, too!".

He replied when I got older I might appreciate the woman in the lead GENE TIERNEY! ( He was right, and I got her autograph, too. She was in fact the woman who already had spawned adult thoughts in my mind, I realized not all women were like my mom after seeing her, but I wasn't going to say that in front of my mom!)

My mom talked about Tierney and they chatted about her (tragic) life and when there was a lull in their talk I asked for his autograph. He smiled and said yes, signed his name and drew his profile and gave it to me and told me to study art to understand life.

Years later I would teach at the Chicago Art Institute, 20th Century art history. From there I would go on to create and work in theatre and film.

And it all started with a trip to Sears, to meet Vincent Price.