Updates

Steve McQueen Look-Alike Contest - As part of BlobFest 2008, The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville is holding a Steve McQueen Look-Alike Contest. The winner will receive $500 cash and the chance to star as Steve McQueen during BlobFest which is will be held 07/11/08 thru 07/13/08. All entrants should have a strong physical resemblance and must embody the McQueen's brand of "cool".  The contest will be held on Sunday, June, 22, 2008 after a screening of the classic film 'The Great Escape' starring Steve McQueen. 

Car show honors Steve McQueen, Redmond Carolipio, Staff Writer
Steve McQueen was the king of cool, and perhaps no one in the rich tradition of Hollywood was known more for what he did behind the wheel.  The star of movies like "Le Mans," "The Great Escape" and "Bullitt" will have his life - and his vehicles - celebrated Saturday at the Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show in Chino Hills. The venue is Boys Republic, a private school and treatment facility for at-risk youngsters.

The most famous alum of the school was the late McQueen, whose name was used on a recreation hall built in his honor. He was also a frequent visitor to the campus.

Ron Harris is the event's chief organizer and president of the Porsche 356 Club, which has more than 1,000 members - most of whom reside in Southern California. The idea for the event came from one of the club's members who wanted to put on a fundraiser for Boys Republic.

"And I knew Steve's son, Chad. I visited him and asked if we could use his name for this fundraiser we wanted to do," he said. "Chad could help me get some cars, and he and his mother are still involved with the Boys Republic. So we went from there."

That discussion took place last year. Visitors to the show will be able to check out a variety of cars and motorcycles, some of which were owned by McQueen himself. There's also live music planned as well as a stop from the In-N-Out burger truck.

Matt Stone, the executive editor of Motor Trend Magazine, will be at the show to sign copies
of his book "McQueen's Machines: The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Icon" from 10:30 a.m to noon. There's also a chance that Chad McQueen will be showing up.

"There are also going to be two special Ford Mustangs there, which were used in the pilot of the `Knight Rider' remake. They were donated by Tom Day of Portrait Homes in Corona," Harris added. "I also got a call from a gentleman who has an airplane that Steve used to own, so there's a chance we'll have a flyover."

What started as just an idea has turned into a rallying point for a lot of Steve McQueen fans, who seem to have a car culture within a car culture.

"Oh, it's been an absolute blast putting this together," Harris said. "I talked to a lot of people who either knew him personally or knew his son. I've been contacted by the Steve McQueen fan club. Without exception, it's been a positive experience."

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FRIENDS OF STEVE McQUEEN CAR SHOW

Where: Boys Republic, 3493 Grand Ave., Chino Hills

When: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Cost: $20 for someone to display a car, $10 for each additional passenger; $10 for spectators. Anyone under 12 years old comes in for free.

Contact: (562) 755-8405
 

Princes William & Harry Name Motorcycle Adventure after McQueen - Britain's Princes Harry and William are plotting a 1,000-mile motorcycle ride across Africa, nicknaming their adventure Operation ER+Queen.

The ER in the trek's name refers to Peter Fonda's 1969 U.S. road movie Easy Rider and Queen is a nod to actor Steve McQueen's memorable motorcycle jumps in the 1963 World War II movie The Great Escape, The Mail on Sunday reported.

The royal pair's cross-country adventure will raise money for South African orphans with HIV or AIDS, the British newspaper said. The duo's official route through Africa has not been finalized as British officials are concerned with rampant violence travelers can face in regions of the African continent.

To help protect Harry and William, at least six bodyguards will travel with them, as will several TV crews. The princes are expected to embark on the trip during a break from their military service in June, the newspaper reported.

Marshall Terrill to Speak at Event in Palm Springs - This is something I would love to attend - unfortunately, I don't live anywhere near Palm Springs. I just thought I'd post this in case any of our readers do. Wish he'd come to Colorado!!

A journalist and author who has written a best-selling biography on actor Steve McQueen will discuss his work during an appearance at the Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs.

Marshall Terrill will speak at Melvyn's, inside the inn, at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13. The inn is located at 200 W. Ramon Rd. in Palm Springs. Tickets are $35 and reservations are required. The event is part of the inn's "Dinner With ..." celebrity series.

