[John P]

Got there early - shortly after 4! Got right on line, only about 20 feet out from the door. Discovered that there was an early-bird line. If you pay an extra 10 bucks, you can go in at 5 instead of 6. Fine, it was getting chilly.

There's extra security this year. You have to show your wrist band at every single doorway, in and out of each dealer room. Plus they had certain doors to the ballrooms assigned as entrance only, exit only. Wierd. Animal (the security guy dressed like a Road Warrior) had a helper this year - a guy dressed as Frazetta's Death Dealer. With glowing red LEDs in his eyes! Do what the man with the headsman's axe says!

I said hi to the Scarlet street guys, and checked out the model kit tables. Got a few Japanese toys. Bumped into someone from the Hobby Talk internet board who works the con. I saw scream queen Debbie Rochon at her autograph table, and since I'm actually in a movie with her now (Scrabo's "Dr Horror's House of Idiots") I had something to talk about, so I stopped and said "We're in a movie together!" Holy crap, she recognized me, so I guess she watched the whole movie, not just her scenes

I bought a $130 resin figure model of Nichole Williamson as Merlin, from John Boorman's film "Excalibur." Sculpted by Wayne the Dane Hanson, one of the great sculptors of the garage kit industry. He also had some incredible sculpts of Dr Doom reclining majestically on his throne, and Ultron-5 standing on the rubble of Avengers Mansion, with Cap's shield prominant in the debris.

The kit pretty much wiped me out of cash, so I headed for the celebrity tent with $20 left for one important autograph....

I've been dying to meet Patricia Tallman, who played Lyta on Babylon 5. I joined her fanclub a while back, so I wore the T-shirt. It has a cartoon of her face on it with her trademark bright red hair and big smile. I figured that would be an icebreaker. I am WAY too shy about meeting celebs. I have no idea what to say. So I walked up to her table. She saw herself on my chest and yelled a happy "HEY!" in surprise. I said "I knew you'd say that!" I found out you don't need an incebreaker with Pat. The stories are true, she really IS a sweeite. While I was talking to her she sudenly yelled to someone behind me "Hey Billie, look at his shirt!" I turned around and there was Billy Mumy looking at my shirt! I said hi to him too. But I only had $20 left, so Pat got it for her autograph. Mira furlan was right next to Pat, but she was busy with someone, and (for some reason) I'm REALLY shy about meeting Mira. She seems like such an elegant lady.

Other celebs there that you wouldn't expect at a horror con: Candy Clarke, Penny Marshal and Cindy Williams. Joanna Cassidy was there but at least she was in Blade Runner (and still remarkably beautiful for a lady her age!). Martin Kove was there (the rotten karate master from Karate Kid, but I always remember him from Cagney and Lacey). Big guy! I exchanged hellos with Linda Blair as we walked past each other.

I'd had enough fun by 7 and was home by 7:30.

 

[woof359]

Leata

i met her in Detroit about a year ago, she absolutly gorgious and a very fun person in general. i still think the non stars of a show are the most fun at cons.i havnt watched B5 in a long time, guess its time to dig them out again.

 

[Lloyd Collins]

I know the feeling about meeting celebrities.Back in the mid 90's In Birmingham, I got to meet my favorite artist Larry Elmore. I know I made a fool of myself. He was a dealer at the show. We talked awhile,real nice guy. Did not charge autograph. I did get lots of stuff from him.

What I miss is going to show and hitting the dealers rooms.

Glad you had fun, and what was your role in the movie.

 

[John P]

In Doctor Horror? I play the face of a ship's computer. Kinda like Rommy on Andromeda, only a lot uglier .

I didn't run into Travis and the Mystery Machine, though. That makes twice the MM has been to Chiller at the same time as me, and I missed it.

 

[Ziz]

In Doctor Horror? I play the face of a ship's computer. Kinda like Rommy on Andromeda, only a lot uglier .

