Deep in the bowels of the law school, it is not unusual to findcelebrities like Sean Connery, Gillian Anderson and Woody Allenhanging around.
They are all hanging, that is, in picture frames on the walls ofCharles Dewitt's small, basement level office, and they are notalone.
Over the years, Dewitt has collected nearly 100 autographedcelebrity photos, most of which now decorate his office.
"Since I don't have any windows down here, I needed to dosomething to the walls," said Dewitt, assistant dean of Cecil C.Humphreys School of Law.
Dewitt said having the collection in his office also putsstudents at ease when they come in to discuss their future careerplans.
"Instead of just having a wall with degrees hanging on it, thecelebrity photographs are a conversation piece that students canrelate to," Dewitt said.
His collection began while he was a law student at theUniversity of Southern California, Los Angeles.
The collection began with an autographed photo of CaptainKangaroo, which Dewitt got from the celebrity after he spoke atUSC.
Dewitt also had other celebrity encounters while living in LosAngeles. At one point he shared a duplex with a young,not-yet-famous stand-up comedian named Billy Crystal.
Dewitt said one day while he was working in the yard, Crystalcame home looking sad.
When Dewitt asked him what was wrong, Crystal told him his parthad been cut from the movie Airport '75.
"He said, 'I guess I'll never be anything but a stand-upcomedian.' Years later I was asking him for his autograph," Dewittsaid.
In addition to the photos of Crystal, the Rock and Raquel Welch-- one of his favorites -- a photo of Dewitt's sister hangs on hiswall. She is an anchor on MSNBC. Dewitt said it was her position atKNBC in Los Angeles that helped him acquire many of his photos.
It was also through his sister, a bridesmaid in Jack Nicholson'sdaughter's wedding, that he obtained his signed photo of Jack.
Although Dewitt said he has many favorites, he keeps some of hismore valuable autographs at home. Those include photos of LucilleBall, Jimmy Stewart and Bob Hope.
They also include what Dewitt calls the "centerpiece" of hiscollection, an original Woodstock ticket autographed by JerryGarcia.
Dewitt has also decorated his office with some unique pieces ofAmericana from a trip he and his daughter made a few years ago. Thetwo drove the entire length of the original Route 66, or at leastwhat still exists of it, over two summers.
Along the way -- and Dewitt will not say where or when -- hepicked up a road sign from the famous highway. They also picked anold sign that reads "Burma-shave," a company famous for its woodenred and white signs along Route 66. Dewitt says this was thehighlight of his trip, along with showing his daughter what Americaused to be like.
Dewitt said his collection is something he would like to pass onto his daughter.
"If people still know who people like Jerry Garcia and NatalieWood are years from now, they might actually be worth something,"Dewitt said.
