Lisa Whelchel might not be a collector herself, but seeing the passion and dedication of the people she meets as the host of Collector’s Call, the Facts of Life actress wishes she had kept some of the more iconic symbols of her career throughout the years. Ahead of Sunday’s Star Wars-themed episode of the MeTV show, Whelchel opened up to PopCulture about the often-misunderstood art of collection she’s come to admire.
Whelchel explained that meeting the people she interviews for Collector’s Call “combines all the different incarnations of my life” and her career. “As a writer, I love a good story, and as an actor, I love to bring that to screen,” she continued. “I’m a life coach now, and while people mistakenly call these collectors ‘hoarders,’ they’re really people who have found their purpose and their passion.”
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Having grown up around an aunt who owned an antique store, Whelchel said she’s always appreciated people who knew the value of a great collection, but never developed her own. “If I could go back in time, I would have collected more things from my own career,” she told PopCulture, adding that of all the set decor and wardrobe she wish she had saved, what she really wanted was the Edna’s Edibles “Open/Closed” sign from Facts of Life.
Whelchel got to explore her inner Star Wars fan in Sunday’s intergalactic episode, in which she meets with super fan Eric Pfeifer, who has collected a “massive” amount of memorabilia, including a braid of Chewbacca’s hair from the original movie, a swatch from Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge in Return Of The Jedi, 1980s Han Solo and Lando Calirissian action figures, and a billboard too massive to display anywhere but in his backyard. “Eric’s collection truly is quantity and quality,” Whelchel said. “Any Star Wars lover would just go crazy.”
MeTV is also premiering a virtually-hosted Collector’s Call at Home episode on May 24 featuring veteran Hollywood character actor Daniel Roebuck, who has appeared on everything from The Late Shift as Jay Leno to Andy Griffith’s sidekick Cliff in Matlock. In addition to his impressive career, Roebuck is an impressive collector of horror and science fiction movie memorabilia.
Future episodes of the at Home edition will explore collections centered around The Muppets, Mickey Mouse and Marilyn Monroe. Collector’s Call airs Sundays at 9:30 p.m. ET on MeTV. Starting Sunday, July 12, Collector’s Call will move to 10 p.m. ET.
