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Anybody else here famous, or hobnobbed with the famous?

My foster father was a racing driver, so I spent much of my teen years hanging out at race tracks. Back in the 1970's I once bumped into Mario Andretti -- literally. I was walking through the paddock at Sebring when, suddenly, I noticed there were a bunch of reporters walking backwards in front of me. Then I felt a bump and turned -- and looked down, I'm 6'4" and Mario Andretti is about five foot zilch -- to see that Mario, arm in arm with a fabulous babe, had just bumped into me. And he was glaring at me like, "Get outta my way, you big oaf!"

Another "close to greatness" story involves my foster father himself. When I met him in 1966, he owned a Lotus 23B that he raced in regional events with considerable success -- he was regional class champion in 1965. I once rode in the passenger seat at 160 mph. But he was co-owner of another car that I never laid eyes on, a car that he and Larry Perkins raced in the endurance races, Daytona 24 and Sebring 12. It was a Ferrari 250 GTO, an outmoded front-engined race car in an era of rear-engined race cars. They won their class at Daytona in 1965, a fluke because all the faster competitors dropped out for one reason or another.

Then at Sebring in 1965, my foster father took over driving a couple of hours into the race, drove a half a lap, and then arrived at the hairpin only to find that the car essentially had no brakes at all. Ferraris of the era were known for lousy brakes, but this was worse than usual. He ended up hitting the sand bank on the exit of the turn, and worse, got stuck in the sand. You could dig it out yourself and continue, but that would be dangerous both for himself and for passing competitors, so he asked for assistance in getting out in a hurry -- disqualifying the car for the race. A few minutes later another car crashed in the same spot and burned to the ground.

My foster father thus became the last person on earth to have driven that car "in anger".

The car was scarcely damaged, only some superficial damage to the LF corner. But the expense of maintaining a Ferrari was getting to both owners (pistons were $200 each in 1965 and there were 12 of them, must be replaced each race), so they put the car up for sale. It took over a year to sell it, nobody wanted an obsolete race car and the car was wholly unsuitable for street use -- you couldn't let the clutch out without breaking the speed limit. It was stored in a garage in Ft. Myers (where the mechanic lived) while Jack & I were living in Orlando, which is the reason I never got a chance to see it.

It was finally bought by a woman for about $4500, just enough to cover what they owned the mechanic on the car. Now begins the sad part of the tale.

That woman kept it for 9 years, did very little to it other than having the damage at the front corner hammered out. She sold it for $150,000. The guy who bought it shipped it back to Italy to be fully restored at the Ferrari factory. Then it was featured in Road & Track magazine as their foldout "salon car", and the owner placed its value at about $250,000. That owner kept it for a while, then sold it for $6M.

Are you seeing where this is going yet?

That guy kept it a while and then sold it for $11M. That guy kept it a while and then sold it to some Japanese businessman in a private sale for which the price was never disclosed. It is commonly believed to have been in excess of $20M, though, establishing and probably still holding the record as the most money ever paid for an automobile.

Gradually I came to understand a bit more of the history of this particular car. It wasn't just *a* Ferrari 250 GTO, it was *the first* Ferrari 250 GTO, constructed about seven months before the second. It was the first experiment by Ferrari at aerodynamics -- Enzo Ferrari himself once famously said "aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines." He then disproved his own assertion, because this first GTO -- basically a GT with a new body -- was faster than a GT by nearly 30 mph, turning a good 150 mph race car into a 180 mph phenomenon.

This first car had a distinctive nose; the nose was redesigned for the second GTO to provide better cooling, including better brake cooling (!).

The craze in collectible automobiles crashed in the late 1990's, and apparently the car was sold again, back to an American, and for considerably less than the last sale -- but most assuredly still many millions.

Just a few years ago, I finally saw the car myself at the Amelia Island Concours de Elegance -- and then I saw it again a couple of weeks later on display at Sebring. It is now a fully-restored thing of beauty, and painted a deep, rich blue. More astoundingly, the nose has been upgraded to the configuration used on the later GTO's, something I would never have expected a restorer to do.

Unfortunately, my foster father had died a few years previously, and a nephew of his stole his estate, so I got absolutely nothing, not even a few momentoes of our years together. I was dearly hoping to get the home movies he had of that car being towed into the pits after hitting the sand bank. I would have happily made a copy of that film for the current owner and given it to him.

