Q & A with Stage 32 owner Curt Blakeney

Every day, there are thousands of talented individuals searching for like minded souls with which they can collaborate. They join writing or acting classes, theater groups, and on line forums. They act in student films, direct and submit short subject films to festivals, and enter screenplay contests. They take the first step and fight for the second. They search for answers to the never ending "hows" and "whys." Some take pride in bucking the relentless frustrations and challenges, many more succumb to them. Almost all wonder: "How can I make my dream a reality? How can I increase my odds and give myself the greatest chance to succeed?"

Welcome to Stage 32 – a community for people working in or with a desire to work in film or theater. It’s a place to gather, to discuss and develop projects, to join actor with director, director with producer, producer with cast and crew. As the saying goes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Let's get to know Curt Blakeney, the co-founder of Stage 32

Q: Curt, you're a well-known sports personality in Phoenix, tell me about your love for cinema as a kid?

CB: I’ve always been a film buff. I really enjoyed watching movies as a kid; especially summer matinees. Nothing like the thrill of a movie doubleheader with a tub of popcorn and a box of M&Ms. I was also a fan of the drive-in … many good memories there. My awareness of film was heightened by my brother Eric, who is a writer and director in Hollywood.

Q: Who were some of your favorite actors, directors and movies?

CB: I’ve always been a big fan of Spielberg movies: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET, Saving Private Ryan. He’s one of the great storytellers in the business. As far as actors, certainly on my top 10 list all-time are Paul Newman, Gene Hackman, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, Daniel Day-Lewis. There are so many…too many to list. More recently, I think Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr. and Brad Pitt are exceptional.

Q: Your family is no stranger to Hollywood success. Your brother wrote the screenplay for Gunshy, a successful feature film starring Liam Neeson and was a producer/show runner for "21 Jump Street, the TV series that put Johnny Depp on the map.What did you learn about the movie industry through his eyes?

CB: Just how important it is to work tirelessly and network, network, network. It’s so important to build those relationships in the industry. It’s no industry to be shy.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for Stage 32?

CB: Two years ago, my business partner, Richard Botto, and I were in Los Angeles for the American Film Market (AFM). At the time, we had our own film production company, Fair Warning Productions, and had a few projects in development. AFM is a gathering place for filmmakers, sales reps, distributors, financiers and others from around the globe. Everyone is in town for one week pitching their projects, pitching their craft, trying to find funding, etc. The most vibrant place was the bar at the Loews Santa Monica Hotel. There we witnessed so many projects being discussed and so many filmmakers with completed films begging to be heard. And once AFM was over, those people went back to their respective cities and waited another 12 months for the next AFM. On the flight back from LA, a light bulb went off. We thought it would be great to create a virtual meeting place so that people could discuss film projects and connect year round, anywhere in the world.

Q: What are some of the success stories that have emerged from Stage 32?

CB: There are so many examples of success stories, that we created a forum for it: http://www.stage32.com/lounge/stage_32_success_stories But a couple that stand out. Matt E. Hudson, a director, producer and screenwriter from London, became the first of several to shoot a film (called “Reduction”) using crew found entirely from Stage 32. And Persephone Vandegrift, a screenwriter from Seattle who has been tirelessly networking through Stage 32 since she joined, was hired to write the pilot for a historical miniseries “The Vanquished.” The numbers keep growing as directors find actors, filmmakers find screen writers, producers find crew.  

Q: What is your goal for yourself and the participants who network on Stage 32?

CB: The goal of the site is to bring together like-minded individuals who collaborate to promote creative growth in film… and television and theater as well. So members can upload their projects, resumes, loglines, scripts, photos and videos – anything that shows off their skills and talents. People can private message other members, post on their walls, chat live or post on our message board – called the Stage 32 Lounge. It’s a very open and friendly community. Film students can get advice from seasoned professionals, screenwriters can get tips from other screenwriters, people can share their experiences. We’ve also had guest blogs from award-winning writers such as Danny Rubin (Groundhog Day), Rex Pickett (Sideways) and Doug Richardson (Bad Boys), whose “tales from the trenches” have really resonated with Stage 32 members.

It’s a social network to not only communicate with others, but learn, teach, share and foster.

We have a saying, that sums ups the site. Stage 32 is the social network uniquely populated with the most creative people on Earth. That’s our mantra…we’re trying to build this amazing global network of incredibly talented people and let the sparks fly.

For more information, visit www.stage32.com

Lee Marvin: Point Blank is the first full-length, authoritative and detailed story of the iconic actor's life to go beyond the Hollywood scandal sheet reporting from earlier books, and provide an appreciation for the man and his acting career and the classic films he starred in, whether it's his chilling titular villain in "Who Shot Liberty Valance" to the paternal yet brutally realistic platoon leader in "The Big Red One." And, while Marvin is best known for his icy tough guy roles, veteran Hollywood writer Epstein provides us with a portrait of a much, deeper, more complex individual who took great risks in his acting and career, often joining forces with relative unknown directors of the time like John Boorman and Sam Fuller. Yet, although voted the leading male action star in 1967, and winner of an Academy Award (Cat Ballou), very little is known of his personal life, his family background, his experiences in WWII, his relationship with his father, family, friends, wives, and his ongoing battles with alcoholism, rage and depression, occasioned by his postwar PTSD. Now, after years of research, interviews with family members, friends and colleagues, and complete with rare photographs and illustrative material, LEE MARVIN: Point Blank will provide a full understanding and appreciation of this acting titan's place in the Hollywood pantheon in spite of (or perhaps because of) his very real and human struggles. Moreover, this biography provides a penetrating psychological and sociological analysis of Lee Marvin and his role in shaping the image of the violent male in modern film. By exploring Marvin's family history and his formative years as well as the harrowing combat that Marvin was involved in the Pacific campaign in WWII, Epstein gives us a portrait of a man shaped and shattered by violence, yet one who, having been intimately acquainted with it, could bring it home to the film audience with an intensity and realism previously unseen in modern cinema.

