CONVENTION JOURNAL · ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
Keith Coogan, Eddie Deezen & a day at Longshot
Today I headed to the Longshot Comic & Toy Show in Roanoke with one name at the top of my list: Keith Coogan. The show was held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center at Valley View, and it gave me another chance to turn some favorite movie memories into photos and autographs for my collection.
Meeting Keith Coogan
Keith is part of so many movies I grew up with. He played Jonathan “Snuffy” Bradberry in Toy Soldiers, Brad Anderson in Adventures in Babysitting, and Kenny Crandell in Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead. Those are the kinds of roles that make meeting an actor feel like reconnecting with a whole era of movies.
I brought one of my custom collages for him to sign, celebrating the different parts of his career. The finished autograph is the first image in this post. I love seeing a design become part of my collection with the person’s own signature on it—especially when I get to be there for the moment.
We also took a few photos together. From a back-to-back pose to a little rock-and-roll attitude, we had some fun with them. These are the pictures I’ll look back on when I remember today.
FROM THE SHOW
A moment from today
Along with the photos, here’s a short video from my day at Longshot.
Watch on YouTubeAnother signature from Eddie Deezen
Eddie Deezen was there too. I’ve met Eddie before, but this time I had something specific in mind: getting his autograph on one of my custom collages.
You might know him as Eugene in Grease and Grease 2, or as Malvin in WarGames. His voice is just as recognizable: he’s the Know-It-All kid in The Polar Express and Mandark in Dexter’s Laboratory. His career gave me plenty to celebrate in a design of my own.
Now that collage has his signature on it, along with a personal note calling me his “wonderful Facebook friend.” That little extra makes it even more special. It’s another reason I enjoy bringing these designs to shows—the finished piece holds a memory of the person as well as the characters.
Photos with Keith, two signed custom collages, and another day of memories for the collection. That’s a good day at a comic and toy show.