You can read a little of the history of this car at

http://www.classicscars.com/chassis/250GTO.htm

http://www.barchetta.cc/english/All.Ferraris/Victories/Ferraris.Sebring.66.htm

http://www.barchetta.cc/english/All.Ferraris/Detail/3223GT.250GTO.htm

My foster father's name was Jack Slottag, which you'll see mentioned there.

Kirbert,
Thanks for the interesting read! I am going to have to bookmark this one so my DH can read it later.

Humngbrdwchr

One of my 'brushes' was when I worked for a custom knife maker. I helped make the knives in the second "First Blood" movie.

Shiloh

I helped make the knives in the second "First Blood" movie.

Second Blood? :)

Wow- hobnobbing with famous cars!

Here's another car story- my great-grandfather built one of the earliest cars in america- I don't think it reached the speeds of Kirbert's foster father's ferrari and it certainly never sold for as much... lol. I remember playing on it as a kid since it was parked in our garage, along with an old Abbot-Detroit touring car (think chitty chitty bang bang). Here's a link to some history on it, as well as a photo; my dad has that same photo framed and hanging in his house:

http://books.google.com/books?id=jc58btwdyZIC&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=sephaniah+reese&source=web&ots=Z9L1BkS13j&sig=vdfggDyzjRveeoN2kCqkHX_NGa4#PPA12,M1

*smacking forehead* I forgot to mention, great-grandfather was Sephaniah Reese.

Have you thought of planting a letterbox at the historical marker of your great-grandfather?

My brush with fame was when I was 13. They were filming Radio Flyer in the town I lived in. I was down at the set every day talking with one of the people about getting an extra part something. I wanted to be in it so bad. One day the lady that I was bugging for a part introduces me to this guy. I ask him do you do the casting? He smiles and shakes his head. It was Richard Donner. I had no idea who he was and I really didn't care if he wasn't the casting person. LOL I WAS only 13.

Alaska HSM

The house that my family lived in when I was born was blown up in the final chase scene in the Burt Reynolds movie, "Hooper". Well, I say "house", but it was really a old Army barracks complex called Bakersfield, converted by the University of Alabama for married student housing. I guess the good thing about it was that we were no longer living there when it was blown up...whew!

}:>

I went to camp where Little Darlings and one of the Friday the 13ths were filmed. The police department for In the Heat of the Night was formally the library I used as a kid. I went to Sunday School in a building which previously had been used as a beauty shop in background shots for the Dukes of Hazzard. My good friend's little brother is in the opening sequence of the first Dukes of Hazzard episode.

I still remember watching the first Dukes of Hazzard episode. I was in 4th grade and we were so excited. In the first chase scene the cops were after the Duke boys and they were heading down through Oxford College towards the gymnasium. We knew they'd get caught since that street dead ended into the parking lot. But suddenly there was a big pile of dirt the Dukes jumped over and when they landed they were about two miles away, in a different city and heading in a different direction. Man, that car was cool! :)

Well, growing up in Southern CA gives me an unfair edge. My hometown of Northridge (remember the big earthquake?) was also home to a lot of film folk and their kids. My neighbors included Henry Mancini, the guy who played Frank Nitty on the Untouchables TV series, Walter Brennan, Dan Blocker who played Hoss on Bonanza.

Henry Mancini's son went to summer camp with me. My one abiding memory of him was the day at the pool when he stuck his hand down the front of my bathing suit. Horrors! Moochie from the Mickey Mouse Club was a fellow camper as well as Carrie Fisher and Edward G. Robinson's grandaughter (who thought she was a horse.) She used to follow the horses on the trail, trotting along behind. One evening in the mess hall, the counselors brought her dinner to her in a horsey feed bag much, to her delight.

As a rambunctious teenager, many nights were spent along Sunset Strip, following rock 'n' roll favorites. Now there's a slew of other stories that would be best told in other venues. Absolutely too much fun for a Funhog-in-training.

There are several that I can not pass along as yet, but here is one that I can.

I received a phone call from a PI in Reno. He wanted me to meet him at LAX and pick him along with his client on Sunday morning. He wanted an armed escort as well as transportation.
His destination was a bank in San Fernando Valley. I advised that the bank wouldn't be open and he said don't worry it will be.