Lee Marvin: Point Blank will be released February 2013. For more information visit www.schaffnerpress.com.

Reviews and Comments

“I have known Dwayne Epstein for more than 20 years and he is without a doubt the most knowledgeable person I know on the subject of Hollywood and film history. And he is flat out a great writer. His style of writing will attract the attention of film critics and buffs alike. The information he has culled on Lee Marvin over a 20- year-period is deep and most likely will never be repeated. The market is also ripe for an in-depth look at Marvin's life and filmography. Dwayne's book will be the most definitive look at this underrated superstar and most likely kick-off a rediscovery of Marvin's work, which is long overdue.”

MARSHALL TERRILL, author of STEVE McQUEEN: Portrait of an American Rebel

“I looked over Dwayne's shoulder while he was working on early chapters of his Lee Marvin biography, and I know it will be a great book. He had already done unique, unduplicated research into Marvin's early life, his war experience and the relationship between that and his decision to pursue acting. Lee Marvin: Point Blank will also be the definitive book on its subject: the rare star biography that substitutes passion for pandering, which always makes for gripping reading.”

BILL KROHN, LA Correspondent since 1978 of Cahiers du Cinema and author of HITCHCOCK AT WORK

“Dwayne has a broad knowledge of film and pop culture that comes through in his well-researched articles. His work requires no rewriting, making my job that much easier. Many of the articles he has submitted have garnered sincere praise in letters to the editor from our readers. We at Filmfax are very proud that Dwayne's initial research on Lee Marvin first saw the light of the day in our publication. I can not say enough about his ability...”

MIKE STEIN, founder and publisher, FilmFax Magazine

Michael Dante set to release memoirs in 2012

Michael Dante will add another distinguished title to his list of credits: celebrity author.

 

The athlete turned actor recently penned From Hollywood to Michael Dante Way, and will be released later this year.

 

Dante appeared in more than 50 movies and 150 television episodes. His tall, dark, leading-man good looks got him his break in Hollywood, but his ability to adapt to a wide variety of roles kept him busy in show biz for more than three decades.

 

The actor known as Michael Dante was born Ralph Vitti in 1931, in Stamford, Conn. He played ball and began studying acting at the University of Miami. In 1949, the Boston Braves discovered him playing semi-pro ball in a fast New England league and signed him to a pro contract at the age of 18.



After injuring his arm, he sat out the 1952 season, and left pro ball for good a few years later.

 

His first acting job came in the 1956 movie Somebody Up There Likes Me. For the 30 years he had guest roles in many of the TV Westerns of the time, along with soap operas, cop shows, etc.

 

You can view his "filmography" at the Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com and his minor league baseball career at www.baseball-reference.com. Be sure to search under Michael Dante on the former site, and Ralph Vitti on the latter.

Q & A with McQueen author Andrew Antoniades

Interviewer: You have just released a new book called “Steve McQueen: The Actor and his Films”. Why is McQueen so popular even today?



Andrew: In essence it is because what Steve McQueen stood for in his lifetime is still as relevant, if not more so, today. He was a no-nonsense person who was essentially an underdog and that story is always appealing. He was a rebel but he could also act, so his films remain relevant and well-loved today. For example, Bullitt is still influencing modern cinema through its cinematography and its car chase. Aside form the films there is McQueen fashion sense and his love of fast cars and motorbikes. So for every person there is nearly always something they can relate to and admire. In an age where cinema really has no tough guys like McQueen, people have to look back and appreciated him for the maverick he was, since there is no one that comes close these days. He died just over 30 years ago but remains as relevant and as big as ever.
Interviewer: How did you come to write a book on Steve McQueen?

Andrew: I had just edited Marshall Terrill’s latest biography Steve McQueen: The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon. That was a great experience for me as I had read Marshall’s first biography on McQueen from 1993 when I was just in my late teens. Marshall always felt, having written the definitive biography on McQueen that the story of his films needed to be told. Marshall graciously suggested that I be the one to tell this story and put in contact with his publisher. From there I teamed up with Mike Siegel who has one of Europe’s leading film memorabilia archives with so many great images and film posters. We teamed up with the idea being that I did most of the writing and Mike providing most of the images. In a sense, the book now has the best of both worlds and benefits from two very big McQueen fans to ensure that the text and imagery are of the highest caliber. The partnership worked well and, with Marshall and the publisher’s support, the end product exceeded all our hopes.

Interviewer: Why did you focus on Steve McQueen’s films?

Andrew: McQueen’s life was a miracle in its own way. He was born into poverty and managed to somehow work his way from a teenage delinquent to a Hollywood megastar, defying the odds. His life story is completely interwoven with his films. The reason being two-fold. Firstly, being an actor was his way to a better life, a way of achieving success. Without films he could have easily drifted from job to job, just as he had as a young man. Secondly, McQueen used acting as a means of developing himself. He used all his hardships and life experiences to create some of cinema’s richest and most subtle characterizations.

However, McQueen also managed to do the reverse too, in the latter half of his career, his movies became his confessional of sorts. He would invest in scenes to achieve catharsis and to understand his own personal anxieties and fears. For example, in Junior Bonner there is the scene between McQueen’s character and his father, Ace, in which the two have a very strained relationship, but a deep respect. McQueen himself grew up never knowing his father and this scene allowed McQueen to examine his own feelings of abandonment and being denied a conventional father-son relationship. It is an incredibly poignant scene, but really highlights just how important McQueen’s films are.

Interviewer: Which part of the book are you most proud of?

Andrew: It is hard to pick one. The reason being is the book covers so much in text and in words. This was a conscious decision as we wanted to give fans everything we like ourselves. With the text of the book, I guess I’m most proud of the dissection of McQueen’s acting. I wanted to offer a unique and in-depth insight into McQueen’s technique, his subtleties and his motivations, to really get under his skin. This is something that has never been done in such detail.

Interviewer: Visually, what are the books strengths?

