AboutNancy Pratt Expertise My main area of expertise is the character of Admiral A. J. Chegwidden portrayed by actor John M. Jackson. I created and maintain "The Admiral Fact Book," which covers all information known about the Admiral so far from the show. However, I have watched JAG since the first episode and been involved in on-line JAG Fandom for several years and believe I can answer most general questions about the show.
Experience I run the John M. Jackson Admiration Society, the unofficial fan club of actor John M. Jackson, and maintain its website. I also was involved in putting on the first ever JAG Convention and then went on to found the JAGFanFest - both west and east coast events. I have met almost all the actors as well as many of the writers, directors, and production staff. I occasionally write JAG fanfic, and I am the editor of The Jackson Journal, the on-line newsletter of the JMJAS.
Expert: Nancy Pratt Date: 6/19/2008 Subject: JAG Memorabilia
Question I have seen JAG scripts for sale especially on EBAY - Do you know if these are legit or someone just making additional copies of a script and selling them. One in particular is of the last episode signed by the main cast - which they say is a copy - I don't know if the seller is making the copies or if the last script from the studio was printed with signatures of the cast? Any thoughts? Also - is it possible to buy a script and mail it to each actor/actress and have them sign it or do they just send out the pre-signed publicity photos? Thanks Nancy
Answer Hi Greg,
Generally sellers are just someone making copies of a script and selling them. That's usually true of the scripts you buy from memorabilia stores as well. Often the fan was able to get some cast signatures, and they will advertise the script as "signed" or "autographed," but what you are getting is a photocopy of the autographs. If the script contained original signatures, I think you would find that the seller would make sure that information was prominently displayed in the listing, as such a script would be much more valuable to a fan or collector and would bring a higher price than a script with photocopied signatures. If all the listing says is signed or autographed, it's most likely a photocopied signature. Also, a "real" script (as in one that had belonged to a cast or crew member) would have pages of different colors signifying the different revisions. Any script without colored pages is a photocopy.
As far as the final episode script is concerned, my best guess is that this was a script that the folks at Belisarius Productions had signed by the cast to donate to the last JAGFanFest to auction off for charity. They donated many autographed scripts over the years. It is likely that the winner of that script is making photocopies to sell on eBay. Or it could be someone who worked on the set who got signatures that way and is making some extra money selling a copy or copies of the script.
Is it possible to buy a script and mail it to each actor/actress and have them sign it? Theoretically, it is possible. Realistically, it's not going to happen. Many of the actors and actresses use a service to handle fan mail, and such a service would not take the time to present the script page for signature (absent some compelling reason such as the autograph were to auction for a charity which the actor supported). They'd just send you back a photograph, very likely without the script page. So if you already had been lucky enough to get some signatures, they'd be lost. You could send a separate copy of the cover page to each one and see which ones returned it to you. You wouldn't end up with a single page covered with autographs, but you would have some. The other problem is knowing where to send the script page. If the actor or actress is currently on another show, mail can be sent via the current show, and it would be passed along to them. So, for instance, you could send a script page to Catherine Bell c/o Army Wives, and she (or at least her service) would get it. If they are not currently on a show, then you'd have to try to find an address for a publicist or agent or official fan club and hope that it would get passed along. From my experience, that doesn't happen often.
