In League with Elvis

In League with 'Elvis'
Film to explore 'Untold Story'
By DAVE MCNARY


Newly minted production shingle Cinema League has found Elvis, optioning film and TV rights to the book "Sergeant Presley: The Untold Story of Elvis' Missing Years."
Cinema League plans to begin shooting the pic this summer, with most of the production set in Germany. It announced the deal with novel authors Rex and Elisabeth Mansfield and Marshall and Zoe Terrill.

Rex Manfield was a fellow soldier during Presley's tour in the Army from 1958 to 1960 while his wife Elisabeth was once romantically linked with the singer. Story, penned by Cinema League principal Miro Vrana, will cover Presley's basic training in Texas and his travels to Germany along with the genesis of his addiction to prescription drugs and his initial meeting with Priscilla Beaulieu, his eventual spouse.

"Whilst the story tells of the secret forbidden love that develops between Rex and Elisabeth behind Elvis' back, it does so against the backdrop of both well known and little known events in Elvis' life," Vrana said.

Sports agent Vrana, producer-manager Julia Brunton and artist-writer Adrienne McQueen launched Los Angeles-based Cinema League in November during AFM with the aim of producing two or three films a year with budgets in the $5 million-$20 million range. Shingle's debut project is sports drama "Hometown Blues," directed by Australian helmer Nadia Tass.
(Source: Variety)

Sgt. Presley is optioned for movie deal

New production company options Elvis book

Newly-minted Cinema League has optioned movie and TV rights for Sergeant Presley: The Untold Story of Elvis' Missing Years in a deal with authors Rex and Elisabeth Mansfield and Marshall and Zoe Terrill. The story follows Presley through basic training in Texas to Germany and includes his addiction to prescription medications and his introduction to Priscilla. Rex Manfield was a fellow soldier during the singer's tour in the Army from 1958 to 1960, and his wife Elisabeth was once romantically linked with Presley. Shooting is scheduled to start this summer.(Hollywood Reporter)

Barbara McQueen heads up cancer benefit

Barbara McQueen to Co-Headline Asbestos Cancer Benefit on February 10, 2007

Steve McQueen's s widow is raising money and awareness to combat the cancer that killed her famous husband in 1980.

Barbara McQueen along with jazz sensation Chris Botti, are heading up an asbestos cancer research benefit on February 10, 2007. The Grammy Award-winning Botti and his band will perform an hour-long concert in a very intimate setting. The trumpeter's stellar career includes performances with renowned performers such as Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant and Sting.

The fund-raiser will be held at the home of Roger and Ann Worthington, who live in Capistrano Beach, California. The event runs from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Barbara McQueen will donate five original 16 x 20 photos and a signed limited edition of her new book, Steve McQueen: The Last Mile to a silent auction to benefit asbestos cancer research through the David "Punch" Worthington Research Lab.

"It recently came to my attention that not much medical progress has been made in the fight against Mesothelioma since my husband's death more than a quarter-century ago", McQueen said. "I'm very honored to use my name to bring awareness to this deadly form of cancer."

McQueen will be signing copies of her book throughout the six-hour benefit. The 240-page book contains approximately 150 pictures documenting Barbara McQueen's three-and-a-half year relationship with the movie icon, which includes candid shots from 1977 to 1980 McQueen's years out of the spotlight. It also chronicles Barbara's early history and modeling career; her years with Steve McQueen at Trancas Beach and Santa Paula as well as behind-the-scene photos on the sets of Tom Horn and The Hunter.

Tickets for the event are $150 per person and all guests must RSVP. To RSVP or for more information, call (310) 622-4960 or contact Jessica Like at jlike@phlbi.org. To register for tickets online, logon to www.phlbi.org/pages/2007_fundraiser.htm.

The David "Punch" Worthington Laboratory is located at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. The laboratory was made possible by a generous initial donation and continuing support from Roger G. Worthington. The Punch Worthington Lab is the home of exciting new research on novel strategies for the treatment of mesothelioma, lung cancer, leukemia, and other occupational cancers

"Maravich" in The Mountaineer

EHS Graduate Contributes to "Maravich"

By JOEY KITTLE, Staff Writer

Don Carver was a bright-eyed youngster in 1956 when he first met Peter “Press” Maravich. “I had just graduated from Elkins High School and I received a call from Press Maravich,” Carver recalled. “He was in West Virginia recruiting basketball players to attend Clemson after accepting the coaching job there and was interested in meeting me.”