I picked them up and drove to the bank. His client "Mary" had two small briefcases with her as her only luggage. Sure enough the bank manager was there and opened up the bank for us. Mary, the manager, the PI from Reno and myself went into the managers office. Mary opened up both briefcases and one was chocked full of $100s and the other was full of diamond jewelry. This was a settlement in a divorce proceeding. Mary was the former Mrs. Harrah. My fee (this was a few years ago) was $75. Mary paid me with a check and Mr. Harrah shut off her checking so the check bounced. She paid me later with a good check.
If I hadn't given her back her check I probably could have made more $ on Ebay.

Don

Sorry to say folks, but in the last 12 years, I have had the opportunity of meeting and working for the following:

Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, Billy Joel, KISS, Alan Jackson, Reba McIntyre, George Jones, Vince Gill, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Elton John, and many more.

Ray
Happydaze

Keep in mind that fame is relative.

My husband is a horror screen-writer and, while he himself is not famous (yet), many of his friends are well-known to horror fans. Horror isn't exactly my cup of blood, so when he took me to a big convention last year in LA, I just kind of nodded and acted politely impressed when he introduced me to his buddies. I hadn't a clue who some of them were and the friends that he's closest with I know as the guy who lives in the apartment with the gorgeous banana plant on his deck or the woman who sent us that nice Christmas card, not the stars, directors, or screenwriters for the latest horror flick.

Now if he was in the music industry... different story. I have a hard time not geeking out when I meet or see a musician I admire.

PDX Wolf Pack

When I was in the Fourth Grade in Portland, Oregon, my family hosted a summer TV show on one of the local channels. The Andy Hardy Theater ran for 13 weeks on Thursday nights from 8 to 10 pm. My 5 sisters and I hosted many "famous" TV personalities of the time as they visited Portland. One year 6 of the original Mickey Mouse Club members were Grand Marshals for the Rose Festival Parade in Portland and we were their escorts. I was paired with Darlene for the two day visit.

My maternal Grandfather was Jack Britton, world welterweight boxing champion for a number of years in the late teens and early twenties.

Grinch of Grumpy Grinch

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Little Darlings

Hey! I had a couple of friends who were extras in that movie!

DebBee

I graduated with the Warren Brothers older sister and my little brother was good friends with them and actually lived with them for one year. These guys are somewhat famous (country singers for those who don't know). They even had a TV show done about them. My younger sister went to one of their concerts and saw one of them before the show got started. He invited her and her friend to come backstage after the concert but her friend got sick in the middle and they had to leave. She didn't have anyway to let them know why they didn't show so don't know what they thought.

Tea Rose

Have you thought of planting a letterbox at the historical marker of your great-grandfather?

I would love to- unfortunately I am in Oregon and the marker is in PA. Anyone in that area interested in planting a box for me if I carve it? :D That would be so very cool! What a great idea Rosmarinus!

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That would be so very cool! What a great idea Rosmarinus!

I think historical boxes are way cool... and if you can add in some of your family history, then they're even MORE cool. I hope someone in PA can help you with this.

We love the box we planted in honor of our family history.

http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/showboxinfo.html?gBoxId=30869

Carianna of the GG

I think historical boxes like that are very cool too. We picked up one in NJ (?) recently. We arrived on the day of the parade honoring the guy. It was wonderful. Quite an education about WW2, and the guy, and the town, and the people and ... it was VERY hard to get TO the box because of CRAZY traffic circles in that town, but it turned out to be worth it! If I were in PA, I would SO help you with this! Hopefully, someone there will. :D

Well, I'm impressed!
BL47

Mary Kay Place was in my Camp Fire Girl troop in Tulsa.

One of my college friends' son was a Mouseketeer in the late 80s, early 90s, and my daughter had a huge crush on him. I got her to have Chase call Jenn on her birthday. I got gynormous "good mom" points for that one.

BL47

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Chase call Jenn on her birthday. I got gynormous "good mom" points for that one.

I'M impressed. I had a HUGE crush on Chase when I was a kid.

Alaska HSM

Where in PA? Maybe I'm close. In Quakertown there was a car factory in the very early 1900's. Long gone now. I'm a bit rusty on the history since it was about 15 years ago I read about it so I'm not sure of the exact year. They have one of the original cars at a historical building here in town.