Terrill is the author of more than 10 books, including the best-selling biography "Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel." In 2006, he published a biography of basketball legend "Pistol" Pete Maravich. He also is the author of "Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business," which was published in 2007, and "Skywalker: The David Thompson Story."

Terrill has edited several books on subjects including history, baseball and the film and music industry. He teaches a college course titled "How to Get Your Book Published" and has seen several of his students published.

Terrill, who lives in Tempe, Ariz., with his wife, Zoe, also is a reporter for Tribune Newspapers and does public relations consulting.

His books have been reviewed in publications including People, Cosmopolitan, Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Hollywood Reporter and Reader's Digest.

The Ingleside Inn was built as a private residence in 1925, and was converted to an inn in 1935. The inn, which features a classic old-world style, is an official Palm Springs Historic Landmark.

Call 760-325-2323 for tickets or more information.

Steve McQueen for a Day - While this really has very little to do with Steve McQueen, I still wanted to share this entertaining bit of information. I just found out there's a band in California named Steve McQueen for a Day - clever name, don't you think?? Here is some background on the band from their page on MySpace:

About Steve McQueen For A Day: Stoners in the back of the bus, drinking stolen vodka, smoking unfiltered cigarettes, doing what we could in the name of "shock appeal". Sneaking out of the house on illicit substances to wreak havoc on a town with only 6 cop cars. Our music has been called "loud", "obnoxious", "Britney Spears after 40 years on crack" and other such terms of endearment. Stay tuned for our glamorous fabulousness, when we record and post such wonderful little ditties as "Nursery Rhyme Lullaby", "Whiskey Waltz", "Paisley" and "Little Bunnies In A Line". You won't be disappointed if you don't expect too much.

Band Members: Sabina (bass, vocals), Tasha (drums, vocals)

Influences: Nirvana, Sonic Youth, riot grrl, smokers corner and a lack of skill

Sounds Like: Heavens to Betsy meets the Melvins, basement style, while drinking

whiskey ginger ales.

http://www.myspace.com/stevemcqueenforaday

I love their in-your-face attitude and style! Good luck, ladies!

Suzanne Pleshette Dies at Age 70 -  Suzanne Pleshette died of respiratory failure at her home in Los Angeles on January 20, 2008. She had undergone chemotherapy for lung cancer in 2006.  Her husband, Tom Poston, died in April 2007. 

She was probably best known for her role as Emily Hartley in The Bob Newhart Show but was also an accomplished film and Broadway actress.  She played the role of Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker to great reviews on Broadway replacing Anne Bancroft.  She also had roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, The Geisha Boy, Rome Adventure, Blackbeard's Ghost, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, The Ugly Dachshund but she was well-known to McQueen fans as Pilar in Nevada Smith, the beautiful inmate that helps Max Sands escape from prison.  She was also a great friend of the McQueen family. 

Steven R. McQueen in Disney's Minutemen - For those who haven't had a chance to see Steve's grandson Steven in a show, he has a role in the Disney flick Minutemen.  It airs on January 25, 2008 at 8:00 PM.  Here's a brief synopsis:

In the comedic sci-fi/adventure, unpopular senior Virgil Fox ( Jason Dolley) -- whose his childhood friends Derek (Steven R. McQueen) and Stephanie are now part of the "in" crowd -- befriends fellow student Charlie (Luke Benward), a prodigy who has invented a time machine. The pair recruit school menace Zeke (Nicolas Braun) and conjure up a plan to go back in time to help themselves and prevent other misfits from enduring humiliating situations, calling themselves the Minutemen. But they soon learn that there are unexpected consequences.

Sounds like a cute, family-oriented Disney movie.

