Steve McQueen in "Wanted: Dead or Alive"

Steve McQueen is adorable in this clip from the episode "The Partners" from the 1958-1961 show "Wanted: Dead or Alive."

"Va Va Voom" Star of the Day

I can't believe I haven't featured William Holden yet, after all the other posts about him...so here he is, our star of the day:

William Holden
William Franklin Beedle, Jr. was born in O'Fallon, Illinois in 1918. His family moved to South Pasadena when he was three. After graduating from South Pasadena High School, Holden attended Pasadena Junior College, where he became involved in local radio plays. He was spotted by a talent scout from Paramount Pictures in 1937 while playing the part of an 80-year-old man, Marie Curie's father-in-law, in a play in a small private theatre. His first film role was in Prison Farm the following year.

He was renamed William Holden after his talent scout Harold Winston's ex-wife, Gloria Holden. Holden's first starring role was in Golden Boy (1939), costarring Barbara Stanwyck, in which he played a violinist-turned-boxer. This gave him the eternal nickname in Hollywood of "Golden Boy."

After a few more film roles and a stint in the army during World War II, he made his name known when he landed the quintessential role in Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard (1950).  Initially the role was to go to Montgomery Clift, but luckily Holden snagged it, earning a Best Actor Oscar nomination.

Wednesday's This & That

Happy Windsday! While I deal with this unusual weather, here's what's happening around the internet...

Slater, Missouri's fourth annual Steve McQueen Days begin April 24! Slater is the childhood home of actor Steve McQueen, and the annual event last two days. The schedule includes a Happy 80th Birthday Dinner Buffet, a car show and bike show, wine tasting, bike rodeo, and a Steve McQueen Memorial Highway Dedication. Learn more at www.cityofslater.com.

And eerily timed with the recent findings of what is believed to be Sean Flynn's remains, a movie based on Errol Flynn's son Sean will premiere at the Cannes Festival, entitled "The Road to Freedom." The remains found in Cambodia, where Sean last was seen, are still being verified by scientists.

And pictures have surfaced of Kate Winslet shooting the HBO remake "Mildred Pierce," the role originated by Joan Crawford.

Hopefully these news items send a chill up your skirt!

Tuesday's This 'n' That, Ya'll!

We're saddling up for a special edition of This & That! Today's post features our favorite King of Cool, Steve McQueen... Because of his recent birthday (March 24), there's a lot floating around on the internet about the actor.

...He is featured in these never-before-seen photos on the Life magazine website -- some racier than others (one almost NSFW). You also get a peek at his personal life with first wife Neile Adams. I can't imagine any celebrity today allowing such carte blanche.

...Check out the Steve McQueen Blog-a-thon featured at The Cooler...a great blog for movie info and trivia, especially centered around Steve McQueen.

...And don't forget to check out the post I put up yesterday on SorryIGotDrunk, about a bar inspired by McQueen's film Bullitt. Better yet, check it out daily (or two or three times a day), because, not only do I post there often, but the site just rocks!

Yee-haw!!

Happy Birthday, Steve McQueen!

Steve would have been 80 years old today!

Another Celeb Sale

Just days before Audrey Hepburn's postage stamp was selling for big money at an auction in Germany, Steve McQueen's rolex was selling for $234,000 at Antiquorum's summer auction in New York City.

The vintage Rolex, Ref. 5512, fetched a whopping $234,000 -- twenty times its estimated worth, and a world record for that reference.

Also for sale from the actor's possessions were his Scott Super Squirrel motorcycle, painted by Von Dutch, which sold for $276,000 (double its estimate), and the Heuer "Monaco" he wore in the 1971 racing film Le Mans, sold for a world record $87,600. Wow.

Crushing on Steve McQueen

My nephew has made "The Great Escape" his favorite movie. Now I love him even more. And now we have something to talk about at Christmas besides Legos and Futurama (not that that was such a bad thing, but there's only so much you can say about the subjects). His appreciation of the classic war film also made my crush on Steve "The Cooler King" McQueen that much stronger.And for that, my nephew gets a "Great Escape" t-shirt, made personally by me, for Christmas! Now, Steve, in your cute little sweater/blazer combo, can I get a hug?

