VIDEO: Ivan and Jason Reitman: A father passing his son the Olympic Torch on Yonge St. in Toronto
Does Royalty sign autographs? Prince Charles and Camilla visit Canada on Royal tour
Royal Visit photos courtesy shot7.com
With the future King of England in the news a lot lately - Prince Charles and his wife Camilla did an 11-day Royal tour of Canada through St. Johns, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, and Vancouver.
HoundsTV was asked one particular question a few times, Does Royalty sign autographs?
We spoke to a few autograph experts and even one Royal historian.
Technically speaking, they do sign autographs. All members of the Royal Family have at one time attached their personal signatures to various things. So actual "autographs" of Prince Charles, Phillip, even the Queen do exist. Mainly ...
Toronto Jazz Festival main stage photos featuring Jamie Cullum, Branford Marsalis, Al Di Meola, and Kool & the Gang @ HoundsTV.ca
TORONTO (HoundsTV) June 26th - July 5th, 2009 - The 2009 Toronto Jazz Festival concluded another successful ten day run at Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto. Photos available now include JAMIE CULLUM, BRANFORD MARSALIS, KOOL & THE GANG, AND AL DI MEOLA.
Autograph hounds are quick to catch up to Fastest man USAIN BOLT on arrival at CN Tower kick-off party
TORONTO (HoundsTV) June 9, 2009 - Olympic champion and World’s Fastest Man Usain Bolt arrived in Toronto for the Festival of Excellence track meet at Varsity Stadium on Thursday, where he’ll compete in the men’s 100 metres.
Bolt's first stop in Toronto was the Festival kick-off party at the top of the city - Toronto’s CN Tower.
Bolt's visit to the city is highly anticipated by fans, media and especially the autograph hounds who have been eyeing those beautiful Olympic gold medal winning shots knowing what a great and valuable addition an autograph would be.
And how was Bolt upon airport arrival and ...
HoundsTV photos: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (and a few friends) share the Radio City stage for David Lynch Change Begins Within Benefit Concert
all photos: Richard Budman / HoundsTV
NEW YORK (HoundsTV) Apr 4. 2009 - When filmmaker David Lynch wanted to throw a benefit concert to support his foundation to encourage children to do transcendental meditation - he got a little help from some friends - including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
Starr and McCartney appeared on stage together for the first time in seven years before a delighted crowd of 6,000 at Radio City Music Hall.
Before McCartney took the stage - Ringo kicked off the second half of the show with Yellow Submarine, with backing vocal help from Sheryl Crow.
But the crowd was ...
Hookers on Yorkville Ave. in Toronto? Its just Atom Egoyan filming his new movie Chloe with Amanda Seyfried
Filming continued on Canadian director Atom Egoyan's new feature, CHLOE, shooting this week on a very popular downtown Toronto street. The film stars Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, and Amanda Seyfried (very hot since the big-screen success of Mamma Mia.)
While the exact storyline on writer/director Egoyan's script remains under wraps - it is known that Seyfield is playing the part of a hooker. Judging by the wardrobe that Amanda was showing off during filming - that character assignment seems to probably make sense.
photographer's note: Yes, the set guys and producers hate the paparazzi shooting this stuff and do try ...
George W. Bush is the greatest President ever! (at signing autographs, that is.) – Obama could end up being the worst for the hounds
Hounding The Presidents for autographs
With U.S. presidential fever in high gear HoundsTV.com decided to investigate the autograph signing practices of the last few U.S. Presidents - and the future one.
(HoundsTV – Toronto) If there is one thing Guns N’ Roses 2010 Canadian tour has confirmed – Axl Rose still lives and loves the rock star lifestyle – relentless touring, late night partying, and lots of pretty ladies.
Axl and his Guns N’ Roses mates have been in eastern Canada the last week finishing up a 13 show trek across Canada to kick off a 2010 world tour in support of Chinese Democracy – Axl’s long awaited, and massively under-appreciated gem of a GN’R album.
The talk among many,many,many of the reviews has been the unpredictable late start to the GN’R shows occurring each night. For the Hamilton, London, and Montreal shows – Axl has been taking the stage around 10:30 and playing 2 1/2 hour sets ending around 1 a.m. We are not quite sure why so many people have been whining about the late starts -
BUT PEOPLE! Its a Guns N’ Fuckin’ Roses concert – not Disney on ice. So what if Axl is taking the stage at 10, 11 or 12?