Andrew: We were adamant that the book should look impressive and possess great quality. As a collector myself, I always want things that look good and impress. The book is literally huge; at nearly 500 pages I don’t think there is another book on McQueen of this size. It is presented in hardback too with a wonderful gold embossed logo on the cover, underneath the dust jacket. When I got my own copy of the book I had no idea about this and was blown away. My publisher did a great job and I believe that little touches add to the overall presentation.

With the images, even the biggest McQueen fan will be blown away. With over a 1,000 images there are so many never-before-seen photos. So many books on McQueen have been released that simply repeat the same images. Steve McQueen: The Actor and his Films has something for casual and die-hard fans alike. Whether it’s an unseen image of McQueen taking a nap between takes on The Getaway or a rare Italian poster for Bullitt, there is something new and fresh.

Interviewer: What makes your book so different?

Andrew: The word I would use, and I use it with caution, is “definitive”. I do not say this lightly. I own practically every book published on McQueen over the years. I must say that, as an account of McQueen’s films, it really is definitive. Other books that try to cover his films either are outdated, not richly presented or omit key details. With this book every aspect is dealt with in great detail and new angles discovered. I clearly have a bias, but I believe that there is nothing on the market that comes close.

Interviewer: Thank you Andrew, this book sounds great, I wish you every success. Any closing comments?

Andrew: Yes, thank you too, this has been great. To close I’d just like to say that I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to put together a book on a subject that I am so passionate about. It has really been a labor of love. At the end of the day, I am a McQueen fan so I wanted to put something together that would really do him justice. I hope that I have achieved that.

Q: Tell us something you've never revealed to anyone else?

Andrew: I love Tiny Tim's "Tiptoe Through The Tulips."

Steve McQueen: The Actor and his Films, by Andrew Antoniades and Mike Siegel

Is available from Dalton Watson Fine books www.daltonwatson.com

http://www.daltonwatson.com/78-celebrities/130-steve-mcqueen-the-actor-and-his-films

ISBN 978-1-85443-253-7

Hard cover with dust jacket

Publication Date November 2011

Page Size: 300mm x 230mm. 492 pages.

Illustrations: 1,020 illustrations: 790 photos incl. 44 full page photos. 230 artwork reproductions incl. 48 full page poster reproductions & 10 full page lobby card reproductions

Price: US$69/£39

Steve McQueen: The Actor and His Films

There are few books available that concentrate solely on the films of Steve McQueen. Steve McQueen: The Actor and his Films, is the definitive account of every film that the iconic actor made. This lavishly illustrated book devotes nearly 500 pages to Steve McQueen’s career and tracks his journey from juvenile delinquent, to Marine, to an aspiring actor breaking into Hollywood, until he became a global superstar and the highest-paid actor of his era. Included are numerous behind the scenes tales of events that occurred leading up to and during filming, and fascinating insights into McQueen’s acting techniques and motivations.

Each film is allocated one chapter. The chapters begin with a précis of the particular movie. Then events surrounding its making are described, uncovering new facts and insights. This is followed by an analysis of its success, and finally a significant scene is discussed in detail. Steve McQueen: The Actor and his Films is extensively illustrated with over 1000 color and black & white images, including posters from around the world, lobby cards, memorabilia, many never-before seen candid stills and rare vintage advertising materials.

Andrew Antoniades is a Chartered Accountant and lifelong Steve McQueen fan and expert. He studied English Literature at Southampton University and edited Marshall Terrill's 2010 biography Steve McQueen: Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon. He has collected Steve McQueen memorabilia for over a decade and his collection includes original vintage film posters and several items personally owned by McQueen. Andrew lives in London.

Mike Siegel is a filmmaker, film historian and the director of more than a dozen documentaries on classic films and directors of the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his work regarding American director Sam Peckinpah including his acclaimed film Passion & Poetry – The Ballad of Sam Peckinpah and the accompanying book Passion & Poetry – Sam Peckinpah in Pictures. Over the years he has contributed to countless books and magazines, including the American film magazine Cinema Retro, and produced a number of special-edition DVDs. He started his historical film collection at the age of ten and now owns one of the leading archives in Germany. He resides near Stuttgart, Germany.

For more information, visit www.daltonwatson.com or email info@daltonwatson.com

Stage 32.com lights up entertainment industry

There is now a highly developed online social platform that gives people involved in the entertainment industry their very own, specialized place to network and collaborate. Stage32.com, founded by Curt Blakeney and Richard “RB” Botto, was designed for aspiring and established actors, directors, screenwriters, producers, crew, agents, technical and production support, and other industry members. It is an all-encompassing social network of like-minded individuals who have joined forces to promote creative growth in the film, television and theater industries.

The site fosters and facilitates collaboration between members using tried-and-true social networking concepts in “real time.” It features individual chat rooms, entertainment industry news, member updates in a status feed, private messaging, instant messaging, project listing, jobs listings, and forums. It gives members the ability to upload photos, videos, and projects, and also “follow” other projects to get updates and potentially turn ideas into production reality.

“On the flight back from the American Film Market (AFM) in Los Angeles, RB and I fleshed out the idea for Stage 32,” said Curt Blakeney, co-founder of Stage32.com. “In the bar of the Loews Santa Monica Hotel, we witnessed so many projects being discussed and so many filmmakers with completed films begging to be heard. We thought it would be great to create a virtual meeting place so that people could discuss film and theater projects and connect year round, anywhere in the world. Stage 32 is a social network uniquely populated with the most creative people on Earth.”

Unofficially launched on July 23, 2011, the site went through a “proof of concept” phase with early adapters. Within weeks, membership quickly grew to 20,000 members globally in more than 120 countries. With Stage 32, industry personnel have an online place to call home.

“Excelling at your craft is only half the battle,” Botto said. “Networking is just as important, and we’re helping to accelerate that process.”

Whether someone is looking to fund a film, cast talent in a project, join classes, find a director, get advice or discuss key industry issues in the chat area, Stage 32 is designed to connect everyone within the industry. Best of all, Stage 32 is free to join and can easily be linked to an individual’s Facebook account, giving the user easy access to their existing contacts and colleagues.