The Honeymoon Machine YouTube Clip - Thanks to Monica for posting this clip on YouTube of one of Steve's lesser-known movies, The Honeymoon Machine.  It's very funny and really makes you wonder why the so-called "Powers That Be" don't release this on DVD!  Click Here to View

Finding McQueen -  A Steve McQueen gem!  My new, favorite McQueen YouTube clip - a trailer for a short film written, produced and starring Paul D. Wilson in a very convincing portrayal of  Steve McQueen.  It was a big hit at the 2007 Asheville Film Festival and a must-see for any Steve McQueen fan.  Click Here to View

New Book of McQueen Photographs - Steve McQueen: A Life in Pictures will soon be released. A collection of both previously released and previously unseen photographs make this a must have for your collection.  Click here to order

Wanted: Dead or Alive Season 3 - The final season of Steve McQueen's classic television series is now available on DVD. It took a long time but it's finally been released! Click here to order

Persol 714 Sunglasses to be Sold in Limited Quantities  - The sunglasses Steve McQueen made famous in The Getaway and The Thomas Crown Affair will now be sold in limited quantities.  The sunglasses will be made in the original form which includes the folding frame and the optional blue lenses as preferred by McQueen.

The Persol 714 sunglasses were a personal favorite of Steve's and one of his own sold at auction in 2006 for over $70,000.

Ford to Release New Bullitt Mustang - Ford is set to release the yet another Bullitt Special Edition Mustang in January 2008.  This highly anticipated Mustang is stripped of all chrome and emblems, as were the cars used in Bullitt. The new Bullitt Mustang was test driven and given a big thumbs-up by Steve's son, Chad, an important endorsement indeed. See and read all about the new Bullitt Mustang at Motor Trend

10/18/07 - David Beckham Idolizes Steve McQueen - Soccer superstar David Beckham admits he idolizes Steve McQueen stating that he is his fashion inspiration and does try to emulate his look. Beckham says "My all-time icon is Steve McQueen. He must be one of the most stylish and handsome men there has ever been. I loved the way he dressed, the way he always looked and I try to look like him sometimes with the jeans and the t-shirts."  At least he has great taste in heroes, if nothing else.

10/06/07 - The Great Bud Ekins Dead at 77 - Bud Ekins, Steve McQueen's friend and fellow racing enthusiast, is dead at the age of 77.  His cause of death has not been released by family members. He is probably best known for "The Great Escape" jump which he made in place of Steve McQueen and his stunt driving in the classic "Bullitt". A great man, may he rest in peace.  Click here to see entire article at our forum

09/20/07 - Steve McQueen Named One of GQ's Most Stylish - McQueen was named among the 50 most stylish men in the past 50 years by the men's magazine GQ. Some others named were George Clooney, David Bowie, Marcello Mastroianni, Sean Connery, Johnny Depp, Paul Newman, Al Pacino, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Robert Redford and Warren Beatty.

08/17/07 - Steve McQueen's Ferrari Sells for 2.3 Million! - Steve McQueen's Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso sold to an anonymous buyer for 2.3 Million Dollars!! That's double what the price was thought to be.  The guy who sold the car stated he purchased it a decade ago and spent many hours restoring it to it's original state.  When asked what he paid for the car, he said he purchased it for less than what a new Lexus would cost today. Talk about a smart investment!

08/02/07 - Funny Factoid about Steve - This is, by no means, a new story but it's just infinitely funny and it cracks me up every time I think of it.  According to Neile McQueen, Steve's favorite TV show in the late '70s was "The Love Boat". Isn't that funny?  I could see him liking "The Streets of San Francisco" or "The Rockford Files" or maybe even "The Bob Newhart Show" but The Love Boat??  That just seems SOOO not Steve McQueen. Apparently, he watched the show religiously and never missed an episode.  Neile wanted to get a guest spot on the show to surprise Steve but it never quite materialized.  It would have been priceless to see his face if  it did happen.

07/25/07 - Steve's Car to be Sold! - Steve McQueen's Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso will be auctioned at Christie's in California.  He purchased the car in 1963 and raced it for 10 years. It is expected to go for at least a cool million bucks!  Wow, to be the new owner...