The Real "Great Escape"

The movie "The Great Escape" that featured James Garner and Steve McQueen was based on the real escape of 76 men from the Nazi POW camp Stalag Luft III.

Nova has explored the legendary escape on a special microsite that features the articles:

Inside Tunnel "Harry"
A Prisoner's Sketchbook
The Three That Got Away (although 76 made it out of the camp, only 3 made it to freedom)
and History's Great Escapes

Enjoy, "Great Escape" fans!

Random Advice from McQueen's Widow

I don't know why Barbara McQueen, widow of the late Steve McQueen, feels she can dispense advice about cancer treatment, but she's handing it out freely to Patrick Swayze.

ContactMusic.com reports: Steve McQueen's widow has urged ailing movie star Patrick Swayze to get the most out of life as he battles pancreatic cancer - because there's no guarantee medication will help. Barbara McQueen insists "miracle cures" won't save Swayze and could make what's left of his life miserable.

Now 54, Barbara can still remember her late husband's cancer battle, which ended with his death in 1980 - and she is offering advice to one of her favourite actors as he fights the disease.

Barbara tells The Globe, "It (McQueen's cancer battle) was the worst thing I've ever been through... Tell Patrick not to go there. It was weird stuff, very unconventional. They tried all kinds of strange things. Patrick Swayze should kick up his heels with his beloved wife and have fun while he's fighting his desperate battle with cancer."

But Swayze insists the treatment he is getting is taking effect and he is "responding well" to it. Swayze confirmed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the beginning of 2008.

I'm sorry for what she went through, but maybe advising Patrick Swayze to 'kick up his heels' in the middle of his treatment is not the smartest advice.

Monday's This & That

While we try to beat the heat here in the Lounge with a little dip, take a look at what's going on...

The Rat Pack Ultimate Collectors Edition is now on sale at Amazon.com, and includes "Oceans 11," "Robin and the 7 Hoods," "4 for Texas," and "Sergeants 3."

And it's been 45 years since the fantastic war adventure "The Great Escape" was released. Steve McQueen heads up an all-star cast that includes James Garner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and many others. Watch it on AMC this Sunday. Check local listings for time. (Tonight on AMC is "The Magnificent Seven," also with McQueen, Coburn, and Bronson. Check AMC's website to see what time in your area!)

And I saw "Iron Man" over the weekend. Loved it! It's the perfect summer blockbuster movie. Good to see Robert Downey, Jr. back in action. Can't wait for the sequels.

Thursday's This & That: Steve McQueen Edition!

Chad McQueen (son of Steve) and The Terry McQueen Testamentary Trust have gone to court to stop an apparel manufacturer from using Steve McQueen's name and likeness to promote its products without their consent. The Italian-based clothing company, Belstaff USA Corp, has used The King of Cool's in its marketing of jackets, coats, sweaters, T-shirts, pants and shoes. Steve McQueen's daughter Terry died in 1998, leaving her rights and assets to her daughter, Molly Flattery, through The Terry McQueen Testamentary Trust.

More news on the Steve McQueen Festival! The Missouri town of Slater's second annual Steve McQueen Day birthday celebration begins tomorrow, Friday, March 28. The event kicks off with a 5:30 p.m. barbecue dinner, followed by a talent show at 6 p.m.

On Saturday there will be a 5K run at 8 a.m. A car show starts at 9 a.m. at the 2008 Bullitt Mustang display. At 10 a.m., the vintage motorcycle display opens and vendors open up their booths.

There will also be a showing of the animated children's cartoon "Cars" featuring "Lightning McQueen," a bike awards show, showings of "The Blob" and "Tom Horn," and Richard Martin's documentary "Portrait of an American Rebel," and an auction of McQueen memorabilia. The day will end with a McQueen look-alike contest. (If you or anyone you know looks like Steve McQueen, let us know in the comments!)

In attendance will be McQueen's stunt double, Loren Janes, biographer Marshall Terrell, military pal Cliff Anderson, film producer Richard Martin, and McQueen's widow, Barbara McQueen, who will sign copies of her book about her late husband.

