The Interview

MARSHALL TERRILL, STEVE McQUEEN BIOGRAPHER (CONCLUSION)!

2011-03-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

September, 1964 premier of "Love with the Proper Stranger"

L-R: Co-Star Natalie Wood, Steve McQueen and wife Neile
(Photo: Donna Reddon)
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Manning: Just when it seems when your work couldn't be more exhaustive you've recently pulled out all the stops with your latest book, Steve McQueen: The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon. What's different about this book than your previous efforts and what motivated you to write this?

Terrill: What motivated me to write it was I knew the 30th anniversary of his death was approaching (November 7, 2010) and I felt it would be nice to commemorate this event. And to be honest, I had always wanted to rectify Portrait because a.) it was written by a rookie writer b.) I had very little to write about regarding his background and c.) a lot of new and more accurate information had come out on McQueen since 1993 when Portrait was released and I wanted to include it in a new and better biography. I had always been bothered by the fact that I could never find out who his father was. No one could. After I had 10 years experience as a journalist and had actually tracked people, I was looking up McQueen's family tree online one day and lo and behold, it had his father's name, date of birth and date of death. That lit a spark in me and I knew with that little amount of information, I could now find him and with a little help, I finally did. It was like cracking a major code for me. That was the real impetus for the book. Lastly, I wanted to leave behind a good legacy for McQueen. McQueen would have been 81 this March and many people who knew him are either dead or getting on in years and I wanted to interview as many people as possible and give as much new information as possible.

Manning: I couldn't help but notice that you've changed positions on Dr. William Kelley and McQueen seeking treatment in Mexico at the Plaza Santa.

Terrill: I absolutely did and let me tell you why – I was 24 when I started Portrait and not a journalist. The people I spoke to who worked at the Plaza Santa Maria were very nice and sincere people who did not duck me. They spent a lot of time with me trying to get me to understand Kelley's program. One of those people was Teena Valentino, who was Steve's “metabolic technician” or nurse. She turned over to me an 800-page diary of Steve's entire stay, detailing almost every moment of the last four months of his life. When I read it as a non-journalist, admittedly I did not have a very discerning eye. After my tenure as a journalist, I re-read the diary and there were so many red flags that I could simply not ignore what I felt were some flagrant violations – not by the staff – they were good people. Many of the staffers had family who were cancer patients at the Plaza and felt a debt of gratitude to the doctors. I didn't have problems with them, my major problem was with some of the administration. You have Dr. Kelley, who was hounding Steve to approve of a press release announcing his treatment and to promote his clinic. You just don't do that as a doctor. You expect a doctor to treat you humanly and privately, not pressure you to agree to a press release. Then there was Bill Evans, the hospital director who openly smoked in McQueen's presence. I know times were different back then, but if you're running a cancer clinic and collecting patients' money, you really shouldn't be smoking in front of them. Then there was Rudolpho Rodriguez, the proprietor of the Plaza Santa Maria, who gave McQueen his private cabana and then emotionally blackmailed him into making a public announcement that Mexico was saving his life. And lastly, you'll read about “Lydia”, a blonde evangelist who went through a dog and pony show with McQueen and rubbed oil on his stomach and then proclaimed him healed. McQueen had even planned to show up at her church in Chicago when he got better and tell the world that Lydia healed him, but then we know what the eventual outcome was. It was a last chance cancer clinic but I saw the place as a rip-off. But I believe this with all my heart – Kelley put his heart and soul into his work. I feel his work and theory was off target – that you can prevent cancer and cure cancer with a healthy diet. I just don't believe that to be true, although I think Kelley felt he was doing groundbreaking work. I recently spoke to a few of the people who worked there, and when I brought up Dr. Kelley again, their body language told me they really didn't want to broach the subject again. I think after it was revealed that Dr. Kelley was anti-Semitic and wrote hate literature, they wanted to distance themselves as much as possible from him and their work at the Plaza Santa Maria.

Manning: It certainly was a different time in terms of how people viewed alternative medicine.

Terrill: It was. It was a time when alternative medicine was at its peak and many cancer clinics and dissenters promoted this paranoia that the American Medical Association was ripping off the public and controlling medicine. I'm sure some people still feel that way. In Mexico, they were basically saying, “We have the cure.” Now that I have some age on me, I know many people who have been successfully treated for cancer through orthodox treatment and are thriving today. Now that I work for a university, I also see all the young students who want to become doctors and nurses, and their motives are to help people. When they become professionals, that doesn't change. Those clinics still exist and I still hear about people with terminal cancer going to Mexico or other countries for treatment, but there isn't the fervor that there was 30 years ago. I believe those clinics have now been properly exposed and we're better educated as a society. And a recent report from the Centers of Disease Control just came out, which was very positive. It states that nearly 12 million Americans are cancer survivors. That's nearly quadrupled from 1971. More cancers are being diagnosed earlier and there's also more effective care and treatment. Cancer used to be a death sentence, but that's no longer the case in many instances. I think whatever an individual decides to do is their business because no one else is in their shoes. Alternative medicine is not the route I would go for treatment but to each his own.

Manning: After reading the book – I'm struck by a few things, and the first is the radical departure it is from Portrait...

Terrill: In what way?

Manning: The focus is different; it's constructed differently. The writing and the reporting is so radically different and maybe it's because you had fresh material from the archive of new material you were able to draw upon. You had excavated so much more new material and the style of writing is so different...it's as if two different people wrote those two books.

Terrill: Well, in essence, two people did write those two books. The first writer was a naïve 24-year-old recent college graduate who saw life through rose-colored glasses and the second book was written by a very seasoned and cynical 47-year-old reporter who had some life experiences under his belt and was trained how to disseminate information. So yes, I'll plead guilty to that charge!

Manning: The second thing that struck me was that you enlisted the services of Peter O. Whitmer, a renowned psychologist who has chronicled some major pop culture figures (Elvis Presley and Hunter S. Thompson) in his literary career. How did you come to know Peter?

Terrill: Well, as you know, I'm a big fan of non-fiction books and I pretty much read anything I can get my hands on. I usually read five books at a time. I have a book in almost every room of my house, in my gym bag, in my car, just everywhere. My fear is I'll be stuck someplace without a book and I'll have nothing to do but look at the walls. But if I have a book in my hands, I can go anywhere. Anyway, I read Peter's seminal book on Elvis Presley called The Inner Elvis. It was a psychological biography of Presley and it was fascinating how he was able to dissect Presley's behavior, because in many ways, Elvis was just as complex as McQueen. After I read it back in 1997 I thought, “If I ever did another book on McQueen, I'd love to enlist Peter's services.” Author Alana Nash is a friend and has written some of the best books ever on Presley and one day I emailed her, asking what she was up to. She told me about a new book she was working on called, Baby, Let's Play House. She wrote that she was working with Peter on her new book and doing for her what I had wanted him to do for me for years. So she gave me his email and we got in touch, and he's just about the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. And so insightful and right on regarding his analysis of McQueen. Now mind you, Peter had never read a word about McQueen in his life. But the amount of homework he did for my book was extraordinary. He read all of my books, Neile, Ali and Barbara's books, his military file, Teena Valentino's diary and other material he deemed important. I point that out because objectivity is what I wanted from him – an outsider's perspective of McQueen. For years I've often wondered why McQueen made certain choices; why he was so paranoid given he had everything a man could want; why he wasn't happy with his success and why he couldn't get over his past. In the first book, I was able to write about McQueen's exploits, but I wasn't able to explain his behavior. I'm sure many readers felt the same way. Peter put all of that into perspective for me. Hopefully, his work will resonate with people. And the funny thing is after he read all he could on McQueen he emailed me and said, “You're right...McQueen is fascinating!”

Manning: You managed to strike a balance between Steve's conflicted life in great detail and parallel that with his remarkable career. How did you do that?

Terrill: Thank you...that's a very nice compliment. That's simply a style I developed as a reporter. Go out, find the story and present it in an even and balanced manner. Let everybody have a say and let the reader come to his or her own conclusion about McQueen. Objectivity is what I truly aim for when I write about a subject. If anything, I think it's obvious I'm a McQueen fan, but I'm always aware that in order to be taken seriously, I have to remain objective. Did he make bad movies? Sure he did. I think his first few movies were awful and when he later became famous, he made a few duds – Soldier in the Rain, Baby, the Rain Must Fall, Nevada Smith dragged on a bit too long, Le Mans was simply boring The Towering Inferno was cheesy and The Hunter was a sad ending to a brilliant career. And I'll be even more objective – Bullitt was an exciting movie in 1968 but I don't think it's aged well. The pacing is too slow when you compare it to today's standards. Sure, the car chase was awesome and McQueen's acting was superb, but the rest of the movie is slow and sometimes incomprehensible. I think he was also very cutthroat when he was in New York when he first started acting and climbed over many people. I also think he was very chauvinistic towards Neile and Ali and felt it was unfair he pushed them to quit their careers. But everybody has their flaws and given the sort of background he endured and overcame, he shouldn't be judged too harshly. You have to give both the good and the bad and let the reader decide how they feel about McQueen.

Manning: Was this painful for you to research or read about Steve?

Terrill: Not really. I never met the man, so it's tough for me to say it was painful. I do, however, have to be sympathetic and yet stay objective at the same time. Sometimes being objective means looking at something through a very cold prism. And sometimes being objective means that I'm not always right and if someone comes up with another way of thinking or another theory, then I have to be open and adaptable to that as well. Sure, it was tough reading about McQueen's treatment at the Plaza Santa Maria – there were many things I left out because I didn't want it to cause his family members any more pain that what they had to read, so it's a balancing act.

Manning: It's quite a journey – a young boy who never knew his father and ends up in reform school and eventually becoming the world's highest paid actor in the late sixties and seventies. After 20 years of research, what surprises you the most about his life?

Terrill: Given his background, it was amazing he didn't end up in prison and yet he goes on to become a movie star, a business mogul, a man who gave back to the Boys Republic and someone who ultimately found God. He was the first movie star of his era to come from the wrong side of the tracks and to be able to use those street smarts on Hollywood executives and beat them at their own game is something I never tire of hearing. That's been the continual fascination with me – how did this kid with a ninth grade education come to Hollywood and turn everything upside down and make it work for him. He mastered it, manipulated it, and stayed on top. To me, that's always been the surprise. And he was able to do that in a time when our country didn't have much economic diversity. He was somehow able to put aside his demons and focus on acting and become one of the greats. I say this all the time but McQueen created a genre within Method and perfected reacting on the screen; just took it to a whole new level and no one today has even come close to what he was able to convey on the screen. Here we are 30 years later and he's still the master of the screen reactors. Brando and Dean get most of the credit for popularizing the Method but, this is strictly my opinion, McQueen was a far better film actor, certainly more talented, than those two men. Brando betrayed his talent whereas Steve never did and Dean's film legacy is simply too limited to judge him objectively. McQueen never betrayed his talent and always took on every role with all the gusto he had. You can't say that about Brando, who was good when he wanted to be but you can't say that he put his heart and soul into every role. McQueen did and it shows. Simple as that. It helped that McQueen could personally identify with each character he portrayed and brought such an authenticity to every role. He was able to express and emote some very deep emotions in a very simple way so the audience knew exactly what he was feeling at the time. I feel he did that better than any other film actor I've ever seen.

Manning: Are there areas or parts of McQueen's life that people are more drawn to than others?

Steve in Santa Paula, California

(Photo: Marshall Terrill)

Terrill: I think the general public wants to know about the movies, the bad-boy behavior, how many women he bedded and the gear heads want to know about the cars and motorcycles. McQueen's life was so epic, much like Elvis, that there's something there for everyone and it all just depends what area you're drawn to. There's his background, the New York era, the movie years, racing and cars, the go-go Sixties, the laid back Seventies, the aviation and those last years in Santa Paula. He lived many lifetimes.

Manning: What are some of the new insights we can expect with Legend?

Terrill: I suppose the big thing is the new information on his background; finding out who his father really was and the discovery that he had a half-sister, Terri McQueen, who is alive and living in the Midwest. I've also devoted entire chapters to the Boys Republic, his stint in the Marines and almost four entire chapters on his early acting career in New York. And then there's the insight from clinical psychologist Peter O. Whitmer, who was able to give me a good read into McQueen's psyche and decision making process throughout his life.

Manning: I'd like to switch the subject to McQueen and his relationship with the Boys Republic. For Legend, you made a few visits to the place. Tell me what it was like.

Terrill: It was a great experience and enlightening for me. As you know, the place has been portrayed in a few of the books as a prison, and it's not the case at all. One writer went as so far as to say Steve was thrown into an isolation cell. I certainly didn't see that...all I saw were dormitories, bunk beds, cottages and recreational facilities. And back when McQueen was there, it was out in the middle of a pasture. It was nothing but farm land back then and there was nowhere to run to or away from.

Manning: And tell us what is the mission of the Boys Republic?

Terrill: To take wayward youth and make them productive members of society. In the case of McQueen, he was 14 when he entered and had been running wild in the streets for some time. He was a handful and his mother, Julian, really didn't know what to do with him, so she sent him to the Boys Republic. He later said that was the best thing she ever did for him because it put him back on the right path. The place, when it was first set up, was a mirror reflection of society – they had a bank, a postal office, a council, bakery – everything these youths would experience growing up and were able to integrate back into society. Their motto is, “Nothing without labor,” which means hard work equals success. Even though it took some time for McQueen to adjust to Boys Republic, he finally did and turned his life around. He gave back to the place throughout his life – he set up an annual scholarship in his life, purchased Christmas wreaths every holiday season and went back for visits with the kids to encourage them. Today his son Chad has picked up the mantle and they have an annual car show in Steve's name to raise money for scholarships, so he still gives back so much even though he has been gone for 30 years. The best part for me is that I was able to sign books and a couple of the kids came to the table. I engaged them in conversation and found out they were seniors. I asked them what their plans were when they graduated from Boys Republic and they said they had plans to go to college. Well, that put a big smile on my face because I work in higher education. That alone made my trip to California so worth it. They're not only helping these kids integrate back into society but they're planting that seed to go to college. That's just heartwarming.

Manning: What would you like people to take away from one of your books about Steve and then what do you want them to take away from his life?

Terrill: First and foremost, I want readers to have an emotional experience. I want to make the book so damn readable they never want to put it down. I want the reader to not only feel but learn something. I want to feel as if they got their money's worth. That's what I want personally for me...

The second question: what do I want them to get from McQueen's life? Maybe it's that old cliché about how the grass is not always greener on the other side. Everybody wants to be a celebrity these days, but there's something to be said about leading a quiet and relatively normal life. No matter what you think about fame, there is a price to be paid. Nobody leads a charmed life and in the case of almost every celebrity, there's heartache. Fame can cure a lot of problems, but it also opens the door to a lot of them as well. Fame is wonderful when you're young and beautiful, but then as you get older, the public expects you not to age, gain weight and remain eternally youthful. Ask any celebrity if fame makes them happy or solves all of their problems, and they'll tell you no. McQueen's life was filled with triumph and tragedy and some of that was caused by his past and some of that was caused by his fame. Fame is truly a double-edged sword. It can go sideways on you real quick.

Manning: Any other McQueen books in the works?

Terrill: I've now had a nice six-month rest since I put Legend to rest and have been enjoying my free time. I've taken up photography, am going back to school to get my masters degree and will be editing a few books on the side. I have stated in a few interviews that Legend would my last McQueen book, but I was really burned out when I said that. I had been working simultaneously on King of Cool and Legend for a couple of years and I was very, very tired. I've now had a few months to rest, relax and reconsider. It's time to go away for a while but trust me, I'll be back.

The author thanks Marshall Terrill for making this interview possible.
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MARSHALL TERRILL, STEVE McQUEEN BIOGRAPHER (PART 2)

2011-03-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

Manning: Tell us how you met Barbara McQueen, whom you co-wrote Steve McQueen: The Last Mile with in 2005?

Terrill: I met Barbara McQueen through Mimi Freeman, who was the director of The Essence of Cool, a documentary that came out in 2005. Mimi had originally contacted me to help find a few people to interview and interview me and fill in the gaps where other's couldn't. She flew me out to California, interviewed me for three hours, and I even gave them the title of the documentary when I said, “McQueen was the essence of cool.” We spent quite a lot of time on the phone together and then I get a call from out of the blue from Mimi telling me that she wasn't going to use any of my interview because they wanted only to interview people who actually knew McQueen. I told her I understood and she said she had some good news – she had interviewed Barbara McQueen for the documentary and said Barbara had about 400 photos she had taken of Steve and wanted to put them together for a photo book. Would be I interested? Barbara was one of the few people I didn't interview for Portrait, though we had a very brief conversation over the phone in 1989 when I started the book. She basically told me that she wasn't emotionally ready to talk about Steve. I respected that and went on and wrote the book without the cooperation of Steve's three wives. Neile and Ali had both written books, and Barbara didn't and never gave interviews. In the years since Steve's death, she remained so silent, almost reclusive, so naturally I was intrigued. She offered a glimpse into Steve that no one else could. Everybody seems to think she only knew Steve in the last year of his life. The truth is their relationship lasted about three-and-a-half years.

Manning: What is she like?

The Lovely and Talented Barbara McQueen

Terrill: I thought she was going to be quiet, shy and serious, and boy was I ever wrong...she's totally fun and outrageous and anything goes around her. I like to shock people just to get a reaction and there's no shocking Barbara...she just rolls with the punches. I could see why Steve went for her because she's beautiful but she's tough and tender. She's also very smart, bright, well-traveled and has seen and done a lot in her lifetime. One of the most interesting people I've ever met and so down-to-earth. She's like a sister to me and we protect each other.

Manning: I remember seeing her on David Letterman to promote the book. How did that appearance come about?

Terrill: That came about as a result of the Bonhams auction at the Petersen Museum in November 2006. The auction received worldwide attention and we used that as a launching pad for the book. The interesting thing is that Letterman's people called us; we didn't call them. That's amazing when you think about it because you don't get booked on Letterman or Leno unless you're an A-list celebrity promoting a movie or TV series. The booker for the show emailed the publisher and Barbara had me call them. They said they were interested in having her on the show. You could have knocked me over with a feather...though it was never stated, I got the feeling that Letterman was a big McQueen fan. He is from Indiana where McQueen was born. I remember he once had Kim Basinger on his show in 1992 when she was promoting the remake of The Getaway. The funny thing is Letterman was doing his McQueen imitation for Basinger: “Punch it, baby, punch it!” If he remembered that line, you know he was a fan. He was a class act and he treated Barbara very well. Barbara was so nervous backstage, pacing back and forth in the Green Room like a tiger. It was nerve wracking because I thought she was going to walk out of the building. When she did walk out of the Green Room to the stage, she looked like Bugs Bunny getting marched out onto the wooden plank by Yosemite Sam. Letterman was really cool and got up out of his chair to greet her. You can see it on the tape where she says under her breath, “I'm really nervous.” Letterman replied, “Oh you'll be just fine.” It's very easy to see in that interview that he had a very healthy respect for Steve.

Manning: I want to talk about Steve McQueen: A Tribute to the King of Cool, which Barbara wrote the foreword. It also took you three years to compile and I wonder why it took so long? From someone on the outside looking in, it would appear to be a simple project.

Terrill: Well, I thought so too (laughs), but things are never easy for me. Or I should say, books are never easy. Each project presents its own sets of problems and I always try and anticipate what those problems might be. In the case of this book, I thought I'd approach people who knew McQueen, met him, admired him or had some sort of association with him to write a 500 to 1,000 word passage about him and all I would have to do is edit the piece, assemble it and boom, I'd be done. What I didn't anticipate was that 80 percent of the people who I approached wanted me to write the passage for them. That meant not only did I have to set up a time and a date to interview them, I'd have to transcribe it and then formulate a concept for a passage. And on top of that, try and find a photo that matched the story. Not an easy thing to do. It was perhaps the hardest McQueen book to put together because there were so many working parts – interviews, the writing and chronology of the passages, photos, captions and the editing, which was crazy. Each passage had its own tone and personality and the edit had to be careful to preserve that voice. I don't know how many times I went over that PDF to edit, but it was painstaking. Then what happened was I had all of the photos picked out and discovered a lot of them were copyrighted, so then I went back to the drawing board and found a new set. All books are a pain in the ass and I'm not going to paint a rosy picture that it's a wonderful and easy process. It's just not. It's very hard work and being chained to a computer is not a lot of fun. I love the end result but to get there is like being put through a meat grinder.

Manning: How did you conceive of the idea?

Terrill: It started with The Last Mile. I told Barbara I thought it might be cool to get a few people who knew Steve during the time frame they were together to write a guest passage. Lee Majors was the first person we approached, and he actually wrote his. Then we approached a few more and we had about ten altogether when we planned the book. But when I laid it all out, it ruined the flow of Barbara's text, so I decided to take them out and put them aside and I'd figure out to do with them later. As it turned out, when Barbara and I would do a book signing or exhibition, a few people would come up to us and say, “I knew Steve when...” Some would even offer photographic proof. So then a light bulb went off in my head: what if I chronicled Steve's life through the eyes of other people and made it a photo book with passages? It was a great idea and everyone loved the format. But as I mentioned before, the book had its own set of problems.

Manning: There were a lot of major celebrities who contributed to the book. Can you give us a sampling of who wrote a passage?

Terrill: Lee Majors, Suzanne Pleshette, Robert Loggia, Don Gordon, Norman Jewison, Peter Yates, Robert Vaughn, Martin Landau, Richard Crenna, Candice Bergen...but to me, the more interesting passages are the ones written by the people who knew him but weren't famous. Personally, my favorite passage of the book was written by a Japanese fan named Ryuken Tokuda. I had met him in Slater, Missouri, in 2007. He came all the way from Japan to attend the first Steve McQueen Days. I had always wondered why McQueen was so popular in Japan, but I wanted someone from Japan to explain it to me. Ryuken delivered this beautiful passage about McQueen's acting and how it spoke to the Japanese. When I read this piece, it was like reading poetry. Barbara and I were in Japan this past November and Ryuken served as our host, and I told him that his passage was my absolute favorite. He told me that he had never really written anything before and that was his first attempt in English. I told him he didn't hit just a home run but a grand slam. He was very proud. I then solicited people from Germany, France, England and other countries where he was famous. McQueen was truly one of the first global superstars of cinema.

