Author: Eric Grundhauser / Source: Atlas Obscura
Not so long ago, writing physical fan letters was just about the only way for a regular person to communicate with someone famous.
These days it’s not so unusual to get a quick Twitter reply from someone you admire, but in the pre-social media age, if you were lucky, you might’ve received a far more amazing artifact: a signed photo, or even a hand-written note. And boy are they delightful.Earlier this month, we asked Atlas Obscura readers to send us photos of the incredible things they’ve received from their heroes. In response, we received hundreds of letters and photos. The celebrities who wrote our readers back range from Isaac Asimov (when did he have time to write so many replies?) to Burt Reynolds (see his glorious mustache below). Not only do these exchanges provide a window into a very specific type of epistolary relationship—between that of idol and fan—in many cases, they also provide a peek into the minds of some of the icons of yesteryear.
While we couldn’t feature all of the wonderful submissions we received, we’ve collected our favorites below. Perhaps they’ll inspire you to reach out to a hero of your own.
Isaac Asimov
“Isaac Asimov wrote back to me when I was 12!”—Rachel Coker, Apalachin, New York
“This was my most treasured possession as a child. I had never written to anyone outside my family, and for the most famous writer in the world (to me) to write me back was just amazing.”—Tom Hayden, Florida
“In response to a letter I wrote to Dr. Asimov he responded with this…”—Kirk Aplin, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Charles M. Schulz
“I made a card for Charlie Brown, of Peanuts fame, because none of the other characters ever gave him one and it made him sad. I sent it c/o the San Francisco Chronicle, which must have sent it on to Schultz. In due time, I got this back.”—Marta Randall, Ocean View, Hawaii
Ray Bradbury
Mr. Rogers
“My childhood hero (who is still one of my heroes) was Mr. Rogers. When I was 17, I read an article in TV Guide about him, stating that he wrote letters back to anyone who wrote to him, and that he always sent autographed pics to anyone who requested them. I wrote to him–I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I must have mentioned that I’d just been named valedictorian of my (tiny) graduating class–and he responded very kindly.”—Elizabeth Fletcher, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
“This postcard from Mr. Rogers has been a treasured possession since he sent it to 5 year old me back in 1969, as a thank you for a drawing I made for him. I was over the moon when I got the postcard, it felt like I had a real connection with Mr. Rogers. Such a small gesture on his part, but it had a huge impact on me.”—Kathy Kelley, Freehold, New Jersey
Beverly Cleary
“When I was a child, I…
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