But up here in Canada, venue officials and police do have concerns about rock concert crowds spilling out into the streets at very late hours. So all Canadian arenas have bylaw curfews (usually 11:59 p.m.) where the music is supposed to end or the concert promoter starts paying heavy penalties. The promoters and management of the GN’R tour surely paid some big penalties that night in Toronto when Rose was still on stage past 2 a.m.
In fact, when Guns N’ Roses took the stage at 11:30 in Toronto, discussions did occur with venue officials and GN’R management about cutting the set significantly shorter – to maybe 1 1/2 hours to help get the ACC crowd out still by about 1 a.m. Rose’s management refused. In the end, one or two songs were cut from the planned set list to try for a 2 a.m. finish. The word through Axl’s people was the GN’R set was minimum 2 1/2 hours and they were giving the fans ONLY a full set – no matter how late or whatever financial penalties they would incur.
So why did Guns N’ Roses take the stage so late in Toronto? It might have something to do with the fact Axl didn’t leave his downtown Toronto hotel till 11:15 p.m. for the show.
And why wasn’t Rose ready for the Toronto stage? Perhaps it had something to do with a very good time Axl and his GN’R mates had in Montreal the night before (actually, more the morning of..)
Rose made light reference to his previous night of Montreal debauchery kicking off the Toronto set, “Sorry about the time delay. I got carried away jumping off shit last night…I actually don’t remember a thing..”
After GN’R’s Montreal show the previous night, the band hit up a private club in old Montreal eventually emerging from the club at 6:30am in quite the high spirits. From there, it was time to head back to Toronto for the Air Canada Centre show that evening. And that evening started with
Rose going from his Toronto hotel room at 11:15 pm – to an awaiting vehicle speeding through traffic the ten minute drive south to the ACC – and joining his GN’R mates on the Air Canada Centre stage with the lights dimming just before 11:30 pm.
And the rush showed in a very uninspired opening of Chinese Democracy where Axl’s voice was clearly a little off. Rose exited halfway through the song to switch mics. The second song of the night, Welcome to the Jungle, was better and the songs familiarity helped to get the crowd going – but it was clear Axl’s voice was still ramping up (and Rose was maybe still waking up?)
By the time Live and Let Die rolled around forty-five minutes into the set – Rose was surely finding his voice and it was sounding strong. Axl and the band did a great version of Catcher in the Rye – in honor of J.D. Salinger who passed away that day (remarked by Rose.)
But its when the GN’R set passed the 1 a.m. mark and Axl delivered You Could Be Mine, Knockin on Heaven’s door, and November Rain you knew you were seeing classic Axl, in almost perfert form – and well worth the wait.
After the ACC show. Axl, his Guns N’ Roses bandmates, Sebastian Bach and many more partied well into the wee morning hours at a King St. Toronto club.
Guns N’ Roses wraps up the 2010 Chinese Democracy Canadian tour with three final dates out east in Quebec City, Moncton, and Halifax this week.
Axl Rose at Copps Coliseum, Hamilton (January 25, 2010) by SteelcityCanada
(HoundsTV – April 4, 2009) Filmmaker David Lynch’sbenefit concert at Radio City Music Hall was a rare coming together of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
When Harrison Ford was making an appearance on David Letterman recently – Dave’s cameras caught Ford signing autographs for fans outside the studio. When the autograph subject got brought up by Letterman later on the show – Ford shot back, “Fans? There not fans. They are autograph merchants. They are making an incredible living off you and me.”
In honor of the autograph merchants Ford so richly talked about, HoundsTV offers a Harrison Ford beautifully signed Raiders of the Lost Ark soundtrack album for $79.00 featuring him in his most iconic role, that of Indiana Jones.
This album cover wasn’t autographed by Ford outside Letterman’s studios. It was signed a week earlier in Toronto when Ford was visiting the city to promote his latest film, Extraordinary Measures. ITEM: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK soundtrack album sleeve autographed by HARRISON FORD (good condition – shows wear at album edges, includes vinyl record)
PRICE: $79.00 CAN + $15.00 (S&H in North America)
SIGNED: January, 2010 in Toronto
(HoundsTV – Toronto) Guns N’ Roses leader Axl Rose made a long awaited return to full-time touring in 2010 beginning in Canada. Rose was staying in Toronto this past weekend while playing Gn’R shows in Hamilton and London on the eastern leg of the Chinese Democracy tour.