“Stage 32 has allowed me to present my past and current film projects to a diverse and qualified forum of entertainment professionals,” said Writer/Director/Producer Angelo Bell. “As a result of posting my current film project on Stage 32, I've been contacted by numerous people (talent and crew) who appreciate the concept and are interested in helping me bring it to fruition.”

“With Stage 32, I have an all-access pass to television and movie professionals as well as media members,” said publicist Lynette Carrington of Carrington Entertainment. “I can find great places to book my clients for print, radio and podcast interviews and I can also see what films are currently casting. Stage 32 has been an extraordinarily valuable tool in helping me do my job. Plus, it is always great to meet others that understand this challenging industry.”

Stage 32 can be found online at www.Stage32.com. It can also be accessed via Facebook at www.facebook.com/stage32 or twitter at @stage32online. Relevant for both newcomers and seasoned entertainment professionals, Stage 32 is the no-nonsense, professional place to get serious about taking a dream and making it a reality.

McQueen's widow to host ASU lecture on 'King of Cool'

Steve McQueen’s widow and his biographer are coming to ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus to discuss and celebrate the life of the ‘King of Cool’ as part of a popular lecture series.

Barbara McQueen and author Marshall Terrill will appear at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, 2011, at ASU’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation Building Two, 550 N. Third St., Phoenix, Innovation Auditorium, Room 110. The two will co-present, “Steve McQueen: A Tribute to the King of Cool,” answer questions, and sign copies of Terrill’s new biography Steve McQueen: The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon and McQueen’s 2007 photo book Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.

The spring 2011 Humanities Lecture series is sponsored by ASU’s School of Letters and Sciences and University College. The event is free and open to the public.
“What does Steve McQueen have to do with the humanities?” asks Terrill, who has written four books on the cinematic icon. “In breaking down McQueen’s life, one can learn about history, human behavior, psychology, triumph and tragedy, and several invaluable life lessons.”

McQueen, known for his ultra cool and nonconformist movie persona, started out life in rural Indiana. Born to a young, alcoholic mother and abandoned by his father, McQueen was left in the care of his grandparents and other relatives when he was a toddler. Reunited with his mother at age eight, he was introduced to a series of strange men and her violent boyfriends. Compounding McQueen’s problems were his partial deafness from a childhood ear infection and his dyslexia, making adjustment to his new life and schooling particularly challenging.

The teen-aged McQueen frequently got into trouble and soon found himself remanded to Boys Republic, a home for troubled teenage boys in Chino, California. Following that, he joined the U.S. Marines for a three-year stint and afterward used the G.I. bill to study acting in New York in the early 1950s. There, his rebellious angst and good looks helped him become a fixture of the emerging Method theater scene, competing with the likes of James Dean and Paul Newman, with television and movie success just around the corner. Terrill will provide a narrative spanning McQueen’s spectacular career, his greatest films (The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, The Sand Pebbles, The Thomas Crown Affair, Bullitt, The Getaway, Papillon and The Towering Inferno), his personal flaws and defeats, and his hard-fought battle with terminal cancer at a controversial clinic in Mexico.

Widow Barbara McQueen will present a more human side to her husband in rare photos she took from 1977 to 1980. They record a behind-the-scenes look at personal pleasures enjoyed near the end of the actor’s life: hitting the road in his vintage pickup trucks, driving 700 miles for a rare World War I motorcycle, flying antique planes in rural California, and generally ducking out of Hollywood life. The pictures also capture McQueen on the sets of his last two films, Tom Horn and The Hunter.

“It’s very strange when people say, ‘Oh, you were married to Steve McQueen?’” said Barbara McQueen. “He was such a normal guy and unlike most Hollywood stars that I often say, ‘I could have just as easily been married to a plumber or electrician.’”
Author Marshall Terrill is a film, sports and music writer and the author of more than a dozen books, including best-selling biographies of Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley and basketball legend “Pistol” Pete Maravich. Three of his books are in development to be made into movies, including an upcoming McQueen biopic for Black Swan producer Brian Oliver.

Barbara Minty McQueen is the widow of the famous actor and met McQueen in 1977. They remained married until his Nov. 7, 1980, death. She resides in Ketchum, Idaho.

Dinner and book signing with Mel Haber

Looking for something fun and interesting to do in Palm Springs? Why not have dinner with a legend?

Mel Haber, the owner and proprietor of Melvyn's Restaurant and The Ingleside Inn, is hosting a special dinner and book signing next week to promote the publication of his new memoir, Palm Springs a la Carte.

The two-hour event starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26 at Melvyns, 200 W. Ramon Road, Palm Springs. Haber, along with co-author Marshall Terrill, who has authored a dozen books and best-selling biographies on Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley and “Pistol” Pete Maravich. The two will discuss Haber's autobiography during a special three-course meal followed by a special question and answer session period. Autographed copies of the book available for purchase. Reservations for the $45 dinner (includes tax and tip) must be pre-paid.

Palm Springs a la Carte: The Colorful World of the Caviar Crowd at Their Favorite Desert Hideaway (Barricade Books, 2009) is a charming, often hilarious book describing the adventures of the novice restauranteur and hotelier, Melvyn Haber, an automotive accessory manufacturer from the bowels of New York City who is a legend in the sugar-frosted society of Palm Springs.

Haber admits he made every mistake in the book, which didn't preclude him from running one of the most successful restaurant's and hotels of all time. His two establishments have attracted a guest list that reads like a Who's Who of the world. Visitors have included Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Marlon Brando, Liberace, Liza Minnelli, President Gerald Ford, Lucille Ball, Dinah Shore, Rita Hayworth, Jerry Lewis and June Allyson.

Haber restored the historic inn and grounds, and built his own restaurant, Melvyn's. He learned the business the hard way and lived through a comedy of errors that would have bankrupted most investors in today's ultra-competitive hotel and restaurant markets. He managed not only to survive, but flourish, and became an example of the American dream in its fullest flower.