Carver said Maravich had heard about his skills from a friend in Elkins. Carver was a first-team all-state selection at EHS from his center spot and still holds the school record of 48 points scored in a game against Buckhannon-Upshur.

Carver was unsure if he wanted to attend Clemson. He had signed a letter-of-intent with WVU Tech but still met with Maravich at the YMCA.

“I had never been on a plane and they flew me to South Carolina,” Carver said. “I spent a week down there playing pick-up games then flew back home.”

After another phone call from Maravich, Carver returned to Clemson for another visit and accepted a scholarship.

So began a friendship with Maravich and his young son, Pete, who would later simply be known as “Pistol Pete”.

The life and times of “Pistol” Pete Maravich has been turned into a book, which Carver played a role in helping the co-authors. The recently released publication is called “Maravich” and was written by Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill.

Pistol’s widow, Jackie Maravich, collaborated in the writing, along with his two sons.

“Marshall Terrill called me in 2000 and asked me about my experiences with Pete,” Carver said. “He wanted to know if I had any pictures or newspaper clippings that I could share with him.

“We have been talking for nearly seven years and developed a friendship. It’s a wonderful book and I believe the first printing sold out.”

The elder Maravich was no stranger to Elkins and the book chronicles his time at Davis & Elkins College, where he played basketball from 1937-41, scoring 1,326 points in his career.

In 1950, he became head coach of the Senators and was instrumental in leading the charge to build Memorial Gymnasium, which still serves the college and community.

Carver remembers playing at the new gymnasium during his high school days.

“I was a freshman at Elkins High School in 1952 and was on one of the first teams to play on the floor,” Carver said. “It was a beautiful gym and seated about 1,500 fans.”

The book recalls how Maravich was determined to get a new gym for the school but there were no funds available. He recruited some retired carpenters to help him with his project and proceeded to build the facility with no building permits or approval from the school.

“There’s probably no way to confirm or deny the story of how Press built the gym,” Carver said. “And no one I’ve talked to has ever heard the story of how he did it.

“The only one that knows is Press.”

After his career at Clemson ended, Carver was contacted about becoming the head basketball coach at Daniel High School in Clemson to replace Press, who had accepted another position.

Carver then coached Pistol for two years.

“I never restricted Pete from shooting,” Carver said. “He was a team player and a good student. He was a fine young man and I never had any problems with him.”

Pistol went on to play at Louisiana State University and averaged a staggering 44.2 points per game, the highest in NCAA history. He then went on to play in the NBA for the Hawks, Jazz and Celtics and later was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

He was also named one of the top 50 players in NBA history.

Sadly, Pistol died in 1988 after suffering a heart attack while playing in a pickup basketball game. Press, meanwhile, had died just eight-and-a-half months earlier.

Carver, who still resides in South Carolina, had his picture hung on the gymnasium wall at Daniel High School last winter.

He’s pictured with Jim Sutherland, who played at Clemson after he graduated from Daniel High School, and Pistol Pete, who was a 10th-grader at the time.

Jackie Maravich breaks silence with "Maravich"

Pistol Pete’s widow writes about legend’s life

By GEORGE MORRIS
Advocate sportswriter
Published: Jan 3, 2007

Advocate staff photo by RICHARD ALAN HANNON

Jackie Maravich, widow of basketball great Pete Maravich, has collaborated on a biography of ‘Pistol Pete.’

When Pete Maravich played basketball — and nobody ever played like him — it brought thrills to everyone except, it seemed, Maravich himself.

During a career that led him to the Basketball Hall of Fame, his wife, Jackie, said she waited long after games ended because he stayed in the locker room until the arena was as empty as he felt.

“Obviously, he knew what he could do with a basketball, but I think in a way he was uncomfortable,” she said. “He loved the game of basketball, but I think everything that went with it didn’t bring him happiness, the material things and whatever.”

That dramatically changed before his unexpected death in 1988 at age 40, which sparked renewed interest in his life. Books and movies were produced. None had Jackie’s input, though not for a lack of requests.

That changed six years ago when Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill approached her. This time, she said yes.

“I could see where they were coming from, their sincerity and their love for Pete and the type of book they were going to write,” she said. “I thought it was time.”