That's like saying that the Atlantic Ocean is damp. :lol:

 

[MonsterModelMan]

In Doctor Horror? I play the face of a ship's computer. Kinda like Rommy on Andromeda, only a lot uglier .

I didn't run into Travis and the Mystery Machine, though. That makes twice the MM has been to Chiller at the same time as me, and I missed it.

I'm trying to hook up with Travis as he lives in the next town from me. I was hoping to meet him at Chiller but I couldn't make it on Friday. I went today and let me tell you...they need to change the venue! The line for the celebrity tent was 3+ hours long at 12:30PM...I know because I stood in it! I was bent on getting Billy Mumy and Bob May's autograph from Lost in Space that I stood the line!
Let me tell you...NEVER AGAIN! That was rediculous!
I saw Diceman there and said hello and met HUNCH from the BB very briefly enough to pick up some add-on bases from him. I wish I could have spent more time with him and his significant other...I assume it was his wife!

I also saw BWAIN there and he is doing fine! He told me to tell the gang "Hello"!
I picked up a bunch of nameplates for the Aurora Monster rods and a bunch of other nameplates. I think in total it was about 12 of them. Also I picked up a replacement head for the Creech kit and a new nameplate for him as well.

Good time for the day but I will never wait in a line like that again for the celebrities!

MMM

 

[John P]

Oh crap, I saw Bwain's table as I breezed by, but I didn't realize.

I guess going Friday and getting the $30 pre-show ticket was a happy accident. Sounds like it was NO fun saturday. Stand on line for Billy Mumy? Heck, I bumped into him at Pat's table 'cause he wasn't busy at the time.

 

[GIDave60]

Hey,
This is my first post to this board.
I've recently gotten back into model building, something I enjoyed as a kid. I've enjoyed this whole thread of posts & if time permits, I'm going to stop by the show Sunday. There's a GI Joe show (my other "addiction") in Queens Sunday and if I can move through that show fast enough I'm hoping to stop by Chiller on my way home.
No celebs though, just model & garage kits
Any pointers for a first time attendee?

 

[MonsterModelMan]

Yea...go Friday night! By Sunday...most of the stuff is picked over or sold out!

MMM

 

[flyingfrets]

Yea...go Friday night! By Sunday...most of the stuff is picked over or sold out!

MMM

Don't know about now (haven't been in 7 or 8 years), but Sundays used to be great 'cause you got real steals on the kits since it was less profitable to haul it all home with them than to sell it at a lower retail than usual.

Then again, this was back in the day when Chiller was mostly kits. Last I went, the models almost seemed like an afterthought.

Are they still in that crappy hotel with like 4 rooms on each floor or have they found a better venue?

 

[John P]

Are they still in that crappy hotel with like 4 rooms on each floor or have they found a better venue?

It's in the Meadowlands Sheraton now, across the highway from Giants Stadium. They have the whole mezzanine level, two full ballrooms, plus about a half dozen small meeting rooms scattered about. The only real problem is parking. The celebs are in a big circus tent in the parking lot, and this year they have so many dealers they set up a second tent in the lot. The Chiller staff "encourages car pooling" this year :lol:

 

[XactoHazzard]

Hey John, I didn't see you because I was still in line for my ticket at 7pm. I never even took the MM out of it's box because there was no need... I was gonna get a pic of Pat Tallman holding it but I never even got into the celeb tent. I got there and went on a major shopping spree and figured I could hit the celebs b4 I left. I'm glad I did that b/c I found alot of stuff I wanted and got it relatively cheap. I'm just mad I didn't take the van out. I was wearing my Freddy Kreuger sweater but no hat or make-up, I just wanted to be comfortable. MMM I am not avoiding you, I will get together with you b/4 I send the van on it's way, no problem. I've been very busy with all of our Halloween stuff, we do this Halloween Walkthrough at my brother-in-law's house in the Kingston area of Cherry Hill. Now that it's over I can take my picks...