Manning: Is it true that McQueen is actually bigger in England and Japan than he is in the United States?

(Photo: Donna Reddon)

Terrill: I certainly think so, but that's my opinion. In Legend, I write an entire chapter on the McQueen phenomenon in England when he made The War Lover. Liz Charles (Elisabeth Osborn is what she goes by now), was McQueen's secretary in England and what she told me is that most Englishmen are very reserved and well-behaved and McQueen was the antithesis of that – he was brash, cocky, daring and wasn't afraid to tell you what was on his mind. Liz thinks that most Englishmen admired the fact that McQueen was so open and honest and did things that the secretly wished they could do. My editor on Legend, Andrew Antoniades, also added that the British always root for the underdog and they recognized in McQueen a fighter; a guy who had struggled to get to the top. Then there are the cars and the motorbikes, and Great Britain is very big on motoring, such much more than in the States. McQueen is also a fashion icon and if you ever go to London, fashion is as big a deal, if not bigger than New York. Then look at McQueen's body of work – even though he is very much an American, a lot of his movies have international themes. There's The Great Escape, The War Lover, The Sand Pebbles, Le Mans, and Papillon. Had he made Yucatan and The Sorcerer, those two films would have also been supported by an international cast. How many movies today are made with an international cast? It seems like they just don't do those sorts of movies anymore...

Manning: Tell us about the CD that comes with the limited edition version of Steve McQueen: A Tribute to the King of Cool. I have listened to that tape over and over again and find it so fascinating.

Terrill: That's a tape I've had in my possession for years and the publisher asked me what we could do to make the limited edition very special. Well, I knew that tape would fit the bill. It was taped at a lecture McQueen gave in 1978 at Loyola Marymount College on “The Genius of Ibsen.” The film school had screened An Enemy of the People for the class and then McQueen showed up to discuss the film and his career. It was odd in that McQueen rarely gave interviews much less appeared in public to discuss one of his films, so this was a rare treat. I wanted to share that experience with McQueen fans because you are enlightened to the fact that this was a brilliant man, not just a guy who rode motorcycles and acted cool on the screen. Everyone had assumed he was just a gear head. You can hear on this tape that he knew the technical aspects of filmmaking. I don't care who you are – when you reach the top of any profession, you are a genius in some capacity. You have to have some sort of intelligence. McQueen was a guy who kept hidden his love for his craft, but you can hear it on this tape. He can't hold it back. You can also hear on the tape that McQueen liked these college kids because they were youthful and enthusiastic and not cynical. They were thrilled he was there and very open to what he had to say. If I'm not mistaken, he cracked open a bottle of beer while talking to them and just had a ball. I work for a university, and trust me, you wouldn't see that happen on a college campus today (laughs).

Manning: I was struck by the comment he made, “I come from the gutter” and then a very short time later he spoke in technical terms of lighting and camera angles, different size lenses and how the lighting has to be just so for a 400-seat house. He also spoke of film distribution. He may have been from the wrong side of the tracks but he knew the film industry and learned from the bottom up.

Terrill: And that's a trait that all the film greats have – they are innately curious and want to learn every aspect of film making. McQueen was no different. The interesting thing is that I just read an excellent biography on Warren Beatty by Peter Biskind, and Beatty's always been given credit for being smart, but McQueen never was...certainly not in his lifetime. Beatty is known for the details but McQueen was no different. In fact, Getaway screenwriter Walter Hill told me McQueen said to him often, “God is in the details.” Still photographer Dave Friedman told me about a scene in Tom Horn where McQueen saw a horse off in the distance that didn't have a period saddle and stopped filming to ensure the horse had the proper saddle. If that isn't attention to the details, I don't know what is. Beatty obviously worked hard at cultivating this image as a great lover while McQueen cultivated his image as a cool loner. What's shaded in all of that is their intelligence and their smarts. You don't get to the top and stay there for years unless you know what works. In reading about Beatty, I saw a lot of similarities in McQueen. While their approaches were different, there was a lot of vanity, power plays and most of all, control. According to this book, Beatty was just as power hungry and controlling as McQueen. It obviously must be a common thread among superstars and I'm sure that is how the industry changes you. McQueen had spoken of that and once gave a great quote about compromising. He said, “If there's any ounce of compromise, it shows on the screen.” I thought that was brilliantly explained. He did everything he could to maintain quality control and if he had to be brash about it and act like the 800-pound gorilla, then I can understand his thinking. It's his name and reputation on screen and he's going to do nothing to tarnish that. Hey, I admire that stance.

Manning: He was a producer wasn't he?

Terrill: Yes, and that goes hand in hand with quality control. When he set up Solar Productions, he was no longer just a movie star; he was a producer. He had a lot more at stake and was involved more on the creative and financial end. I imagine that was a great burden that the public could never understand. That was a time when movie stars, other than McQueen and John Wayne, really didn't have production companies. McQueen, in a lot of ways, was the prototype for the movie stars today who become successful and set up production companies. Maybe I'm giving him way too much credit, but I can't think of too many others before him who blazed that path.

(Part 3 to follow)

MARSHALL TERRILL, STEVE McQUEEN BIOGRAPHER (Part 1)

2011-03-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Thirty years ago this past November 7th, Steve McQueen died at the age of 50. It was a tragedy to have lost one of the world's greatest and beloved actors of a generation. Each March, for the past 6-years I have featured The Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival online. The Festival attracts thousands of viewers worldwide. This year, Steve McQueen biographer Marshall Terrill is my featured guest in what has resulted in the most extensive interview I have conducted with anyone in my media career. Marshall's newest book is "Steve McQueen: The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon". This book has been discussed frequently on this blog site as the most comprehensive and detailed examination of McQueen's life to date. This interview will run in multiple parts. Realizing the significance of the 30-year anniversary of Steve's passing, my objective was to be as thorough with Marshall Terrill as possible. This was a rare opportunity for me and together we will learn new information on the pages that follow about the iconic actor known to the world as "The King of Cool". I began by asking Terrill how his life as a biographer of McQueen began.

Manning: What do you remember about the first time you heard of or saw Steve McQueen?

Terrill: I'm not sure there was ever one defining moment for me when I saw him on the screen and went, “Wow, who's that guy?” McQueen was just always around, always in my consciousness growing because of my dad, who was the original McQueen fan in our household. I remember my dad specifically taking me to Junior Bonner, Papillon, Tom Horn and The Hunter. And when I came of age in the seventies, McQueen's movies were on television all the time. Did I ever tell you my Towering Inferno story?

Manning: No, but please go ahead.

Terrill: When The Towering Inferno came out in December 1974 it wasn't just a movie; it was an event, truly a real spectacle. I was 11 years old and me and a buddy waited in line for a 9 p.m. showing on a Saturday night out during winter break, and it was sold out. The theater was going to add a midnight showing and we were in the middle of the line and didn't even know if we'd get tickets for the midnight show. We arranged for one of our parents to pick us up when the movie got out. It was a three-hour flick, so this meant the movie was going to get out at 3 a.m. In order to see it, I walked right up to the front of the line and cut in front of this lady, who crossed her arms and gave me the evil eye for three hours. Just stared daggers in my back the whole time. But my determination to see that movie was greater than my pride! I mostly remember watching McQueen on Channel 20 in Washington D.C. I saw TV versions of The Cincinnati Kid, The Great Escape, The Sand Pebbles, Bullitt, and The Getaway with my father. These were great bonding moments with my dad on lazy Saturday afternoons because he had a very high pressure job in the Air Force. This was a way for him to unwind and spend time with me. By the way, my dad was equally enamored of Elvis Presley and so my introduction to those two figures came as a result of him. Interestingly, I've written four books on McQueen and three on Elvis. It just goes to show that parents do have a very large influence in our lives.

Manning: Do you remember the first actual movie you saw in the theater and what about your first McQueen film?

(Photo: Marshall Terrill)

Terrill: Interestingly enough, it was a double feature – Bonnie and Clyde and Bullitt. This was in Texarkana, Texas in 1969. What a great introduction to McQueen, right? I remember that experience so vividly because the audience reacted vocally to both pictures. You could hear a pin drop during the scene where Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were executed at the end of the movie. I remember the impact it had on me when their bodies shook so violently as a result of the machine gun fire. I just sat there with my mouth wide open. No one had ever seen violence like that on the screen before. And in Bullitt, the audience kept yelling, “Whoa!” during the hill jumping sequence. In one night, I got to see Faye Dunaway's breasts, Gene Hackman's face get blown off and the most exciting car chase in movie history. It was a fun, crazy, rollicking night. I was six years old and instantly hooked on cinema. It sure beat playing with my G.I. Joe's!

Manning: So you saw a lot of movies growing up?

Terrill: Almost every chance I had. I remember seeing so many movies as a kid and multiple times: Love Story (yes, I definitely had a thing for Ali MacGraw), The Wild Bunch, Dirty Harry, Let it Be, Ben, Patton, M*A*S*H, Willy Wonka, The French Connection, The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes, Play Misty For Me, Big Jake, The Last Picture Show, Jeremiah Johnson, Walking Tall, Billy Jack, A Clockwork Orange, Deliverance, American Graffiti, Summer of '42, The Cowboys, The Conversation, The World's Greatest Athlete, The Poseidon Adventure, The Getaway, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Sting, The Godfather, The Way We Were, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, Little Big Man, Serpico, Chinatown, Paper Moon, Mean Streets, Enter the Dragon, Live and Let Die, Papillon, The Exorcist, Young Frankenstein and all of the Trinity movies. Remember those? They were Italian westerns dubbed in English starring Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer. They were hilarious. And like every kid of that generation, I saw all of the James Bond and Planet of the Apes movies. As a result, I developed a great love for cinema. Now when we look back, that era of films from the late sixties to the mid-seventies is simply unparalleled. So many great movies, so many great directors, and so many great stars. Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Gene Hackman, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Jack Nicholson and Sean Connery. And for reasons unexplained, McQueen was my guy. At the time I knew nothing about his personal life, but as a kid I was mysteriously drawn to him. Forget that he was cool...there was something enigmatic about him and his acting. There was a mystery and quality to him and you wanted to know more about who this guy was.

Manning: What was it that led you to begin writing about Steve McQueen?

Terrill: It was a very unusual set of circumstances. It's been pretty well documented that I was working for financier Charles Keating in the mid-to-late eighties while attending college in Phoenix, Arizona. I was a corporate gopher, thinking when I graduated that I would have a job with his company. I was also a newlywed at the time. When Keating was indicted by the federal government, I was out of a job. My wife also left me right around the same time, so I was in pretty dire straights emotionally. I was building a future with Keating and what do I do now? But somewhere in the back of my mind, I had always wanted to write a book on Steve McQueen. I know these two events don't seem related to one another at all, but they really are. Haven't you ever thought, “If I wasn't working for a living, this is what I would do?” I was 24 at the time and so this was the time to do it if I were ever going to do it. In fact, that's what my dad told me on the phone when I presented the scenario of coming back to live with my parents in Washington D.C. After I went back and forth with my dad, he said, “Well, you're young enough to recover if you fail.” That bit of wisdom spoke to me and gave me the courage to do it. Trust me, writing a book takes courage because it's a lot of blood, sweat and tears. For some reason, it's never been an easy process for me because of all of the unexpected grief you encounter along the way. Sure, it's always worth the effort in the end, but it's never easy.

Manning: There weren't that many books written about McQueen when you decided to write Portrait?

Terrill: Actually, there had been quite a few. Malachy McCoy, Tim Satchell, Grady Ragsdale, William Nolan, Casey St. Charnez, Penina Speigel and Neile McQueen had all written about McQueen. However, I had always felt there was not one definitive account of his life. Being a voracious reader, I instinctively knew there was a market for what I wanted to do: all-encompassing book on his life. The other big thing was that I felt McQueen hadn't received his due as an actor and the other books focused more on the bad-boy behavior rather than his cannon of work. We've discussed this before, and most great actors leave behind maybe three to five classic films. I feel McQueen has left behind at least eight classics (The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, The Cincinnati Kid, The Sand Pebbles, The Thomas Crown Affair, Bullitt, The Getaway and Papillon) and that's impressive when you think about the fact he made 29 movies. Most critics during his lifetime said he was a screen presence, an actor who made populist films. Nobody ever said he was a great actor, even when he passed away. That's what I set out to do with Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel. With that said, he led an incredible and spectacular life and I wanted to document that as well.

Manning: What makes for a good biography?

Terrill:This is strictly my opinion, but it's how I was trained as a journalist. That is, don't offer up an opinion in the narrative – just guide the story along. But when it does come time for an opinion to be offered up, let the people who knew McQueen say it. That way you remain as objective as possible and remain the proverbial fly on the wall. Let the people who knew McQueen give the insight.

(Photo: Donna Reddon)

Manning: Your original book came out in December 1993 and a revision came out in 2005. What led to the revision?

Terrill: The book had been out of print for a few years and when Plexus, a publisher based out of England, approached me to reprint the book, I said yes. They asked me to give them something new to market the book, so I came up with the idea of a new foreword and a last chapter to update readers what had taken place since the book came out in 1993. Turned out it was a lot of new information given that McQueen's legacy had grown stronger with each year. Based on that 2005 revision, it had renewed a spark within me to do more on McQueen. The interesting thing is that after Portrait, I never thought I'd write another word about McQueen again because I felt that I wrote all there was that could be said about the man. But with new open records laws and access to better and more accurate information, there was a lot more to write about McQueen. The first five chapters of Portrait is very skimpy when it comes to McQueen's background but that's because of two reasons. Open records laws weren't the same in the late eighties when I started research on the book and McQueen was very good at hiding his past.

Manning: He was good at embellishing his past, wasn't he?

Terrill: He was excellent at embellishing because the truth was nowhere near as good as the version he gave. And here's where it gets tricky: in the midst of his embellishing you'd get little kernels of the truth or sometimes he'd be candid with one interviewer and then not forthcoming at all with another. But I do understand the reasons for embellishing his past because it was either painful or he didn't know, and was probably ashamed. And it was a different time. You didn't tell the world you came from a dysfunctional background. You focused on the positive and made your history “colorful.” In the new book, Steve McQueen: The Life and Legacy of a Hollywood Icon, I located his father's death certificate and it states he died of cirrhosis of the liver. He was a merchant marine and a really bad alcoholic. That certainly isn't as romantic as the version McQueen gave to reporters, which was that he was a barnstorming pilot who later became a Flying Tiger in World War II. He must have felt a deep sense of shame but I don't see it as that. He came from nothing and went all the way to the top. That is a staggering achievement.

Manning: His biological mother, Julian, was also an alcoholic, correct?

Terrill: Yes, she was. Both parents, unfortunately, were alcoholics and addiction was in Steve's DNA. Talk about several strikes against you at birth – two parents who are alcoholics; a father who walks away when Steve was six moths old and doesn't want to know him; an alcoholic mother who is not very maternal and hands him off to her parents and later his great uncle (Claude Thomson). On top of that he inherited an abusive stepfather in Hal Berri. Most kids who grow up in this manner often end up going to jail or prison, so it's nothing less than a miracle that Steve was able to overcome all of those obstacles. There was, however, serious emotional baggage he had to deal with his whole life. Superstardom didn't wash that away.

Manning: There have been numerous biographies on many sports and entertainment figures over the years. What I want to know is what is it like to chronicle someone over a 20-year period? What's it like to live within that microcosm of research, following someone for that long?

Terrill: It's interesting. You feel at times is if you really know this person; why he made this decision or that decision...and then there are times when something doesn't compute and you ask, “Why did he do this? What led to that circumstance?” or you might find a piece of new information that changes everything...like his father not being a barnstorming pilot or that his mother actually put him in Boys Republic and not his stepfather Hal Berri. Or that his mother Julian was not a teenaged runaway but lived with her parents when she gave birth to Steve and continued living with them three years after the fact. A biographer can never be 100 percent accurate; all you can do is try and document as much as possible and hope that it is close as to the truth as you can get. McQueen was never a boring subject and he continually fascinates me. I'm more fascinated by knowing the real truth rather than what he gave to the press or embellished. I'm a firm believer the truth is so much more interesting and stranger than fiction. With McQueen there's so much wading through what was the truth and not the truth. I try to employ logic, time lines, documents, eyewitnesses and journalistic techniques, but as I stated, nothing is 100 percent accurate. You must also take into account the journalism in McQueen's lifetime was so different than what it is today. Back then journalists had an understanding with movie stars that they didn't reveal their secrets. Remember they didn't show the fact that FDR was in a wheelchair or that John F. Kennedy had numerous affairs. A lot of journalism back then was based on the fact you took a person on their word. The National Enquirer really changed all of that and now we've swung to the other end of the pendulum where gossip, affairs, and personal lives are splashed all over the front page of legitimate newspapers. Why do I care if Lindsay Lohan wore a white skirt to court or if Charlie Sheen is smoking crack or hanging out with porn stars? Sure, it's fascinating and that's perfectly fine for the tabloids but is it appropriate for USA Today or the Los Angeles Times? It has spilled over into that arena and now the whole game has changed. We now live in a society where there are no secrets, and we now have to know every little thing about every celebrity. McQueen represents an era where men didn't complain or explain; he didn't have to unleash tidbits of gossip about his life to promote a movie. That to me is so much more interesting than what we see today with celebrities, who by the way, aren't immune. They participate in that vicious news cycle as well, so they don't get a pass from me. Many celebrities, like Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, all use the media to not only generate interest in them but actually use it to fuel lucrative careers. The Kardashian family made $65 million last year, and for what? What exactly do they do?

Manning: What happened to you personally in the years from 1993 when you published Rebel and in 2011 with the recent publication of Legend? What changed for you the most?

Terrill: The biggest change in me was the journalistic training I received after the first book came out. I did things backwards – usually you are a reporter first, then you become an author or write a book. I wrote a 564-page book first and then went on to become a reporter. And what that really means is that Rebel certainly would have been different had I been a reporter first. Let's face it, Rebel was a fan-friendly book that sort of turned the other way when there was something negative to report. With the new book, Legend, you're getting a very journalistic approach and there was no turning away from anything that was perceived to be negative. I tackled it head on and tried to present it in the most objective point of view possible. There's more facts, more research, more questioning of statements and time lines in Legend. I guess you could say I'm a lot more objective now about McQueen.

Manning: Portrait was optioned in 2009 by Black Swan producer Brian Oliver. Where do things currently stand with the movie?

Terrill: It takes time to get a movie off the ground because of several things: crafting a good script; attracting the talent and financing for the film's budget. I'm limited in what I can say because Brian Oliver has asked me to not say much, so I'm honor bound to him. The only thing I can say is that things have progressed quite a bit since 2009.

(Part 2 to follow)

JIM TILMON! (Part 2 of 2)

2011-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Jim Tilmon hosting "Our People"

Manning: Okay. There have been two high profile crashes this past year. On February 12th a Colgan Air Dash-8 Q400, operating as Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed while on approach to Buffalo, New York. Then four months-later we witnessed—with horror—the Air France Flight 447 crash (A330-203 F-6ZCP c/n 660) on June 1st in flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. What observations do you have of these incidents?

Tilmon: Well, the NTSB (National Transportation Board) is the final authority on that stuff. I have some thoughts, but they're just my thoughts. They aren't anything official or anything you can document as a contributing factor to the accident. But my thought about the Buffalo accident was that we had a crew on board that airplane that let it get ahead of them---way ahead of them. And that's a no-no. You don't ever do that. You have to always be ahead of the airplane. You've got to be the one sole source of information and guidance that is never really behind the activities taking place in the air. I don't know when you start talking about human error, where you can place it? Do we say that because of what these two pilots did on their own on this particular night, it was entirely their fault? Or do we back up and look at the airline and their training and determine whether or not these pilots were well trained to deal with what they were confronted with? The fact is, they did a lot of wrong things. One: their whole attitude about the effectiveness of ice and of their de-icing equipment, their whole attitude about maintaining a steady watch on things like airspeed, particularly as it affected the stall speed of the airplane once they started getting a load of ice. So, you've got truth in the vernacular as they say, 'they got too low and too slow' and they allowed the airplane to stall. In stalling the airplane, from what I have been able to glean from some of the reports, there is a possibility that they could have maybe saved it. Because if they could have maintained the attitude that they had and increased power—that airplane has a lot of power (Dash-8 Q400), they may have very well been able to fly out of it. But they've got a stick shaker. A stick shaker doesn't mean you're in a stall, it means you're approaching a stall. It sounds like what they did was apply power but they also pulled the nose up which may have aggravated their situation (in transcripts, the pilot called for flaps at 15 degrees on final approach). When they pulled the nose up, the airplane did, in fact, stall and then they've got a stick push, which means they had a lot of hydraulic pressure which was involved in pushing the yoke forward—that's an emergency safety device that tries to trade altitude for airspeed. That close to the ground, recovery from that was virtually impossible if you ask me. So, they hit the ground and killed everybody aboard—incredible tragedy.

Manning: The Air France tragedy is still an inconclusive investigation. What thoughts do you have on the structural differences between Boeing and Airbus? Some skeptics are speculating that there are signs of structural failure along certain materials of the Airbus A330? Are you biased by one manufacturer over another?

Tilmon: Initially, I was very much against the Airbus. One, coming from the old school and being resistant to change. I wasn't ready for that airplane—fly-by-wire and composites. But gradually, I began to understand that it was a very well engineered airplane with a lot of sophisticated redundancy and very safe to fly, and I have every confidence in the world that it's a world-class airplane. What happened that night? I don't even want to begin to speculate with all this conversation about the airspeed indicator and whether or not the pitot tubes were frozen over. I think we may never know what happened. The evidence, if there's any trace of it intact-- is at the bottom of the ocean. They may never find anything that gives them enough of an indication of what went wrong. That's why when you have an accident over water like that, you're never really certain that you have the answer.