The book is filled with entertaining stories that offer a peek into the colorful world of celebrities, Hollywood elite, royalty, diplomats, mafioso and lovable con artists at their favorite desert hideaway.

What: Dinner with Mel Haber

When: Thursday, Feb. 26, 6 to 8 p.m.

Where: Melvyn's Restaurant, 200 W. Ramon Road, Palm Springs

Information: (760) 325-0046 or visit http://www.inglesideinn.com

The Last Mile makes final stop in Chandler

PRESS RELEASE:

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diane Howell or Candee Lewis – 480.917.6859

Steve McQueen: The Last Mile, an exhibition of photographs taken by Barbara McQueen, will make its final stop in Chandler, Arizona next month.

The exhibition will be on display March 6-April 11, 2009 at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, Arizona. An opening reception for Barbara McQueen will take place on March 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. McQueen will be present along with special guest, Jeb Rosebrook, who wrote the screenplay for Junior Bonner, which was a 1972 McQueen movie filmed in Prescott, Arizona.

“It’s the last stop for The Last Mile,” said Barbara McQueen, the actor’s widow. “The last two years have been a constant whirlwind of activity and I’m ready to return to a quieter lifestyle.” Since May 2007, McQueen has traveled with the exhibit to London, San Francisco, Carmel-By-The Sea, Ketchum, Idaho, Slater, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee.

Barbara McQueen’s photographs record a behind-the-scenes look at personal pleasures enjoyed near the end of the actor’s life: hitting the road in his vintage pick up trucks, driving 700 miles for a rare World War I motorcycle, flying antique planes in rural California and generally ducking out of Hollywood life. The pictures also capture McQueen on the sets of his last two films, Tom Horn and The Hunter.

The hundreds of photos taken by Barbara McQueen have been collected in a book, also titled Steve McQueen: The Last Mile, which was co-authored with Valley resident Marshall Terrill. The Chandler exhibit will include approximately 30 photographs from that collection, taken from the time the couple met in 1977 through the end of McQueen’s life in 1980, the same year they married.

Admission is free to this intimate portrayal of McQueen’s life. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call (480) 917.6859 or visit www.chandlercenter.org.


Where: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, Ariz.

What: Steve McQueen: The Last Mile, an exhibition of photographs by Barbara McQueen

When: March 6 - April 11, 2009, Opening Reception March 6, 7-9 p.m.

Hours: Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m
Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.

McQueen tribute book set for fall release

Steve McQueen: A Tribute to the King of Cool

Marshall Terrill’s long-awaited tribute to the small-town rebel who continues to keep so many millions spellbound is coming to bookstores for the holiday season.

Steve McQueen: A Tribute to the King of Cool (Dalton Watson Fine Books), tells the actor’s story in chronological order through the eyes of those who knew him best: family, friends, co-stars, business associates, acquaintances and adoring fans from around the globe. Written in passage form, each person brings a different view to the man and legend, presenting him in an unsurpassed 360-degree perspective.

“It’s very unique in its presentation because it reads like a biography, but it’s really a photo and tribute book,” Terrill said, who spent nearly three years compiling the information. “There’s really nothing else on the market quite like it. I know it will please McQueen fans.”

Accompanying the 200 passages are hundreds of photos taken of McQueen throughout his life and movie career, many seen here for the first time as well as personal items, documents and movie memorabilia.

The book will also include a foreword by Barbara McQueen, a family tree of Steve McQueen’s history and quotes by several Hollywood luminaries.

Steve McQueen: A Tribute to the King of Cool is slated for a fall 2009 release. For more information, visit www.daltonwatson.com.

Connie Martinson Talks Books

Palm Springs a la Carte
Reviewed by Connie Martinson

It is said that every business man or woman has two businesses, his own and the desire to be in show business or run a restaurant. Neither is the way the dream seemed. In Palm Springs, Mel Haber found the way to combine both. He wrote with Marshall Terrill "Palm Springs a la Carte: The Colorfull World of the Caviar Crows at Their Favorite Desert Hideaway"(Barricade Books $23.95).

In other words, can a small town boy from Brooklyn, NY find happiness in the sunny Palm Springs running a hotel and restaurant? This is before Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells, when there was only Palm Springs and the rest was sand.

When he was 13 Mel's father died, a month before his father was at his Bar Mitzvah, his father was in a business where five checks arrived every month and he knew everyone when the family went to Miami Beach, Mafia and show folk. After his father's death, the checks stopped and Mel started a series of businesses. He got married young, had children and had a partner, Artie, who shared in the various businesses that Mel was in. In 1971 Mel decided he wasn't in love with his wife and that he was happiest when he was in California.

On a trip to Palm Springs with his new friend, Barbra, he started to look at real estate and on April 15, 1975, he bought the Ingleside Inn and restaurant for $300,000 dollars. He never looked back. There were tough financial years, there were people he never should have hired, but where else could he have gotten to know Frank Sinatra and catered his pre-wedding dinner to Barbara Sinatra at the restaurant now known as "Melvyn's".

Mel was present when a certain man who stepped out of The Sopranos placed a phone call to that certain singer telling him to be at the Dinner Theatre in Westchester, NY.

Along the way, Mel remarried and he has a daughter, Stephanie, who is in college. He opened disco dancing restaurants, and a Chinese restaurant, he even had a late night radio show. .Due to the economy and changing times, both have closed. Today, Mel is 72 but he still has the Ingleside Inn and Melvyn's and as he said to me when we taped, that if he sold it, five minutes later it would be "Mel, who?". I laughed and reminded him of the Jack Warner quote about "next week I am just a rich old, Jew". And with changing times, Palm Springs is coming back to be the centre of attention.

To buy a signed copy of Palm Springs a la Carte, go to www.inglesideinn.com, or visit Amazon.com.