The result is “Maravich,” a biography that received input from Jackie and her sons, Jaeson and Joshua, and gave her editing rights. The book covers Pistol Pete’s life, including his early years, his spectacular playing days and his off-court attempts to find meaning in life, a quest that led to his accepting Christ in 1982.

Jackie had a front-row seat to most of this after Maravich noticed her in 1968. By this time he’d already played one season for LSU and was the city’s biggest sports celebrity. Maravich didn’t approach Jackie Elliser right away.

“The friend I was with, he called me up and said, ‘Pete Maravich wants your phone number,’ and I said, ‘Who’s Pete Maravich?’ I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, but I didn’t follow sports. I said, ‘I don’t think so. I don’t really go out on blind dates.’”

Her friend persuaded Jackie to give him a chance, and he took her to the season’s first football game.

“He came to the door, and my dad said, ‘What are you doing with that tall, skinny guy?’” she said.

“The thing that really attracted me to Pete after that first date was his sense of humor. He was a real, real, real funny guy. That was it after that. We kept dating on and off, and the rest is history.”

That sense of humor remained. On Jan. 5, 1988, Maravich was playing basketball at a church in Pasadena, Calif. During a break in the game, Maravich told the church’s pastor, the Rev. James Dobson that he felt really good — then collapsed to the floor. Those present thought he was joking, but Maravich had suffered a massive heart attack resulting from an undiscovered congenital defect.

Doctors said it was miraculous that he lived through his teens, much less that he became major college basketball’s most prolific scorer, averaging 44.2 points per game — a fraction of what he might have scored had there been a three-point line to reward his long-range shots.

But points only began to describe Maravich’s skills. His ball-handling and passing skills were so extraordinary that many of his passes hit unprepared teammates in the face rather than the hands. Those skills had been honed over years of almost obsessive practice and through the instruction of his father, Press, his coach at LSU.

The National Basketball Association seemed perfect for Maravich, and the Atlanta Hawks rewarded him with the richest contract ever given to a college player of that time. But his teammates clearly resented him, Jackie said.

“I think it was a star thing — the salary and the attention,” she said.

Maravich scored 15,948 points (24.2 per game) in the NBA. His 68 points for the New Orleans Jazz against the New York Knicks in 1977 is the 12th-highest point game in NBA history. He scored more than 50 points in 28 games, a record.

Yet, he was unfulfilled, especially after retiring in 1980.

“He was searching and trying to learn what life really means,” Jackie said.

That search has been chronicled and often exaggerated. Though he was interested in the possibility of extraterrestrial life, Pete did not paint anything on the roof of his house inviting UFOs to come there, Jackie said. He did not dabble in Hinduism. He did not build a bomb shelter at their home. He did become extremely focused on nutrition.

“He also got into fasting,” she said. “He would cook us dinner. He would fast for, like, a week, and I never would get over the discipline he had cooking food for us and just drinking carrot juice and different type things.

“When he told me that he had accepted Christ into his life, I said, ‘Oh, well, maybe it’s another phase he’s going through.’ But I could see the happiness in him and just the zest for life and changes in him. I wanted what he had, so I was baptized in 1984. And when I was baptized, they said all he did was cry the whole time when I went up. I guess he wanted me to have what he had.”

Maravich approached Christianity with the same dedication he’d given to basketball. At Thanksgiving, Jackie said, he would fill his car with turkeys and drive around giving them to people he didn’t know. He spoke about Christ to any group or individual that would listen, she said.

Now, through this biography, he still speaks, Jackie said.

“I remember him always saying this to me: ‘When you die, people forget you.’ He will never be forgotten,” she said. “Here he is, more alive today than ever.”

Slater, Mo. to host Steve McQueen Days in March

Slater, Missouri to honor actor Steve McQueen

Slater, Missouri is throwing a special birthday party for Steve McQueen this spring.
The actor, box-office champion and icon of cool will be honored by civic and business officials from his hometown with a special weekend festival to celebrate his life and commemorate what would have been his 77th birthday. McQueen was born on March 24, 1930 in Beech Grove, Indiana but moved to Slater when he was an infant and remained there for most of the next decade.

The Slater Chamber of Commerce and the City of Slater, Missouri will host the 2007 Steve McQueen Days on March 24 and 25 with a slate of events honoring the town's most famous resident.