Axl has always been considered a very difficult and valued autograph to get by serious collectors. Rose is reclusive, can be moody, and won’t sign in big crowds. So when one of North America’s top autograph collectors knew Axl was quietly staying in Toronto while playing southern Ontario shows – it was time to try and get a guitar signed (considered the best item of all to maximize the value of a rock god signature.)
Just before Rose boarded his tour bus – two twenty-something girls – looking exactly like the type of young hot girls you would expect on an Axl Rose tour bus exited the hotel and boarded.
Axl emerged in his stylish fur coat to a crisp winter evening from a downtown Toronto hotel in good spirits just after 7:00pm beautifully signing the collector’s guitar before boarding his tour bus for the two hour drive to London. Rose, famous for taking the stage late, didn’t disappoint as Guns N’ Roses started their concert that evening just past eleven, rocking the John Labatt Centre to well past 1 am. It was then back to the buses for Axl and the ladies for the long drive east to Montreal.
(HoundsTV – Toronto) Filming on the highly anticipated comic book adaption of RED moved on-location in Toronto this week with Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, & Ernest Borgnine all spotted on-set in Toronto’s Chinatown district today.
Word of such an A-list cast brought more than a few celebrity photographers out. As per usual, the cameras were not too welcomed by the movie production people and even one bright-eyed set person decided to use a laser pointer device to block the attempt of paps to get a good shot of Willis (even though Willis and the photographers were all standing legally on a public street.)
When one photographer reminded a cop on duty that a laser pointer is dangerous and even possibly illegal. The uniformed Police officer informed the movie set people to stop using the device on the photographers.
The movie RED stars Bruce Willis as Frank Moses and with a cast rounded out by Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, & Richard Dreyfuss and you have some wondering if this is the greatest comic book movie cast ever?
RED will be shooting in and out of studio around Toronto for the next couple months before ending in New Orleans.
(HoundsTV – January 14, 2009) Hollywood icon Harrison Ford spent the day in Toronto doing press and for the red carpet premiere of Extraordinary Measures. Of course, this visit to the city by Indiana Jones did not go unnoticed by the autograph hounds. On arrival to the films Canadian premiere at Varsity Cinemas in Toronto, Ford exited the car to a throng of autograph hounds and memorabilia looking for signatures. Ford, known to be a very good signer, willing obliged the signature requests after a brief chat with security and explaining to the collectors how this signing will go down.
Presley was one of the most iconic celebrities of the past century. Autograph collectors young and old have thought about getting his signature. Elvis is high up on the “I wish I could have asked him for his autograph” list.
So how was Elvis for meeting fans and signing autographs?
All reports suggest Elvis was great with the fans and signed lots of autographs during his time.
Because Elvis was known to sign a lot – there are items signed by Presley that often come up for sale and auction. Autographed albums have been known to sell in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.
We were asked a few times. What about Oprah? How does she feel about signing autographs?
It reminded us of a story from 2009 TIFF which brought Oprah and cast of Precious to Toronto for the films premiere.
Oprah’s stay in Toronto was very short lived. The mighty O arrived in Toronto late Saturday by private plane in advance of the Precious press conference and premiere on Sunday.
And yes, there were plenty of people chasing Oprah for her autograph. But the collectors chances would be few as Oprah’s press and media commitments were in the same hotel she stayed at – so except for her premiere and dinner on Saturday evening, she didn’t really go out anywhere. The few autograph collectors that fluked off running into Oprah on Saturday evening reported she was extremely nice and willingly obliged autograph requests.
But that still left a large group of collectors chasing on Sunday. After the Gala premiere of Precious, Oprah and her entourage headed straight back to her waiting private plane at the airport – with 4 cars of autograph hounds following.
Now, when cars of autograph seekers are following to the private airfields of Toronto – its no secret to the persons their following. But the seekers can only get so far. As Oprah’s car drove past the fence which is the farthest the other cars can go – a member of Oprah’s entourage got out and approached each car that followed them.