Manning: You've witnessed from the cockpit the demise of Braniff, Eastern and Pan American World Airways along with airline consolidations—most recently with Northwest Airlines being merged into Delta. Our industry is in so much economic turmoil and the product airlines are offering has changed so drastically along with society. What are your thoughts on the current state of our airlines and what can be done to save them?

Tilmon: (responds with astonishment) We could reverse the economic recession, I suppose. The thing is, our industry should have seen it coming. There was a time during the 'Golden Years' where you could do no wrong. You could throw money around and unions could demand more, and they got it, and one union would get a leg up on the industry and the next union would say, 'Hey, I want to get paid like those guys do'. Eventually, we entered a dead-man’s spiral in terms of controlling the costs of flying an airplane. We should have done what Southwest did and of course, I think their heyday may be over, although they still have hedge bets on fuel costs. They are able to survive. When 9/11 happened it was like the perfect storm with so many factors occurring in the industry simultaneously wreaking havoc. It puts us all now in a position where we need to charge more, but we can't. We need to become very innovative about where we get our money. Are we going to charge for people bringing luggage on the plane? Are we going to charge for food? When you get right down to it, it's going to take some skillful management to help fly us out of this. Some of the airlines are doing a decent job of that. No question that we ended up with more seats than we had bodies to put in them. There are very few things more expensive than an empty airline seat. That contributed to it also. So, we need to tighten up on all of these airlines. There are plenty of 'White Tails'---what we call brand new airplanes that have never been delivered that are stored right here in Arizona because airlines couldn't take delivery of them. It's unfortunate and tragic, but we've arrived at that point where, again, it's going to take some very skillful negotiation and management and very savvy people to work together to keep our airlines flying. Many are going to survive. Others? I don't know.

Manning: What have you missed most about the industry and what have you missed least?

Tilmon: What I miss most is sitting in the seat and being in control of this magnificent beast that we call an airplane. And there's not one single part of this that I didn't enjoy. Not one single part. I mean, I never sat at the controls of a single aircraft without feeling blessed. No matter what else what going on around me, whether it was the airline's finances or union troubles or whatever. Once I sat down in that seat, I was in heaven. I never took it for granted. That was the ultimate pleasure and an honor to be given that trust to fly that airplane across the world. What do I miss the least? The bickering that goes on between the unions and the management, all that kind of garbage. I just never got myself into that very much. All I wanted to do was to fly my airplane. It's kind of like the lady who stuck her head into the cockpit when we were on the ground and she said. “Oh, my. It must be an awesome responsibility. You must be all stressed out every time you take off. All of these people sitting back here with their lives depending on you”. I was flying with an old salt who said, “Maam, not really. I just fly and land the cockpit and the rest of it normally follows. I'm always amazed when I open the cockpit door, those people are still there”. (mutual laughter). Pilots are just that. The kind of pilot I was, my world began and ended at the cockpit door. Now having said that, as a Captain I made it a habit to greet my passengers as they were coming through the aircraft door and to bid them a farewell as they were walking off. Now, I don't know if you can still do that with all of these kind of rules and everything else that they have. But I thought that was my responsibility as my guests were coming aboard trusting in me and my expertise, and trusting my crew, trusting my airplane, and the airplane manufacturer, and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and all the other people who were working diligently to make this a safe flight. I just always felt that I was a part of that team and I wanted to make people feel confident that they were in good hands. It was just a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to represent that much just by standing at that door. So, I never took that for granted either. It was just a pleasure of mine to help those people who came in through that door.

Manning: Looking back, how did you manage to maintain a flight schedule with American Airlines as a Captain and then balance that with a career as a television meteorologist and reporter? I can't recall any pilot currently who has been able to accomplish this?

Jim Tilmon interviewing Sammy Davis, Jr.

on "Tilmon's Tempo"

Tilmon: Well, I don't either. But multi-tasking is all part of living as far as I am concerned. Very early in my career I managed to master that wherever I am, I want to be there. In the cockpit, I was not a television broadcaster. On TV, I was not an airline pilot. I knew how to compartmentalize that. So, I would fly turnarounds in the morning. I would get up and fly a trip maybe from Chicago to New York, or Washington, D.C. or Boston or wherever—the East Coast generally. Because I could go there and fly a turnaround, get right back on a turnaround to O'Hare, get out, get back downtown to the station and do television for that evening. Now, I was considerably younger then than I am now. I don't think that I could pull that off right now, frankly. But I had the energy and the desire, I was having a lot of fun. You know, you can do a lot of things when you really are enjoying it and I enjoyed everything that I was doing.

Manning: And you enjoyed broadcasting?

Tilmon: I did. It never rose to the level of what I got out of flying. But it was great being able to communicate with people and hopefully make their lives a little bit better and safer. I had an experience in my first few weeks of doing television. I was walking across the street in downtown Chicago, and this huge truck pulled up right in front of me, and this guy looked down from the cab and said. “Hey buddy. I make my living by what you say at ten O'clock. Don't screw it up”. And I'll never forget that because it really layed out the responsibility that I had in some very clear terms to a lot of people that I would never meet. I took my broadcasting very, very seriously. I was never one of these guys who was a funny man doing the weather. I never cracked jokes or any of that silliness, particularly in Chicago weather—it's a serious thing winter and summer. You don't take that kind of responsibility lightly. I considered flying well over a hundred people across the country and talking to a million or two people on television about how they should prepare for their days weather. All of that was very serious stuff.

Manning: What advice could you share with pilots who are both starting their careers in commercial aviation and those veteran pilots facing an uncertain future at carriers such as US Airways and others where there are tremendous challenges with low morale and the looming prospect of yet more consolidation?

Tilmon: Well, as you talk about morale, I mean you're talking to the wrong person. I personally would give anything to have a chance at getting back into the cockpit at any pay level. Okay, maybe your pay isn't what you want it to be. Maybe your working conditions aren't what you want it to be. There may be a lot of things you didn't expect, but you signed on to fly airplanes. You are here to do that. That is a privilege. And I hope you recognize the significance'. Now, I know that some of the complaints are legitimate. Many have faced brutal layoffs. Others are living with incomes far below what at one time was considered an industry standard. So, the complaints are well founded. But I wanted to say that what has happened with the airline industry has occurred in industries across the board. The one saving grace is that if you are still fortunate enough to continue flying, that alone is enough to give you some measure of satisfaction. You're still getting to do something that is part and parcel of your dreams. What I say to the newbies, the new guys who are coming on board now? Well, first of all there's not a hell of a lot of them because I don't know many airlines hiring. But if a person is lucky enough to get hired by an airline today, I would say 'Look forward to a fascinating career that is so gratifying and so rewarding that I don't know a parallel for it. And if you don't feel that way, you shouldn't be flying. You should be a passenger. You should not be sitting in the cockpit. If you don't feel like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, you're in the wrong place. They've got a place where they call it passenger seats'. I look forward to the day when they start hiring again, and it's going to come because you've got a couple of bubbles in the population of pilots where they've had a hiring glitch, and they're all going to start retiring around the same time. The only thing that kind of dulled that bubble is that we've got some guys that are flying longer since the 60-year-old rule has been changed (to age 65).

Manning: I'd like to ask you about life today. You've created and produced a symphony-infused CD called “Angel Whispers” and you are an in-demand guest speaker. How did all of this come about?

Tilmon: Well, I majored in music in college. Music was my second love. Flying being my first. Music has always been important to my life. It's therapeutic, it does a lot for me that you can't do any other way. I had a psychologist friend of mine who told me, 'You will never have to use drugs in order to take care of your stress and your tension because you have music. And the way you use music is therapeutic and worth more than all of the drugs in a drug store'. I had the pleasure of playing in an orchestra as First Chair Clarinet. You know it's funny. I could fly in my full schedule, and then get up in the wee hours of the morning and fly and come back. And by evening, I'd go to orchestra rehearsal. Just sitting and playing in that orchestra, I'd feel as if I slept ten hours. I felt that good. The benefit of being involved in music at that level was just amazing.

Manning: You were First Chair Clarinetist with the Lake Forest Symphony?

Tilmon: Yes I was. I played E-flat Clarinet for a while with the The Evanston Symphony Orchestra, which was a much larger and more prestigious symphony in Evanston, Illinois. That's the home of Northwestern University. It's a beautiful college town. It's a magnificent city with a lot of culture there right down there on Lake Michigan. My father got his Masters degree from Northwestern, and that's how I came to play. I was highly honored to play in that orchestra.

Jim and Joan Tilmon

Manning: Lastly Jim, I know you recently celebrated your 75th birthday. What goals lie ahead for you and your wife, Joan?

Tilmon: Well, we have a couple of things we are passionate about right now. One of those deals with our youth. I've seen tragedy after tragedy with our teenagers in this country and it's not their fault. The adults in this country are the ones who are responsible for allowing this condition to run rampant. These kids have fallen victim to all kinds of challenges. The system itself is flawed, I believe. Kids that grew up in the earlier years had after school programs designed to give them guidance. Now at about the age of thirteen, there are very few particularly effective programs for these teenagers. So, they get home from school and generally, there's nobody there. Both parents are working, so they're unsupervised. So more than eighty five-percent of them wind up on the Internet every single day and for that reason, a very good friend of mine and I are putting together a corporation that is going to deal with some of the challenges kids are faced with that are not getting good answers. If you think they're getting good answers from the Internet now, think again. We're putting together an interactive Internet training and guiding experience to provide answers and guidance. Challenges such as what they are facing with teen pregnancy and obesity, drugs and alcohol, abuse, parents who are incarcerated. What they face are parents who in some instances themselves are teenagers. What they face today is very critical that they find good, solid information and answers to their challenges and we're going to provide that to reach millions of people in this country. It's ambitious and we know it. But challenges are nothing knew to me. It's something I have to do because I know how. Presently, we are scouring the country for educators to reach the kids on these subjects. We want content that's really going to help kids to find their way. I can tell you at this moment that's where I'm spending my time and energy.

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Since this interview was conducted, Your Success Network has become operational and is featured (along with Rachel's Challenge) on my Blogroll. My thanks to Jim Tilmon for making this interview possible.

Michael

JIM TILMON! (Part 1 of 2)

2011-02-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Captain Jim Tilmon (ret.) American Airlines
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Jim Tilmon was born July 31, 1934 in Guthrie, Oklahoma. He completed his studies in music from Lincoln University in Missouri. As a young boy, he always possessed an interest in flying. Afterward Jim accepted a commission and served eight years in the United States Army Corps of Engineers flying helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. He was stationed in Hanau, Germany and at various U.S. Bases before he was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain. This would be only the first of two occasions where Jim earned this rank. During the volatile social climate gripping the United States in 1965 with the Civil Rights movement underway, Jim joined American Airlines where he became the airline's third African American commercial pilot and the fifth in the country. His type ratings on the Douglas DC-6, DC-7, BAC-111 (where he also served as Instructor at the American Airlines Flight Academy) and the venerable Boeing 727 led to his being based in Chicago for the next 29 years. I found it amusing that like me, Jim began his broadcasting career with the Public Broadcasting System. In Jim's case, he began at WTTW TV in Chicago, where he spent four years hosting his own weekly magazine format show. “Our People” (1968-1972) was the first television show of its kind in the country—produced of, for and by Black people.

The show premiered just one week following the tragic assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and led, ostensibly, to the series featuring Jim. The series was a revealing look at Black Chicagoans in the months following Dr. King's slaying. Jim Tilmon's guests were varied and included politicians, artists and activists such as Harold Washington (then a young State Representative who later became Mayor of Chicago), author James Baldwin, Senator Richard Newhouse and jazz vocalist Johnny Hartman.

After his fourth season on the air, Jim moved over to Chicago's NBC's network-owned WMAQ-TV for 22 and a half years where he hosted the weekly magazine format show “Tilmon’s Tempo” in addition to his duties as a weather forecaster and an aviation and science reporter—amazingly enough—as he continued to fly as a Captain with American. After leaving WMAQ he appeared on numerous national television programs including Chris Matthews' Hardball, The Abrams Report, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Imus in the Morning, and Nightline with Ted Koppel.

In 1974, Tilmon received a Chicago Emmy Award and was nominated for a National Emmy with the Illinois Associated Press and United Press International for excellence in reporting and broadcasting.

In 1994, Jim retired from commercial aviation as Captain of the Boeing 727. “I had an opportunity to start flying the Douglas DC-10 when it arrived on the scene”, said Tilmon, “but I chose to stay with the 727 because I loved that aircraft so much”. Although Jim spent his career at American Airlines, United Airlines recognized his unique contributions to aviation by awarding him the title of “Honorary United Airlines Captain”. He continued his work in broadcasting for FOX TV in Chicago and in Phoenix. A relocation to Arizona led him to another common thread in my own life, on-air aviation reporting. However, in 2002, Tilmon returned to Chicago as a weather forecaster and aviation reporter and analyst for the CBS network-owned WBBM-TV. Armed with more than over 50 years of experience ranging from piloting small aircraft to piston and turbine aircraft and eventually, commanding Transport Category Jet aircraft, Jim's aviation consulting has included his expert analysis in the areas of aviation and weather for many legal firms.

While at WMAQ TV in Chicago, Jim took an in-depth look at security lapses at O'Hare Airport. His conclusions led to the adoption of numerous safety improvements at O'Hare and the FAA actually named an airway navigation point after him. An accomplished concert musician, Jim served as First Clarinetist with the Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra and the Evanston Symphony Orchestra before creating original music for video and audio productions including made for television motion pictures. His CD of relaxation music is entitled “Angel Whispers”. Today, Jim is a principal of The Tilmon Group, an aviation consulting firm in Phoenix and he is a frequent guest speaker to a variety of business and civic groups. Jim is also Vice Chairman of Your Success Network and an Advisory Board member of Rachel's Challenge. He is the father of three children and five grandchildren. I recently sat down with Jim Tilmon to gain his unique perspectives on aviation issues of today.

Manning: Jim, you began flying at a time that many regard as the zenith of commercial aviation in the United States in 1965. How has the industry changed for the better and the worst for pilots and passengers from back then to the present day?

Tilmon: Well, obviously we've made a lot of progress and different innovations have been brought to bear. We do have a significant amount of high-tech and very sophisticated equipment that we now use almost routinely that we didn't have access to back then. When I started flying, I started flying on propeller-driven aircraft. I was flying flight engineer on the (Douglas) DC-6 and DC-7. Obviously, from there I flew as copilot and all-jet with my airline (American) and that made a significant difference. Even the jet aircraft we have today-the most modern ones—are very, very different from the old days. There's been a remarkable amount of progress made over that period of time.

Manning: Please give us some thumb nail impressions of the commercial aircraft that you held type ratings on (DC-6, DC-7, BAC-111 and the Boeing 727)?

Tilmon: The first airplane I really saw up close, on the ground in my entire life was the DC-7. It was an aircraft that taxied into Tulsa International Airport Gate 4, and it had the old orange lightning bolt on side and the Eagle painted near the tail. It was like a dream come true, actually, to see that airplane when it taxied up to the gate. The co-pilot opened his window and put a flag out near the nose of the airplane that was flapping out in the breeze when it came to a stop. Then the pilot opened up his window and smiled and waved, and I waved back. I thought he was waving at me! That was the DC-7 red carpet Flagship Service. They rolled a red carpet across the tarmac and the passengers never stepped on the actual concrete. They stepped on the red carpet as they walked on into the terminal. I will never forget that because it was a fascinating day. The first airplane that I saw in my life was an American DC-3 that flew right over my house when I was five-years-old. That's the day that I found out that pilots flew them and that was the day I wanted to be a pilot. So, getting to see that American Airlines airplane up that close was a dramatic moment for me. When I hired on at American and was trained to fly the DC-6 and the DC-7 it was a great deal of emotional feeling that went with that training. They were large airplanes by my standards. The were large, beautiful airplanes and they had the character and the handling capabilities of just exactly what I dreamed that they would. Just really well-designed, super aircraft that did a good job for their day. Later on, I was selected to go to school on the BAC-111 (British Aircraft Corporation 1-11 short-range jetliner of the 1960's) and that was my very first jet aircraft. I'll never forget it.

The first time that I actually sat in the seat, we were in New York and we took off from LaGuardia and the Captain, the training pilot took off and we landed across at another field for a practice and I remember that he taxied out into the center line of the runway and said, “Okay, you've got it”. And nothing in my training or experience any place came close to the thrill of actually pushing those throttles forward. On the BAC-111 you had the Rolls Royce by-pass engines. It was loud, but that baby was instant power! When I moved those throttles forward it was like a giant mule kicked that airplane in the rear end and we went screaming down the runway. And I remember the sight of the center line, those dashes in the center line grew closer and closer because at such a fast rate the optical illusion made it appear as if those dashes in the white line was a solid line and then the pilot yelled “V-2, rotate!” and I just gently pulled back on the stick and that baby just went out like a home sick angel and I climbed up and cleaned up the airplane and the instructor knew this was my first jet takeoff. He said “Okay I've got it” (the plane) as he took the controls and he said, “Okay now you can do it”. I actually screamed “Whoopee!” It rocked my world, it really did. It was a very thrilling moment, and I'll just never forget. It was a perfect day. I ended up really getting to know that airplane.

Because it was my first jet, I think that I really put a whole lot more study into the airplane itself maybe than I might have. And of course, it led me to being sent down to school in Texas for American Airlines and re-writing the (training) manual taught about the BAC-111 and working, as they say, in the office of instruction as well. That was a very exciting experience on the BAC-111. And then of course, I got a chance to fly as a co-pilot on the Boeing 727. What an experience that was! That bird was just gorgeous. If I could have, I would have proposed marriage to it.

Manning: (laughter) Tell us about the Boeing 727. It happens to be my favorite aircraft.

Tilmon: It was an incredible airplane that was brilliantly engineered in every way possible. It was built like a tank, and you had to fly it. You didn't toy around with that airplane. When you went to land a 727, you better be on your 'P's and Q's” or that airplane would rise up and bite you! It was a very interesting airplane. We were taught to not flare it at the last minute, the way that you would normally handle a landing. Rather, when you got to that point you just gently rocked the nose forward. And the reason for that was because the main landing gear was behind the center of lift. When you moved the nose forward and slightly down, the gear would rise rather than just the opposite.

Manning: I get that. Right!

Tilmon: Do it right and you'll wind up with just a beautiful landing. If you do it wrong, of course you'll know about it and of course so will all of the other passengers. But if I could choose to fly a hundred years, I'll always remember that airplane as being my favorite.

I had an opportunity to, because of seniority to go to transfer to the DC-10 and bigger airplanes that flew over water and all that—bigger pay and all that. I turned all that down just to stay on the 727. It was just my favorite airplane and I was just glad that it was the last one I chose to fly for American.

Manning: You had mentioned to me briefly once that you had an opportunity to transition to the DC-10. What reservations, if any, did you have about making that move?

Tilmon: None, really. I just didn't want to fly anything else. The joke was about how in love I was with that airplane. The Chief Pilot, even after I had retired called me up and said, “Jim, I just want you to know they're going to retire the DC-10, and when they do that and when they fly it down to the bone yard, the crew is going to dead-head back on a 727”.

Manning: Oh, yeah.

Tilmon: I don't know if that was actually true or not. But he made me feel good about the fact that it wasn't headed to the bone yard quite yet. And it was a love affair, it really was.

Manning: What were some of the pressures associated with becoming only the third African-American pilot at American Airlines and the fifth in the country?

Tilmon: Something like those numbers is correct, yes. Well, it was a pioneering effort. Certainly not one that I wasn't ready for. I had been ready for it since I was five years-old. So, I was quite well prepared for whatever was going to be dished out. And of course, that was not my first flying experience. I got my wings in the military. A lot of the tricks and pit falls and so forth due to racism and bigotry, I had already been through. You couldn't grow up as a Black kid in Oklahoma without having some brush with that sort of thing. So, when people decided to do things to get me in trouble or embarrass me. I'd been there before. I knew where they were coming from and I knew what my objective was. My objective, just like I didn't hesitate to deal with it effectively without making noise. When I was in the military, there were a lot of people that tried everything in the world to discourage me from doing that too. But I was in the military to earn my wings and not to win a racial battle. So, I kept my focus on what I truly wanted to do. I wanted to fly for American Airlines for the rest of my life. For somebody to come up with some trivia or something to try to get me fired was a nuisance. Nothing was going to stop me because I had a determination and that was something that I was going to do.

When I was a kid, the other people would see me and ask, “What are you going to do when you grow up, little boy?” And I'd say, “I'm going to be a pilot”. And immediately, the buzz would start between adults having a conversation about a child in his presence without a clue about how to bring him into that conversation. And it grew serious along the lines of, “Somebody needs to talk to this boy. He's telling us he's going to be a pilot?” One of the adults would say to me, “I'll bet you've never even seen a Black pilot!” And I said, “That's true. But then, I've never seen a White pilot either.” And that was true. I'd never met one or anything else! I just had this dream. I had the concept. I had a vision. Anyhow, I had to go home and tell my dad that I had several adults who went berserk in my presence. He said, “I want you to listen to me very carefully. If you really want to be a pilot, and you believe that you can fly, and you're willing to pay the price, you'll be a pilot”. And that advice stayed with me for the rest of my life. It was the one thing that gave me the confidence and the power to withstand whatever would be thrown at me—and trust me, there was pretty heavy-duty things that were thrown at me.

Manning: As I understand it, both of your parents were educators in Oklahoma.

