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Bradford Smith is not your average Mad Magazine collector. For quite a few years now, he's been collecting autographs of people connected to the covers of Mad Magazine. He emailed me for the first time back in August 2006 to tell me he had three or four celebrity-signed Mads he wanted me to feature on my site. I ignored him. In April 2007 he pestered me again, but he had accumulated around twenty signatures. So my wheels turned and I saw that the 15-year-old was onto something, so I gave him his own page. He has collected well over 200 signatures on nearly 100 issues. They cover a wide range of humans and a couple apes (J. Fred Muggs, Cheeta). The people are mostly big-name and not-so-big-name actors, with a few inventors, Mad-related folks, and even a four-star general thrown in. If you're not familiar with a name, a little research will be needed to make the connection, which is part of the fun. For instance, I'd never heard of Jon Rubinstein, but now see why he needed to sign Mad #463, as one of the co-inventors of the Apple Ipod. So I hope you enjoy Bradford's interesting take on Mad Magazine collecting. --Doug Dear Doug, I'm sure you remember me, but I just thought I would send a little update to you and for all the "fans" of my page (chuckle). I'm now 18, attending Cal State Northridge, and am still a HUGE Mad fan! I think it's been about 3 years since my initial inquiry to get some of my signed Mads onto your site, back when I only had about 20 or so, and today, with over 70 of them, I'm still bugging you with updates. My page has gone through quite a bit of upgrading in the last few years, and it looks fantastic! I am very appreciative of what you've done, and I still use your site every time I am in need of a new Mad for a signing. Mad Magazine has allowed me to meet some of the coolest people around, and has given me plenty of interesting stories. I plan to continue collecting signatures for the site, and perhaps someday getting into the Guinness World Records book for them! That'd be quite an achievement I think, although I'm sure I'd get a "Big Deal." from the guys at Mad. Thanks again Doug, and keep up this awesome site! ~Bradford (Letter written September 2009) Here are some pics I thought would be good. One is of me with some of my collecton (the Family Guy and Batman ones especially as they are my two favorites, The Office one would be third favorite). 
One is me with Joanna Cassidy (of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?).
One is me with Ray Harryhausen (producer and special effects model genius, mostly mythical beasts in sci-fi movies, which explains the cyclops cover I had him sign).
One is me with Noel Neill (Lois Lane in the Superman TV shows with Kirk Alyn and later with George Reeves, and also had a cameo in the 2006 Superman Returns, which would explain the cover she signed).
I met each of them at one of those shows and had my dad take my picture with them and the MAD magazine they signed.  Two of the magazines (the Family Guy and the Office ones) I got autographed when I attended an event held by the Museum of Television and Radio in Los Angeles, CA. As for most of the other ones, I met the signers in person. The only ones I didn't meet were Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway (because I bought that one), and Al Pacino and Dennis Weaver (because I sent them both the magazine and asked them to sign it). |
THE LIST
Click a name to jump to the cover and signature
(211 signatures on 99 Mads and counting)
Introductions from Bradford and Doug
