Jack Palance

These photos were taken in October, 1997 with Jack Palance, Steve and Wendy Weil at the Warwick Hotel in Denver.  The hotel became the unofficial headquarters of the 20th Denver International Film Festival during one of the worst blizzards in modern history.  Jack came to Denver to accept the 1997 Lifetime Achievement Award.

The city and festival were shut down by a blizzard and ice storm.   Although Jack's flight was able to land at the snowed-in airport he was stuck on the runway for two hours.  Steve Weil was to meet him.  The normal 30 minute drive took 2 hours in a 4 wheel drive Jeep.  Steve arrived at  the terminal which was bedlam due to the blizzard.  He ran into friend and future Oscar winner Donna Dewey and enlisted her help to find Jack Palance.

Once united, Donna joined Steve and Jack for what would become a harrowing  drive to the city.   The traffic to the highway was backed up 10 miles.  Faced with spending the night in the car Steve drove on the shoulder for 9 miles and reached within half a mile of the highway where he was blocked.   He reconnoitered and asked his passengers if they wanted to stay the night in the car or try driving down an embankment to a road in the distance.   Jack, ever the adventurer agreed to try for the road.   Over four hours after leaving the airport the group reached Jack's hotel where he was marooned for 3 days.

The award was presented at the hotel