Tea Rose

in my younger days, I was living in Miami Beach Fl and working at the Fountainblu Hilton. The movie bodyguard was filming there with kevin costner and whitney houston. I got to be an extra. I can see my head and alot of my friends were in it as well.

Yellsalot

Fun thread and some interesting reads. :)

I spent a week as a "background artist" (extra) on the set of "Gettysburg" where I got to meet Steven Lang, Martin Sheen, and Richard Jordan--his last film before he passed. :( Tom Beringer, Ted Turner and Hanoi Jane, and a few other notables were within a stones throw, too. (I'd rather that Jane had taken the hit on the set than Ted..."Everybody, BACK to 'one'!" :p)

Some comrades and I wore our shell coats (uniform jacket) to the premier of "Gettysburg" in Boston, Sheen and the directer, Ron Maxwell, were in appearance. When Sheen saw us, he yelled "My boys are here!" and he waved us right over to him. I remember Sheen as rather personable, as he spoke with us for a while as if nothing else were going on and nobody else was there; entirely unexpected but touching and very exciting. (I had him sign my hat. After the film, I was able to "appropriate" a movie bill poster from the lobby ;) and get Maxwell's sig'y on that.)

A few years latter I saw Steven Lang again on the set of "Gods and Generals" where I spent another week as an extra.

Thinking I should get a SAG card...NOT! :p
Connfederate

Where in PA? Maybe I'm close. In Quakertown there was a car factory in the very early 1900's. Long gone now. I'm a bit rusty on the history since it was about 15 years ago I read about it so I'm not sure of the exact year. They have one of the original cars at a historical building here in town.

It is in Plymouth, at the site of his old machine shop on Main St. I haven't been back there in many, many years. I have a few cousins still in the area but I'm not in touch with them.

Are you at all close, Tea Rose? If not, maybe I'll go post something on the PA board. Hmm....

More brushes with fame...

In about '89 or' 90 ( I don't remember) I was assigned to guard Natalie Merchant when 10,000 Maniacs played in Birmingham; she was kind enough to give me an autograph...on the back of that night's playlist;

The year Heather Whitestone won Miss America, I was a motorcycle officer, and with another motorscout, we escorted her all over central Alabama for three days. I have a picture of her sitting side-saddle, in a green pencil skirt, on my motorcycle with us two officers flanking her;

Had my picture made shaking hands with Ray Benson, lead singer and guitarist for Asleep At The Wheel (one of my all-time favorite bands), at a DARE conference in Salt Lake City...its a funny picture, he's nearly 7 feet tall and I'm barely 5 foot 8;

More recently, I worked a Leon Redbone concert and got to have an extended conversation with him...fascinating individual!

Pulled over Michael Jordan for speeding when he played minor-league baseball for Birmingham Barons in the mid-90's...he got a warning.

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Mary Kay Place was in my Camp Fire Girl troop in Tulsa.

Boxer Lover47 wrote.

I also new Mary Kay, she was my gym leader in high school. Red Headed, freckle faced gal, really sweet too. But she did make you do your exercises, ow! She lived next door to some friends of mine and my folks here in Tulsa. Ahh, memories....life sure has a way of drawing you back to the good old days.

Leon McAuliffe was also a neighbor of ours, I was best friends with his daughter. Went with Lucy once to Rogers, Ark to spend the week with her and her family. Leon would have his steel guitar out and playing a tune or two often. In Tulsa his house had a basement and that is where you would find all his equipment set up for probably night time practice with the band. Never was asked to come hear them though, Darn. Lucy didn't care a wit at that time for country music, but then I wasn't into it either, I liked the Beatles! Loved the Beatles, should say. Paul was my favorite.

Okie Dog

Well, I've just got to jump on the bandwagon too, I guess, lol.

We were living in LA for a couple of years in the late '80's. One night we happened on the filming of "Memories of Me" starring Billy Crystal, JoBeth Williams, Alan King, and directed by Henry Winkler, of "Happy Days" fame. I got my picture taken with Billy and Alan, and my companian got a picture with Henry.

Also, I went to High School with Sam Harris. He was amazing even then!!

Mel