Few stars guarded their private lives as zealously as Steve McQueen. He was a loner. untrustmg, scarred by events that shaped his formative years. Reporters found him difficult to corner; photographers frequently gave up the chase, Yet, throughout a legendary career he was rarely out of the headlines. The public loved this ruggedly handsome man of explosive temperament and gritty independence. In time he became the new hero of a generation, one of the most successful and popular stars in the world. Still, he remained unreachable. No one had been able to capture the real Steve McQueen prior to this book. In THE FINAL CHAPTER Grady Ragsdale tells of his close personal and working relationship with the magnetic superstar during the happiest and darkest of times. Theirs was a special friendship. Told with complete candor, here is the incredible story of the last year of McQueen's life, starting in 1979 with his escape from the fast-paced, artificial Hollywood scene to start a new, simpler life among the people and surroundings he loved, through his long and courageous bout against cancer. This is the true story that had been -- until this book -- only speculation. Every detail is documented, including his passion for flying old airplanes, his wedding under armed guard to beautiful model Barbara Minty, his controversial holistic medical treatment in Mexico, and his secret meeting with Dr. Billy Graham. The photos were gathered from McQueen's personal favorites, given to Grady Ragsdale by the actor. THE FINAL CHAPTER is more than a biography. It is an intimate portrait, a memoir of a man of unique strength and determination, one who spent his entire life searching for happiness, and found it in an expected source. THE FINAL CHAPTER is revealing, heartwarming and inspirational., ISBN13: 9780884491057 ISBN10: 0884491056 Material Type: hardcover

Grady Ragsdale, Jr.