Steve McQueen
The late, great, movie icon--
On set of The Hunter
with the legendary Steve McQueen
in his spectacular final performance
Stories & photos by Patricia Lieb
From A Writer's Notebook:
Steve McQueen was cool. No doubt about it. As he was seen on screen, so
was he in person.
McQueen didn't have to say a single word to make a statement. Not in a
movie, and not sitting one-person away from me at a long picnic table in the
front yard of an Illinois corn-famer's house.
Through lunch, McQueen said little. But the statement and the person
were thicker and louder than clouds in the Illinois sky.
We, your fans, miss you Steve McQueen.
All over these parts, corn stalks are as high as the full moon. And greener
than any East Texas cow pasture you ever saw. During the filiming of The
Hunter, the movie-set along with Steve McQueen's motorhome, is tucked
away like a field mouse in this Illinois gold.
Story appeared in the Herald,
Bourbonnais, Il, October 10, 1979
They love him. They all love him.
It shows in their voice and in their eyes.
"I like working with Steve McQueen," says cameraman, Frank McNeal of
Los Angeles, Calif. "He's got it all together." McNeal starts speaking with me
as he exits the helicopter he and his partner, Ross Reynolds, also of Los
Angeles, use while filming actions that occur in a corn field just west of
Manteno, Ill.
"Most of them (movie stars) are living in a world of fantasy and they're hard
to work with. They read their scripts and really think they're the character."
McNeal and Reynolds, a team for 20 yuears, enjoy their work, although,
they agree, there is a lot of wasted time.
"It sometime takes a week's work waiting around and filming to turn out a
three or four minute script."
There is no sitting around and waiting, however, for Cliff Lubirdi, Ron
Schroeder, Jay Hirsh, George Stuart, and Joe Marazzits, who were sent to
Kankakee, Ill., by Paramount Pictures to get a shack-like building ready for
use in The Hunter.
The attractive "shack" was made of all new materials in Hollywood and
trucked to Aroma Park, Ill. The wood used was stained and antiqued
throughout. Everything is made to look old and run-down, from the rustic
cabinets to the distressed kitchen tiles. The outside walls are stained, then
shellacked and made to peel. Informal light fixtures on the walls hold screw-in
bulbs. And what look like real electrical wires running from the river bank to
the structure is actually closesline wire painted black.
The Hollywood shack, designed by Ron Schoreder, located on Kankakee
River at Aroma Park, will actkually be seen as waters in Houston, Texas. And
the scene shot in the Manteno corn field will appear as Lamont, Neb.
According to assistant director Frank Bueno, of Holleywood, Paramont sent
out a scout months before the filming of The Hunter.
From my notes:
It was really kind-of funny how Carol and I found McQueen and all the other
movie-makers. After all, the movie company was trying to do it filming in
secluded areas, I guess to keep the cornfields from flooding with screaming
fans. Carol and I both worked for small newspapers at the time and were
always out for stories, especially that might be involving famous people like
Steve McQueen.
So, we went out looking for Holleywood down on the river miles away for
everything. We were in my old red Olds when we caught sight of house
actually being constructed in the water. A couple men were in sight. Carol
leaned out the window, from her waist. She called, "Hey, can anybody tell me
where I can find Cliff."
"He's down there," a man came back.
I parked under some big hickory and oak trees and we scuffled through the
dried weeds to house, which was still under construction.
I don't know if Cliff ever asked why we were looking for him. I didn't even
know myself. I later asked Carol how she knew about Cliff."
Carol looked at me like--silly. "There's a Cliff on every movie set," she said,
matter-of-factly.
Photos made during the filming in Illinois are coming soon....
From my notes:
While filming at the "shack" on the Kankakee River, Steve McQueen was
doing a scene on the river bank before making his appearence to capture the
"bounty" he was after "in Houston, Texas."
My friend and fellow-writer, Carol, sat with her note pad and little instant
camera, flash on clearly, and snapped McQueen, generating a re-shot.
McQueen turned to her, pointed his finger and said, "I don't have to take
this shit from you."
Carol was totally embarassed and teared up.
"I slept for years with Steve's picture under my pillow and these are the first
words he says to me," she whimpered.
The scout was to find just the right spot for filming. He came up with areas in
Illinois just south of Chicago.
The true story of bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson, covered (among
other places) parts of Illinois, Indiana, Texas and Nebraska. Since Chicago
was the setting for much of the story, the scout searched parts of Northern
Illinois. He decided that the Kankakaee area was the most perfect location
because, "The scenery here fits all those places."
Breno points, "Look out there," he says glancing across a vacant field
backed with trees lining the horizon. "That could be anyplace. That could
easily pass for Texas. East Texas. North Texas."
After completing it shooting in Illinois, the film heads back to Hollywood to
continue work on The Hunter. Also, minor shooting is scheduled for the
Houston, Texas, area. Mainly road signs, the scene shot at the Kankakee
River "shack" will be tied into the Houston area shooting.
Whenever a film crew goes on location, everyone depends on the "honey
wagon," which is a long line of dressing rooms with plumbing. Bill Gibson,
driver of the "honey wagon", which isparked at the dairy farm setting near the
corn field, says his job is to be there when they need him. He notes he might
just sit around a week or more at a time. He might even go fishing if there is a
creek near enough the site. Just so he can get messages on his walkie-talkie.
"I'm getting paid to be here," he explains. Gibson has traveled with
numerous companies to such states as Mississippi, Georgia,and Arizona. He
enjoys what he does. "meeting all kinds of people. There is never a dull
moment."
Unlike Bill Gibson, Tom Welsch, in charge of wardrobe, is busy most of the
time. He notes working days and nights with no break in sight. "But you'll
never hear me complain," he says in his Scottish accent.
"They are paying me well." Wardrobe, of course, has its problems the same
as the rest of film making. "When it rains, I pray."
Dave Holloway's job, like Bill Gibson's, is to be there when he is needed. He
drives Steve McQueen's motor-homefrom place to place while McQueen flies.
Frank McNeal (helicopter camera man) has worked with McQueen a
number of times, he says. "He is easy to work with."
McNeal grins. And says, "No, he won't sign autographs. Oh he might if
you're introcuced to him. But he doesn't like to be bothered."
McNeal points out, there are things McQueen likes talking about. "Flying.
Antiques."
"He likes to get it on about things that mean something to him. If you're
interested in what he's interested in, then he'll talk to you."
During their time here, most movie-makers are styaying at the Holiday Inn.
"If Steve can get out of staying at a motel, he will. He prefers staying in his
motorhome in the cornfield," he added.
Once in a while a spectator will get close enough to McQueen to steal a
camera shot. But anyone working with him will tell you quickly, "Steve hates
that. He doesn't want anyone to make a fuss over him. I won't take his
picture."
Still, McQueen seems to have a gentle way ab out him. He grins as he
shakes hands with two little boys at the dairy farm gate. He smiles when a
little girl gives him a kiss. And he is apologetic when he accidently steps on a
dog's foot.
It is obvious, however, McQueen doesn't want unnecessary attention. When
a cake saying, "Happy Birthday Steve" is place before him on the long,
picnic-style table (one of six where his crew eats), McQueen says: "It's not my
birthday." Then he finishes his lunch and walks off toward a stand of calf
stalls.
Other than Steave McQueen, McNeal claims he likes working with Robert
Redford. "He's another one that has it all together, McNeal says.