I’d say yes, he would have. I’ve certainly heard of events where he’d use his name and fame to promote blood donations. Though from time to time when he wasn’t feeling well he’d not appear at the scheduled events.
Man, I still feel all fanboy about him.
At the other end of the scale, Stephen King jokes that if you have an unsigned copy of The Stand, hang onto it. It’s worth a bundle! 
Your most reliable way to get an autograph is to go through the celebrity’s publicist. My brother has a letter that he sends to publicists all the time to coax a nice 8x10 signed photo out of 'em, and he gets tons. His favorite is the one he got from Al Pacino; great picture, signed in silver.
[/hijack] I’m very hesitant to believe that certain celebrities are bitches/jerks. I always try to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I’ll tell you why.
Years ago, while the Buffy series was still in production, but was nearing the finale, I saw several articles which decried what a snotty bitch Sarah Michelle Gellar was. One article said that Seth Green refused to come to the wrap party because he despised SMG so much. Now, watching Robot Chicken, I frequently see SMG listed as a guest voice; I can’t imagine that if Green loathed her so much he would invite her back to be on a show that is reportedly pretty much under his sole control. (Especially given that the series doesn’t brag about upcoming guests to try to attract viewers.)
Maybe O’Donnell really is the Wicked Bitch of the West. I’ve certainly heard enough stories to support that assumption, but I still have to wonder how many of them have been taken out of context and warped slightly to fit with what everyone already “knows” about her.
[/end hijack]
In the same vein as Stephen King, I heard that Clint Eastwood is the most generous autograph signer out there.
Apparently, he never uses the “if I sign one, I have to sign them all” excuse because he will take the time to keep signing until everyone is satisfied.
The man is a living legend and he is much nicer that all the B-listers you hear about who lord their fame over the people who enjoy their work.
I like Clint.
Correcting myself slightly, here is a blurb from a celeb sighting page. Clint IS generous, but when it is time to leave, it is time to leave.
“When I’m done…I’m done!” CLASSIC!
Slightly off topic, Shaquille O’Neal supposedly doesn’t sign often, and QVC recently had some basketballs where had literally written an S and a line, and a O and line, porbably the lamest autograph I have ever seen (it looked more like he initialed the balls, not signed them) and were selling for 1500 dollars!
Add Doc Ellis to that list. At least he was during the '70 World Series. My friends and I (all about 8-10 years old) had managed to collect the autographs of the entire Pirates team before a couple of the games played in Pittsburgh, except for Ellis. He just stuck his tongue out at us and turned his back.
From what I’ve read in the last couple of years, though, this was most likely caused by the controlled substances he says he was using at that time in his career rather than innate jerkishness.
This is off topic because it’s a good autograph story.
Johnny Depp was going to be on David Letterman and my cousin went to the studio to get his autograph as he went in. As he was walking in, there was a huge bunch of people and she’s short and got pushed back. He must of seen what happened and sort of motioned to her. After he signed autographs he went back over to her and signed an autograph and asked her if she wanted a picture.
He had someone else take a picture of them together.
She said he was amazing and smelled great.
Before he died, I know Marlon Brando was a real bitch about people and signatures. I think Frank Sinatra was that way too.
I attended the World Science Fiction Convention in Phoenix many years ago. They had a blood drive concurrent with the Con and everyone who donated was entered in a raffle to win a LP recording of Leonard Nimoy reading Heinlien’s The Green Hills of Earth. Amazingly enough I won, and several weeks later I received the album in the mail autographed by Heinlein!
I heard that Cybil Shepherd was a total bitch to fans and I also heard that Mary Lou Retton, in her heyday barked to cheering fans who were begging for autographs that “she didnt’ need them.” (the fans)
I ran into LL Cool J once and he seemed delighted to sign and get photos with people in spite of being late for The Today Show or one of those morning shows.
I’ve got a picture of him smiling pretty with my ex-girlfriend. It made her life I think. 
I am surprised no one has mentioned Paul Newman - I thought he was the most famous - perhaps along with Steve Martin - celebrity known for not giving out autographs.
