Treasure Hunt

Okay, Okay, I'll tell you what happened!

MEETING MARGIE

We left Billings about 4 p.m. The drive was gorgeous! Montana is so green and lush right now you can practically smell it as you drive along looking out across the acres of pasture dotted with cattle, antelope and deer. The snow capped Beartooth and Crazy Mountains towered above the Yellowstone River. Fly fishermen stood out amidst the reflections dancing off the river's surface. What a great excuse to go on a road trip! If you haven't seen Montana (especially in the summer) you are missing out!

We got to her town about 15 minutes early so we drove by once, just to see what it looked like. It's a huge historic home, probably built in the early, early 1900's. A little picket fence with a tiny front yard and vines everywhere. My daughter reminded me not to embarrass her. I was very vocal about my excitement in the car at spontaneous intervals. These outburst were followed quickly by my 14 year-old daughter saying, "MO-THUR"

A housekeeper answered the door (not like a maid or anything, but someone who just comes over to clean--not fancy) She told us that Margie was out with her grandkids riding bikes and should be returning any minute. She led us through the enormous living room with ceilings at least 12 feet high.

The room was filled with photographs and framed letters on every flat surface! Oh, I wanted to stop and look at everything! Read everything! I saw her in one photo accepting an award, another with famous actors and actresses. Mostly though, there were pictures of her family. Parents, grandparents, kids, nieces and nephews, grandkids (she has two).

We were led to the backyard garden to wait. It was a charming back yard with many perennials flowers and plants, small trees to sit under. It was very quaint. We visited for awhile (I brought my daughter and a friend of hers--both budding actresses). Pretty soon two big dogs came bounding out of the dog door from the house. They were soaking wet. I think they'd just taken a dip in the Yellowstone River. One was a big German Sheperd mix, I think. His collar said "Pierre." Hmm. Margie used to date the Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Did she name her dog after him? Hmm! Witty girl! The other dog was a Golden Lab. Her name was Sally.

Next came Margie's grandchildren. Adorable. Shy. Sweet as could be. Then came Margie. Wow! Margot Kidder! She was soaking wet, too. She must have gone in the river with the dogs. It was so funny to see her standing there dripping wet, big smile, warm as you could imagine. We all introduced ourselves and she said she was going to run upstairs and change really fast and then come down and meet us again "properly." I wouldn't have minded if she stayed as she was.

When she came down again about 10 minutes later, she had changed into navy blue slacks and navy shirt with a white sweater draped around her shoulders and wearing blue canvas sneakers. She still looks like a movie star! She had dried her hair some and put on some makeup and glasses. She looked great. She looks happy, content, grounded.

We all reintroduced ourselves and sat down for a nice conversation. She told us that she and her grand kids were going out to dinner and then they were going to ride their bikes to the movie Shrek 3. We visited for almost an hour.

I told her about Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch where I work. She was very interested in the work we do with seriously emotionally troubled children coming from all over the U.S. She told us about her decision to move to Montana--she wanted to be closer to her only daughter, Maggie, who is married to a writer. You can tell she is a very enthusiastic and devoted grandma. She also talked about a local women's group she's in that is socially proactive. She says her group wants to do something to help kids whose mothers are incarcerated. I used to serve on Montana's parole board and I was an advisor to a governor on corrections issues, so we talked about that and how drugs (especially Meth) is the number one reason why women end up in prison.

She talked about her garden and pointed out the gravesites of her dead dogs of which there were several!

We brought her a basket of geraniums that the kids grow in the green house at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (I guessed she'd have a garden!) and a collection of Burt's Bees products (organic skin care products). I also brought her a book about Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch. She was interested in our 50th Anniversary so I invited her to our 50th Anniversary celebration or to stop by and meet the 200 kids in our care. I think she will!

We took the pictures and they turned out great! I now have absolutely EVERYTHING for the treasure hunt contest. All 110 items are in hand. I can't wait until Saturday to find out if anyone tied with me. I surely hope not!

Well, this had to be the most fun "item" to track down, but the Cancun glass was a close second because I met all of you via this site. Thanks again to Glen and Dawn for helping me with the Cancun glasses! Where would I be without you? Probably in Cancun right now getting a glass!!

I'm getting emails from other treasure hunters trying to find out if I have everything, but I'm not telling them. Let them find out on Saturday. I just say, "yeah, (this or that item) IS really, really hard to find" heh heh heh

I bet no one else tracked down a real Hollywood celebrity in less than a week and even got to meet them in their own home!