Palm Springs a la Carte served up Feb. 1, 2009

Palm Springs a la Carte gets served up February 1, 2009

Mel Haber still doesn't know how to cook a steak, make a Bloody Mary or open a cash register.

That's not an astounding statement to make unless you have been a very successful restaurateur and have been in business for more than three decades. Haber, who was the operator of six different restaurants, including the legendary Melvyn's Restaurant and the Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs, made every mistake in the book and succeed in spite of himself.

Perhaps even more amazing is the fact how the former automotive novelty manufacturer from Coney Island, Brooklyn, stumbled into the desert in 1975 and made a name for himself in a business he knew nothing about – the hospitality industry.

Palm Springs a la Carte: The Colorful World of the Caviar Crowd at Their Favorite Desert Hideaway (Barricade Books, 2009) is a charming, often hilarious book describing the adventures of novice restaurateur and hotelier, Melvyn Haber, an automotive accessory manufacturer from the bowels of New York City who is a legend in the sugar-frosted society of Palm Springs.

Haber admits he made every mistake in the book, which didn't preclude him from running one of the most successful restaurant's and hotels of all time. His establishments have attracted a guest list that reads like a Who's Who of the world. Visitors have included Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Marlon Brando, Liberace, Liza Minnelli, President Gerald Ford, Steve Allen, Lucille Ball, Dinah Shore, Rita Hayworth, Jerry Lewis and June Allyson.

Haber restored the historic inn and grounds, and built his own restaurant, Melvyn's. He learned the business the hard way and lived through a comedy of errors that would have bankrupted most investors in today's ultra-competitive hotel and restaurant markets. He managed not only to survive, but flourish, and became an example of the American dream in its fullest flower.

The book is filled with entertaining stories that offer a peek into the colorful world of celebrities, Hollywood elite, royalty, diplomats, mafioso and lovable con artists at their favorite desert hideaway. As a raconteur, Haber has few equals. With this book, he finally lifts the velvet rope to give readers the best seat in the house, and enthralls them with witty stories about his black-tie clientèle.

These days you're likely to see Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, David Hasselhoff, Barry Manilow, Lance Bass, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, Donald Trump and John Travolta enjoying themselves at the site. It remains one of the world's top dream resorts.

Haber feels his story should be an inspiration to everybody, because in his own words, “If I can make it, anybody can.”

Mel Haber is currently the owner of the Ingleside Inn and Melvyn's restaurant. He is also the president of the Angel View Crippled Children's Foundation and has served on its board for twenty-five years, the last fifteen as president. He resides in Rancho Mirage, California.

Palm Springs a la Carte (ISBN 1-56980-353-6; 978-1-56980-353-0) is published by Barricade Books and will be distributed through the National Book Network.

To pre-order Palm Springs a la Carte, visit www.amazon.com or www.inglesideinn.com.

"My Life in the Movies" out in hardback

My Life in the Movies features still photographer's best Hollywood-era camera work

The still photographer behind some of the greatest images in cinema has just released his first book on his life in the movies.

Dave Friedman, the first and only still photographer to be voted into the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences and the man who took the last cinematic images of Steve McQueen and Bruce Lee, has just published My Life in the Movies (Dalton Watson Fine Books, 2008).

My Life in the Movies showcases the best of Friedman’s Hollywood-era camera work. It is also a trip back in time, with the photographer sharing his memories of what it was like to be in close quarters with some of Hollywood’s greatest, making films – and imagery – that will truly last forever.

After an apprenticeship as an assistant cameraman, Friedman went on to become one of the most in-demand still photographers in Hollywood from the late 1960s until the late 1980s. While shooting on location for dozens of Hollywood’s classic films of that era, he befriended stars such as Steve McQueen, Bruce Lee, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Travolta, Michael Caine, James Caan, Goldie Hawn, Cissy Spacek, Omar Shariff, Olivia Newton-John, Jack Nicholson, Richard Dreyfuss and Jaqueline Bissett. Some of his movie credits include Enter the Dragon, Grease, Brian’s Song, Summer of ’42, Carrie, Superman, Tom Horn, Rambo II, The Falcon and the Snowman, Rocky IV and The Running Man.

This 301-page hardback book is priced at $49. A special limited run of 2,500, which includes a slipcase and is signed by Friedman, was released earlier this year at $69.

To order a copy of My Life in the Movies, visit www.daltonwatson.com or call (847) 945-9603.

Dave Friedman signing at Book Soup

Book Soup hosts cinema's greatest still photographers at Oct. 18 signing

Dave Friedman, a still photographer behind some of the greatest images in cinema, will appear at a world famous book store on the Sunset Strip this week to promote his new book.

The signing will take place 2 p.m. Saturday, October 18 at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Friedman will sign copies of his new photo book My Life in the Movies (Dalton Watson Fine Books, 2008) .

My Life in the Movies showcases the best of Friedman’s Hollywood-era camera work. It is also a trip back in time, with the photographer sharing his memories of what it was like to be in close quarters with some of Hollywood’s greatest, making films – and imagery – that will truly last forever.

After an apprenticeship as an assistant cameraman, Friedman went on to become one of the most in-demand still photographers in Hollywood from the late 1960s until the late 1980s. While shooting on location for dozens of Hollywood’s classic films of that era, he befriended stars such as Steve McQueen, Bruce Lee, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Travolta, Michael Caine, James Caan, Goldie Hawn, Cissy Spacek, Omar Shariff, Olivia Newton-John, Jack Nicholson, Richard Dreyfuss and Jaqueline Bissett. Some of his movie credits include Brian’s Song, Summer of ’42, Little Fauss and Big Halsey, Enter the Dragon, Carrie, Grease, Superman, Rambo II, The Falcon and the Snowman, Rocky IV and The Running Man.

Friedman was also the still photographer for Steve McQueen’s last two motion pictures – Tom Horn and The Hunter – in which a chapter is devoted to each film and Enter the Dragon, which was Bruce Lee’s last film before his untimely death.