He collected the photos and various items from the collectors which they wanted Oprah to sign. He then got back into his car and drove to the plane. Ten minutes later he emerged from Oprah’s plane and brought back all the items.
Each now personally signed by Oprah.
Yes, Oprah does care about everyone – even the autograph hounds.
(HoundsTV – December 31, 2009) Since our list last year was so popular – we had to rate the BEST and WORST autograph signers in Canada for 2009.
Who was good about signing? Who was bad? What were the memorable experiences?
Some quick notes about our surveying method – which we admit is based more on qualitative opinion – than quantitative fact. As well, we don’t include the hundreds of small indie bands and C-list actors that travel through the country. They are personalities not usually hounded by the pros in large numbers. So we kept the list to the biggies – the A-list stars, big bands, and pop culture icons that managed to have their passports stamped “Canada” at sometime during this year.
It is the A-listers which get the paparazzi, autograph hounds, and fans out in big numbers. And from where we culled our reports and opinions. So after thinking back to the year that was in Canada and hearing the opinions of autograph collectors coast-to-coast HoundsTV presents its annual BEST & WORST LIST…
George Clooney earns HoundsTV’s title of BEST Signer to come through Canada this year. Besides starring in perhaps the best movie of the year, Clooney came to Toronto during September for the International Film Festival and was a signing champion to fans and autograph collectors – never refusing a signature request. Now, normally that wouldn’t have been too surprising as George is one of the nicer guys in the business. But his signing prowess was even more impressive – considering he was in Toronto with a banged up and bandaged signing hand. Clooney could have easily gotten off the hook from signing and everybody would have understood – but there he was – wading into crowds and signing away, often ignoring the pleas not to by his own people, security and publicists for fear of further injuring the hand.
2. JONAS BROTHERS
For another year running, the Jonas Brother were no strangers to Canada. They toured across the country – and even spent six straight weeks at a hotel in Toronto while filming a movie. And for hardcore JB fans and autograph seekers – it became no big secret where they were staying and crowds of people would congregate outside their hotel every day waiting for them. But the Jonas Brother proved to be fan favorites as they would routinely step outside their hotel to greet fans and sign autographs – not even caring if that particular signature might eventually make its way for sale.
3. MICHAEL JORDAN
Known for usually turning up on WORST signers lists – Michael Jordan earned a change in status this year after a visit to Oakville, Ontario during July for a charity golf tournament. A very large crowd of autograph collectors and fans turned out for the day following Jordan’s every move. Word on the course being that he would sign after his round. While the crowd swelled to hundreds chasing Jordan for that elusive signature, Jordan shocked many when he spent a good TEN minutes signing anything the hounds managed to get in front of him just before he departed the course. To the many collectors who chased Jordan for years to get that elusive signature – a sunny day in July on an Oakville golf course will be a day not soon forgotten.
4. TWILIGHT CAST (NEW MOON)
There was perhaps nobody more hounded (or famous?) to spend time in Canada during 2009 then the cast of Twilight – especially Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. Since the pop culture phenom series is 90% shot in Canada the stars spent a lot of time in Vancouver and stories of autograph experiences with the cast are numerous. One collector extensively blogged from the scene of many encounters with the Twilight cast. While the main stars were often difficult to find – there is consensus that the signing habits of the cast was generally good during the filming of New Moon – the 2nd movie of the series (unlike the 3rd film – see below) Even Kristen Stewart when cornered by collectors outside a restaurant replied she understands the autograph hounds “had a job to do” and didn’t care about signing. As for heart-throb Robert Pattinson - he got good at speed-walking to sometimes avoid the crowds, but If you managed to get close – he was good about signing. Pattinson was even known to sometimes sign for the fans gathering at the filming locations (and that was after he had shot all day and night.)
5. SIDNEY CROSBY
It couldn’t have been a bigger year for Sid The Kid winning NHL’s top awards and the coveted Stanley Cup. No team had a bigger crowds of autograph collectors outside their hotel in whatever Canadian city they were in. Fortunately for the autograph hounds – Crosby was “doing it” more than not.