Tilmon: Yes they were, and that helped a lot because my dad understood the principles of flight and all that sort of thing. But I saw that airplane (Douglas DC-3) when I was five. I did not see another airplane in the air or on the ground for years. I actually visualized the cockpit; I had never seen the cockpit, obviously. But I had a vision of it, and I started making model airplanes and somebody started producing a model airplane that I could mail order, and it was just a mock up of an airplane with little wires attached to a control stick that you could use to actually control the wings and the tail. That was the first time that I had a really solid concept of what the cockpit looked like and what kind of controls were involved to fly the airplane. Then I tried to visualize the aerodynamics that caused the airplane to bank and turn and climb or whatever. The power of a dream is phenomenal. And I don't think that anybody has been able to measure it or understand it or anything else except that I lived it and that is a powerful thing to live. It continued on to the day that I called the Tulsa Tower and reported on final for Tulsa International. And I was cleared to land on runway one eight and taxi in—believe it or not—Gate 4. My parents had never really seen me in a cockpit or really had ever seen me in my uniform. They came out to the airport, and when all of the passengers were off, I invited them to see the cockpit. It was kind of interesting, because my Mom was ooohing and ahhing and saying “Oh, baby this is wonderful, just all of these dials in here and you understand all of that. I'm so proud of you”. My Dad was silent, and I turned around and he had a big tear running down his cheek. I had never seen him cry! He said, “I told them, that if he believed he could do it, and he was willing to pay the price, he would fly, and you did it by golly”. That was one of those moments in time that you cherish, because I had lived his dream for me already. It was just one of those very emotional moments in flight that will always be with me.

Manning: That is powerful! What are some of your thoughts about deregulation in the airline industry back in 1978? Did you greet it as a positive development for the industry? I ask this in the aftermath of so many airline failures and mergers.

Tilmon: Well, I've never been involved in the politics of aviation. You had to realize from my perspective. As long as they allowed me the privilege to go out and fly an exotic piece of equipment, I could have cared less what the rest of the industry was doing. I knew that there's ramifications here and the business of running the airline was significant. I was singular in my participation in aviation world. I just wanted to go and fly my airplane. I didn't care about the ethnic slurs that were put in my way. I didn't care about anything else but climbing in that cockpit and flying that airplane back and forth. So, deregulation is important and dependent upon whichever position you take, whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. I can argue either side of that quite effectively. My focus was inside of the cockpit and not out.

Manning: You have been a sought after speaker and consultant on safety issues within the commercial aviation industry. In a post 9/11 world, where have we made progress and what additional measures need to be taken to make our skies safer?

Tilmon: Well, I think that there are a lot of very good people who have worked very hard to ensure that our skies are safe and they've done a marvelous job, to begin with, regardless of the administration in the White House. There's been a lot of really hard and effective work that has been done to protect us. We got caught with our pants down on 9/11. And our whole philosophy of the hijack and everything else was so archaic by the standards of al-Qaeda.

So, we've come a very long way and we are far more secure than we were before. I actually had a hand in spearheading an effort to make O'Hare Airport (Chicago) more secure. And I did that, frankly, because I had the power of television news and I discovered a whole lot of loop holes and security breaches and everything else at that airport. Finally, the Mayor got sick and tired of dealing with my stories and elected to spend a lot of money to beef up security. Today, I can say our security is very good. Is it perfect? No. I mean, it's just not. But it's a heck of a lot better than it ever was before.

Manning: This was Mayor Richard Dailey?

Tilmon: Yes, this was Mayor Dailey, the son.

(Our conversation concludes Saturday with a look at airline safety among other subjects!)

FASCINATING PEOPLE I'VE INTERVIEWED (PART 2)!

2010-09-22T00:41:00.000-07:00

One of the proudest moments of my career arrived when I became the first US journalist in 16-years selected to interview former NASA Astronaut and Eastern Airlines CEO Colonel Frank Borman.

This fascinating autobiography is a must-read for anyone who has lost faith in our great country. Were it not for the integrity and leadership of Colonel Borman, I seriously doubt that the NASA Apollo project would have survived following the tragic 1967 Apollo 1 launch pad fire. Colonel Borman was instrumental in helping to investigate the cause of the blaze and served on a panel to make recommendations to NASA engineers that ultimately enabled the Apollo spacecraft to undergo massive modifications. As Commander of Gemini 7, Colonel Borman and James Lovell achieved the first space rendezvous with Gemini 6b. As Commander of Apollo 8, Borman, Lovell and Bill Anders completed the world's first lunar orbital mission around The Moon on December 24, 1968 during which time they each read from the first ten verses of the Book of Genesis; the broadcast attracted more television viewers than any event in history at the time. At Eastern Airlines, Frank Borman served as chairman, president and CEO during his 16 year tenure and brought in a new management team that produced the industry's first Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). He oversaw a massive expansion of the airline to new destinations along with a massive fleet renewal (Eastern was the launch customer of the Boeing 727, Boeing 757, Lockheed L-1011 and the Airbus A300B4 in the US market). The airline achieved four straight years of profitability (1976-1980) under his leadership. Colonel Borman is now retired. He is an extraordinary man of Character, Integrity and Honor--a true American Hero.

In November of this year, this fascinating in-depth book by Marshall Terrill, "Steve McQueen: The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon" will bring to the world a fuller dimension about the world's most acclaimed actor of a generation. I can tell you it is absolutely riveting. Terrill is a veteran film, sports and music writer and the author of more than a dozen books. Marshall was well received during the past two years on my website feature, "The Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival". He will join us again, by popular request for another unique visit you will not want to miss on "The Interview"!

Montage of Keri Kennedy

Keri Kennedy is not only a sweet friend with wit, humor and intelligence, she is a tireless activist for cancer awareness. Keri became my very first Guest on "The Interview" after her husband Keith was diagnosed with brain cancer. By sharing their story, Keri successfully reached millions of readers on the worldwide web about a subject we all became more familiar with. Through Keri's encouragement, I became friends with another fabulous person, musician David. M. Bailey who also became my guest in a later interview.

David M. Bailey In Concert

David M. Bailey has undertaken an extraordinary life journey that has inspired millions. He has been featured as a Guest on CBS' "60 Minutes" and has twenty CD's available. Married with two children, this young man was diagnosed 16 years ago with a brain tumor that he has fought with courage that is inspiring and touching. After his initial surgery, at the urging of his wife, Leslie, David left the corporate world and took up the guitar again and began touring the world vigorously with original compositions. After he was a Guest on "The Interview", David arranged for me to sneak into a private musical performance he gave to a large group of Oncology Nurses in Northern Ohio back in 2006. His songs are infused with a positive message about Faith and living each precious moment we have with a life that is purpose filled.

David M. Bailey is listed on my Blog Roll. Check out his CD's.

Kathryn Magendie

Kathryn Magendie is a lovely person and a dedicated author who lives in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. We met over coffee twice during my business travels and her website features poems and videos from her two books, "Tender Graces" and "Simpler Graces". A sweet and generous person who has been encouraging to writers worldwide, it was a genuine joy to have Kat as my Guest on "The Interview". Stop by her website on my Blog Roll!

"Retirement" Speech

This is one airline executive whom I personally know that can shake things up and engineer a turnaround with true grit. A maverick who was the Vice President of Boeing's 757 and 767 program in Washington State, Gordon Bethune is a licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic and a commercial pilot! He was looking for a challenge and boy did he find one---leading the employees of a decimated Continental Airlines "From Worst to First" (the title of his New York Times Best Selling book detailing how he and his employees turned around Continental from the dark decade of corporate raider Frank Lorenzo to a first class Legacy carrier). By the end of 2010, Continental will merge with United Airlines to become the world's biggest carrier. Bethune stepped down from the company (shown here in his farewell speech in 2004). I interviewed him in the downtown Houston worldwide headquarters of Continental and drew a few letters to Airways magazine criticising me for including Gordon's salty language (which I found hysterical). I thought the interview was great fun and genuinely enjoyed Gordon. American businesses today need to study this man's book and get their collective act together with some imagination to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

"This is the part where we're supposed to look like we actually like each other", said Bethune after our interview was taped. A scream!

Denny Shane suffered a massive stroke some time after our interview and left the world of blogging to focus on recovering. A true Renaissance man who was a close friend of the late news anchor Jessica Savitch, we enjoyed years of friendship and humor. His blog, "My Anything But Normal Life" was one of the most popular in the world during blogging's early days when Denny would draw hundreds of thousands of visitors. From meeting President Kennedy and President Reagan to his spoofs with Letters to Olga (a would-be Russian mail order bride) Denny's humor and take on the world was hysterical, warm and always unpredictable. We were to meet for coffee in Houston after my interview with Gordon Bethune of Continental Airlines, when Denny cancelled to take advantage of a free trip to his beloved Belize for a short vacation. His interview with me was punctuated by our mutual hysterics involving observations from Law to Hugh Hefner and Denny's faborite Playboy Playmate, Kelly Monaco. The sparring between commenters led Denny to answer on my own site for days afterward. I once asked him if he had ever watched Ed Wood's "Plan 9 from Outer Space". He answered, "Unfortunately, Michael I have." Our last phone conversation at 10 p.m. one night would become our farewell--a great visit infused with humor and good will. He is missed.

My dear friends Brian and Janelle Jones opened up their life experience of losing their 10-year old daughter Natalie Rose to a form of brain cancer called DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma). Fifteen months in the planning stages, we met on a warm summer night in 2009 and the couple shared selflessly their journey of losing Natalie and the many lessons they have learned to share with other parents about a disease that is found in only 250 children worldwide each year. To sit down and hear their story was a gift of love! Today, thanks to the crawler on the worldwide web, millions can access information from The Jones' about the disease and ultimately what must be done to eradicate it. It is particularly poignant during September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Actress Sharon Farrell was Steve McQueen's co-star in the 1969 movie "The Reivers". We met in Missouri in April, 2010. Her film credits include "Marlowe", "The Stunt Man", "Arcade" "Beyond Desire" and "Last Chance Love". Her "numerous television series appearances included "The Virginian", "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.", "Gunsmoke" and much more. A lovely person, Sharon is always encouraging of young people who are working hard in this demanding industry.

Sharon Farrell Today

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Part 3 will conclude this mini-series straight ahead!

FASCINATING PEOPLE I'VE INTERVIEWED (PART 1)!

2010-09-21T00:40:00.000-07:00

Jeb Rosebrook is a writer/producer for film and television and has written extensively for Arizona Highways magazine. In 1972, Jeb wrote the screenplay for the Steve McQueen film, Junior Bonner, Steves' favorite film that is beloved worldwide.

Respected businessman and philanthropist Mel Haber teamed up with author Marshall Terrill to write in his own words of his fascinating journey from New York to Palm Springs where he owns The Ingleside Inn and Melvyn's Restaurant--a desert hideaway of many celebrities over the years.

Veteran broadcaster Doug Miles is based in Sarasota, Florida. A renowned sports writer and broadcasting personality on radio and TV, I've appeared as a guest several times on Doug's "Suncoast Magazine". It was an honor to turn the tables and interview Doug about his exciting career. He is the founder of Milestone Broadcasting. Gary Schuster began his career writing for his high school newspaper in Detroit Michigan and rose through television and radio positions to become White House Chief and Washington correspondent with CBS Television. He interviewed me in 2006 with Doug Miles on WIBQ Radio.

Jeanine Konopelski is the National Director of Marketing Communications with Canine Companions for Independence. The organization trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

Bob Jensen, CEO

Kenyon International Emergency

Disaster Services

Rich Mackney (1954-2010) was a brilliant businessman, athlete, devoted husband, father and a personal friend of mine who courageously shared his journey with ALS on "The Interview". By telling his story, Rich gave hope to millions on the worldwide web who are both coping with ALS and those who are leading research efforts for an eventual cure. He is missed tremendously.

(Above): Bobby Booth, CEO of Aviation Management in Miami--considered the world's leading authority on Latin American commercial aviation. (Middle Photo): Tom Plaskett was Pan Am's final CEO (Russell Ray, Jr. was Pan Am CEO for only two months before he was removed by Pan Am's Creditor's Committee during Pan Am's Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings). Plaskett is widely credited with creating the Frequent Flyer program as a Senior VP of Marketing at American Airlines. I interviewed him as Chairman of luxury carrier, Legend Airlines, which flew throughout the year, 2000 before ceasing operations.

(Bottom): Bryan Bedford is the dynamic CEO of Republic Airways, one of the nation's largest provider of regional jet services for several large airlines. Republic also operates Frontier Airlines as a subsidiary. I sat down with Bryan in Indianapolis, Indiana to learn about the often-overlooked regional jet industry.

Subodh Karnik, former CEO of Global Aero Logistics

TWA CEO Jeff Erickson was shocked that I was a journalist who wanted to ask "What's right about TWA?" after nearly 20-years of media reports critical of the financially ailing airline once owned by Howard Hughes. Erickson sat down with me during the legendary carrier's second bankruptcy proceeding, and then again after the carrier emerged from Chapter 11. Our last meeting occurred just prior to the tragic loss of TWA Flight 800. The airline received the JD Powers Award for Best Domestic Airline in 2000, just one year before the terrorist attacks of 9/11. TWA was subsequently placed in Chapter 11 for a third and final time before its assets were acquired by American Airlines.

Thomas Kolfenbach was another fellow who was surprised that I would want to interview him. A classic car dealership owner and business entrepreneur, he founded Sun Jet International as Florida's answer to low fare carrier Southwest Airlines before selling the business. When the airline (renamed Southeast) failed, Kolfenbach returned to rescue the remaining assets to stage a courageous re-launch for several years before folding the operations in the wake of high oil prices and intense competition. It takes guts to pursue the American Dream.

Annemarie Lucas and Joseph Pentangelo are well regarded by international television audiences as officers of New York's ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division. The duo appeared on Discovery Network's "Animal Precinct" (which aired from 2001-2008). A champion for animal rights, both were generous to appear on "The Interview". Their appearance involved one-year of planning due to their demanding work schedules. Yet, they made a commitment to me and stuck by it. Class!

I receive many emails throughout the year from readers who have followed my website feature "The Interview", and it is my sincere pleasure to bring you visits with fascinating guests from all walks of life who help make our world interesting and ultimately, a better place. I will be featuring more mini-profiles of guests in the days and weeks ahead. Stay tuned!

Michael

Handel Wellington appeared as my guest in the October, 2010 issue of Airways magazine. A native of Jamaica, this young man is an inspiration for anyone of any age to follow their dreams. A civil engineering student, he changed his major in college to his true passion--aviation--and is today a commercial pilot for a major airline. Subodh Karnik was VP of Marketing with Delta Air Lines and the former CEO of Global Aero Logistics. GAL owns the former ATA (American Trans Air) and currently World Airways and North American Airlines. Mr. Karnik is today Managing Director Global Currency and Commodity Group at JP Morgan Chase.Tom Plaskett was Chairman, President and CEO of Pan Am Corporation from 1988-1991. As Senior VP of Marketing and Finance with American Airlines, he was instrumental in creating in 1981 the frequent flyer program as we know it today. I interviewed Tom in his capacity as Chairman of the former Legend Airlines, a luxury airline that operated in 2000.When it comes to commercial aviation in Latin America, Bobby Booth is the expert as founder and Chairman of AvMan Aviation consulting in Miami, Florida. Author Sondra Harris is brilliant, witty and possesses a sense of humor that is side-splitting. Her website Blog "Golfwidow's Ministry of Silly Walks" appears on my Blog Roll. Stop by!Ron Jensen is CEO of Kenyon International Emergency Services providing governments and individuals with disaster relief planning and services.

DAVID M. BAILEY (MY 2006 VISIT)!

2010-09-20T00:43:00.000-07:00

Coincidentally, this venue is where Alison Krauss + Union Station

recorded her 2002 Double Live CD--at

The Palace Theater in Louisville, Kentucky.(Photo: Phil Vancelette)

Message from David M. Bailey:

Listserv@mitvma.mit.edu
- Put in the message body:

SUBSCRIBE BRAINTMR (put your name here)

"I am on tour around the country pretty much all the time and would welcome the chance to meet you if I'm in your area"

Websites:

There are A LOT great websites with brain tumor info - I suggest starting with the following -

Al Musella's List of Clinical Trials and Treatments -http://www.virtualtrials.com

_____

Note from Michael on September 18, 2010: The following visit was the second of my Blog Page series, "The Interview". It was conducted on April 18, 2006 with David M. Bailey. He has been a guest on CBS' "48 Hours", "60 Minutes", Fox Health, Family Health Channel, NPR (National Public Radio) and dozens of newspapers across the United States. In January, 2007 David snuck me into a special concert he was performing in Northeast Ohio for Oncology Nurses. I was brought into a side door after dinner and quietly sat in the back of the auditorium. The following year, David's cancer returned along with additional surgery. In republishing this special visit, I'd like to ask each of you to remember David as he is navigating a very challenging time with cancer. Your thoughts and prayers are very appreciated. Here is how our visit went:

(April 18, 2006): My good friend Keri Kennedy is responsible for networking me to fellow musician David M. Bailey last year. You may remember my very first BLOG Interview was with Keri some time ago. Last November, (after my First "Interview" Keri) I wrote David an e-mail. In late February of this year, I received a slightly delayed response, due to his touring schedule in the mail along with two CD's I was really interested in hearing and one was a "Live" CD! Live CD's allow us all to hear the interaction that is unique between an artist and his or her audience. I found David to be very "down to earth", warm and open to sharing and exchanging new ideas. But there is more to his story. Much more!

Ten years ago David began experiencing terrible headaches. His wife urged him to go to the doctor but David was initially reluctant. Each of us who has experienced a migraine usually takes medication of some sort or other and it resolves. However, David's headaches continued When he finally agreed to seek medical help, physicians who examined David delivered absolutely devastating news. A brain tumor--literally--the size of a baseball was located in David's brain. Surgeons successfully removed the entire mass. But afterwards, the doctors advised David that he probably had 6 months left to live. In May of 2003 he won the Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competition. He is inspirational and motivating and I am very honored to welcome to my new Blog site series: "The Interview". Here is a very special man you won't soon forget: David M.Bailey. David, Welcome!

Manning: I always like to work backwards a bit. So tell me, when did music first become your passion?

Bailey: I took piano lessons through elementary school but it never really stuck. Then in 7th grade, I took guitar lessons from my English teacher after school. My guitar was pieced together from 3 broken ones that had been donated to us. it was love at first pluck.

Manning: Who were your earliest musical influences?

Bailey: I grew up overseas, so radio didn't really have much of an impact on me. My folks had one Joni Mitchell record and a few from Peter Paul and Mary. I think I learned the idea of harmony from them. It was a huge thrill of mine to meet Peter later in Kerrville. I also listened to a lot of Cat Stevens, CSN and J.S. Bach.

Manning: That is so cool, because I've been a huge fan of all of those artists and saw CSN twice. Your parents are Presbyterian missionaries and I know that you were in Beirut, Lebanon until the civil war there forced you to finish your schooling in Germany. Tell us how your musical training evolved?

Bailey: After the guitar class were officially over, the teacher asked if I would like to take private lessons in classical guitar. I don't think I was hugely interested in that, but he assured me that it would really help my technique no matter what I ended up doing and he was right. I did that for a year, then later when I evacuated to Germany for high school, I connected with a German tutor for a bit of finger picking and jazz, but mostly it was in playing everyday that my style developed.

Manning: When I listened to your "Live" CD, I was struck by how entirely at ease you were with the audience. Is there a method or a ritual you go through before every show to prepare for the gig?

Bailey: Great question! Thanks ! And, I would say the answer is no. Part of that comes, I guess, with years of just doing it. The other part is that I do have a pretty good idea of what I am going to do that night by way of a set list that I spend a lot of time on for each show--No two are the same. I think of it as a journey that we area all on together and while I have a pretty good idea of where I hope we end up, the road there can take a lot of turns. Just try to enjoy the ride and be a good tour guide.

Manning: That's a terrific approach! You are known internationally. And I have heard others compare you to Cat Stevens, or Jim Croce. But I was surprised to learn that your influences are J.S. Bach and Kahlil Gibran?

Bailey: Listen to the Brandenburg Concertos with your eyes closed. The way he has so many things moving and finally resolving is kinda how I think. Gibran does the same thing with words and his use of metaphor continues to inspire me.

Manning: Of course, this week now, I'll get into the Brandenburg Concertos with my eyes closed to see what I experience! How does David M. Bailey answer to critics who might say, "He's too religious" or "He's too much in the inspirational category?"

Bailey: [smiling] Well, I'd be inclined to ask them why "inspiring" is bad? I'd also invite them to a concert so they could hear me in context of a larger body of work than just one song or CD. It's all about balance. For instance, I usually play my song about psycho airport security people right before or right after the one lamenting the death of a friend. Finally, I've been around enough to learn that winning awards and critic's ears is not what matters It's nice when it happens, but I'm way more interested in connecting to my listeners and being true to who I am. Sounds really corny, but it's true. And, you know what they say: 'No one ever built a statue for a critic'.

Manning: [laughing] Well said. That's the first time I've heard that one. I'll have to remember that--and use it too!! Like many of us, you put down the guitar and went into the corporate world for awhile to keep the bills paid. What made you focus entirely on earning a living with music?

Bailey: I'd like to say that I had the vision and plan and executed it in a timely controlled way, but the truth is at first, I never focused on trying to make a living with music. I was just making music to help keep my own heart and head alive and to share some of what I was learning with others. The money kinda straggled in later until I had to choose between throwing myself back into the corporate world [kinda unthinkable] or take the small leap of faith and finding out where music could go. It's a bit trite to say it, but now I have both a living and a life. More than anything, I love saying "a musician" when asked what I do.

Manning: I'd like to shift gears, if we can onto the subject of what happened to your health. I've been treated for headaches and have had brain scans but I am totally healthy. Your brain tumor sounds like something that came right out of "left field"?

Bailey: The headaches showed up one day, got bad, then over the course of a few days got really bad, then one day I woke up and had a seizure and fell over. My wife called 9-1-1 and the next thing I remember it was 4 days later and I had taken an ambulance ride, a helicopter ride and had a brain operation. Crazy.

Manning: So, you were married at this point. How did you and your wife respond to such a terrible prognosis? Six months isn't much time at all to get one's life in order?

Bailey: She was (is) a rock. Crazy thing is, the day all this happened was the same day we were supposed to move --the van was on the way and our house was all packed ready to load. All of a sudden, everything changed and while it took me several days to first understand this and second come to terms with it, she understood immediately that a new chapter had started, kept everything running and everyone afloat and, never had any doubt that I would live. Faith beyond measure.

