2nd Annual Steve McQueen Days
STEVE MCQUEEN FANS GATHER IN BOYHOOD
HOMETOWN
MARCH 28th and MARCH 29th
(March 4, 2008) –Steve McQueen fans from around the world will gather in Slater, Missouri, the actor’s boyhood hometown, to celebrate his life and work of the legendary actor on Friday and Saturday, March 28 and 29.
The Steve McQueen Festival is timed around the actor’s birthday; McQueen would have been 78 years old on March 24th. At the time of his death in 1980 from asbestos-induced cancer, he was the most-popular and highest-paid actor in the world.
Among those
attending will be McQueen’s widow, Barbara McQueen, who will be signing copies
of her book Steve McQueen: The Last Mile about her years with McQueen.
Also attending
will be McQueen’s friend from his early acting days in Greenwich Village and
later, in Hollywood, Richard Martin. Martin
has recently produced a documentary on McQueen’s life An
American Rebel.
The film is based author
Marshall Terrill’s 1993 biography, Steve
McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel.
Terrill will also be a key speaker during the festivities in Slater.
McQueen’s
stuntman, Loren Janes, who worked with McQueen throughout his professional
career from his television western series, Wanted:
Dead or Alive to the last film he made, The
Hunter. Mr. Janes will be
attending and presenting film clips from Nevada
Smith and The Sand Pebbles, the
one film in which the actor received an Oscar nomination.
Highlights of
the festival will include a Classic Car and Motorcycle Show.
McQueen was an accomplished and competitive semi-professional car and
motorcycle racer who owned over 120 antique motorcycles.
An auction of McQueen-related memorabilia to benefit the Boy’s Republic
School in Chino, California will also be held during the weekend. McQueen attended the Boy’s Republic shortly after he left
Slater and continued to visit and support the school throughout his life.
Also on the
agenda are feature films, television episodes and documentaries featuring the
actor who is widely known as “The King of Cool.”
For additional information about the 2nd Annual Steve McQueen Days visit www.cityofslater.com.