movie stars

Last year, my mom was the chairman of the Art Ball at SMA. The theme was Glamour, Hollywood Style. People were encouraged to dress like their favorite movie star, and the Museum was decorated with gold stars, movie paraphernalia, complete with a red carpet.
The Donations Committee had the idea to write to famous movie stars and ask for donated, signed items to put up for silent auction. My mom found a scammy website that would (for $5 a month!) provide the address of any movie star you wanted. At home we compiled a huge, huge list, and had a ball thinking of our favorite movie stars and getting their addresses. From Brad Pitt to Patrick Stewart. Every movie we watched, someone would shout from the living room: "Oh Yeah! Don't forget Bruce Willis/David Duchovny/Emma Thompson!"
Hundreds of letters went out. Our house was filled with them.
Actors and actresses that you'd expect to be responsible, timely, and classy, were. Julie Andrews sent a signed tote bag, James Earl Jones sent a signed book, and Anthony Hopkins sent an artsy black and white 8 x 10 portrait. Some actors used it as a way to put their political crusades out there. Charlton Heston sent a large photograph of himself, in a Mt. Sinai-type of landscape, wearing a large cowboy hat, and an alarmingly large rifle slung over his shoulder. Could you sum him up any better? We got it a week before he passed away; it went for a lot.
We were ignored by the majority of the celebs. We even got some letters explaining that the said important movie star could not donate to our charity cause because they were already affiliated with another charity.
And some actors that you'd expect to procrastinate, did. Adam Sandler sent a postcard from Hawaii, which was a photograph of himself in a recording studio, looking grubby ("Why did he chose that photograph? Did he look at it?"). It arrived 4 months after the Ball.
Then we had some surprises. Daniel Craig sent a signed 007 portrait, looking very Bond. It was 3 months late - but we forgave him - he was probably in the middle of an international heist.

Today, in fact, another surprise showed up in the mail at the Museum with me mum's name on it. It is plastered in postal stamps showing an underwater platypus, 'par avion' stickers, a customs form which informs us the contents are a "gift," and an Australian return address.

Want to guess from whom it was sent? (Think of your Australian movie stars!!!)

Hint: Rugged. Looks best with scruff. Looks great in a Roman skirt or a mathematician's skinny tie. HOT.

Yep - Russell Crowe. He sent a signed CD of his music. Awesome. All the way from Australia. He signed in a silvery marker-pen with a jagged kind of cursive, and just his first name. "Russell."

We still have the list, if any of you finds the need to send fan mail to Will Smith or Tom Cruise.