I encouraged Margot to write her autobiography and she said she had written it years ago for Simon and Schuster but she made them shelve it because she wasn't ready. Now she says she's older and not so concerned about people reading about what all happened. So maybe now she'll decide to update and send it to press? My next goal is to convince her to let me read her manuscript! What a great read that would be. And what an inspiration!

A woman who has achieved so much in Hollywood--at least 40 motion pictures, including ones with Robert Redford, Mel Gibson, Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, James Brolin, Peter O'Toole, Burt Lancaster (who purportedly got in a huge fight with her on set, punched her in the face and knocked her out), TV shows, Playboy centerfold, cartoons, social activist, married 3 times, etc. etc. Would you want to read her story? I WOULD!

To sum it up, I found a woman in Montana who lives simply, who has seen and done it all (except her memoir), a woman who has faced the challenge of mental illness and has come through on the other side victorious, grounded in her values of family and service to others in need, whoever they may be, including me.

Thank you, Margie; you are a star in a much brighter sense of the word than I ever expected (and my expectations were high, having admired you for so long.) You shine because you live with passion and it's a passion for the rest of the world, not just yourself.

I feel very lucky to have met a great lady and outstanding human being.

:michaelf: :michaelf: :michaelf: :michaelf: :michaelf: :michaelf:

 

I love it when a plan comes together!

Excellent work, seems like it was a great day.

Hopefully Saturday is even better!

 

Nice TR, mfox4!

 

Awesome.. Glad you have a wonderful time, and congratulations on now having all items!!! Way to go.. Now, come on Saturday... Time for her to win...

 

Fun Facts about Margot Kidder:

Movies made grossing over $100M 3
Total Number of Movies 40
Total Number of Movies (starring) 17
Avg Gross of each movie (starring) $51,138,334
Total Gross of All Movies $556,830,958
Avg. Gross of each Movie $46,402,580
Avg Gross of Movies in the 90s $34,416,445

Margot Kidder Domestic ticket sales tally:

Movie Year Domestic B.O.
1 Tribulation 2000 N/A
2 The Hi-Line 1999 N/A
3 Nightmare Man 1999 N/A
4 The Annihilation of Fish 1999 $18,335
5 The Clown at Midnight 1998 N/A
6 Planet of Junior Brown, The 1997 N/A
7 Never Met Picasso 1996 N/A
8 Bloodknot 1995 N/A
9 Henry & Verlin 1994 N/A
10 Beanstalk 1994 N/A
11 Maverick 1994 $101,631,000
12 Pornographer, The 1994 N/A
13 Windrunner 1995 N/A
14 Florida, La 1993 $1,600,000
15 Aaron Sent Me 1992 N/A
16 White Room 1990 N/A
17 Mob Story 1990 N/A
18 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace 1987 $15,681,000
19 Keeping Track 1985 N/A
20 Little Treasure 1985 N/A
21 Trenchcoat 1983 $4,300,000
22 Superman III 1983 $59,950,623
23 Some Kind of Hero 1981 $20,400,000
24 Miss Right 1982 N/A
25 Heartaches 1981 N/A
26 Willie and Phil 1980 $4,400,000
27 Superman II 1980 $108,200,000 (WOW! That was 1980!)
28 Mr. Mike's Mondo Video 1979 N/A
29 Amityville Horror, The 1979 $86,432,000
30 Superman 1978 $134,218,000
31 Reincarnation of Peter Proud, The 1975 N/A
32 92 in the Shade 1975 N/A
33 Great Waldo Pepper, The 1975 $20,000,000
34 Shoot the Sun Down 1981 N/A
35 Black Christmas 1974 N/A
36 Quiet Day in Belfast, A 1974 N/A
37 Gravy Train, The 1974 N/A
38 Sisters 1973 N/A
39 Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx 1970 N/A
40 Gaily, Gaily 1969 N/A

 

EXCELLENT report Thanks :!: :!:

 

great report

u deserve to win for that alone

 

Thanks Steve, Franco, Denise, Greta, Michael, Dennis and all!

I've enjoyed sharing this quest with you! I've had a blast. I like to tell my friends about you guys. They think it's great the way you've rallied and helped me out. It's been a fun TEAM effort and that's why the winnings MUST go to something charitable. It's the only right thing to do! (Though I'd LOVE to spend it a thousand different ways--and believe me, I could!)

If I can figure out how to post the picture, I will!

 

not going to be around for a few days so best of luck on saturday ,..

hope you win ... you know its a very noble thought of u to offer the winnings to charity, you've obviously put in loads and loads of hard work and energy .. you have to keep some to treat yourself with !!!!

have a good one