"The city of Slater decided it was time to recognize the amazing accomplishments of a man who spent his early years in our community and had a lasting impact on the history of film and popular culture," said Mayor Steve Allegri.

Events are still in the planning stages, but organizers say the festival will include a film retrospective, a motorcycle ride, an antique car show, a panel discussion and a visit of McQueen's old haunts, including his boyhood home and the one-room schoolhouse where he was educated. Barbara McQueen, the superstar's widow, will also take part in a special sign unveiling and as well as sign copies of her new book, Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.

McQueen, who was a worldwide box-office champion in the '60s and '70s, starred in blockbuster films such as The Great Escape, Bullit, The Thomas Crown Affair, Papillon and The Sand Pebbles, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for best actor. McQueen was the highest paid actor in the world at the time of his death in November 1980.

McQueen's film legacy as "The King of Cool" as well as his passion for motor sports and aviation, have elevated him to the same status of other fallen screen idols such as James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. The McQueen name is magic to both baby boomers and to a new generation of hipsters young enough to be his grandchildren.

The actor's "anti-hero" persona and hell-bent-for-leather take on life has been the subject of approximately 20 books and 10 documentaries. Even posthumously, McQueen remains one of the highest paid iconic stars. His image and likeness has been used by more than 30 companies to sell various products such as cars, motorcycles, vodka, blue jeans, watches, jackets, T-shirts, sunglasses and video games.

Founded in 1878, Slater is located in central Missouri in Saline County and has approximately 2,100 residents.

For more information about the 2007 Steve McQueen Days, call Dan Viets at (573) 819-2669 or go to www.cityofslater.com or e-mail info@cityofslater.com.

Celtic Nation calls "Maravich" a masterpiece

DEFINITIVE PETE
'Maravich' as good as it gets
By: Michael D. McClellan

"Pistol" Pete Maravich was an amalgamated talent, breathtaking to watch and utterly spellbinding in ways that force us to suspend our sense of what is real and what is humanly possible. He was unbridled flair, the ultimate showman. Take the best of the best AND1 Streetball wannabe, multiply it by a factor of ten, double the level of difficulty, and you begin to get the sense of what Maravich considered a routine night on the court. He was Bob Cousy and Magic Johnson. He was Larry Bird and Steve Nash. Maravich was all of this and more, a virtuoso performer the likes of which we may never see again. Now, thanks to a sublime effort by authors Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill, the story of "Pistol" Pete Maravich is offered up to a whole new generation of basketball fans. It is, simply, the definitive work on one of the greatest players the sport has ever known.

"Maravich," published by Sport Classic Books, is a masterpiece. It takes a near mythical figure and makes him real all over again, and in the process makes us care about the man whose talents were alternately -- some would say simultaneously -- a gift and a curse. It also explores the incredible relationship between Maravich and his father, Press.

www.celtic-nation.com

Slater, Mo. to host Steve McQueen Days in March

Steve McQueen Days slated for March

January 15, 2007

Slater, Missouri is throwing a special birthday party for Steve McQueen this spring.

The actor, box-office champion and icon of cool will be honored by civic and business officials from his hometown with a special weekend festival to celebrate his life and commemorate what would have been his 77^th birthday. McQueen was born on March 24, 1930 in Beech Grove, Indiana but moved to Slater when he was an infant and remained there for most of the next decade.

The Slater Chamber of Commerce and the City of Slater, Missouri will host the 2007 Steve McQueen Days on March 24 and 25 with a slate of events honoring the superstar.

“The city of Slater decided it was time to recognize the amazing accomplishments of a man who spent his early years in our community and had a lasting impact on the history of film and popular culture,” said Mayor Steve Allegri.

Events are still in the planning stages, but organizers say the festival will include a film retrospective, a motorcycle ride, an antique car show, a panel discussion and a visit of McQueen's old haunts, including his boyhood home and the one-room schoolhouse where he was educated. Barbara McQueen, the actor's widow, will also take part in a special sign unveiling and as well as sign copies of her new book, Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.

McQueen, who was a worldwide box-office champion in the '60s and '70s, starred in blockbuster films such as The Great Escape, Bullitt, The Thomas Crown Affair, Papillon and The Sand Pebbles, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for best actor. McQueen was the highest paid actor in the world at the time of his death in November 1980.