My understanding is that he stopped fairly early on in his career when someone approach him while he was at a urinal in the middle of…doing what a guy does at a urinal. That episode so put him off that he simply refused from then on. And since he has a rep for being a great guy otherwise, charity work and all, he is not tarnished for not giving them…
SF author Larry Niven doesn’t sign autographs. He’s quite reasonable about saying so, unlike some people mentioned upthread.
The last time I asked anyone for their autograph was about 20 years ago. I was eating dinner with my parents when Paul Simon sat down at a table near us. This was probably within 2 weeks of his winning Grammys for Graceland. I went up to him and apologized for interupting him and asked if he would mind signing an autograph. He wasn’t thrilled about it, but he wasn’t rude either. It has been with my Graceland CD ever since.
Wasn’t there video from a few years ago of Larry Bird being a total jerk to some kid who asked him for an autograph at a Pacers game?
To me, signing autographs is part and parcel of being famous. Of course autograph seekers also have to use some judgement and realize that privacy needs to be respected as well.
But if you catch him in a good mood, and have a book, he’ll chat and sign, no problem. Larry has signed any number of his books for me over the years, including a first edition of Ringworld.
People are always surprised when I tell them this but I was in San Francisco and saw Bob Uecker at a bar. He was a total asshole. After I took his picture with a couple of friends (in which he smiled like the Joker and waved) he told us “Now get the fuck out of here.” Just the total opposite of the nice goofy guy he always portrays in TV and film.
On the other hand, I went to a Bruce Campbell book signing and there were hundreds of people there. We waited in line for several hours before we got in and we realized the reason it was taking so long was that he was chatting with every single person who came through the line. When I got up there I thanked him for sticking around for so long and he said “Well, you know if I take off there will be stories all over the internet about what an asshole I am!” Very cool guy. He signed my Bubba Ho-Tep poster with T.C.B. - Bruce Campbell - Elvis.
I can understand why people wouldn’t sign autographs…after all, if you sign 50, then the 51st is going to go home and tell their freinds what a prick you were, or else there’s a good chance that autograph is going to end up on Ebay.
The best non-signer story from Pittsburgh is Mean Joe Greene, who wasn’t an autograph signer (by policy). Some kids came up to him and asked him for his signature, so in lieu of that, he took them onto the Steelers’ team bus and sat and talked to them for far longer than it would have taken for them to scribble his name on a little sheet of paper, which probably touched them far more than a little autograph ever could have.
I had the honor of meeting Ken Kesey twice back in the 90’s. The first time, I was in line as he was signing autographs. When I got up to him, I reached out looking for something to sign, and I just said “I’d really rather just shake your hand if you don’t mind.” He smiled ear to ear and happily shook my hand.
Anyone know about Kevin Spacey? My friend who works for Lionsgate said he tried just chatting with him while Spacey was waiting for one of the execs and that he was rude and condescending. We both wanted to believe it was just a bad hemmorhoid flare-up or something.
Re: Larry Bird, I don’t know his autograph policy, but he’s a nice guy. Many years ago, when he was a star player for the Celtics, they were playing in Las Vegas. My aunt and her friends happened to be there for their annual girls weekend. They were at a table in the bar, laughing at the way the ball players were being chased around by “available young ladies.” Several of these “a.y.l.” were bothering Larry Bird, and he asked if he could sit at my aunt’s table (in the only free seat), clearly just wanting some peace. They said sure, chatted with him, dealt him in to their bridge game and all of them ended up being quite friendly. After that, they timed their Vegas weekends around when the Celtics were playing there, and he always got them passes to the games. He sent shoes and Celtics stuff to their kids, and they all exchange Christmas cards. According to my aunt, he is a really nice, down to earth person who hates fakery and glamour.
(There was a book, I think by a Sports Illustrated reporter, chronicling Larry Bird’s final season with the Celtics. He talks in it about “The Golden Girls,” giving their names and the whole story.)
I have heard that Andy Griffith never, ever signs autographs, and this means you.