At an early age, McQueen was sent to Slater, Missouri to be raised by his Uncle Claude on a farm when his mother's alcoholism made her unable to care for him anymore. After he left Slater, McQueen spent some time at California Junior Boys Republic (optimistically described as "a home for wayward boys"), and the McQueen family still supports the work of the organization. Proceeds of some of the festival events will benefit the home.

Happy Birthday, Steve McQueen!

Our beloved "Cooler King" (and "King of Cool") would be 78 today....And I'm sooooo crushing on him!

Steve McQueen Days Festival!

Why have I never heard of this?! What kind of a McQueen fan am I??! And who wants to carpool to Missouri???!

ContactMusic.com reports:

Steve McQueen's widow Barbara and his longtime stunt double have been announced as the special guests at the 2nd annual Steve McQueen Days Festival in Slater, Missouri.

Devotees of the movie icon will gather in the actor's boyhood hometown on March 28 & 29th to celebrate McQueen's life and work.

Steve McQueen Days is timed around the actor's birthday; the late The Great Escape star would have been 78 on March 24th. As well as Barbara McQueen and stuntman Loren Janes, fans will be able to meet and greet the actor's longtime friend Richard Martin, who has just produced a documentary on McQueen's life, titled An American Rebel. The film is based on the book Steve McQueen: Portrait Of An American Rebel by noted biographer Marshall Terrill, who will also be a key speaker during the festivities in Slater. Highlights of the festival will include a Steve McQueen Lookalike Contest and a Classic Car and Motorcycle Show.

Crushing on Steve McQueen

[Thanks to the Legendary Men MySpace page for the picture! I love their web address, too..."Cutie-patootie actors"...haha]

Talent and Looks are Inherited

Steven McQueen, the grandson of the late Steve McQueen, has been cast in the Disney Channel original movie "Minutemen," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The comedic science-fiction adventure centers on three teen outcasts who use a time machine to become popular and prevent other misfits from enduring humiliating situations, calling themselves the Minutemen.

This picture is of Steven when he was in the WB show "Everwood." Looks like his dad Chad.

I Want One: Ford Mustang like in "Bullitt"

Auto Express reports: This is the first picture of Ford's tribute to the classic Steve McQueen film 'Bullitt'. Check out this teaser image of the most muscular Ford Mustang yet. Bosses at the Blue Oval will unveil the special model at next month's Los Angeles show.

Taking its inspiration from the car used by Steve McQueen in the classic Sixties film 'Bulliit', it's sure to be one of the stars of the American expo. Like the 1968 original it will feature distinctive "Highland Green' metallic paintwork and gunmetal grey alloys.

Engineers at the carmaker are keeping tight lipped about the mechanical specification. However, expect to see a supercharged version of the 5.4-litre V8 motor that pushes out a tarmac churning 500bhp. The sprint from standstill to 60mph should take just 4.5 seconds.

The original version became famous after starring in a classic cinematic car chase through the streets of San Francisco. McQueen did most of the driving during the epic seven minute pursuit, for which producers got through two of the iconic Pony cars.

Friday's This & That

Alrighty, let's see what going on in the world today...

Looks like GQ named their 50 Most Stylish Men in the Past 50 Years... among them is our beloved Steve McQueen...yummy. Also making the list are Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Paul Newman, Tom Brady, Johnny Depp, and Cary Grant. Some I strongly disagree with: Woody Allen, for one! I know style is different than attractive, but gimme a break.

Also...Halloween is coming, and I think Disney is always one of the first to jump on it. Today Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure kickoff the holidays with decorations, food, and events surrounding Halloween. I'm ready for Halloween: I've already got my costume -- then again, I bought it back in February.

I'll be out on Monday coming back from a long weekend in S.F. See you on Tuesday!

For Sale: Steve McQueen's Coolmobile

The Daily Mirror writes:
Steve McQueen's Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso - bought in 1963 and raced by him for a decade - is set to sell for £600,000 at Christie's in California.