McQueen's film legacy as “The King of Cool” as well as his passion for motor sports and aviation, have elevated him to the same status of other fallen screen idols such as James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. The McQueen name is magic to both baby boomers and to a new generation of hipsters young enough to be his grandchildren.

The actor's “anti-hero” persona and hell-bent-for-leather take on life has been the subject of approximately 20 books and 10 documentaries. Even posthumously, McQueen remains one of the highest paid iconic stars. His image and likeness has been used by more than 30 companies to sell various products such as cars, motorcycles, vodka, blue jeans, watches, jackets, T-shirts, sunglasses and video games.

Founded in 1878, Slater is located in central Missouri in Saline County and has approximately 2,100 residents.

For more information about the 2007 Steve McQueen Days, call Dan Viets at (573) 819-2669 or go to www.cityofslater.com or e-mail info@cityofslater.com.

Slater announces 2007 Steve McQueen Days

Slater, Missouri is throwing a special birthday party for Steve McQueen this spring.

The actor, box-office champion and icon of cool will be honored by civic and business officials from his hometown with a special weekend festival to celebrate his life and commemorate what would have been his 77^th birthday. McQueen was born on March 24, 1930 in Beech Grove, Indiana but moved to Slater when he was an infant and remained there for most of the next decade.

The Slater Chamber of Commerce and the City of Slater, Missouri will host the 2007 Steve McQueen Days on March 24 and 25 with a slate of events honoring the town's most famous resident.

“The city of Slater decided it was time to recognize the amazing accomplishments of a man who spent his early years in our community and had a lasting impact on the history of film and popular culture,” said Mayor Steve Allegri.

Events are still in the planning stages, but organizers say the festival will include a film retrospective, a motorcycle ride, an antique car show, a panel discussion and a visit of McQueen's old haunts, including his boyhood home and the one-room schoolhouse where he was educated. Barbara McQueen, the superstar's widow, will also take part in a special sign unveiling and as well as sign copies of her new book, Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.

McQueen, who was a worldwide box-office champion in the '60s and '70s, starred in blockbuster films such as The Great Escape, Bullit, The Thomas Crown Affair, Papillon and The Sand Pebbles, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for best actor. McQueen was the highest paid actor in the world at the time of his death in November 1980.

McQueen's film legacy as “The King of Cool” as well as his passion for motor sports and aviation, have elevated him to the same status of other fallen screen idols such as James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. The McQueen name is magic to both baby boomers and to a new generation of hipsters young enough to be his grandchildren.

The actor's “anti-hero” persona and hell-bent-for-leather take on life has been the subject of approximately 20 books and 10 documentaries. Even posthumously, McQueen remains one of the highest paid iconic stars. His image and likeness has been used by more than 30 companies to sell various products such as cars, motorcycles, vodka, blue jeans, watches, jackets, T-shirts, sunglasses and video games.

Founded in 1878, Slater is located in central Missouri in Saline County and has approximately 2,100 residents.

For more information about the 2007 Steve McQueen Days, call Dan Viets at (573) 819-2669 or go to www.cityofslater.com or e-mail info@cityofslater.com.

Pistol Pete's sons step out of his shadow

Maravich family tells its story

New Orleans Times-Picayune

Sunday, January 14, 2007

By Tammy Nunez

It's not unusual for Jaeson Maravich to find himself lying awake in the middle of the night.

He hasn't had a good night's sleep in years, it seems. When he nods off, he dreams of his famous father. And when he's awake, he thinks of him then, too.

"I would say, 'God, you can take me tomorrow if I could just have 24 hours with him,' " Jaeson said.

"I'd take five minutes," brother Josh agreed.

It hasn't been easy to live in the shadow of their father, basketball legend Pete Maravich, but it's been even harder to live without him. Jaeson, now 27, Josh, 24, and their mother, Jackie, have spent much of the 19 years since Pete Maravich's death trying to avoiding all the Pete-induced attention, often tucked away in the haven of their Covington home.

But the family stepped into the spotlight in recent weeks, with the publication of "Maravich," the latest in a long line of books about "Pistol Pete" but the first written with Jackie Maravich McLachlan's cooperation and collaboration.

'Too much, too fast'

Pistol Pete Maravich was one of the most influential players in basketball history. He still holds the all-time collegiate scoring record despite playing only three years on the Louisiana State University varsity in the era before the three-point arc was drawn. The remarkable shooting, dribbling and passing styles he displayed at LSU and over a 10-year pro career foreshadowed the dazzle of the current NBA game.

