Back in the days of Movie Collectors World in the mid-eighties through the
early nineties, I had the pleasure of going quite a bit of business with
Moe, usually selling him groups of posters I had listed in MCW along with
other inventory as well. I never met him in person, but probably talked to
him on the phone a hundred or more times. Moe was one of the nicest guys
I've ever met in the hobby. After all these years, I can still hear his voice
in my mind...a completely unique, deep and friendly voice. If he paid
with a check, obviously the check was signed "Richard Akers", but he was
always "Moe" to me and I'm sure that was the case with all of the other
collectors and dealer who did business with him. A lot of dealers and
collectors
have come and gone in this hobby over the past 25 or 30 years, but Moe was
truly one of the good guys. After eBay took over the movie poster scene, I
lost contact with him (as I have with other collectors and dealers as
well).
But after all this time, I still feel fortunate to have crossed paths with
this kind and gracious man who was such a wonderful addition to our
hobby... R.I.P. Moe. Thanks for the memories...
Rick
In a message dated 5/21/2012 3:53:29 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
Tribute to a collector/dealer: In memory of Richard Akers of Moe's Movie
Madness (1935-2012)
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of longtime
collector/dealer Richard Akers of Moe's Movie Madness who passed away
Saturday, May
5th. His family was kind enough to provide us with a biography of Mr. Akers
as follows:
"Richard "Moe" Akers was born in Pomona, CA, but grew up in Kansas and
Oklahoma. When graduating from high school, he was offered a scholarship to
the Pasadena Playhouse in California, but he was also offered a contract with
the Brooklyn Dodgers! He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and stayed with
the team for 4 years (if he had instead gone to California and become
famous as an actor, he might have ended up selling movie posters with his
picture on them!). As a father to 6 children, he moved his family to the
Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from Los Angeles, and he was involved with
sales/construction for a large part of his life.
He got the nickname "Moe" when he and friends did things that made them
seem like "The 3 Stooges". Fittingly, he opened "Moe's Country Trading Post"
and became an antique dealer in 1977. In 1988, he developed an interest in
movie posters because he thought the graphics of the old original movie
posters were so terrific. Moe attended Bruce's first auction at Christies in
1990 and he realized that his interest in these posters might be profitable,
so he soon discontinued the antique business and began selling movie
posters through "Movie Collector's World" magazine and going to the movie
memorabilia shows. He decided on the name "Moe's Movie Madness", and he set up
a
fabulous showroom of 5,000 sq. ft. of movie posters and movie memorabilia.
As the hobby evolved, he learned how to use the computer and began selling
posters online. He was always fair and honest with all customers, and he
will be missed by many."
This is Bruce. I remember well at my first Christie's auction when a man
(accompanied by a lovely lady!) came up to me at the previews of the posters
on display, and he told me how great he thought these were, and how he had
been selling some himself. He introduced himself, and over the next years
he would buy from my sales lists, and I would see his many ads in MCW, and
sometimes I would buy from him as well.
He was always a pleasure to talk to on the phone (I so miss those
pre-Internet days when I actually talked to everyone on the phone!) and I was
glad
to see that he adapted to changing times, selling online like I did. I was
so sad to get the news that he is gone, but I am glad that he lived a long
and eventful life. He was a great ambassador for our hobby, and he will be
missed.
--
Bruce Hershenson and the other 26 members of the eMoviePoster.com team
P.O. Box 874
West Plains, MO 65775
Phone: 417-256-9616 (hours: Mon-Fri 9 to 5 except from 12 to 1 when we
take lunch)
_our site_ (http://www.emovieposter.com/)
_our auctions_ (http://www.emovieposter.com/agallery/all.html)
(http://www.emovieposter.com/unused/signature/20111028Frankensteinemployeegroupphotosignature.jpg)
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