This 301-page book, priced at $69, is a special limited run of 2,500 and includes a slipcase and is signed by Friedman. Hardback books are also available at $49.

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.

Publisher Dalton Watson will also take orders from buyers around the world who want to purchase a special limited edition with an inscription from Friedman. For more information, go to www.daltonwatson.com

Maravich signing at Hollywood Book Fair

Pete Maravich Book Signing on Sunday, Sept. 28

Wayne Federman, one of the co-authors of Pete Maravich: The Authorized Biography of Pistol Pete, will be signing selling and signing books at the West Hollywood Book Fair this Sunday afternoon.

Federman will be signing from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. The award-winning West Hollywood Book Fair takes place on Sunday, September 28, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at West Hollywood Park, 647 North San Vicente Boulevard in West Hollywood, California.

“Pistol” Pete Maravich is recognized by the NBA as one of the all-time Top 50 Basketball Players. More than 30 years after he left Louisiana State University, his NCAA scoring record still stands. He enjoyed fame, wealth and, short of winning an NBA championship, achieved every possible success.

Yet despite all that, Pete was unfulfilled and unhappy. After injury forced him to retire from the NBA, he suffered deep depression and thoughts of suicide.

Things changed dramatically and permanently, however, when Pete found Christ. At last he experienced peace and a purpose that extended beyond the basketball court. He became an avid student of the Bible and a tireless evangelist. His behavior as a husband and father was transformed.

Book Features:

• The authorized biography of Pistol Pete, with exclusive insights from the Maravich family
• Never-before-seen personal photos from the Maravich Family archive
• Comprehensive appendix of Pete Maravich statistics
• A new forward by Dr. James Dobson.
• Sports action photos spanning his entire career, from setting NCAA records to NBA stardom
• List of Pistol Pete’s 25 Greatest Game, with highlights from LSU and his three pro teams
• Endorsed by hundreds of media outlets including ESPN, The New York Times, NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton, The Boston Globe, and many more.

For more information – please go to www.MaravichBook.com

Book Soup hosts Robert Relyea on Sept. 10

Movie executive was assistant director on Jailhouse Rock

Producer Robert E. Relyea, a fifty-year veteran of the movie industry and assistant director on Elvis Presley's most iconic film, Jailhouse Rock, will appear at a world famous book store on the Sunset Strip this month to promote his new action-packed autobiography.

The two-hour signing will take place 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 10 at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Relyea will be signing copies of Not So Quiet On The Set: My Life In Movies During Hollywood’s Macho Era, which promises to become a must read for anyone who yearns to know the “real” stories about the movies.

Co-authored by son Craig Relyea, Not So Quiet On The Set provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes, first person look into Hollywood’s movie-making landscape during the turbulent pre-and post-Kennedy years in America. The book also chronicles Relyea’s relationship with Elvis Presley on the set of Jailhouse Rock and Kid Gallahad.

Tidbits include:

• When Relyea rushed Presley from the MGM soundstage to Cedars-Sinai Hospital because the singer had swallowed a tooth cap.

• A behind-the-scenes look at the famous dance sequence that became Presley's most enduring image on celluloid.

• How Presley won over the film's veteran cast and crew with his polite manners and sincerity.

• Relyea's take on Presley's romance with co-star Judy Tyler, who died in a tragic automobile accident shortly after Jailhouse Rock was finished.

• Having fun with Presley and the Memphis Mafia on the set of Kid Gallahad.

The 348-page work includes candid photos of Relyea on the sets of epic films and presents rare insights into the mechanics and politics of film making, defining a dynamic period in motion picture history. A unique collaboration between father and son, Not So Quiet On The Set not only illustrates how the movie industry really works, but also provides a revealing portrait of Hollywood’s loss of innocence.

For more information, go to www.booksoup.com or www.NotSoQuietOnTheSet.com.

Book Soup hosts Robert Relyea on Sept. 10

Relyea was assistant director on The Alamo

Robert E. Relyea, a fifty-year veteran of the movie industry and assistant director on John Wayne's The Alamo, will appear at a world famous book store on the Sunset Strip this month to promote his new action-packed autobiography.

The two-hour signing will take place 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 10 at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Relyea will be signing copies of Not So Quiet On The Set: My Life In Movies During Hollywood’s Macho Era, which promises to become a must read for anyone who yearns to know the “real” stories about the movies.

Co-authored by son Craig Relyea, Not So Quiet On The Set provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes, first person look into Hollywood’s movie-making landscape during the turbulent pre-and post-Kennedy years in America. The book also chronicles Relyea’s relationship with John Wayne on the set of The Alamo, one of the icon's most enduring films.

Tidbits include:

• The Duke's explosive temperament, who dispensed with the pleasantries when it came to dealing with demanding fans.

• The time when Wayne punched a horse for biting him on the backside. The force of the star's punch brought the animal to its knees.

• How co-star Richard Widmark wanted to go toe-to-toe with Wayne after he called Widmark a “little son of a bitch.”

• Setting up the film's final battle sequence, which required thousands of extras and took more than a month to shoot.

The 348-page work includes candid photos of Relyea on the sets of epic films and presents rare insights into the mechanics and politics of filmmaking, defining a dynamic period in motion picture history. A unique collaboration between father and son, Not So Quiet On The Set not only illustrates how the movie industry really works, but also provides a revealing portrait of Hollywood’s loss of innocence.

For more information, go to www.booksoup.com or www.NotSoQuietOnTheSet.com.

Book Soup hosts Robert Relyea on Sept. 10

Movie executive was Steve McQueen's right hand man

Producer Robert E. Relyea, a fifty-year veteran of the movie industry and Steve McQueen’s right hand man at Solar Productions, will appear at a world famous book store on the Sunset Strip this month to promote his new action-packed autobiography.

The two-hour signing will take place 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 10 at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Relyea will be signing copies of Not So Quiet On The Set: My Life In Movies During Hollywood’s Macho Era, which promises to become a must read for anyone who yearns to know the “real” stories about the movies.