Manning: That sure is, David. How do you yourself explain that you have beaten the odds? You are very much alive and well today. I have looked over your Touring Itinerary and it's relentless. How do you explain your ability to achieve this from your perspective?

Bailey: My As for beating the odds, I've received the very best care in the world at Duke University, I am aware that there are countless people praying for me and most of whom I've never met, and I have a unique passion that drives me to get up early and stay up late. And I learned this the hard way. The the passion must include helping others. I think that's huge. It's kind of exhausting to live that way, but nothing a nap can't fix. As for the busy touring, well, the kids like to eat and I don't have much else to do.

Manning: Do you ever ask, "Why me? Why did this happen to me?"

Bailey: Ten days after the first surgery. I asked it once. I had a long conversation with God that day, and quickly learned it wasn't that it was a bad question-just a useless one. I realized that even if I knew, it wouldn't change what was important - namely , what was I going to do with the time I have? It was an easy change --not "why?", but instead, "what now?" That question was empowering and I still ask it every day.

Manning: You are a spiritual man, a Christian. Were you ever angry at God?

Bailey: Yes, just once -- at the beginning of the "why me" conversation which actually began with me screaming that question. By the time we were done, I was looking for my first answer to "what now?'", which turned out to be the guitar.

Manning: How are you feeling these days physically?

Bailey: Great! Just got my annual check up scan and it's all clear -0h, I also just turned 40-- which is a bigger milestone than I expected. Wondering if I am supposed to get a real job now that I am all grown up?

Manning: (Laughing) I relate! Can you take us through an average day when you are off the road and on the road? Are there certain medicines that help you or certain exercises that help you remain well?

Bailey: Medicine-wise, I just take stuff for seizures and vitamins. Nothing fancy. A typical day on the road is actually more typical than at home --fly, hotel, gig, fly. I guess the stage is kinda like a second home But it takes a good amount of effort and time to get to that 90 minutes on stage. Aside from the actual performance and the time afterwards meeting people, the whole process of touring is semi-routine, punctuated by lots of unpredictable variables --the sound system, the sound check, the audience, the lodging, the town itself, etc. There are moments when you stop and wonder "What am I doing here?" but they are few and far between. Mostly, I am blessed to have one of the few jobs in the world where, when you are done, people stand up and applaud. And on those nights when it feels like maybe I didn't really connect, it always amazes me to hear what folks say afterwards. Very affirming.

Manning: Your journey literally led you to several hospitals and doctors. What was missing that you were searching for at these facilities?

Bailey: I think it all comes down to one word: hope. It is hope that Duke offered. I think you can have the best treatment in the universe, but if you offer the patient no hope, there's no point. Conversely, hope can lift you above a lot of roadblocks. I could go on a long time on this one. Which is tricky, because a lot of people who don't make it had hope until the moment they passed. The difference? I wish I knew.

Manning: I sense that you refused to die. Am I correct?

Bailey: Sort of. I saw a lot of others just give up. I figured it was a choice early on and giving up never really occurred to me.

Manning: Still, how did you face the facts and how did your wife face all of this? This had to be a nightmare of equal proportion for her?

Bailey: Probably more so. I'd rather be the patient than the caregiver -- I've heard many other patients say that. For me, death has sort of become like a friend who walks beside me but is annoying enough that I keep him at a solid arms length.

Manning: David, one of the risks in an interview like this is that many people with Cancer might become frightened even more than they already are. What do you say to them?

Bailey: This sounds melodramatic so I hesitate to comment, but it's a phrase I've heard before: Cancer saved my life: it showed me how precious the gift of time is. It forced me to overcome some fears and pursue a passion. It drove me to want to make a real difference in the world and in other people's lives by sharing hope and to leave a legacy for my children more resounding than a few mementos and a 401K. When I first starting getting out there and performing and doing interviews and such it used to irk me that everybody wanted to talk about the Cancer and I really wanted to talk about the music; which was a bit small-minded of me. but I've learned a lot since then; truth is, there's not that much unique about music. I mean, anybody can write a song. The story is surviving, and we all want to survive, whether it's an illness or unemployment or divorce or abuse. Deep down, we want to survive. If I can help others do that in some small way, I'm thrilled to do what it takes.

Manning: I have to ask you this. What do friends and acquaintances say to a Cancer patient? I have always detested the old saying "If there's anything I can do"... because that sounds so contrived and passive. So I say "Tell me what you need and I'll do it. If I can't do it, I'll find someone who can help me".

Bailey: Um, I wrote a song a long time ago about that one.

Don't tell me what I should be thinking
Don't tell me what words I should say
Don't tell me how I should be feeling
Don't tell me who I should obey
Don't analyze me or explain me
Don't speculate and don't impose
Don't try to figure out my silence
Accept that neither of us knows
Just understand, if you really want to share my burden
carry me across this thorny ground
If you really want to find a way to show me that you love me
Just be with me, don't make a sound

Don't tell me there is meaning in the madness
Don't tell me someday I will see the light
Don't tell me all about the silver lining
Don't tell me I'll be stronger for the fight
Don't tell me I am like so many others
Don't try to get inside my head
Anyway, it's not my head that's hurting
It's always only ever been my heart instead

Just understand, if you really want to share my burden
carry me across this thorny ground
If you really want to find a way to show me that you love me
Just be with me, don't make a sound

Manning: One of the things I love about your Website is the Treatment section where you talk about The Annoying and Important Stuff. Many people reading this worldwide for the first time are eager to hear your summary of this?

Bailey: Annoying: taking medication every day slows me down.
Important: I am still alive.
Annoying: I have a lot of vision.

Important: I can "see" better than ever what is important:
-
1 - Faith: For me, faith in a God who loves me and would stick it out with me no
matter what, a faith I had started to lose over the years - the foundation
of the house of my life.

2 - Family & Friends: the walls of my life behind which I could find shelter
from the winds, and could lean upon when weary.

3 - Future: the new windows and doors of my life that showed me the possible, and gave me the chance to start believing in dreaming. I think we all have a dream for a reason and I think we all have the time we need to make it happen. In some ways, we are the lucky ones because we are given a chance to really understand how precious the gift of life is. I returned to music and gradually began a new life as a full time performing songwriter, there are a million other smaller dreams I'm still working on. And I know that is true for everyone.

Manning: "Reminders & Resources", I'm quoting your own website. It has a message of hope, as does your music. Please share that, if you don't mind?

Bailey: The Doctors are incredible people, but only human - Remember that whatever they tell you is ultimately just their educated guess. They are proven wrong every day. If "There's one chance in 500, someones gotta be the one." Never stop thinking that you're the one. If there is a brain tumor support group in your area, join it. One of the greatest comforts and strengths you will find is in the sharing with others - particularly as you discover that you are in a position to help others - and as you do so, will help yourself. It's a magic that never fails.

Now, about Duke Info:

The Duke Brain Tumor Center, including the family support team, can be contacted during business hours at (919) 684-5301. Their policy is to return your call within 24 hours.

If you need to speak to Henry right away, you can page him at (919)-970-5656. Feel free to use use my name as a reference- He will probably call late at night and has been known to speak quickly. Be sure to have your questions ready so you don't forget. He always does better than his best.

The Brain Tumor Mailing List
This is an astounding resource where over 900 patients, caregivers, and medical professionals from around the world ask questions, make comments, and provide answers to just about any thing you can think of. I've made countless friends on the list who are a big part of my life today.

TO SUBSCRIBE SEND AN EMAIL TO:

The National Brain Tumor Foundation - The American Brain Tumor Association- http://www.abta.org/

Manning: So at this point in time, David M. Bailey is "Clean". No Cancer. How do you overcome the fear that it may return, David?

Bailey: I don't know if this fear is one I've overcome or just ignore. In general, Fear is something I try to avoid. My next CD has a song on it called "Do Not Be Afraid". Maybe growing up in a war-zone helped me. It's true that the tumor might one day kill me, but it's more likely I'll get hit by a truck crossing the road --- which has already happened once (yes, I wrote a song about it). But I don't experience fear crossing the road--just a bit of care. So, I don't live with fear of dying. I already know I will (someday) and am lucky enough to have learned early on that these moments need to be cherished.

Manning: You tour year-round from the schedule I have in front of me. And I like how you arranged the dates. Some gigs come one day after another, some a week apart. Would you say that you receive energy from performing? I read where Cher once said the performing is the easy part, it's the constant moving from town to town, hotel to hotel that "kicks her butt" so to speak. Describe the experience on the road for yourself?

Bailey: Well, Cher is correct, though I suspect her tours are a bit more planned. My schedule is created 100% from invitations. It's a huge blessing not to be out pounding the pavement trying to find gigs, but the less than proactive approach to booking does tend to produce a somewhat unpredictable tour schedule. I've been a traveler all my life, so the road doesn't really bother me. I'm mostly gone on weekends and the deal at home is to try to be home at least one weekend a month--I'm usually home during the week to I get to be a dad and husband pretty regularly and, when I am home, I'm totally home. It's a very short commute to my study. Time in the home office is generally spent on pulling together the next tour, working on the next album, and occasionally, writing.

Manning: I've faced this next situation I am about to ask you personally too often. Comforting a person facing a terminal diagnoses. Or someone who has a 50/50 diagnosis with Cancer. How do you do it? What is most helpful?

Bailey: I sing.

Manning: Let's say a person in your audience is an agnostic, an atheist, or is simply not a very religious person. How does your music seem to affect them? Is there a detachment or an appreciation? What are your observations?

Bailey: I'm not sure this kind of person tends to come to my concerts. If they do, they aren't standing in line to talk to me. Truth is, I used to worry about this a lot more--as in , not wanting to offend people with different beliefs. But I've found that it's better to be honest about who you are and what you believe --most folks respect that. Anything less comes across as phony. And, I try to do it with a reasonable degree of grace, recognizing that our different beliefs make us who we are. I never tell people what they should believe--I simply tell stories and reference my own thoughts matter of factly and the listener can accept or reject my conclusions. Deep down, I guess I just assume that the presence of a loving God is a given and focus on how we are called to live day by day.

Manning: I recall a story where Elvis Presley was visiting his hairdresser one night, and she realized that she had been cutting his hair all these years and never asked for an autograph. So he signed it (and I'm paraphrasing from memory here): "To Pat: Ingredients for a successful life: 1.) Someone to love. 2.) Something to do. 3.) Something to look forward to". That was several months before he passed away. Do you agree with Elvis' sort of practical, common-sense outlook?

Bailey: David and Elvis. Now there's an oxymoron! My dad always told me that the most exciting days in his life were the ones he was in at the time and the ones immediately ahead. It took me about 20 years to understand that that is the definition of living in the moment --which I think I am getting the hang of now. I would expand on "The King's"thoughts by adding 1.) To be loved and understood by someone. 2.) To do something that leaves the world a better place because of you, and 3.) To live and share hope.

Manning: What is next for David M. Bailey?

Bailey: I'm booked through the fall. Outside of that, I have 3 big things coming up. This week I'll be putting the final touches on my next studio album--including settling on a title (!) I'm really excited about this one. It's my 13th release and sometimes it is tricky finding a fresh sound that is still authentic, but I think we are there. The songs are strong and the production is really rich. That should be released in June. In May, I'm to receive an award from the Oncology Nursing Society and perform in front of 5,500 nurses. That will net some interesting conversation! In July, I will celebrate the magic 10 Year Survival Anniversary, Ten years of "One more day". In August, I travel to Cyprus to attend my sister's wedding. Then the fall touring begins in earnest. I am a happy man.

Manning: David, this has been a genuine joy. As I tell all my dear friends, "Travel safely". God Bless You, and we hope to see you in concert real soon!

David's current site is:

http://www.davidmbailey.com/

Postscript: David M. Bailey died on October 2, 2010. He was a great man, and I was exceedingly blessed to call him my friend.

Michael

SUBODH KARNIK, AIRLINE CEO OF GLOBAL AERO LOGISTICS (PART 2 OF 2)

2010-09-19T00:27:00.000-07:00

Survivor: For more than 60 years, World Airways has been a global provider of

long-range passenger and cargo air transportation services to the U.S. Air Force,

major international airlines and freight forwarders, international leisure

tour operators and cruise ship companies.

North American operates ETOP-approved 757-200's

ATA operated four ex-Northwest Airlines DC-10-30's on
Air Mobility Command (AMC). Sadly, ATA is out of business.

Manning: ATA was a surprise to many who did not believe that it would survive Chapter 11, but the traditional wisdom is that you don't shrink yourself into profitability. So, that begs the question. How did ATA survive?

Karnik: Simply because ATA was a tenacious, super-proud 30-odd-year-old company that refused to die. You bring up a good point about 'How can you shrink yourself into profitability?' The flip side was that shrinkage drives two phenomena: as your customer base shrinks, they are less likely to fly you again; and your costs, especially on a unit basis, go up. The customer problem was solved with the phenomenal relationship that we developed with Southwest. It is not a Northwest-Continental-Delta kind of alliance. Southwest is our primary distributor, and Southwest sells every segment of ATA's scheduled service, not just connections. It is like a giant American Express Travel, if you will, for ATA, with access to 30 million Southwest customers and all of their destinations. In a virtual level, we did not shrink.

On a cost side, we did what we had to do in Chapter 11. We made sure that we spent time in all of the traditional ways to work with our vendors, as well as look at every cost. It was a difficult thing to pull off, there's still a huge amount of work to be done. But we did it in a fairly reasonable way.

Manning: With regard to ATA's service to the Hawaiian markets, how do you compete?

Karnik: First, a little plug: ATA ow flies to more destinations in Hawaii from the Mainland than any other airline, more than United, more than Hawaiian, more than Aloha (Aloha Airlines has since shut down and is in liquidation). We fly to Hawaii because we've been flying there a long time and with our partner, Southwest Airlines, we're able to do good business.

Manning: How satisfied are you with results in other markets?

Karnik: We exited Washington-Reagan and LaGuardia in January. It turned out that one place where our current model wasn't working all that well was in extraordinarily large business markets, because at the end of the day our product is more suited toward the low-fare/low cost leisure business.

On Guadalajara/Cancun we compete with, obviously, the Mexican carriers; we compete with the United's of the world, as well as people like USA 3000---the smaller bulk operating carriers. We're doing fine on the rest.

Manning: What about North American Airline's services to Africa?

Karnik: North American under Dan McKinnon recognized the under-served nature of Africa and decided to fly there. I think that in a small way, that was as pioneering as 'Big Bob Six' (legendary leader of Continental Airlines) creating Continental Micronesia. We recognized that there was much value there. With all of the oil revenues and all of the natural minerals in the western part of Africa, people are re-discovering or shedding new light on these areas and we are actively seeking to develop that marketplace. Unfortunately, everybody else is discovering that. This is the airline business. No good deed goes unpunished! Consequently, we are having competition into Africa, but we will continue to hold our own.

Diversification is the name of the game. We cannot depend on the Department of Defense or even in the short-term--the cargo and freight business being in a steady state. And similarly, we cannot depend on scheduled service remaining sustainable. What we are hoping to do with ATA or North American is to be completely low-cost and opportunistic. Unlike United which flew 90 percent of its current schedule twenty-years ago, our expectation is that tomorrow if the central part of Africa is where we decide to do business and the western part is not necessarily a place where we can make money, I think we will consider that very quickly---that's just an example; that's not what we are actually doing. But being able to succeed on the scheduled service side is by being completely nimble, and not bashful about entering or existing markets, subtracting and adding capacity. That's how we hope to be able to do well.

Manning: Still, there are those who might cry, 'not fair', given your lock on the US military charter business. How do you respond?

Karnik: First of all, I would say, 'Not fair is not fair'. before we closed on the transaction, we made sure that we had extensive and informal discussions with the Department of Defense, the FAA and the DOT.

While we have a very significant portion of the military flying, we do that on behalf of the fifteen or twenty airlines in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF). Essentially, we are flying on behalf of Delta, on behalf of Northwest, on behalf of United, et cetera. From a department of Defense point of view, they are asking the major airlines in the United States to fly, and it just so happens that the major airlines in the United States are finding that it's economically advantageous to contract with us. One day, they may find that it is economically advantageous to contract with somebody else. There is no such thing as a 'lock' on that business. All contracting that goes on with the US government is totally in the public domain. Thus, anybody and everybody can compete for it.

Manning: Although the price of a barrel of crude is now around $100, commercial aircraft finance and leasing companies don't seem to be worried, citing that they can easily reassign these airframes worldwide. What are your thoughts?

Karnik: I have two opinions. Given that we do most of our business on an ACMI (Aircraft, Crews, Maintenance and Insurance) basis and for the department of Defense, flying to strange places in the world where it's not clear what the price of oil is, we are reimbursed for that fuel because half of the time we are actually filling up at military installations. So, the impact of oil (prices) on us is significantly less than it is for other airlines. So, I get to side-step that question, but let's assume that I don't want to. Obviously, $100 per barrel of crude is going to wreak havoc on a lot of transportation business, because there is a limit on how much the consumer is willing to pay on the pass-throughs. So, it's going to be a significant impact as you have seen with the announcements from all of the US airlines in terms of capacity pull-backs and so on.

Should the other companies be worried about it when they can move their assets to other theaters of the world? That is true unless it comes to a global recession. Then I do not know what they are going to be able to do.

The only thing I'll add, something that is not often discussed, is that of currency. Compared to the Euro and Canadian dollar, the US dollar has moved down by 40 or 45 percent. One reason that people in the United States are not talking about it is because it is benefiting them. I would anticipate that people will start worrying about currency fluctuations in the airline business.

Manning: What can we expect from Global Aero Logistics in 2008?

Karnik: I mentioned the Boeing 747-400's. We will, in all likelihood be an SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) reporting company and perhaps even have some sort of public float. Therefore, we will be much more visible. In a large way, 2008 is a period where we want to develop our holding company. We will take advantage of all the synergies that exist within the three companies, so you will see us do a whole lot of internal work. While that may not seem exciting, the last piece of the puzzle, which is putting these three airlines under one umbrella, is a major part of the work we are doing.

The author would like to thank Steve Forsyth and Subodh Karnik

of Global Aero Logistics for making this visit possible.

####

SUBODH KARNIK, AIRLINE CEO OF GLOBAL AERO LOGISTICS (PART 1)

2010-09-18T00:25:00.000-07:00

Subodh Karnik

While there is tremendous consolidation still taking place in 2010 with the finalized merger of Delta Air Lines with Northwest Airlines (Delta is the surviving entity), the 4th Quarter merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines (with United as the surviving entity) will surpass Delta as the world's largest carrier. This development prompted me to take a look back at my April, 2008 visit with Subodh Karnik, then-Chairman of Global Aero Logistics, a $1.6 billion holding company (as measured by annual revenues) with 4,500 employees and at the time, a combined fleet of 60 aircraft.

Since my interview with Karnik, one of GAL's units, ATA (formerly known as American Trans Air) filed for bankruptcy and grounded its fleet of 29 jet airplanes after FedEx decided to end the company's participation with ATA's military contract transporting U.S. troops. This decision idled 560 employees in Indianapolis and ended a 35-year run as the hometown air carrier. The decision to liquidate the entire 2,300-employee company by ATA owner Global Aero Logistics, stranded U.S. troops and their dependents on one flight and shocked employees who had stood by ATA through the previous 16-month bankruptcy.

Court documents revealed that ATA entered 2008 negotiating with five undisclosed potential suitors to step in and buy the airline whole or in part. In January, those talks apparently fizzled after FedEx told ATA it was not going to be included in the next Pentagon charter contract. FedEx manages the $1 billion troop- and cargo-hauling contract for the Pentagon's Military Airlift Command under an arrangement that rotates worldwide military flights among a specific group of lines. At the time, ATA, FedEx, Northwest Airlines and two smaller carriers, Atlas and Polar handled this contract. FedEx declined comment.

While Karnik stepped down from his position to become a director of JP Morgan Chase Bank, North American Airlines and World Airways have continued operations. Before working at ATA, Karnik was VP of marketing and planning at Delta Air Lines. Previously, he served as VP of International Finance at Continental Airlines and Chief Financial Officer at Continental's subsidiary, Continental Micronesia. Before this, Karnik worked at Northwest Airlines where he oversaw alliances, international sales, revenue management, and strategic planning. Our visit was fascinating and revealed some of the more intricate aspects of the airline industry that I have covered as a journalist since 1995. Here is a look back at my overview and interview.

Overview

In an otherwise lackluster world of commercial aviation service in the United States when it comes to marketing differentiation, there is much talk about the coming wave of “mega-mergers”. But it has been just that—talk. However, one company has “stepped up to the plate” and snapped up three very unique and synergistic companies with significant historical roots. That company is Global Aero Logistics.

In 2005, World Air Holdings, Inc., the parent company of the storied World Airways whose founding dates back to 1948 under the legendary if not colorful Ed Davies acquired North American Airlines. The immediate result of this acquisition resulted in a fleet of Boeing 757’s and 767’s from North American, and DC-10’s and MD-11’s from World Airways. Both airlines specialize in passenger charters and cargo service, with World bulking up the latter. Then in August, 2007 World Air Holdings, Inc., was itself acquired by Global Aero Logistics, Inc., for $315 million in an all cash transaction. With Matlin Patterson Global Opportunities Partners II as majority shareholders of Global Aero Logistics, Inc., their ownership of ATA (formerly known as American Trans Air) was merged into the deal with the grand result of three distinct airline subsidiaries. ATA is a medium sized high quality scheduled and charter carrier that originated in 1973 under founder George Mikelsons. The Indianapolis carrier was on the brink of liquidation when a code share was struck with Southwest Airlines injecting badly needed capital as ATA sold a slew of profitable gates at Chicago Midway Airport to Southwest. ATA also shrunk its fleet from 69 to 29 airplanes including new Boeing 737-800’s, 757’s/767’s along with 3 refurbished DC-10’s acquired from Northwest Airlines and a handful of Lockheed L-1011’s, ostensibly dedicated to transports for the U.S. Military Air Mobility Command (AMC). Uniquely enough, each of Global Aero Logistics subsidiaries has the AMC market sewn up. World continues as an ACMI and Full Service contract carrier. The combined synergies of the three airlines have fundamentally overnight transformed itself into a $1.6 billion company in annual revenues with 4,500 employees and a total of 59 aircraft.

