Steve McQueen festival draws fans worldwide to Slater, Missouri

By M&C Movie News Mar 5, 2008, 21:48 GMT

A view of a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso, which once belonged to late US actor Steve McQueen, at Christie\'s auction house in New York, New York on 27 April 2007. The car, which is expected to sell for $800,000 - $1,200,000, is being auctioned on 16 August 2007 in California. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

The late actor Steve McQueen still has legions of fans around the world, and soon they will gather in Slater, Missouri, the actor’s boyhood hometown, to celebrate the life and work of the legendary actor on Friday and Saturday, March 28 and 29.

The 2nd Annual Steve McQueen Days is timed around the actor’s birthday; McQueen would have been 78 years old on March 24th.                     

McQueen was a worldwide box-office champion in the '60s and '70s and starred in many films including, "The Great Escape," "Tom Horn", "Papillon" and "The Sand Pebbles," which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. 

This year also marks the 40th Anniversary of "Bullitt" and "The Thomas Crown Affair", which are some of McQueen’s most loved films.  

At the time of his death in November of 1980 from asbestos-induced cancer, McQueen was the most-popular and highest-paid actor in the world.

McQueen was born in Beech Grove, Indiana but moved to Slater as an infant and remained there for most of the next decade. 

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 days in Greenwich Village and later, in Hollywood, Richard Martin.   Martin 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 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," will also be presenting rare behind-the-scenes footage from "Nevada Smith" and "The Sand Pebbles."    

McQueen was an accomplished and competitive semi-professional car and motorcycle racer who owned over 100 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.

Highlights of the festival will include a Steve McQueen Lookalike Contest and a Classic Car and Motorcycle Show. 

For additional information about the 2nd Annual Steve McQueen Days visit here.