What is a check that has been written but not presented to a bank for payment?

Its a cheque that has been handed over rather than cash paid. It tells the bank to pay the person named the amount of money written on thee cheque. If the recipient doesn't hand the cheque to their bank the payer never has their money taken from their account, so has obtained goods our a service without paying for it. I cant remember who it was, but someone famous never signed Autographs so that people kept the cheques they signed and never cashed them so they got away without paying