Co-authored by son Craig Relyea, Not So Quiet On The Set provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes, first person look into Hollywood’s movie-making landscape during the turbulent pre-and post-Kennedy years in America. The book also chronicles Relyea’s friendship, business relationship and canon of films with McQueen, which includes Never So Few, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, Bullitt, The Reivers and Le Mans.

The 348-page work includes candid photos of Relyea on the sets of epic films and presents rare insights into the mechanics and politics of film making, defining a dynamic period in motion picture history. A unique collaboration between father and son, Not So Quiet On The Set not only illustrates how the movie industry really works, but also provides a revealing portrait of Hollywood’s loss of innocence.

For more information, go to www.booksoup.com or www.NotSoQuietOnTheSet.com.

Grease is the word! 30th anniversary planned

Grease 30^th anniversary reunion July 11-12, 2008

Contact: Brad Waisbren

(818)506-3000

(818)472-4647

waisbren@earthlink.net

LOS ANGELES, Ca.: Poof up your poodles and polish your leather jackets because the class of Rydell High is preparing for a 30^th anniversary Grease reunion.

Cast members of the Paramount hit film and one of the most successful and adored movie musicals of all-time are still “goin' together.” The celebration reunion will take place July 11-12, 2008 at the Hollywood Collector's & Celebrities Show, Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, Burbank.

Grease alumni in attendance will include director Randal Kleiser, Annette 'Cha Cha Di Gregorio' Charles, Jeff 'Kenickie' Conaway, Eddie 'Eugene Felnic' Deezen, Edd 'Vince Fontaine' Byrnes, Jamie 'Jan' Donnelly, Barry 'Doody' Pearl and a few surprise guests who are “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”

Grease still photographer Dave Friedman will also be on hand to sign copies of his new book, My Life in the Movies and sell prints of the smash musical. Attendees will be able to purchase signed photos of the cast and crew for a fee.

The film, based on Jim Jacobs' and Warren Casey's Broadway musical, was originally released on June 16, 1978. The $6 million picture was a worldwide smash and grossed more than $400 million at the box-office at the time of its release. It also garnered five Golden Globe Awards.

The movie's soundtrack played a large part of the film's cultural phenomenon and was a No. 1 album around the world. Memorable songs from the movie include “Grease” by Frankie Valli; “You're the One that I Want” and “Summer Nights” by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John; “Hopelessly Devoted to You” by Olivia Newton John and “Beauty School Dropout” by Frankie Avalon.

For more information on the Grease 30^th anniversary or to set up an interview with a cast member, please contact Brad Waisbren at (818)506-3000 or by email at waisbren@earthlink.net.

Arc of a Writer

ARC, WHO GOES THERE?

By Christopher Keane

Let me try to clear up for some of you out there what a CHARACTER ARC is. Everybody bandies about character arcs as if they know what they’re talking about, and some of them do. Some of them don’t.

One of the best definitions I’ve heard is this: the moment by moment, scene by scene, act by act decision-making process a character goes through during the course of the story.

That’s all well and good. He decides to take a bath. She decides to kill her mother-in-law. He decides to kill her mother-in-law. She decides to run a bath to drown out the sound of murder.

Lets narrow down that definition: the moment by moment, scene by scene, act by act high stakes decision-making process a character goes through during the course of the story. A decision making process that involves the choice between two very different and equally balanced options. About five of them per script.

That’s better. It’s the toughest decisions a character has to make, the ones that will give the character his or her character. The decisions that are not overloaded on one side or the other that the writer makes so obvious and predictable that the story flattens out and the character becomes a vehicle for the writer’s lazy half-assed attempt to get across a point.

That leads to the question: What is character?

Character is the behavior that a character shows as a result of his decisions over the course of the story. It’s the writer’s job, let’s call obligation, to balance the choices in such a way that the character, at the most critical moment under pressure, has to make.

Let’s say that the character has five such high stakes, high-pressured decisions during the course of the story. And if one were to study the progression of these decision one might see that the character has, during this time and under these given set of circumstances, significantly changed his or her way of thinking and acting.

A weak woman becomes strong; a confident man turns to jelly.

For instance let’s say a Seattle brain surgeon is rushing to a hospital where he has to perform emergency surgery on, say, a South African heart surgeon who is world renowned for his medical breakthroughs. The South African will not survive unless our Seattle doc operates within the next hour.

Our Seattle brain surgeon is the only man alive who can possibly save this South African, and let’s face it, if successful, which the brain surgeon believes he will be, his own reputation will be greatly enhanced.

Native American tribes inhabit many areas of the Great Pacific Northwest. It just so happens that as the Seattle brain surgeon speeds along a remote highway towards the hospital to perform his emergency operation he spies a couple of Native American women in an old sedan by the side of the road. The sedan is on fire. The Native American women are trapped inside, hands pressed against the glass, crying out.

It won’t be long before they’re engulfed in flames and perish. The brain surgeon is the only one around and he knows it. The question is: will he stop to save the women and certainly lose the famous doctor, or will he push on to the hospital and leave the women to die.

He has a split second to decide.

These are the kind of critical decisions that your character must face in order to show what she’s made of. If her decision comes in the beginning of the story and she chooses to leave the women and go to the hospital, she has room to become someone else by the end of the story. Or if she stops to save the women and the famous doctor dies, she has room to grow and become a different woman by the end of the story.

It’s your decision, your character. Look at the pressure this woman is under. Look at the elements inherent in each decision, the prejudices, the self-interest to consider, the consequences. And they all roll through her in no time at all.

Hit the break or hit the accelerator. These character elements can, and will, turn a mediocre story into a memorable one.

It’s called the character arc. Try it. It should improve your script

Chris Keane has written many books, originals and adaptations of others’ books and his own into movies and TV series. Among his books are three on screenwriting. His latest – ROMANCING THE A-LIST: Writing the Script the Big Stars Want to Make – will be published in April 2008.

Chris is also a script consultant. See his website – Keanewords.com – for more information.