World Airways

It is difficult not to recall the sweat and blood of founder Ed Davies during the early Flying Boat days of World in 1948 all the way to the mercurial Davies’s dangerous humanitarian flights of two Boeing 727’s in the waning days of the Vietnam War. Davies filled the 727’s with nearly twice the number of South Vietnamese refugees desperate to escape the approaching North Vietnamese Communist troops. A humanitarian, albeit, a colorful chieftain and a tough negotiator, Davies ignored warnings by the U.S. State Department advising him not to fly into Vietnam. Both 727 aircraft were filled with refugees in the cargo holds and cabins equal to twice the number of people the aircraft were designed to carry. Davies actually had to use the butt of a pistol to beat off desperate, clinging North Vietnamese attempting to board the plane as it taxied with the rear stairway door in the down position. Davies bloodied his hands and broke a tooth in the incident. This determination to steer World Airways to growth and profitability was consistent throughout Davies’ life. Throughout it’s history, World had dalliances with a number of jet aircraft and survived a trip to Chapter 11 after attempting to enter the fiercely competitive scheduled airline market in the late 1980’s. Several restructurings found it in and out of profitability as the new millennium drew near. Highly regarded airline chiefs, including Hollis Harris of Delta and Continental and Russell Ray, Jr. of Pacific Southwest Airlines, Eastern Airlines and Pan American World Airways had their turn at the helm during these restructurings. Today, World is headed by Charlie McDonald as Chief Operating Officer. McDonald joined World Airways in May of 2004 after holding senior positions with TransMeridian Airlines, British Aerospace, AMR Corporation (parent of American Airlines) and Flagship Airlines. Its customers include: the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command, EVA Airways, Menlo Worldwide Forwarding, Sonair, Lufthansa Cargo Charter and China Airlines. World also provided charter passenger service in 2004 for the National Football League's Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars and the U.S. Paralympics team. The company operates 17 wide-body, long-range aircraft (MD-11s and DC-10s) with plans to acquire Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

North American Airlines

North American Airlines was founded by Dan McKinnon, former head of the old Civil Aeronautics Board in 1989. Operations began the following year to provide feeder services to El Al, Israel’s state-owned carrier to compliment El Al’s Tel Aviv to New York JFK to Los Angeles LAX flights, thereby providing additional passengers to El Al. In addition, North American provides services for Club Med (originator of the all-inclusive resorts) from JFK to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Charter services are operated to Guyana and West Africa destinations including service from Boston, Massachusetts, Hartford, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island to Aruba, Montego Bay, Punta Cana, Carlo San Lucas and Cancun destinations. Travelpass.com is a customer for flights from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport in Florida to West Indies destinations. These include: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. While El Al held a 24.9% stake in the airline, it sold it back to McKinnon in July, 2003. When ATA Holdings, Inc., bought out North American Airlines parent company, World Air Holdings, Inc., the name of the umbrella holding company was changed to Global Aero Logistics to reflect the desires of the latest owners. Matlin Patterson subsequently divested themselves of Varig at the end of March, 2006 and has considered purchasing troubled Alitalia-Italy’s state-owned airline. North American operates 5 Boeing 757ER and 5 Boeing 767ER aircraft and has recently launched scheduled air service from Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) to Lagos, Nigeria. Today, North American is led by Jeff Wehrenberg, its Chief Operating Officer. Wehrenberg has held senior positions with TransMeridian Airlines, Mesaba and Express Airlines (d/b/a Northwest Airlink).

ATA

ATA was founded in August, 1973 by George Mikelsons in Indianapolis, Indiana as American Trans Air (ATA) to provide aircraft for the profitable Ambassadair travel club initially with 2 Boeing 720 aircraft. Operations commenced as a charter carrier in 1981, with a fleet of 8 Boeing 707’s, with a DC-10-10 and a DC-10-40 in 1983. The 707’s were replaced with Boeing 727-100’s in 1984 with the addition of Lockheed L-1011’s in 1985 and Boeing 757-200’s in 1989. Scheduled service began in 1986 between Indianapolis, Indiana and Fort Myers, Florida. ATA provided air lift services for the U.S. military during the 1991 Gulf War, transporting 108,000 military personnel on 494 missions for “Operation Desert Storm”. The airline’s 727-100s were replaced by Boeing 727-200s in 1993. Soon, a significant hub was built up at Chicago Midway Airport with scheduled services throughout the United States and Hawaii, augmented by its military air charter contracts. In 2000, ATA (as it was now known) placed an order for 39 Boeing 737-800 aircraft and 12 Boeing 757-300 aircraft to expand its flight schedule including flights to Mexico. ATA Airlines operates nonstop service from Chicago-Midway to: New York-LaGuardia, NY; Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX; Washington-Reagan, DC; Oakland, CA; Ontario, CA; Guadalajara and Cancun, Mexico. Nonstop services to Hawaii include: Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Oakland, CA; Ontario, CA; Phoenix, AZ to Honolulu; Nonstop from Los Angeles, CA; Oakland, CA; Phoenix, AZ to Maui; Nonstop from Oakland, CA to Hilo; Nonstop from Oakland, CA to Kona; Nonstop from Oakland, CA to Lihue; Nonstop from Las Vegas, NV to Maui. Connecting service to/from Honolulu, Hilo, Kona, Lihue and Maui is provided by code share partner Southwest Airlines to 60 markets nationwide. ATA is led by Gary Ellmer, Senior Vice-President –Operations and General Manager-Charter. Following the restructuring of ATA under John Denison, Ellmer’s senior level experience includes positions as President/COO of Executive Airlines/American Eagle Caribbean Unit in addition to positions held at Westair, McDonnell Douglas and Hughes Helicopter. Each airline chief of World, North American and ATA reports to Subodh Karnik, Chairman of Global Aero Logistics. Airways recently sat down with Karnik to determine where GAL is and where he intends to take it.

Subodh Karnik, President & CEO

On October 18, 2006 Subodh Karnik was named ATA’s President and CEO replacing John G. Denison who continued as Chairman. Armed with 15 years of experience, his most recent position was Senior Voice President of Marketing Planning at Delta Air Lines. Before joining Delta, Karnik worked as Staff Vice President if International Finance at Continental Airlines and Chief Financial Officer of subsidiary Continental Micronesia. Previous to this position, Karnik worked at Northwest Airlines where he oversaw alliances, international sales, revenue management and strategic planning.

A native of Mumbai, India, he is a graduate of Birla Institute of Technology and Science and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. The youthful looking 47 year old was hired into his post just two months after Global Aero Logistics completed its acquisition of World Air Holdings. World, North American Airlines and ATA are privately held under the umbrella of GAL. With his 15 years of airline seasoning, I visited with Karnik back in April, 2008 for an exclusive interview.

Manning: Subodh, good afternoon. The business community at large has a tendency to focus more on scheduled airlines positioning themselves to attain critical mass with mergers similar in some respects to the middle 1980’s. But the Global Aero Logistics acquisition of three well regarded airlines under its umbrella seemed fascinating to me. How did this all come about?

Karnik: As with the case with all of these things, we were in the right place at the right time. Basically, ATA emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the beginning of 2006 with a very aggressive and risk-taking set of owners. Matlin Patterson and Private Equity was our owner and basically their design was that ATA in its post-emergent state was simply the start of something bigger and larger. And therefore, our plan was always to grow organically or through transactions. So, the first date after we emerged in 2006 was a period of stabilization for us. And towards the end of that year, we started to see how to kick in our organic or growth plans. We then started to go through the methodical process of developing a growth plan, at which point in time World Air Holdings was in the midst of its strategic evaluation that led to its decision to sell the company. So, we went through the bidding process and we got all of it which is where we are today.

Manning: Okay, so we have three subsidiaries now with three entirely different corporate cultures. In the past, I think we’ve all learned from the lessons of history that there is often corporate strife when mergers and acquisitions occur. Employees many times resist being taken over and losing their identities as we saw with the Delta and Western Airlines merger or with Pan Am and National airlines, to cite but two examples. How did you overcome these challenges?

Karnik: You know the first three of four years where there are significant challenges obviously. But I mean, the biggest thing is of course, ensuring that culturally the holding company and the three airlines are able to number one, maintain their separate entity and therefore their internally developed efficiencies and a sense of purpose for each individual airline, while at the same time being beholden to a holding company and the economic progress that is expected of the holding company and the ownership of the overall company. So, on the one hand, maintaining the vibrancy of the individual airlines while on the same time attempting to pull off a harmonious, integrated and well functioning set of puzzles which then is the holding company. So the ‘yin and the yang’ is where the challenge is for me. What we have very carefully decided to do is not head down the path of doing a Delta and Western or Republic—Northwest scenario but basically maintain the three airlines and their three independent certificates separately. But on the whole, taking their individual synergies and commonalities that we could possibly find –whether it’s low-hanging fruit or more structural things that we could go change so that we that we’re ready to achieve a significant part of the value that would be created if you periodically combined all three airlines—which we have no intention of doing.

Manning: You mentioned the word puzzle earlier, and as I studied each airline as a part of the greater whole, one of the things that stood out to me is that charter and passenger services are now available to North America points, Europe, Asia---which is developing it’s commercial aviation infrastructure by leaps and bounds much like India. And you have Africa covered along with the Middle East strategically served from Mumbai. What future destinations will you add?

Karnik: You know, our focus particularly on the passenger service side at ATA, along with Southwest (Airlines) and on the marketing side we really hope to grow tremendously. Our commitment with Southwest is that we will both continue to work together to be able to fly into many, many cities into Latin America, as well as Canada. So, the plan is for a phenomenal amount of growth to occur on that front starting in 2009, which is when Southwest---which is working hard to get the technical capability to be able to price the international market. They will begin to get that ability starting at the end of 2007. So, you’ll see a lot of work go on and will continue to go on flying the international markets with ATA. On the freighter side and the ACMI and Charter side, we basically are people go where the demand is. If the demand is Asia and Europe, that’s where we go and do business with the European carriers. When it’s between Asia and the U.S., that’s where we go or where we contract with Asian carriers. So, basically you’ll see us grow in Hawaii. You’ll see us make a major thrust into other international markets. Obviously, North American has done very, very pioneering work of opening up Africa. I suppose after the old TWA and Pan Am days (American’s purchase of TWA includes many routes that had been dormant for years). So, these are some of the kinds of things you will continue to see from us.

Manning: Subodh, I know that you a native of Mumbai, India and you completed a significant portion of your formal education there. And as you know, Mumbai has been in the news, specifically with regard to Boeing seeking a financial partner to build and operate a maintenance base to strategically serve Middle Eastern Airlines conveniently. How important is Mumbai to Global Aero Logistics?

Karnik: You know, I’ll talk about Mumbai more specifically, but India more in general. In India, passenger capacity has been exploding at a capacity of about 40 percent a year. And you know that the cargo and freighter exploration has just begun there. So, from that point of view, I would anticipate that we would have a fair amount of interest in the Indian subcontinent as a whole from the perspective that we’d want to work with ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) customers there. As it pertains to scheduled service, I would doubt that given the crazy amount of growth between the U.S. and Mumbai and the U.S. and India that it would be of any shape or form of interest to us. I would anticipate that it is a very attractive market for us to go in and do business on the freighter and cargo side, but that’s about it. I don’t know how the charter business in India is at this point developing. I think it’s at a pretty nacient stage. So, I think the focus, again, is on freighters.

Manning: One newsmaker, Sir Richard Branson declared that he will re-align his entire fleet over at Virgin Atlantic Airways—to “go green”---as he put it, and deviate away from four engine to twin engine jet aircraft. This was of interest to me because other than original Pan Am, ATA is the only commercial U.S. carrier I am aware of that operates both the Lockheed L-1011 and the Douglas DC-10’s (ATA recently acquired three DC-10’s from Northwest Airlines) for military charters. From the standpoint of fleet planning, what are your views on the future for Global Aero Logistics?

Karnik: On the narrow-bodied side obviously we have late generation airplanes---Boeing 737 NG’s and 757/767’s. So, there we’re sort of like everybody else in the world. On the wide-bodied side you are absolutely correct! It’s L-1011’s and DC-10’s and MD-11’s. What we are very close to acquiring are Boeing 747-400 Freighters, but that’s something that we are still working on. The reason why we have older and therefore, three-engine airplanes is because the business that we’re in which is charter and flying for the Department of Defense and the Military demands that we have airplanes that are suited for low utilization—low frequency missions. So, from that point of view, our ability to have very, very expensive recently manufactured twin-engine jets is limited because frankly, they are not the most cost-effective airplanes for the missions that we participate in. So, I think if the goal is to “go green” on an operating basis, but to “go green” from a cost of ownership and operations basis I think we are doing what we are supposed to do and I doubt Sir Richard (Branson) would think of doing anything else were he in the business we’re in.

Manning: You have new liveries at ATA and World. I know the World employee’s had total input on that change. But moreover, you are coming up here on World’s 60th Anniversary. What goes through your mind as World approaches yet another milestone in its fascinating history, Subodh?

Karnik: As a matter specifically on the livery, it was before my time when all that work went on and World decided to go to its new livery. I’m very enamored by what they’ve done and I like it very much. As I mentioned right at the beginning, the three airlines are going to be separate. So, each one will not have just its own livery but liveries are a reflection of an airline’s culture and its pride in itself; they all have their own. I’m really happy with what the World guys came up with and I think even that if I’m not mistaken, when World was attempting to celebrate it’s 50th Anniversary, I don’t know if it was in the best of financial times---and this is all conjecture on my part—but it was all handled in a low-key way. So, in a way I think it is all this pent-up pride that is now showing up in the livery and the 60th Anniversary and so forth. So, I think you will soon find us celebrating in full gusto!

Manning: Most of us would agree that we have far too many passenger airlines in the U.S. Do we continue to create airlines non-stop, or do we reach a rational attitude that there can only be so many passenger seats? And what is your view about consolidation as it pertains to the cargo airline industry?

Karnik: I separate cargo airlines out into two pieces. One is cargo airlines that offer scheduled service be it Fed Ex or be it Northwest Airlines who has regular Monday morning flights going out. And then there are the cargo and freighter airlines that are primarily ACMI or aircraft for hire airlines. I don’t think that anyone would say that there is anything like an over-supply in the market for the scheduled service charter or cargo airlines. There is only the Fed Ex’s, the DHL’s and the UPS’s; there is a fair amount of attrition that has taken place and there is a fair amount of equilibrium there. On the other side of the equation, it’s people like us and Atlas, and Gemini and so on—the numbers that we have—the Air Atlanta’s and so on that are there competing are doing so in the global market place. So, all of our airlines are flying for airlines in the Middle East and flying for airlines in Asia, so we’re not restricted to just simply a small geographical area as the U.S. is. And the projected growth is between 6 and 8 percent annually for the next 20 years. So given all of those things, the global-ness of the business and the high growth potential and the small number of players that exist today, I think that it’s in a completely different sphere that the scheduled service business.

Manning: So, you don’t perceive any additional acquisitions for Global Aero Logistics at this time?

Karnik: Oh, I mean quite the reverse! We are as aggressive as we were before the World-ATA merger. So, if we do have an acquisition, it will be because it makes complete and total economic sense for us and not necessarily because of the circumstances that tend to exist in the passenger side of the business which is---the whole world has fallen apart and now there are 200 airlines in deep trouble. And therefore, as a result of that the absolute need for consolidation---I don’t think there is any structural industrial need for it. Acquisitions—if and when they occur—will be just purely based on the individual merits of the transactions.

Manning: While you were at Delta Air Lines, you stated that finding that "balancing point between demand and elasticity and cost revenue is a constant challenge". How do you relate this concern to the three airline subsidiaries of GAL?

Karnik: To make it a little simpler, the worst thing about being part of a large scheduled service airline is hundreds of thousands of passengers and flights and options and possibilities and competition. You could take the analysis of elasticity of costs and revenueto figure out where you are losing or making money. On the other hand, we have an environment where our customers are primarily other large airlines and others who buy our product on a sustained six-month, one-year, two-year basis. While all of the fundamental micro-economic parameters still hold, it's not that every second, every minute, we are trying to chase a wild and dynamic supply and demand environment. So, in a way that is easier. What is difficult is that there are fewer customers, therefore the ability to negotiate to ensure that we work well with them has its own challenges. Another big customer we have, in fact our biggest customer by a factor of five or ten, is the US Department of Defense. So, the predictability of demand there is a little more difficult, and we have operational challenges as a result.

Next: we conclude our visit!

5TH ANNUAL McQUEEN FESTIVAL GUEST: ACTOR ANTHONY ZERBE!

2010-04-01T23:20:00.000-07:00

Anthony Zerbe is a veteran stage, film and Emmy-winning television actor. Among the hundreds of roles he has played, Zerbe is remembered from films such as Cool Hand Luke, The Omega Man, Rooster Cogburn, Onassis, The James Bond film License to Kill, and two sequels of The Matrix trilogy in 2003: The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. He co-starred with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman in Papillon and sat down with guest interviewer Marshall Terrill for a very interesting discussion. I had the wonderful opportunity of presenting this visit immediately after featuring Papillon as our suggested film for viewing yesterday.

Q: The scene you had with McQueen in Papillon, I feel was the greatest scene in his career and wanted to talk to you in depth about that scene. The two of you seem to polar opposites in terms of how you approach acting.

AZ: Because I am a theater person?

Q: Correct. You were theater, he was natural and instinctive. I thought the two worlds coming together in that one scene was incredible. Let's talk about your memories of McQueen.

AZ: I do think that was the best performance he ever gave. Even though in his other movies he was great and charismatic, he really pushed himself in Papillon. Or allowed himself to move in a very spectacular way. I think he was incredible when he stuck his head outside that prison cell. In that scene, it was scripted that I give him a cigar and I do have an anecdote about that. When I say goodbye to him the next day and give him the money I collected for him, that was kind of, like you said, two worlds coming together, because we rehearsed with Schaffner there. McQueen said to me, “Why don't you try doing nothing” in terms of what I was doing. And I thought, No, that's more your style. I didn't say anything and just turned around and then Schaffner said, “No, no, I like it just the way it is.” That was the scene on the beach. Steve wasn't the warmest guy in the world. He viewed all actors as competition and Dustin (Hoffman) was from the New York school of acting, and probably worked differently, too. McQueen was a star. That's a very, very, particular thing to be.

Q: You make it sound like it's a hard thing to be?

AZ: McQueen also acted in Brando's era, which I don't think was an easy thing to do. George C. Scott, McQueen, always had to deal with the fact that Brando was there. Nobody was as effective as Brando was in “The Waterfront.” That was acting. I think Montgomery Clift was right there with him and Jimmy Dean were, too. But McQueen came from left field from the Marines. He just was.

Q: Despite the fact that he wasn't warm as a person, did you have respect for his abilities?

AZ: Not so much respect for his acting but his presence. It's a different issue. He was certainly called upon to act in Papillon. I certainly don't think he was not capable of being present, which is a different thing.

Q: Where were your scenes shot?

AZ: They shot it in Jamaica. Great movie and a great story. Anyway, but there's something about being a presence and a star. It's not like he was a star who could get a momentum or lose momentum; he was just so authentically him. But then there was a presence on top of that. He was a perfect guy for that perfect time and where they come from, I don't know. They're almost mythological. There's something so quintessentially American about him coming out of the service at that time. Whereas Brando was such a totally and gifted actor, I don't think McQueen would have been around it it weren't for Brando.

Q: Let's talk about the one scene with the scene...

AZ: What happened was, which was really cool, was that I was chewing on this cigar the whole day. And in the scene we have together, I hand it to him and he puts it in his mouth. It wasn't inadvertent...I offered him this wet, drooly stogie and he took it and put it in his mouth and continued the scene. There was no more dialogue, he just took it and put it in his mouth. My focus was not to examine him but to keep doing what I was doing. That was, would he just take my cigar. Let's see what this fucker is made of, and he did take it. But McQueen the actor didn't have to take the cigar that Anthony Zerbe had been chewing on all day. That was not necessary in that scene. He could have asked for another cigar in the scene during a cut – that was certainly not rehearsed or intended. That was too much to ask of anyone, right? You understand, I had been chewing on that thing all day – it was a soggy, chewed on remnant and he put it in his mouth and smoked. Once the scene was over, I looked at him and said, “Uh, McQueen...you're something else.” He just looked at me and smiled. I thought it was an incredible thing to do and how far he was willing to go to bring respect to the part. It was obviously a challenge to him by handing him my old, fucking stogie.

Q: What do you think of McQueen today and his body of work?

AZ: I have a lot of admiration for him. First place, I thought he was really good in the movie from an acting point of view. He always got into his parts. When I think of him as an actor, I think of him as a star and someone who did embody that mythology and brought it to life. And if he had been some blond-haired, blue-eyed guy working in a motorcycle shop, he would have been the same guy. You'd really want him to have your back, right? He was just a cool guy and it's like there's not a lot of room for that today. He was a rebel. He was so authentic and he reflects a total man.

My sincere thanks to guest interviewer Marshall Terrill and actor Anthony Zerbe for making this visit possible. Our final two days of 'The Festival' resumes tomorrow.

Technical Note: My new Blog Page URL to update your link is: http://michaelmanningtv.blogspot.com/...and of course, it's never too late. Welcome!
MM

5TH ANNUAL McQUEEN FESTIVAL CLOSING THOUGHTS!