Steve McQueen Home Movies to be Shown! - Rarely seen home movies from the personal collections of Hollywood legends like ALFRED HITCHCOCK and STEVE MCQUEEN are to air as part of a one-night film festival in Hollywood. The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences will present Hollywood Home Movies: Treasures From The Academy Film Archive next month (Aug07). A spokeswoman for the event says, "Hollywood Home Movies will feature excerpts of at-home, on-vacation and behind-the-scenes set activities captured by stars and directors from Hollywood's Golden Age." The short film festival will also feature vintage news footage about the construction of Los Angeles City Hall in 1926 and a documentary about Hollywood Boulevard, shot in 1947.   Source:  Contact Music

Wanted Dead or Alive - The Complete Second Season finally released on DVD July 17, 2007.  Save 25% Order Here

Brad Pitt to Star in Remake of Bullitt? - I'm pretty sure this is just another dumb internet rumor and I truly hope it is. As much as I do like Brad Pitt, (he is one of my favorite actors today) some movies should just be left alone. Bullitt is one of them. You can't make it any better or even begin to reproduce the screen presence of Steve McQueen -  so why bother? Other movies in this category would probably include Breakfast at Tiffany's, Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and any other film made by Steve McQueen. 

April 2007 - Steve McQueen and Sam Elliott were inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers in Oklahoma on 04/21/07

Steve McQueen Annual Holiday in Slater Missouri  - He'll be remembered every March 24, on his birthday, thanks to a new ruling by officials at the Slater Chamber of Commerce. McQueen, who was born in Indiana, grew up in Slater. The inaugural celebrations will be held on what would have been the actor's 77th birthday. Mayor Stephen Allegri says, "The city of Slater decided it was time to recognize the amazing accomplishments of a man who spent his early years in our community and had a lasting impact on the history of film and popular culture."  This is such a nice tribute to Steve. 

Feb 2007 - Steve McQueen – King of The Biker Icons. According to the MCN London Motorcycle survey, McQueen was voted the most iconic biker of all time!

      The Top Ten Most Iconic Bikers Of All Time:

      From LondonBikers.com

      Steve McQueen - 1960s Hollywood actor and racer - 25%
      Barry Sheene - 1977-78 World 500GP champion - 21%
      Valentino Rossi - Seven times MotoGP champion - 21%
      Evel Knievel - World’s most famous stunt rider - 10%
      Joey Dunlop - One of the Isle of Man’s greatest - riders 8%
      Mike Hailwood - Briton. Considered to be the ‘greatest motorcycle racer ever - 6%
      Marlon Brando - Hollywood actor, star of biker gang movie ‘The Wild Ones’ -3%
      Mick Doohan - World 500GP champion 1994-1998 - 2%
      Tom Cruise - Hollywood actor, starred in Top Gun - 2% (whaaat??? Why him at all?)
      Ewan McGregor - Hollywood actor, starred in Star Wars.

November 2006 - McQueen's Widow Releases Book - Steve McQueen: The Last Mile. From the Back Cover: It's been over a quarter of a century since Steve and I first dreamt of documenting our three-and-a-half year relationship in this beautiful book that you now hold in your hands. We were going to call it The Long Haul with me providing the pictures and Steve writing the passages recalling our crazy life and numerous adventures. But fate intervened when Steve was diagnosed with cancer in 1980. The project, like so many other things, fell to the wayside while we searched for his cure. Steve passed away that November after surgery in Mexico and I never picked up the camera again. My hundreds of pictures of him stayed tucked away in the closet for nearly 25 years. Then something happened inside me when I turned 50 recently - that's the same age Steve was when he died. It was if a veil had been lifted and I could finally look back on our life together and examine it without fear. This book is my fulfillment of our earlier dream. I know he would have been proud of it. ~  Barbara McQueen

*Click here to purchase Steve McQueen - The Last Mile

Wentworth Miller to Channel Steve McQueen - Prison break hunk Wentworth Miller will be paying tribute to his acting hero Steve McQueen in the new season of the hit TV drama by copying the acting legend's distinctive wardrobe. The British-born actor's character Michael Scofield is now on the run from officials after breaking out of the prison he helped design - and he has been given the OK to pick out his fugitive wardrobe. Miller, 34, says, "We came up with a khaki traveling suit... It's an homage to Steve McQueen because we owe a great deal to movies like THE GREAT ESCAPE." But though he's ditching his prison clothes for the second season of the show, the actor was determined to keep his boots. He adds, "I lived and breathed in those shoes for the first 10 months and felt like the character walking around in them."