Morrison signs photo,
says it's "pretty neat"

The Story Behind the Autograph

By Cal Deal, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

HOURS BEFORE The Doors were to appear at the Asbury Park in 1968, a film crew was packing up on the boardwalk outside Convention Hall.

"Are you guys with The Doors?" I said.

"Yes."

I reached into a pile of photographs I was carrying. They were pictures I had taken of Morrison at the Fillmore East, screaming into a microphone. I brought about 30 prints along to sell for $1.50 each. I pulled out a print and asked them to give it to Morrison. They said they would.

After the concert, Convention Hall was emptying. I had been sitting near the front and was nearing the rear exits. I heard a voice on the loudspeaker. It was Morrison.

"Hey, where ya goin'? C'mon back!" he said.

Surprised, I turned and looked across the half-empty hall to see The Doors back on stage! The shocked crowd ran toward them; it was every man for himself. I wound up at stage center, just feet from Morrison.

I was carrying the last remaining unsold photograph. I yelled "Jim!" to get his attention. He turned toward me, and I reached up to hand him the envelope. He came over, took it, opened it and looked at the photo right there on stage.

Morrison held up his index finger and said "wait a minute." He started walking toward the back of the stage. Suddenly I realized he was going to autograph it.

"No, I want you to have it!" I yelled.

Morrison went behind the amplifiers and came back with a pen. He stood on the edge of the stage, towering over me.

"What's your name?" he said.

"Cal."

"With a C?"

"Yeah."

He wrote something and turned the picture over to take another look.

"Where'd you take it?" he asked.

"At the Fillmore East!" I shouted.

He leaned toward me and gave it back.

"Pretty neat," he said.

I grabbed it and looked to see what he had written. It said:

Cal
JMorrison

 

MONTHS LATER I got a call from an editor at Teen Scoop magazine in New York City. Someone in The Doors' management had told them about the picture. The magazine wanted to use it. We made a deal and it appeared across pages 20 and 21 of the September 1968 issue. I think I got $35. The headline:

JIM MORRISON, rebel with a cause

 

Looking back, I think he signed the photo because the film crew had gotten the other copy to him. Occasionally I'll tell people about the autograph incident. Once a couple of Doors fans from Europe asked if they could see the picture. They wanted to touch the photo that had been touched by Morrison. I let them.

Cal Deal
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Jan. 15, 1999