2010-03-31T00:00:00.001-07:00

On March 3rd, 2010 I created the first of 19 consecutive BLOG posts about The 5th Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival. I am very proud to have created this feature. Believe it or not, it requires a phenomenal amount of work to do it right, and to these ends I feel that I've succeeded. There have been evenings when I simply sat in front of my computer reflecting quietly about one special afternoon in 2005. I was caught in a snow storm mixed with freezing rain in a leased stretch van on a North Carolina Interstate Highway. Forced to exit the highway to a Cracker Barrel restaurant parking lot to safely wait out the inclement weather, I pulled out a yellow writing tablet from my briefcase and began to scribble pages of notes about what it would take to make this Blog feature viable. I consider it a miracle that I created it at all!

Behind the scenes, I was enduring professional pressures in the highly competitive cable television industry that tested me from every conceivable angle as I consulted with top producers about an original concept for a pilot, leading to hosting a series. Thank God for this project as a coping mechanism! At the heart of this feature is the admiration I have for the incomparable actor, Steve McQueen. Steve died at age 50 on November 7, 1980.

In 2008, I had the good fortune of becoming friends with author Marshall Terrill. Through Marshall, I have had many opportunities to meet actors and friends of Steve McQueen. Listening to their stories has never failed to captivate my imagination of the actor who became an American icon. His spirit remains strong throughout the world, particularly in The United Kingdom and Asia. It was a great honor for me to write my personal tribute of Steve in Marshall's new book: "Steve McQueen: A Tribute to the King of Cool".

Blogging on the worldwide web has been challenged significantly in 2010 with the advent of the newest irritant endlessly dubbed "Social Media" (Facebook and Twitter are part of this matrix). Many sites on my Blog roll have been dormant for months, and in some cases well over a year. At the outset, it was impossible for me to determine what implications this would have on The Festival and the number of people who would visit.

This was the first full-year recession for 'The Festival', and to add additional burden, Blogger announced it was ceasing FTP Publishing. This forced me to change URL's. In the process, we lost some very valuable blogger's whose comments meant a lot to me over the years. They were simply unaware that a URL change had taken place. However, we gained heavily in the sheer number of "lurkers" (those who read but don't post comments) who discovered us from Google searches and referrals. In the end, we rammed our way through these obstacles and never looked back. Amazingly, at the end of the day, I remain bullish about the fact that Blogger's long-term future is very secure. I say so because it is a genre' far different from the social considerations of Facebook. Commenting a few years ago about blogging as an art form, Bud Buckley once told me, "I guess only the strongest will survive". Bud was right. In fact, he and I have, indeed, continued to blog.

What I've been able to bring to these pages over the past month will become part of history thanks to the crawler on the worldwide web. Many will "Google" the subject of Steve McQueen, perhaps one of his thirty films, a co-star, director or producer and in some corner of the universe my "Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival" will hold meaning to someone. It is authentic and remains a source of pride for me. As a university professor once told me when I earned my degree in 1999, "Even if you wind up living in a cave, no one can ever take it away from you". The same holds true for 'The Festival' I've created and produce on Blog. It remains pure and borne of hard work--with or without recognition. My thought remains: The more people who discover The Festival --the better. In years past, a new audience has discovered it, and many more will continue to do so. I certainly hope so because it's a genuine joy for me to produce it, and from the comments I receive, a lot of people enjoy it too. This next point is one I mention often, but it's so relevant.

There will always be a young, fresh audience discovering Steve McQueen for the very first time. Try to imagine what a thrill it is for a film student, an actor or a person deeply concerned about life and art to experience a McQueen movie only to become intrigued to explore Steve's life and each of his other twenty-nine films! That I selected the Blog medium is no accident. It was available to me, and to my knowledge, no one was using it for a 'Festival' concept that relied entirely on readers to become participatory with the films suggested by viewing them, delving into my narratives and my interview guests. In this spirit, the 'Festival' came into existence, and here we are five-years later! I hope you enjoyed it.

On March 24, 2010 Steve McQueen would have been 80 years old--this is very difficult for me to imagine. His legacy is immense as an actor. The obstacles he overcame in his difficult life, and his years of philanthropy to students of The Boys Republic in Chino Hills, California--a place that Steve credited with turning his life around--endure. I encourage you to visit their website at www.boysrepublic.org and let your heart be your guide.

I have walked through the Santa Paula, California home where Steve and his wife Barbara last lived. I have stood in Steve's former airplane hangar. I have toured the filming locations in Prescott, Arizona where the 1972 McQueen film Junior Bonner was shot. In late April, I will be in attendance at "Steve McQueen Days" in Slater, Missouri where "The Steve McQueen Memorial Highway" will be officially dedicated. I am looking forward to reuniting with wonderful friends who mean a lot to me. I often wondered what Steve would have thought about all of this? His films live on. They are so vibrant and infused with the urgency of living life "in the moment"! An entire line of clothing and fashion has emerged in the last two years that Steve inspired. I have to think that he would have laughed and shook his head over all of this in utter amazement.

Steve never played a cop again after he shot the film Bullitt. No two films were ever the same. Steve struggled many years on stage, television and screen before he achieved fame and success. He gave his last official interview in 1969, however, after filming The Towering Inferno, he granted an interview to a fire fighter's publication. In 1980, while completing what became his final film, The Hunter, Steve granted a high school student, Rick Penn-Krauss an exclusive interview for his school newspaper. There are so many things I could go on to share about Steve McQueen, but for now I must agree with Marshall Terrill:

"His legacy, I believe, is worth keeping alive".

In 2010, I celebrated five-years with you of creating and continuing this Festival on Blog. This year, I must thank those to whom I am grateful for their support of my work.

My Special Thanks to:

Marshall Terrill

Donna Reddon

Jeb Rosebrook

William Pierce

Chris Noel

Sharon Farrell

Anthony Zerbe

Dave Kunz

The Boys Republic
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I've always ended each Festival with this line:

"The Festival is now officially closed".

It concludes a journey we have been on together. For as long as overcoming obstacles and great acting--two characteristics attributable to McQueen--are valued in this world, there will always be "The King of Cool": Steve McQueen. My sincere thanks to each of you who participated for your continued loyalty! I'll be back next year with an all-new Festival.

My Sincere Best Wishes!
Michael Manning

Creator
New URL: http://michaelmanningtv.blogspot.com/

LAST DAY OF 2010 STEVE McQUEEN FESTIVAL!

2010-03-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

"His legacy, I believe, is worth keeping alive".

In 2010, I celebrated five-years with you of creating and continuing this Festival on Blog. This year, I must thank those to whom I am grateful for their support of my work.

My Special Thanks to:

Marshall Terrill

Donna Reddon

Jeb Rosebrook

William Pierce

Chris Noel

Sharon Farrell

Anthony Zerbe

Dave Kunz

The Boys Republic
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I've always ended each Festival with this line:

"The Festival is now officially closed".

My Sincere Best Wishes!
Michael Manning

Creator
New URL: http://michaelmanningtv.blogspot.com/

5TH ANNUAL McQUEEN FESTIVAL GUEST WILLIAM PIERCE!

2010-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

L-R: With Marshall Terrill, Donna Reddon, Adrienne McQueen, Veronica Valdez and Mike Jugan at The Palace Bar in Prescott, Arizona. The mural painting depicts the film, Junior Bonner. This is the bar where the interior scenes were filmed. The Screenplay was written by Jeb Rosebrook.

In 2009, author Marshall Terrill and five friends (myself included) spent an afternoon in Prescott, Arizona as guests of William Pierce. Pierce was a member of the Arizona Film Commission during the 1971 filming of Junior Bonner. The six of us had attended "Remembering Steve McQueen"--a fundraiser benefit for the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula, California the previous December. Pierce spent an entire day driving our group to the various locations of the Sam Peckinpah film. The wealth of these experiences provided each of us with an insider's view of the complexity and fascination we all enjoy with the subject of Steve McQueen. I have asked Marshall to share his recent visit with William Pierce about the film you have just finished watching during this 'Festival', because it is fascinating and relevant to millions of McQueen fans around the world--and I am one of them!

Q: Tell me about your involvement on “Junior Bonner.”

WP: Well, I was the film commissioner at the time of the movie, and I was at their beck and call everyday for ten weeks. The importance of the film on this community was important and so I made myself available. It was a very interesting time. So to make a long story short, I got this call that ABC was going to do a movie about a rodeo...a guy by the name of Jim Pratt, who was involved in the building of Old Tucson, came up to Prescott and introduced himself. He sent me a copy of the script and it just fit Prescott. Later on, the script changed every night with Peckinpah. When Jim came to town, I drove him around and told him all about the history of Prescott and the rodeo. For a time, I ran the rodeo in 1969 and 1970, and remained a chairman in 1971. Pratt also told me that ABC was also looking in a town in New Mexico, and I'm pretty sure it was Rio Doso. They were spending a lot of money entertaining movie executives over there. So I took Jim around and showed him the town and we shook hands and he left. A few weeks later he called and said, “I want to bring the director and a couple of other production people to Prescott.” So I got him set up at a room at the Prescottonian Hotel, which was owned by a very good friend of mine by the name of Neil Hurt. It was a Best Western and our only real good motel in town. I was to meet them at 10 a.m. the next morning. They were going to arrive by plane in Phoenix and drive up. So I went out there and I knocked on the door and Jim answered. He stepped outside and said, “Okay, come on in. We're waiting around for Sam.” He was hesitant in his manner and it sounded strange coming out of his mouth, but I think he was trying to warn me. I get in the room and everybody is standing around while Sam is laying in bed. In between the bed was a bottle of Martel Brandy and a water glass. And he's just laying there! Nobody introduced me, nobody said anything. Everybody was standing around like he was the king and we were to say nothing until he spoke. I kept looking at my watch as the minutes passed, which seemed like forever. Finally, I had reached my boiling point and said to Jim out aloud, “You know, I've got better things to do than this. I don't know what your routine is, I'm just a local guy, but I'm a busy man. I think you should make your movie here in Prescott – it's a good community, we've got good people and the best rodeo in the United States.” Before I could finish my sentence, Sam Peckinpah jumped up from the bed and said, “I'm going with him and the rest of you sonofabitches can follow!” I was driving a '70 El Camino, which was a two-passenger car and Sam jumped in my car and the others followed. I showed him around town and instantly opened up.

Q: I've heard this said about Steve, and maybe the same applied to Peckinpah...that was, they tested people. They wanted to see what you were made of...do you think you were being tested?

WP: Later there were other instances, it never became a test but a challenge with Sam, and I usually ended up getting a compliment out of him, which he rarely issued. I'm sure he did test me – I'm this country bumpkin here in Prescott, Arizona, wearing blue jeans and boots and he's a Hollywood guy who just made The Wild Bunch. So anyway, they left Prescott without a commitment. Later I got a call from Pratt who said they're going to do the movie in Prescott. He came in and then we scouted locations for the movie.

Steve McQueen, Robert Preston, Ida Lupino, all these people were making this movie and it was a great turnout. So after I got Steve set up in his home, he wanted to bring his motorcross bikes over...we had a track between Prescott and Prescott Valley and because of liability issues, the guy who owned it had closed it. And I got him to open it back up again and Steve and I went out there every night. Steve brought his mechanic over and I remember the sharp looking 1970 Ford pickup he had; jet black and had two Huskys in the back with him.

Q: Was Junior Bonner the first big movie to be filmed in Prescott?

WP: No. You know, Tom Mix did a lot of film here. He had a ranch here and made a lot of films in Prescott Valley in Yavapai Hills. Then How The West Was Won was filmed at the railroad station...the Gold Town series portion featuring Debbie Reynolds. Then the next film was Billy Jack with Tom Laughlin. That was done out at the Morgan Ranch in the Verde River. They filmed the fight scene in the downtown area. Then we had Bless The Beast and Children with Stanley Kramer. He was fabulous and then when “Junior Bonner” came to town, I could get anyone to do anything. They knew how much money a film production could bring to the town. It's a great industry if you can get them to come.

Q: You said earlier there were two Steve McQueen's: the guy you saw in front of the camera and the man away from the camera. Can you expound on that statement?

WP: What I was talking about was during that first couple of weeks in getting him situated in Prescott, his house, his motocross bikes, I got to know him as a person. We both rode bikes, we both smoked like idiots...he would call me and ask me for something before filming started. The first scene of the movie after the parade was him entering the rodeo. I was the guy in the movie who was entering him as a contestant. That scene where he jumped on the horse with Robert Preston in the parade, I had just let him off on my motorcycle. We had driven around on the bike and I was maneuvering in and out and was told exactly when to bring him to that spot where he had to jump on the back of the horse with Preston. The crowds went crazy with him in the parade. That scene ends up with them going through the alley and onto the railroad station. At this point, I was pretty much in the thick of things and even in on script meetings. They had this scene where how a cowboy was entered into the rodeo and I told them, “Man that sure is not the way it's done.” No one had really inquired as to how we entered people into a rodeo. You just go up to a secretary and tell her you're going in, but they wanted it a little more elaborate than that. So I go home at around 11 o' clock and left them at the hotel and this driver knocks on my door and hands me an envelope from Peckinpah. Inside it says, “I've canceled the actor from Phoenix to play you...you're it....see you at 9 o' clock in the morning on the set.” No script. So if you see the opening scene where I register McQueen into the rodeo and where he draws Sunshine – that was done ad-lib from both of us. That was where I saw that first other side of McQueen – the side in front of the camera. He was very focused...we only had to do it about three times. Then he walked over and found me and said, “Have you ever acted before?” I said, “No.” And it sounds like I'm being egotistical but I'm really not...I'm just repeating what Steve said to me. He said, “Well, I usually have a real problem with my first scene with other actors and I appreciate the fact that you were so relaxed and we got this first one out of the way. I'm ready now.” He was admitting that even he had first day jitters.

Q: How did he prepare for a scene? I understand he was extremely intense and focused when he worked?

WP: That's what I'm talking about...that's the two sides. He and I could be talking about motorcycles and sharing a cigarette, talking about anything in the world but you get him in front of the camera and it was as if he didn't know me...he was so focused on what he was doing...very intense...very focused on his facial expressions...I got used to it and I knew once the cameras were off of him, we were going to discuss the bikes or whatever we did. He was all business. I got every envious of that weekly $100,000 check I had to personally delivered to him for ten weeks. That was a million dollar movie for him.

Q: Anything else that happened on the film that was interesting?

WP: Well, every after every Fourth of July we have our monsoon season here and during the rodeo we had moving dust. We tried to film the closeups before the afternoon rains came, and then we had a bunch of mud on the rodeo grounds. Peckinpah was sitting underneath an umbrella in his director's chair. He's not looking too happy and I've got tractors in that arena and we're plowing and plowing and tried to get the mud turned over and he's cussing and carrying on about the fact we couldn't match that day's rodeo scene to the prior scenes because of all of the mud. And we watched the dailies every night in the cafe of the Prescottonian, and he's sitting there drinking and jawing and carrying on...and I got back where I'd jaw back at him...and he constantly called on me...I literally took ten weeks away from my job and my family to help on this film. It was fascinating for me. So I got an idea...you remember that scene in the beginning of the movie where Steve went into the gravel pit looking for his dad? That place was owned by my friend. His name was Okie Eisberg. It was a concrete ready-mix company. Then he had that gravel pit where he got his materials. So I called Okie, he was an old ornery guy but he liked me because he was a client of mine. He always complained about his premiums, but when his trucks ran over somebody, then he was glad I was there. I called Okie and said, “I want four semi-loads of dust delivered to the rodeo grounds today.” I won't tell you the words that came out of his mouth, but let's just say it was quite profane. I hung up not knowing if he was going to come through for me or not. But we were at the rodeo grounds and it looked like a tornado was coming. Four semi-loads of dust came to the fairgrounds – Okie's driving the first truck, cigar in his mouth and he said, “Where do you want it?” I said, “You see that mean looking guy over there under the umbrella? Put it as close to him as you possibly can but don't kill him because we want to finish the film.” He dropped that dust down and we spread it out and I guarantee you that you can't see one bit of difference in the film. Peckinpah later came to me and said, “You know, I've made films all over the world and I've asked for a lot of things, and I've never seen things get done so quickly.” I said, “Well, you've never been to Prescott, Arizona. If you bring your next film here, you'll get whatever the hell you want.” You know how I filled those grandstands every day?

Q: No, how?

WP: Color TV was a luxury and was slow to come to Prescott. I was the first to get one in Prescott, and that was in 1964. So I bought a color TV and I filled the grandstands between 3,000 to 4,000 people a day and gave them a ticket to win a color TV every day...that's how we filled it...people would leave their work for a chance to get that TV. That gave them a nice incentive.

Q: What can you tell me about the Palace Bar and the fight scene?

WP: The owner at the time of the movie was Shel Dunbar. I was there for that scene, sitting next to Sam at the booth.

Q: And from what I understand, Sam lined up drinks for everybody in the bar before the scene...I would think that the director would want everybody sober?

WP: Not when you're half-cocked yourself! At the end of the movie, he had a screening of The Wild Bunch and showed it and then gave everybody a bottle of Martel brandy, which said, “Peckinpah Distillery, 1971” on the label. I valued that as much as anything else in the world.

Q: I remember Barbara Leigh telling me a similar story.

WP: You know, she stayed a lot to herself. Preston, Johnson and Ida Lupino were wonderful. Barbara isolated herself because she never participated in anything we did. Steve would, to a degree, isolate himself, too. He was more of a one-on-one kind of guy. The funny thing about him was when he got on the back of a horse and that horse would move, he'd flinch. When he got off I asked, “Do you have a problem with horses?” He said, “Yeah, I do.” I said, “But you did Wanted: Dead or Alive and several other Westerns.” He said, “Yeah, and I was scared on every one of them.” And then I asked him how he could get on a motorcycle and pop a wheelie, which is something you couldn't get me to do. He said, “That's different. I'm in control.”

Q: You mentioned earlier that McQueen was separated from his wife and that gave you another bonding point?

WP: Yes, he had his two children come over...I think having gone through a divorce myself I could see where it affected him tremendously...he wanted his kids there real bad. He also went back a few times to California to see them during the filming. He opened up to me to the degree that he was going through a divorce. I probably asked him about his wife, but he confirmed they were separated and going through some problems. You never saw it affect the technical side...he was always there and ready to act. On the personal side you could see how he wanted to be with his kids. In hindsight, going out on those bikes every night was a way for him to work through that pain. And he did go out every night...he'd call me or my son, who had just turned sixteen. He loved to ride and rode with Steve.

Q: Tell me about the town lush in the fight scene who chased the girls?

WP: I think he was a homeless guy who stayed inside the Palace Bar until they ran him off at night. I couldn't tell you what his name is. It's sad to say, but every day on Whiskey Row there was a morning group all lined up to start drinking. They'd start around 9 a.m. and this guy was one of them.

Q: How did it all end in your recollection?

WP: It's hard to remember the sequences...it was ten weeks of solid filming...the first unit was doing something while the second unit was off on something else. It was probably one of the most exciting times of my life. I can tell you one of the classic things that happened to me was the guy who owned the theaters here in town when they showed the film for the first time, on the marquee it read: “Junior Bonner” starring William Pierce and underneath in little bitty letters it read “Steve McQueen, Robert Preston and Ida Lupino.” That was a real thrill. And what really surprised me was the personal recognition that Peckinpah gave me at the end of the movie.

Q: What are your final thoughts on Steve McQueen?

WP: The side that I knew, he was just a regular guy. I watched him as the professional in front of the camera from a distance, but anytime he was with me, he was the regular guy. Either offering or bumming a cigarette or talking about some subject we both enjoyed – kids, motorcycles, race cars, things that we both had some mutual interests. He was so impressed with the Prescott area he had even talked about doing some business investing together in land over here, but it never happened. He was a cool guy. I still have a lot of fond memories of the man. To me, he was a giant in the industry. I felt a little bit of mutual respect from him for the time I devoted on the movie to make him a little money. He made my town a helluva lotta money, and that was my motive and I had fun while I was doing it. I still get people coming up to me and saying, “I saw Junior Bonner the other night.” Who wouldn't love those sorts of accolades?

My Thanks to Marshall Terrill and William Pierce for making this interview possible during The 5th Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival in 2010.

5TH ANNUAL STEVE McQUEEN FILM FESTIVAL INTERVIEW: AUTHOR MARSHALL TERRILL (PART 2 OF 2)

2010-03-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

Above: This is the film poster I have custom-framed in my home featuring Steve with his lovely and talented co-star, Barbara Leigh.

Reviews of Junior Bonner:

The Los Angeles Times: "Steve McQueen is explosive and forceful in one of his finest performances".

The New York Daily News' Kathleen Carroll wrote: "A nice, loose, easygoing rodeo picture. McQueen has met with a role that fits him like a glove".

The London Times wrote: "For those of us who have come to expect (or fear) that each new Sam Peckinpah film will be a new bloodbath, this comes as a pleasant surprise, a reminder of milder, gentler films.

This is the film that became Steve McQueen's favorite. According to Screenwriter Jeb Rosebrook, McQueen loved the script and agreed to play the lead role in April, 1971. The following month, Sam Peckinpah signed on to direct the film after completing the intense Straw Dogs starring Dustin Hoffman in England. Filming for Junior Bonner began on June 30th in Prescott, Arizona where the nation's largest rodeo was scheduled to begin on July 14th. McQueen had good reason to feel tense at the prospect of working with Sam Peckinpah. Sam was fired six years earlier as director of The Cincinnati Kid and replaced with Norman Jewison. Steve had a role in this decision. For his part, Peckinpah felt McQueen failed to stand up for him at the time of his firing. Co-star Ben Johnson, who had recently completed his role as "Sam The Lion" in Peter Bogdanovich's film, The Last Picture Show remembers that McQueen and Peckinpah "fought like cats and dogs". Peckinpah was eager to direct Junior Bonner in an effort to soften his image as a film maker dubbed "The Master of Violence". Junior Bonner would be the exception to this rule with a brilliant cast joining Steve.