Maravich McLachlan said she has always wanted to shed light on the darker corners of the legend. But it just wasn't the time.

"I kind of put it off for a while; I was dedicated to raising my two sons, and they've turned out to be two fine young men," Maravich McLachlan said.

Pete Maravich died from an undetected heart condition during a pickup basketball game in January 1988, leaving Jaeson, then 8 , and Josh, then 5, with a legacy that they have struggled to come to terms with, ever since.

As a teenager, Jaeson turned his back on basketball because of all the unwanted cameras, interviews and fan attention. In seventh grade, network basketball analyst Billy Packer and a CBS camera crew tried to do an interview with him. He wasn't Jaeson to them, it seemed -- only the Pistol's son.

"It was too much, too fast," Jaeson said. "I just shied away from it all.”

He

n ever played "around the world" in the back yard, never even picked up a basketball for more than two years. He came back only for his senior year at Saint Paul School in Covington in 1996-97.

"He just decided to walk away," his mother said. "It's really sad. Even today, I think he could have played in the NBA. But I see the pressure of having to carry that name and the expectations mostly of himself. Pete always told them and me, he didn't care what they did as long as they had Christ in their lives."

Josh, though more outgoing than Jaeson, also looked for something other than basketball. He tried BMX racing. He took up skateboarding. He played soccer.

Affinity for the game

But neither brother could deny their affinity for the game their dad made cool in droopy socks and Chuck Taylors.

"I guess it's in my blood. I can't get it out," Jaeson said. "He definitely wouldn't have cared about the basketball part and I know if he were here, I wouldn't have quit in high school. I think he definitely would be proud of me now."

As youngsters, Jaeson and Josh had grown close to their grandfather, Press Maravich, who coached Pete at LSU. "Papa Press" even lived with the family for a time in Covington. But his death in 1987, preceding by just nine months the loss of their father, was a double whammy for the boys.

"I think about (how things would be different) every day and I get a little jealous every time I see what my dad and grandpa had, seeing how tight they were," Jaeson said. "I was going to have that with my dad. I was like my dad's shadow (years ago), I was like always at the hip."

Josh joined the LSU basketball team as a walk-on in 2001 and reveled in the arena named for his dad. Pistol Pete's stardom elevated the stature of LSU's basketball program and prodded the university to construct the Assembly Center, enabling the team in 1972 to finally move out of the John M. Parker Agricultural Center, known as the cow palace, where rodeos and livestock shows were held. The Assembly Center, across the street from the north end zone of Tiger Stadium, was renamed for Maravich following his death in 1988.

Lost connection

"The only reason I wanted to go to LSU is because I knew I could have a close relationship with my father," Josh said. "And every time I was on the court and every time I was at practice, I looked up at his jersey and I'd have little conversations with him. LSU was the one place where I felt I could be closer with him. The hoopla didn't bother me."

He lost that connection with his dad when his basketball career at LSU ended. What few memories he has of his father, he would prefer to keep to himself. The other struggle with going public with Pete's memory is all those out there who can't separate Pete's sons from Pete, the Maraviches said.

Even after scoring more than 50 points in a junior college game a few years ago, Jaeson was informed by a reporter that his dad had scored more than 60 in a game. No matter how many points he scored or how many Pistolesque ball-handling moments he had, it was never enough for some people. He had trouble finding a peaceful place to play.

So Jaeson kept moving. He bounced from school to school, even stopping at Alabama and playing for William Carey before giving up his dream of the NBA because of the chronic insomnia. He is still battling it, but said he is happy with the book and said he is in awe of all his dad achieved both in basketball and as a person.

That awe and his and Josh's desire to remember their father was one of the reasons the boys were OK with their mother's writing the book.

"It was time," Josh said.

Dispelling the myths

The family knew all the interviews were coming. As soon as the book hit the press, all the questions would come back. It's not like they didn't already field them almost everywhere they went.

Jaeson was walking in an airport a few years ago wearing a Pistol Pete shirt. A middle-aged man stopped him and told him he couldn't possibly know Pistol Pete as well as his generation. Jaeson pulled out his driver's license after a few rounds of questions and the man walked away red-faced.

As painful as it is for Jaeson in particular, he wants his dad's story out there. He's proud.