6. YUSUF ISLAM (CAT STEVENS)
Perhaps because he came to Toronto over the Christmas holidays – but Yusuf Islam’s (formally known as singer Cat Stevens) long-awaited return to Canada may have gone under-reported in the mainstream media – but his appearance in Toronto didn’t go unnoticed by the autograph hounds. It even brought a few top U.S autograph collectors to Toronto for the occasion. And Yusuf did not disappoint the astute collectors that managed to track him down. While he politely declined photo requests, Yusuf was kind and gracious in signing any and all memorabilia – even as most were Cat Stevens albums. He even would often add the inscription, “peace & happiness”
WORST AUTOGRAPH SIGNERS OF 2009
1. BRITNEY SPEARS
Ms. Spears graced Canada for a bunch of concerts across the country on her 2009 “comeback” Circus tour. We couldn’t find a single collector or fan that reported getting Brit’s autograph this year. Most hounds don’t even bother trying anymore as Britney continues to live up to her reputation of being terrible in public for signing autographs and greeting fans. For her multi-night stay in Toronto Spears was rarely even seen – using private entrances and decoys to secretly get her in and out of the hotel. As for getting Brit’s autographs? Not a chance – You would have been doing good to just spot her outside of the shows.
2. ELTON JOHN
Another tour with Billy Joel brought Elton John to Toronto and Montreal a few times this year. But numerous autograph collectors did report – it was the same old Elton. No signing for the “eBay guys” (as Elton likes to say.) The thought of his autograph being sold still seems to send chills up Elton’s spine – so he rarely signs them anymore. Too bad, if this list was for 1999 he would have been high up on the BEST side.
3. U2
Also former “BEST” signers that have slowly moved over to the dark side as each new tour brings the group to Canada. The tour years of 2001 and 2005 when Bono and Edge would stand outside their hotel for an hour greeting fans and signing autographs appears to be over. During their week in Toronto for the most recent tour saw the band staying at a private residence. Bono and Edge were routinely seen all over town – Bono signing very little. Edge nothing. Since Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton were practically ghosts and rarely seen, and refused autograph requests when they did appear – the consensus is that U2 have become BAD about signing autographs during their stop in Canada this year.
4. STEPHEN KING
A trip to Toronto during October for the reclusive horror icon Stephen King brought out the autograph collectors in droves. While King was in Toronto to talk about his new novel – he just wouldn’t sign any in public. King was approached many times by people with his book and pen in hand. He either refused to sign or simply ignored the request. Even at the event where King was reading from his novel the people in attendance were instructed that he would NOT be signing and instead, a lottery system was set up to distribute the few books King was willing to sign – away from the public and behind closed doors.
5. METALLICA
A wire story broke early in the year indicating a high percentage of Metallica autographs for sale on sites like eBay were fake. Reached for comment, the band said they were aware of the counterfeits and for that reason they don’t sign much anymore for people hanging around hotels and airports. Metallica later spent a few days in Toronto on their recent world tour. And while they were no strangers to walking the streets of Toronto. Autograph collectors reported that the main members of the group where very tough about signing (except Robert Trujillo – but you can’t really count him?) As for memorabilia like photos or albums – Lars and James just wouldn’t touch them on the outside. While 2009 may NOT have been a good year for collecting Metallica autographs – it was a good year financially for the band touring.
After filming New Moon earlier in the year, the Twilight cast returned to Vancouver during summer to shoot the third film in the series – Eclipse. Autograph hounds reported the signing habits of most of the cast had changed – and for the worst. Collectors reported hearing things like this said by minor co-star Cameron Bright, “I am only allowed to sign one and I have to put your name on it” (words I’m sure Summit Entertainment executives put into the casts head.) As for Rob and Kristen, the media attention on them became so overwhelming they practically disappeared and were almost like ghosts when not filming. While reports of new cast members like Bryce Dallas Howard were cool about signing – there is no question, the supply of autographs coming from the Twilight cast shrinked considerably when shooting the third movie.
Looking for authentic signed memorabilia?WE GOT SOME HERE. Don’t forget to follow @houndstv on Twitter for BREAKING NEWS
HoundsTV will continue to feature the latest in celebrity autograph news and video. HoundsTV.com is back with a fresh look and a new documentary cut of HOUNDS: What is the Price of Fame? - edited just for the web.
shot7 photo of Axl Rose exiting a King St, Toronto club in the early morning of January 29, 2010
Axl Rose at Copps Coliseum, Hamilton (January 25, 2010) by SteelcityCanada
