Episodes
For more than three decades, autograph hunter Bryan Ulrich has artfully positioned himself to snag the signatures of seemingly every celebrity under the sun, most notably movie stars and legendary musicians. And his hard work is paying off — literally — through the sale of signed items in his collection. Bryan's website, The Signature Library: www.thesignaturelibrary.com Opening theme: "Keepers" by Still Flyin' Closing theme: "Slow Draw/Feeling In My Heart" by Eric Frisch Additional music...
Published 01/04/22
Come on down! TV producer Bob Boden's long career in game shows has helped him collect a garage full of unique memorabilia from the genre's biggest programs — and now he's working with a museum to establish an archive preserving game show history.
Published 11/29/21
For four intense years in the 1980s, Susan Rogers worked side by side with pop superstar Prince, recording many of his best-known songs — and creating the archive of his recordings that's led to "new" releases, and expanded re-releases, since his 2016 passing.
Published 10/20/21
Coleco Pac-Man! Mattel Electronic Football! The Legend of Zelda! Linda Guillory's love affair with gaming consoles began in childhood, when she and her father fixed handheld games they bought at second-hand stores. Today, her collection has led to two Guinness World Records — and shelves full of games, many dating back to the glory days of the 1970s and 80s.
Published 10/06/21
Chris Lyndon, also known as "DisneyChris," has archived thousands of audio tracks that capture the history and unique sounds of Disneyland — presented on his website in "chapters" that guide visitors through the sounds of the beloved theme park.
Published 09/22/21
New Yorker Alan Gross devoted much of his life to his passion for airships, amassing an incredible collection of blimp-related videos, toys, books, and much more. Jeff Parnes reflects on his good friend "Airship Al" — and where Alan's sizable archive ended up after his death in 2018.
Published 09/07/21
Working as a staff writer on The Late Show with David Letterman, Steve Young began collecting records of industrial musicals — obscure productions commissioned by large companies and performed for their executives or distributors. Since then, he's co-written a book on the subject and starred in Bathtubs Over Broadway, a touching documentary about his obsession with the shows and their creators.
Published 08/23/21
Attention Kmart shoppers! When Mark Davis worked at Kmart stores in the 1980s and 90s, he saved the cassette tapes (full of soft-rock hits, sale announcements, and "elevator music") that played over the in-store audio system. Years later, the digitized audio went viral, inspired new music, and even brought Mark a bit of Internet fame.
Published 06/07/21
He's been a ranch hand, a rodeo rider, and a country music singer, but these days Larry Callies runs the Black Cowboy Museum, which showcases his collection of Black cowboy artifacts — and sets the record straight on the history of African-Americans in the American West.
Published 05/18/21
University professor Christine Whelan has devoted much of her career to examining self-help literature, collecting more than 200 of the genre's titles — and asking her students to try the advice in self-help classics for a book of her own.
Published 05/03/21
Charlie Ramirez maintains a lasting connection with the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith in many ways — as a collector, a webmaster, and an ambassador for the Oscar-nominated musician's work.
Published 04/12/21
Irish photographer William Fagan's camera collection includes about 45 cameras made by world-class manufacturer Leica — and now he's gathering clues about the mysterious travel photos found on film in one of them, dating back to the early 1950s.
Published 03/08/21
Documentarian Brian Chidester collects recordings, photography, sheet music, and other rarities that tell the story of songwriter Eden Ahbez, who composed the 1948 Nat King Cole classic "Nature Boy" — and whose proto-hippie lifestyle contrasted sharply with the times in which he lived.
Published 02/22/21
Karen Ronne Tupek's love for Antarctica runs deep — and as the daughter and granddaughter of three polar explorers, she's preserved a tremendous archive of historical items marking her family's achievements. Plus, she's got penguins!
Published 02/08/21
Tim Lybarger's love of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" led him to create the Neighborhood Archive, an online tribute to the legacy of Fred Rogers — and a virtual showcase for Tim's 1,000 or so collectibles celebrating the gentle icon of children's television.
Published 01/25/21
An avid enthusiast and historian of Nancy Drew, Jenn Fisher has amassed an incredible collection of items celebrating the history of literature's beloved "girl detective" — and clues about the life of the series' first ghostwriter, the enigmatic Mildred Wirt Benson.
Published 01/06/21
Since the mid-1980s, Andy Golub has been a passionate fan of pop band Duran Duran, amassing an unmatched archive of posters, flyers, advertising, and press clippings that's received visits from adoring "Duranies" — and inspired his two books on the group.
Published 12/15/20
Nearly 30 years after the death of jazz legend Miles Davis, Jo Gelbard — his painting teacher, collaborator, and companion in the final seven years of his life — holds onto 12 of the intense, abstract paintings that they created together.
Published 12/01/20
Pratfalls! Short shorts! Misunderstandings! "Three's Company" generated big laughs and ratings throughout its eight seasons on American TV — and has inspired longtime fan Sacha Pavic to collect memorabilia from the hit sitcom, from trading cards and action figures to signed scripts, props, and much more.
Published 11/15/20
As best-selling author Jonathan Eig wrote "Ali: A Life," his biography of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, he found himself collecting all kinds of Ali memorabilia — from items he found on eBay to jewelry, handwritten letters, art, and other mementos he acquired from those in the inner circle of "The Greatest."
Published 11/01/20
Author and Alcoholics Anonymous historian Mike Fitzpatrick is preserving and sharing the audio history of AA — "a story handed down," as co-founder Bill W. said — by collecting, digitizing, and streaming thousands of AA and other recovery-related recordings dating back to the 1940s.
Published 08/26/20
Roger Steffens' passion for reggae has led to a colorful life as an author, DJ, photographer, and lecturer — and his reggae archives, a massive trove of memorabilia that fills his Los Angeles basement, reflect his love of Jamaica's popular musical export and its prime figure, the late Bob Marley.
Published 08/05/20
When Emmy-winning actress and lifelong "saver" Rue McClanahan ("Maude," "Mama's Family," "The Golden Girls") passed away in 2010, her close friend Michael La Rue became the archivist for her vast estate, which includes awards, jewelry, costumes, and props from her long career — the highlights of which graced a New York City cafe created in her honor.
Published 07/01/20
For puck's sake! Kenn Shaw's Ultimate Hockey Fan Cave features a mind-boggling array of collectibles (many celebrating his beloved Chicago Blackhawks) and creations he's handmade from hockey sticks, nets, goalie pads, and more. Plus he's got a Zamboni!
Published 06/10/20
In the 1970s, Frank Nesmith and Claudia Sailor created the Kindred Spirit Mailbox, a special spot amidst the dunes of the North Carolina coast where visitors leave messages expressing their joys, sorrows, and everything in between. Annie Breth, one of the mailbox's "keepers," talks about its emotional collection of notes — and its inspiration for the best-selling novel Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks.
Published 05/11/20