"A lot of people say Michael Jordan was the greatest or Kobe," Jaeson said. "I've never seen anyone come close to him. I've never seen anyone play the way he played."

For Maravich McLachlan, it's cathartic to dispel the Maravich myths. Yes, Pete used to dribble at the movie theaters and out of cars and on bikes, but no, he never had a UFO landing pad on his roof. He wasn't a racist, either, she said.

"He was very, very humble," Maravich McLachlan said. "A lot of people misunderstood him because he was aloof. They thought he was into himself and had an ego, but he didn't."

Maravich McLachlan, 60, has long since remarried. Covington remains home for her and her sons. Her life with Pete Maravich is long gone in one respect, but ever alive in another.

"Everybody loved Pete," she said. "I think his dad worked with him a lot, but I also think (he) was a God-given talent."

It was a talent his sons are still trying to connect with. The guy the world knew as Pistol Pete was just Dad at night when he slipped in Christian cassettes for Jaeson to fall asleep to.

"Maybe I should try that now," Jaeson said.

Tammy Nunez can be reached at tnunez@timespicayune.com or (985) 898-4861.

USA Today columnist hails "Maravich"

USA Today columnist hails "Maravich" USA Today columnist David DuPree has hailed "Maravich" as one of the best sports books of 2006.

In his Jan. 3, 2006 web column, DuPree recommended the 432-page biography to his readers, calling it one of the best sports books released in the past year.

The book, authored by Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill, is considered by many sportswriters across the country as the definitive biography of "Pistol" Pete Maravich.

In addition to countless hours spent with Maravich's widow Jackie and her sons, Jaeson and Joshua, the authors also interviewed more than 300 teammates, opponents, journalists, coaches, detractors, fans and extended family to bring back the vivid life story of a transcendent athlete who thrilled millions.

The mop-topped, floppy-socked prodigy was a legend at LSU, averaging a staggering 44.2 points per game - the highest in NCAA history.

Then a brilliant career with the Hawks, Jazz and Celtics led to enshrinement in the Hall of Fame and selection as one of the top 50 players in NBA history.

For more information, go to www.maravichbook.com.

Book Soup to Host Barbara McQueen

Book Soup to host Barbara McQueen and Marshall Terrill in February.
Barbara signing books at the 2006 Steve McQueen Auction.

Barbara McQueen and Marshall Terrill are “going Hollywood” in February when they appear at a world famous book store on the Sunset Strip to promote Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.The signing will take place 7 p.m. Friday, February 9, 2007 at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

“Book Soup is the coolest bookstore in the world,” said Barbara McQueen. “I used to shop there all the time when I lived in Los Angeles. I'm absolutely thrilled they are hosting a signing for us.”The event, which is billed as “McQueen for a Day,” will be more than just a book signing promises co-author Marshall Terrill.“I've had assurances from several McQueen friends and associates that they will show up and say something in tribute to Steve,” Terrill said. “The signing will be a gathering of friends, associates and Steve McQueen fans. I guarantee this will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Who knows, you might even bump into a celebrity or two.”

Barbara McQueen and Terrill will read a few of their favorite passages from Steve McQueen: The Last Mile, talk about how they wrote the book and why McQueen hasn't spoken publicly about her famous husband in more than 25 years. They will also take questions from the audience at the end of their presentation.

The 240-page book contains approximately 150 pictures documenting Barbara McQueen’s three-and-a-half year relationship with the movie icon, which includes candid shots from 1977 to 1980 – McQueen’s years out of the spotlight. It also chronicles Barbara’s early history and modeling career; her years with McQueen at Trancas Beach and Santa Paula as well as behind-the-scene photos on the sets of Tom Horn and The Hunter.

Book Soup will offer both the $95 special limited edition as well as a new $49.95 hardback version of the book. The store will also have on hand the 2005 version of Terrill’s Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel to sign.The cost to attend the signing is free, but an RSVP is required to guarantee admittance. Contact Tyson Cornell at (310) 659-3684 or e-mail him at tyson@booksoup.com to RSVP.

For those who can't attend the event, Book Soup will broadcast the presentation on its website at www.booksoup.comPublisher Dalton Watson will also take orders from buyers around the world who want to purchase a special limited edition with an inscription from Barbara McQueen and Marshall Terrill. Orders must be in placed by February 1, 2007. For more information, go to www.daltonwatson.com