My Chiller Night:
The first thing I do when I get there is head to bwain's table, him and Bucky are always good for a deal or two. Then it's down to Terry Webb at the AFM booth, Terry is awesome and also good for some needed kits(finally got my PL 007,Odd-job and Batcycle from him) He also had another cool Kong kit the for a debut based on the 1976 poster art. Then I went into the other dealer room and picked up a bagged Screamin Elvira and 1/4 Stormtropper from Alternative(I think) Sassy's had some cool kits but out of my price range as usual... Bought 10 1/6 skulls from Diceman then downstairs to the outdoor tent. In there I found a PL Big Zilla for $10 and my major find was a Randy Bowen Decapitator for $40 MIB(one of my minor grails). Back to the upstairs Bought a Horizon Cyclops, PL Godzilla(aurora) from bwain and the PL Haunted Addams Family house for $10. On my way out I visited artist Daniel Horne and we talked for a bit because he is from Cherry Hill, NJ and we never met. Hopefully we keep in touch b/c he is an awesome artist and a great guy. I decided to go to the celeb tent to see Kane and Patricia but the line was too long so I came home.

All in all this was my 14th Chiller and my second Friday... I will be doing Friday from now on b/c the deals are ok and the crowds are managable. You can enjoy yourself. I used to go on Sunday for the deals, then I stared to attend Saturday for the Contest. Saturdays are awful so now I am gonna continue Fridays. I had fun this year talking to bwain and bucky, terry and Steve at Sassy's and I came home with some really good finds.

Soory I missed ya John and Bob we will hook up soon.

Travis

http://community.webshots.com/user/xactohazzard

 

[John P]

If you were still on line at 7, I walked right past ya on my way out. Oh well!

 

[flyingfrets]

Sounds like Chiller may be getting back to the atmosphere I went all those years for. Anybody got the dates for the spring 2005 Chiller yet? This will take some strategic planning on my part (gotta make arrangements for 3 kids...not to mention the 6 hour round-trip ride!).

Hope to see y'all there!

 

[Rebel Rocker]

For those in the know, which is better for picking up kits, Chiller or WonderFest?

Wayne

 

[falcondesigns]

Go to Wonderfest,you'll have more fun!I did!

 

[Ziz]

For those in the know, which is better for picking up kits, Chiller or WonderFest?

Wayne

Depends on the style you want. Chiller is more horror/gore/nudity oriented, where WF is more fantasy/variety oriented.

 

[XactoHazzard]

Hopefully this May I will be able to compare the two... Hopefully!

Travis

http://community.webshots.com/user/xactohazzard

 

[John P]

Chiller is light on models, and they're certainly oriented toward horror figure models.

I hear WF is the Mecca for sci fi modelers.

 

[Mark McGovern]

Chiller is light on models, and they're certainly oriented toward horror figure models. I hear WF is the Mecca for sci fi modelers.

You heard right, John! I would say it's roughly 40-60 on Sci-Fi (I'm talking vehicles, here) and figures. And by figures I mean Sci-Fi, Horror, Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Dinosaurs. Plus there are Diorama, Humor/Superdeformed, Juniors, and Nude categories. The Vendors/Celeb area is HUGE, and Polar Lights has always had a nice display. There's usually a large contingent of PLBB members there, too.

Here's my Stupid Celebrity story: I was at the Frightvision show in Akron some years ago. The venue was terrible - a very vertically-oriented hotel, with the meeting rooms on the top and ground floors. For security reasons, these were only accessible only by the elevators, which bottlenecked things up something awful. Yet towards the end of Friday, I found myself on an eleveator with just one other guy.

He was rather tall, and very good-looking in a distinguished sort of way. We nodded to each other as we got on the elevator. It took a few seconds for the lights to come on in my brain, but I suddenly realized that I was sharing this elevator with David Hedison! I jerked my head back around to see him looking at me with an "Oh, you've finally doped it out, huh?" grin.

At that moment the doors opened. I gave Mr. Hedison a little salute and said, "Captain...". He nodded back and was gone.