The firm's head of car sales said: "He was an essential component of 60s cool. This is a seductive car."

Friday's This & That

Ahoy, matey! I spy news ahead! Try not to be distracted by my latest pin-up pic and read what's going on in the world today:

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. Both Hitchcock and Stevie would be fun to see behind the scenes!

In Disney World, a woman kicked, choked, and generally beat down another visitor who got to go on the "Mad Tea Party" ride ahead of her. I know how frustrating it can be to stand in line for a Disney ride, but give me a break. Both women had their kids standing there to witness the attack.

Speaking of Disney, fresh from the debacle over the The Princess and the Frog offending African-Americans, it looks like they're gonna try for the Mexican culture now. According to ContactMusic.com:

Bosses at family movie studio Disney have gone Latino for a new animated feature called South of the Border. Drew Barrymore will voice a pampered American-bred Chihuahua, who gets lost in Mexico and seeks the help of local hounds to find her way back. The movie features the vocal talents of Latino stars like Salma Hayek, Andy Garcia, George Lopez, and Spanish opera great Placido Domingo.

Oh well. Let's just surrender to the joy of bubbles.

'The Blob' Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Chester County, the city in which the Steve McQueen horror flick The Blob was filmed, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the film's shooting in Chester County. The Philadelphia Inquirer has the story:

In Chester County in the summer of 1957, Steve McQueen was insufferable. "He was an absolute horror," producer Jack Harris said yesterday, "but I loved everything he did for us." That was the summer that Harris gave the 27-year-old McQueen his first starring role, in the sci-fi classic The Blob.

For the 50th anniversary of the film's shooting in Chester County, the producer - a 1936 graduate of Central High in Philadelphia and now 88 - returned from Beverly Hills, Calif., for the first time since that horrible summer. For more than nostalgia.

In Phoenixville, the river town an hour's drive from Center City, it was the eighth annual Blobfest, a celebration of the movie and the legends. The two-day event, which ended yesterday, is produced by the Colonial Theatre, the movie house where, in the film, the Blob begins its fiendish escapade of death and destruction.

Haven't seen the film? The Blob is an alien life-form deposited in Chester County by a meteorite. It grows larger and redder as it devours all in its path. Sort of like a repo crew towing away cars whose payments are so late. What stops the unkillable glob is a bunch of folks wielding fire extinguishers, the foam from which freezes the beast so that it can be transported to colder climes.

No Academy Award. No Pulitzer. No Nobel. "Just fun," said June Breit, 56, a registered nurse from nearby Audubon who had encased herself in red iridescent fabric to resemble - you got it! - the Blob. "Can't beat fun in your backyard," Breit said. That's why she - a crowd favorite in the costume competition - was suffering in the harsh glare of noonday sun, in the blocked-off street in front of the movie house.

On Friday night, more than 1,000 folks had entered the theater. And then, screaming like the film extras who were trying to escape from the Blob as it snacked on tasty theatergoers, they stampeded onto Bridge Street.

Yesterday, The Blob - slow, our racing hearts - was shown three times. Mary Foote, 48, executive director of the private nonprofit agency that reopened the 1903 movie house in 1999, said she had started Blobfest "as a way of promoting the Colonial." A Manhattan newspaper item about Blobfest had attracted Julie Stine, 45, her husband and their infant. "I don't generally venture this far west," Stine said of the two-hour drive from their home in Hunterdon County. Looking around at the costumed folks threading through the street party, she said, "I like the quirkiness."

In an interview at a restaurant across from the Colonial before he was to speak at a panel discussion, Harris said this, the first film on which he was the producer, cost only $130,000. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that's equivalent to $962,041 today - a definition of low-budget film. It has earned - cue the applause sign - $4 million.

So what was the problem with McQueen? "At breaks in the shooting," Harris said, "he would take his little MG and go over those [tight] roads in Valley Forge . . . and scare the hell out of everybody...He acted like the cantankerous star he became 10 years later. He acted like he had already arrived." Harris had a three-film deal with McQueen but canceled the other two. With a bit of understatement about the star of Bullitt and The Thomas Crown Affair, he said, "I was never happy about that."