ACTOR JUSTIN LONG SHARES RARE YODA AUTOGRAPH

Actor Justin Long, known for his roles in Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard and The Alvin and the Chipmunks film series, shared a unique autograph gifted to him by Frank Oz, which includes a signature by none other than Yoda himself.

In his Instagram post Long explains how his role in a Frank Oz film (most likely Death at a Funeral) was recast and he was replaced by Alan Tudyk.

“As a gift for being understandable about the casting snafu (I think), he sent me this autographs of some of his most iconic characters, written in their distinct handwriting. It’s probably the coolest thing I own and is prominently displayed in my house – a daily reminder of the huge impact Jim Henson and Frank Oz have had on my life (on so many lives!). Looking at it always makes me happy. I hope it has the same effect on you.”

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A post shared by Justin Long (@justinlong)

It is a tradition among those who worked for Jim Henson to create unique signatures for their characters and to use them whenever signing autographs for fans. You can click HERE for some examples of the Henson signatures.

Many Star Wars fans are familiar with this practice, even if they may not be aware. Mike Quinn, puppeteer for Nien Nunb, uses a specific signature when signing autographs for that character.

Example of Nien Nunb signature from the **Mike Quinn Autographs** Facebook group

Quinn, who worked behind the scenes on Yoda in Return of the Jedi, has used the same signature for the ancient Jedi Master that we see in Long’s gift from Oz.

Puppeteer Tim Rose may not have a specific signature for his Star Wars characters, however the unique way he signs these autographs is rooted in his respect for them.

He explained how he shows deference to the character to me at Rhode Island Comic Con in 2019 by always putting the character name first, above his signature. He said this goes back to the philosophy instilled in him as a Henson puppeteer.

There are many stories of Star Wars fans meeting Frank Oz and getting his autograph in public. Although he no longer seems do this one theme was repeated over and over again by those fortunate enough to get his autograph in person. He would to not sign photos that had him with his characters. I had the opportunity to hear the reason directly from Oz himself.

Following his presentation at the Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater Lecture Series on July 30, 2019 Oz spent some time taking photographs with fans, myself included. While there were many people there with Star Wars items, especially Empire Strikes Back posters, one fan had a large photo of Oz with Fozzie Bear.

He took some time with the fan and told him he probably would have signed the photo if he wasn’t in it because his presence takes away from the magic of the character. The sincere respect he had for the characters he’s created was clearly evident and being present for this interaction is a memory I will always cherish.

Many thanks to Justin Long for sharing this very special piece. Knowing it’s prominently displayed in his home and makes him so happy brings “warm feelings” to the hearts of Star Wars fans and autograph collectors around the world.