Ida Lupino played Elvira, mother to McQueen's character. Susan Hayword was previously considered for the role. Lupino had not appeared in movies since While the City Sleeps and Strange Intruder (both filmed in 1956). She directed The Trouble with Angels--a comedy (filmed in 1966) and continued to appear in television roles. Casting Lupino was a great choice for this film. Bonner's huckster and real estate mogul brother Curly is played by Joe Don Baker. Robert Preston was cast as Ace Bonner, Steve's good-for-nothing, womanizing boozer of a father. Ben Johnson was cast as rodeo owner Buck Roan. Having seen the film in the theater, it is impossible for me not to mention Steve's love interest in the film (and in life at the time) the beautiful actress and model Barbara Leigh, who who appeared on these pages last year as my Special Guest on my feature "The Interview". Screenwriter Jeb Rosebrook shared a fun story with me last year as my Special Guest during the 'Festival' about McQueen on the set.

"The most vivid memory I have is just being called into his trailer that last couple weeks of filming before we did that big dance and fight scene in The Palace Bar. Actually, it was the scene where he was dancing with Barbara Leigh. That's when he asked me, 'By the way, why am I called Junior?' Now, this is August. The previous November, I had started writing the script about Junior Bonner. He had a way of wanting to do dialogue in his own way. So, here was the scene and I couldn't answer his question, and I thought I was going to catch hell for that. I mean. 'Who do you think you are? A big-time writer who wrote the script and you don't know who Junior is?' He just said, 'Okay'. Then we went out and filmed the scene and I believe the way it went was--I believe you know that Barbara and Steve were not exactly strangers. They knew each other well enough to have this dance and this kind of 'let it fly' --so to speak. In the process, she says 'Why do they call you Junior?' And Steve said, 'I don't know'" (this is the famous phone booth scene).

The subtext of this film centers on a slightly over-the-hill former rodeo star (McQueen) whose life is faltering. A desire to redeem his fortunes by returning home to Arizona and reconcile with the family he hasn't seen in years leads to the shocking discovery that the family is in the process of disintegrating. Bonner's parents have separated, and his huckster brother Curley has been busy turning every square inch of his parent's land into cash as quickly as he possibly can to construct a mobile home park. The existential crisis for McQueen's character is a family and town he no longer recognizes when materialism and greed clash. This casts a pall over his hometown and the simpler values he once related to. With no money and few prospects for regaining his stature on the rodeo circuit, Junior struggles to come to terms with this new life he has unexpectedly encountered while attempting to win the Fourth of July Frontier Day Rodeo. It is here where he is determined to strike a deal with rodeo owner Buck Roan to ride "Sunshine"--a wild bull deemed impossible for a cowboy to endure the required 8-second ride. Filming took 10 weeks and found McQueen casual and comfortable in his role, which drew some of the best critical reviews of his career. Indeed, "The Master of Violence"--Peckinpah had succeeded in altering his image--at least for the moment.

One of the most memorable scenes in the entire movie occurs during a conversation on an bench situated outside a train station between Junior and his father, Ace, when Junior is approached to finance Ace's dream of traveling to Australia in an over-reaching plan to discover gold. Junior reveals that he is flat broke. The tension and heartbreak created in this scene was a very difficult task for McQueen to access emotionally. As a result, the scene quite a while to get it right. It is the closest McQueen ever came to crying on film and his performance is simply brilliant. Hands-down! Don't miss it. Jeb Rosebrook, also recalled a wonderful memory of working with actor Ben Johnson.

"There were two great things about Ben Johnson. The first, when we were doing rehearsals for a week, Steve told everybody 'This guy sitting here right next to me is going to win an Academy Award this year. I saw the rough cut last week of 'The Last Picture Show' and he's going to win the award.' Secondly, Steve nailed me again. Once in a while, I can come up with a good line. Like, at the end of the fight (scene) somebody said "What do we do now?" and I said "Let's play 'Star Spangled Banner'--let's play something patriotic". And I wandered over to the bar when Robert Preston says "Up to the mouth, over the gums, look out stomach here she comes. If this world's all about winners, what's for losers?" I had a line in there and Steve didn't like the line. So he said, "Give me a line". Finally, Ben was sitting next to Steve and he said, "Some body's gotta hold the horses don't they". Now, he had probably stolen that from John Ford, but it worked! That in essence, when it works, is what movie making can be about".

During the summer of 1972, no less than three rodeo films, "J.W Coop", "The Honkers" and "When Legends Die" were all released within a three-month period to a wary public rendering Junior Bonner as the only McQueen project less popular at the time than his previous films and those that would follow. The time frame in which this film was created is of significant interest. Following the troubling circumstances surrounding production of LeMan's a year earlier, McQueen was also newly divorced from his first wife, Neile. As Steve never followed one film with the same genre', it can be said that Junior Bonner was the furthest project imaginable from what many today consider, in retrospect, consider in LeMan's to be "the ultimate racing film". Interestingly, over the years, both LeMan's and Junior Bonner have been rediscovered by millions of fans through VHS tape and DVD formats. At one point, Steve stated: "I liked Junior Bonner very much. It was the first time I'd worked with Sam, and we got it together. I thought the script was tremendous---one of the best properties I've come across. But I think the film is a failure, at least financially, and in this business, that's what counts". Time has since re-cast this film in the proper limelight it has always deserved and it can now be said with certainty, that along with becoming one of McQueen's finest performances, it is also now a profitable film. I hope you love it every bit as much as I do. The 'Festival' continues!

Note: Tomorrow, we will visit with William Pierce who was on-hand for the entire filming of Junior Bonner, and I am certain you will find his recollections fascinating!
MM

5TH ANNUAL STEVE MCQUEEN FESTIVAL INTERVIEW: AUTHOR MARSHALL TERRILL!

2010-03-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Marshall Terrill A Great Friend & Special Guest

The New Book on Steve McQueen!
(Today is Steve McQueen's Birthday)
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Marshall Terrill rejoins us in what has become a banner year. March 24th would have marked the 80th birthday of the late actor, Steve McQueen (1930-1980). For over 20 years, Terrill has exhaustively researched the life and career of Steve McQueen. As a young boy, Terrill's father would pull him out of school to attend first-run releases of McQueen movies. A masterpiece, this is Marshall Terrill's third book on Steve McQueen. His first outing, "Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel" is widely regarded as the seminal biography for Steve McQueen fans worldwide. Next, an ambitious and heartfelt effort emerged with "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile"--co-authored by Steve's widow, the lovely Barbara McQueen with Marshall Terrill. Over the years, Terrill has visited McQueen's boyhood home in Slater, Missouri, The Boys Republic in Chino Hills, California, Santa Paula, California, the Last Chance Ranch in Ketchum, Idaho, and even the clinic in Juarez, Mexico where McQueen died in the recovery room following surgery on November 7, 1980. In a fascinating compilation of interviews with actors and friends of McQueen, Terrill has carefully assembled many never-before seen photographs of the actor. What emerges is an all-new effort that takes the reader into the private recollections of Steve McQueen from the people who knew him best. In the sixties and seventies, Steve McQueen became the biggest movie star in the world. This must-have book is far from your typical tribute book. It rings as authentic as the man himself--Steve McQueen. I sat down with Marshall Terrill recently to discuss his long journey studying the man who will always be "The King of Cool".

Manning: You've been writing about Steve McQueen since 1993. How has writing this new tribute book affected you personally?

Terrill: This was a tough book. I thought it was going to be very easy because I thought all I would have to do is assign people to write an essay and I'd just edit. I thought I was just going to be able to say, 'Here you go', and then they would send it back to me. But that wasn't the case. It turned out to be a lot more labor-intensive than I thought it was originally going to be. In many ways, I think a photo book is a lot harder to assemble than a regular biography because you've got four or five working parts going. You've got to find the subject, interview them, transcribe, write the passage, send it back to the subject for their approval; then you've got to select the right photo that goes with the passage. Then you've got to write the right caption that encapsulates the essence of the story and then arrange it in an order that makes sense. With a biography, you just write the story. I thought that I would be able to do this book in a year. It took me three years.

Manning: But for those who may not be familiar with the format, what can we expect with this all-new McQueen effort and how did you make the decision of whom to include?

Terrill: It started with 'Steve McQueen: The Last Mile', and I thought I was going to collect maybe at the most a dozen guest passages for that book. I looked at the photographs and a lot of the people were still alive. I said to Barbie (McQueen): 'Hey, why don't we get them to write a guest passage, and we'll just slide it in the book as a little side bar?' She said, 'Oh, that's a great idea'. So, I did that and when we put the book together, it disrupted the flow of her story. You would read her story and then all of a sudden, you would be reading about Dave Friedman or Lee Majors. In a lot of the instances, the guest passages were clumped together. It just didn't work. So, I put those aside and I thought that if I could collect enough of these (recollections) and I could arrange them in chronological order, I might have a really good book on my hands. But are there enough people alive now to tell his whole life story? Some of the people in the book have been dead a long time. But I went back to my original interviews that I did with 'Portrait of an American Rebel', and I included those people to fill in the gaps. Then I found old articles that people had written about Steve and received permission to use those, excerpts and, of course, fresh interviews. Then through mine and Barbie's travels, we met new people who would come up us and say, 'Hey, I knew Steve'. And I would say, 'Well, tell me about it and give me your contact information'. Then they would provide fresh, new stories and filled in the gaps in certain areas. This was just an interesting process how this all evolved.

Manning: You co-wrote "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile" with Steve's widow Barbara McQueen after updating "Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel". Where will this journey wind up for you as a writer and as a person?

Terrill: Quite honestly, I see this book and the next bio, "Steve McQueen: The Life and Legacy of a Hollywood Icon"--I see this as a closed chapter and I'm ready to take a very long break and just enjoy life.

Manning: One surprising impression I had after previewing the book is what a phenomenal photographer Barbara McQueen really is--even though I've mentioned to you before that this should have been evident to me while reading and re-reading "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile". But she's really quite extraordinary as a photographer and I was curious to capture your thoughts about whether or not she would ever return to that?

Terrill: I've been begging her for years to return to photography. She kept downplaying her talent level stating, 'Oh, I had a great subject to work with'. But you know, I've seen her other pictures and she is truly talented and her camera captured something.

Manning: She has a great talent.

Terrill: Oh, absolutely! The thing with photography is access. That's what makes the difference between a good photographer and a great photographer. She has access to everything and everybody. She has the access to people and places and worlds that we can't get into but she can. So, I'm hopeful that she will pick up the camera again. I'm working on her. We'll see. But it's got to be up to her.

Manning: I wanted to mention Slater, Missouri. Because in April, we'll have an opportunity to visit there and I wonder if you could enlighten my readers about how Slater came to embrace Steve's boyhood home, and what the overall experience is like during "Steve McQueen Days" with two thousand people?

Terrill: You know, in a weird way it's like this: You read history books and you kind of fantasize in your head what the place is like for years. Then for you to see it come to life, that's an incredible experience. It's kind of like when I went to Liverpool (England) for the very first time in 2007. All my life I read about certain places like The Cavern...

Manning: ...Cavern Club.

Terrill: Yes, and I went inside Mendips (the name of John Lennon's childhood home), and Paul McCartney's home. When I standing in Lennon's living room where he used to read T.S. Elliot books, and the front parlor of McCartney's home where he and Lennon wrote more than 200 songs together, I got this big smile on my face because all became real to me. It's no longer mythology; it's a real place and it all comes to life. So, when you go to Slater, you can see Uncle Claude's farm, Thomson Lane, the Orearville schoolhouse, the land where the Kiva movie theater used to be and Slater's Main Street.

Manning: Wow! Among all of the people who've written tributes--and I'm lucky to be one of them--which ones stand out in your mind?

Terrill: You know, I have a favorite one for each decade. The very first one that I enjoy is William Kiso. He was actually the guy who saw Steve when he left town (Slater). Steve told him that he was leaving with the circus. Again,this sounds like mythology. But this guy brings it home for me that this was a real incident and that he saw him duck underneath the boxing ring and he said he never saw him again. It was such an incredible picture that he painted. And then, of course there's Robert MacNamara, who was his roommate at Boys Republic. He says that Steve was pretty much a wounded animal when he got there and and that Steve didn't talk a lot. He said that what you saw on screen was pretty much the torture that he experienced in his real life. When you read his words, you can feel his pain. Then there's Richard Martin who was his buddy in New York and they palled around together. He talked about how they would go on acting calls together and their big thing in life was chasing women. There's a great memo in the book from MGM where it shows McQueen tried out for The Blackboard Jungle. That was in 1954. If you recall the movie, Vic Morrow played the tough guy role that McQueen tried out for and lost. It was the first movie of the Rock 'n' Roll era and made a huge impact in the film industry and pop culture. That was the first movie where executives took notice of the teen market. Now almost every movie made today is geared towards that demographic. To me, it definitely would have changed McQueen's career. But then again, it could have ruined his career, too. Part of McQueen's appeal was that he really struggled for a great many years, and kept fighting to get to the top. Had he had instant stardom, we don't know if that would have faded or not. But because he had to struggle for so long, he had that hunger that kept him going

(We conclude our exciting visit tomorrow!)

WHY STEVE McQUEEN IN 2010?

2010-03-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

Michael Manning, Creator

The 5th Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival

Good Morning. Last year I wrote a blog post that seemed to resonate with approximately 7,000 people. That blog was entitled "Why Steve McQueen?" I wrote that essay because I sincerely felt that it was necessary to answer why I dedicate a Blog Film Festival to Steve during the week of his birthday. I laugh now when I look back and read from my own text: "The question alone is significant enough to warrant a doctoral thesis". That is funny. But you know, it's also very true. So much has happened in the span of a year. For one thing, Marshall Terrill has an exciting new book release coming out and we discuss it during his upcoming visit in an interview. I was pleasantly surprised and honored when Marshall invited me to write a passage in the book. I found myself in the company of some of world's great luminaries. It's quite remarkable, actually, given the fact that I am hardly a luminary! Nevertheless, I have to remind myself that not everyone reading this post is familiar with The Steve McQueen Film Festival that appears here each year. Truth be told, I never imagined that 'The Festival' would actually bring me face to face with people who were a part of Steve's life, including his widow, the lovely and talented Barbara McQueen. But as difficult as life can be, I've also learned that life can also include many wonderful surprises. Meeting Barbara with five of my close friends was one of them. We thoroughly enjoyed her beauty, intelligence, wit and humor. My first conversations with her turned out to be funny! More on that later.

It is difficult to wrestle with the fact that Steve will have been gone thirty-years in November, 2010. He was just 50 when he died. But the impact of his 30 motion pictures left us with an indelible impression of humanity we still admire. We relate to Steve McQueen. His acting is unlike anyone I have ever seen. He is the only actor I know of who insisted on cutting lines of his own dialogue, choosing instead to communicate a feeling or emotion with a subtle facial expression--proving the age-old adage that 'less is really more'. So, with this in mind, I felt it was only fitting that I repeat an updated version of my original essay. It obviously struck a nerve with a lot of people on the worldwide web, so let me share it today along with some new thoughts.

When I was a little kid, I recall one of my neighbors on the street where I grew up in Southeastern Ohio excitedly asking me "Hey, Mike! Are you going to watch 'The Great Escape' tonight on television?" His name was Eddie, and he was an incredible gymnast. Today, he is the president of a bank. At that time, television was relegated to three basic networks and it became a common practice to feature a film years after it's first-run release nationwide in movie theaters. The Great Escape was featured over two successive nights on television. With no pun intended, this film really provided the break-out role for Steve McQueen. Though the details of that night are a bit sketchy for me, it was in fact, the first McQueen film I ever watched--and I have been a loyal fan ever since.

Before relocating to Scottsdale, Arizona I was on a magazine assignment in Indiana. Coincidental to anyone except a true McQueen fan, the car I was driving at the time was a Ford Mustang GT. On my return trip back to Ohio, I exited the freeway and drove along the streets of Steve's home town of Beech Grove, Indiana. Perhaps it was merely the side of town I entered. But the streets that I observed epitomized a poor neighborhood, where dusk and nightfall seemed to bring along a certain element of danger, at least as far as I was concerned. But I continued to cruise along streets and boulevards until nightfall was near. Given the limited amount of sunlight left, and the fact that my gas gauge was nearing empty, I quickly refueled and headed back to the interstate. Still, I managed to capture in my own mind the environment that produced a very troubled youth in Steve. Beach Grove was a small town where Steve McQueen--a throw-away kid--would rise to meteoric heights and become the world's most acclaimed actor of his day.

The tiny movie theater where my parents would drop off a neighborhood buddy and myself as kids, curiously enough, was built next door to a motorcycle shop and a car dealership. I find this ironic, as McQueen loved both motorcycles and cars. I was lucky. I attended first-run releases of such McQueen films as Bullitt, the motorcycle documentary On Any Sunday, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Getaway, The Towering Inferno, Papillon and my favorite film of Steve's, Junior Bonner. Never in a million years would I have expected to become close friends in Arizona with Marshall Terrill, author of the seminal biography: "Steve McQueen, "Portrait of An American Rebel". Nor could I have known that I would attend in December, 2008 a fundraising event for the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula, California called "Remembering Steve McQueen". At that event, many friendships were born. Through Marshall, I was very fortunate to meet Steve's widow Barbara, Steve's karate instructor and close friend Pat Johnson, Steve's private Lear Jet pilot Mike Jugan, actress and producer Adrienne McQueen, photographer and researcher Veronica Valdez and later, Donna Reddon. Donna possesses one of the world's largest photo collections of Steve McQueen. Barbara's sense of humor was very evident after she nicknamed us "The McQueeniacs" over dinner one night after her photo exhibition concluded last year in Chandler, Arizona to promote the book that she and Marshall co-authored, "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile". When I asked her to sign the inside cover of my copy the previous year in Santa Paula, California she scribbled a note, paused, and mischievously drew a heart before looking up at me with a raised eyebrow and stating, "And we both know what that means, don't we?" I still laugh over that humorous moment!

Why Steve McQueen in 2010? For starters, he was a fellow Mid-Westerner who recognized the values that came along with growing up in middle-America. This obviously resonates with me having been born in Ohio. Steve had a very rough life. Here was a man who was abandoned unconscionably by his father and his alcoholic mother--a trauma that would haunt Steve for much of his life. In spite of these circumstances and the lack of a high school education, Steve triumphed in his profession to become regarded by the world as a true legend of the big screen. Actor Martin Landau--who along with Steve became only two of two-thousand applicants accepted into Lee Strasberg's prestigious Actor's Studio said it best: "He was complicated. But that complication makes for an interesting human being, and particularly an interesting actor if you can bring some of it to his work". Steve's troubled life landed him in the Chino Hills, California Boys Republic--a reform school for boys that he quietly supported financially throughout his adult life. He also visited the boys who were students there to listen and share his experiences with them. After a stint in The Marines, Steve chose to become an actor. Success came after many hard years, and to be certain, there was a trail of turbulent personal relationships with women along with film directors he clashed with professionally. The deep pain of Steve's life as an unwanted child was tempered, however, by his own role later as a father himself with his two children, daughter Terry (1959-1998) and son Chad. A fascination with motorcycles and automobile racing provided an outlet for what actress Candice Bergen (Steve's co-star in the 1966 Academy-Award nominated film, The Sand Pebbles) once described in Steve as a "caged animal". And we guys, of course, generally related to his love of all things mechanical --at least I did--and still do today!

Steve's razor-sharp instincts led friend and fellow actor Robert Culp to describe him as "visceral and transcendent" on both the stage and screen. Similarly, actor LeVar Burton, whose break-out role in Alex Hailey's epic television series, "Roots" led Steve's to cast him in his last fated film, The Hunter observed: "That man had a fierce humanity about him. And when he focused those baby blues on you, you knew. 'I'm in the club! I'm in the club!"

By 1974, Steve became the world's highest paid actor, appearing with Paul Newman as the Fire Chief in The Towering Inferno. But it was neither Steve's riches, an endless parade of attractive women in his life, or his considerable worldwide fame as the anti hero that fascinates me the most. He was complicated--a tortured soul who could be at once brutally unforgiving and tremendously charitable. Ultimately, this loner who trusted few people and suffered quietly beneath a veil of personal anguish and self doubt, nevertheless, was a maverick who took risks and believed in accountability. He was relentless and competitive--and like me--he disliked politics. After he met Cosmopolitan fashion model Barbara Minty, he began to grow in new ways as a person and found the spiritual peace that eluded him throughout his life. Ultimately, this was the one quality that fascinated me most about Steve McQueen--the man he grew to become.

Steve had a new focus married to Barbara: "to begin living again". The McQueen's bought a simple ranch house 65 miles northwest of Los Angeles. While the 6-month renovation of the house took shape, The McQueen's settled into an airplane hangar on the Santa Paula Airport grounds where residents grew to love Steve and fiercely protected his privacy. It was while Steve was earning his private pilots license with Sammy Mason--a born-again Christian--that Steve grew to embrace Christianity. With his new found peace of mind, one by one he began making reparation to many friendships laid to waste during his wilder days. Life had new meaning. With the love of a devoted wife who knew Steve not as an actor, but as a person, Barbara was definitely a catalyst who encouraged Steve to seek a fuller and richer life of love, trust and forgiveness. He found all of these gifts. Sadly, he did not have the benefit of time.

In 1979, Steve was diagnosed with Mesothelioma-a terminal cancer that ultimately took his life on November 7, 1980. A piece of the world seemed torn away from us. Today, Steve McQueen is missed dearly as a great actor whose performances transcend the silver screen and lent what co-star and friend Lord Richard Attenborough refers to as "a wonderful authenticity" that reaches us and makes us care about others. Steve McQueen was a fascinating person, a great actor and a philanthropist who achieved so much in just 50 years. In the end, he embraced life's simpler pleasures so many of us take for granted. This summarizes my formal answer to the question: "Why Steve McQueen in 2010?" In a world seemingly lacking an abundance of true legends, Steve became a legend in his own time. You will read much more about Steve in the days ahead. I have carefully selected a handful of films to convey the depth of his range as an actor. We'll have film, commentary and amazing guests whom you won't want to miss.

The 5th Annual Steve McQueen
Film Festival!

March 22nd-31st
www.michaelmanning.tv