With the release of the Ford v Ferrari movie, there has been renewed interest associated with my 2016 article here on Hemmings concerning Ford executive Leo Beebe and the end of the 1966 Le Mans race. Yes. Not exactly. Years later, Beebe stated in an interview that his decision at Le Mans was partly because he was worried over safety and financial concerns. Driver changes happen in conjunction with pit stops for fuel and fresh tires. . The following year, they won again. Ford and its Director of Special Vehicles, Leo Beebe, were both praised and vilified in the motor sports world and press at the time and, in some ways, nothing has changed. Yes. In Ford v Ferrari, car developer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driverKen Miles first meet during a rollicking day at Willow Springs Raceway in California the former recruits the latter to be part of his Ford-funded drive to win the Le Mans. vendredi 8 septembre 2017, Journaux, Sherbrooke, Quebec :Townships Communications Inc,[1979]- As suggested by Bale's characterization of Miles as a cranky, taciturn fellow, there's not a lot of video of the guy. I made the same post in a few other subs already today, but I was told that this sub could probably provide some of the best perspective. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In the movie, it makes Henry Ford II cry. (Sorry, but Batman isn't a historical figure.) We called Ken in and slowed him down so that Bruce and Chris would win. The movie is based on A.J. When I saw Ford v Ferrari in theaters, I was puzzled by Leo Beebe's portrayal in the film. Since the shareholders are collectively the owners of the company, those with more shares technically own more of Ford Motor Co. Not included in the movie, this happened several weeks before the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Also, if Ferrari did say mean things about Ford II, the latter wouldn't have heard about them via Iacocca that executive didn't travel to Italy with the contingent of deal-making Ford executives. Mr. Their quest is the story behind the major movie Ford v Ferrari, with Matt Damon portraying Shelby and Christian Bale playing Miles. As the top comment on that article says, his friends will obviously see him differently to people down the chain. In the movie, it makes Henry Ford II cry. The film's intense racing footage is 100% real with no computer generated effects. After the Ford team shockingly proves legitimate, Ferrari quietly and symbolically walks away, but not before locking eyes with Shelby and giving a torch-passing head nod of approval. Ford's PR guru Leo Beebe wanted to celebrate the win with a picture of the trio crossing the finish line together. Leo Beebe - Manager of Ford's Special Vehicle Dept. A lot of the frankly evil things he did in the film seemed too bad to be true, so it inspired me to do a bit more reading about the guy to see if the portrayal in the film was accurate. -Popular Mechanics, Yes. Gurney then pushed his car across the finish line. In the movie, Shelby locks Beebe in and hauls away Henry Ford II in the prototype to show him what the GT40 can do. All teams must rotate three drivers through the car during the race, with no one driver behind the wheel for more than a total of 14 hours. I'm sure he was a man with good values and all, but corporate America at its peak would never be a good fit with a racing team, and as the head corporate guy in Ford Racing, Leo Beebe must have pissed off Shelby and Miles plenty of times, leading to his villain status in the movie. But this is a glaring historical mistake, as Enzo Ferrari didnt attend Le Mans 66, meaning he wouldnt have been present to give a gracious tip of the hat to Ken Miles come race end. Ferrari never won Le Mans again, but Ford wouldnt go back until 2016. Is Ford vs Ferrari based on a true story? Did Carroll Shelby really lock Leo Beebe in his office? Good guy with a tough job. Today, companies still spend big amounts on their race teams. How long did Leo Beebe work for Ford Motor Company? The simple fact is that if there's nobody creating conflict with the main characters, then there simply isn't much of a movie. But Miles died in a car wreck just two months after Le Mans, and history had forgotten his contributions to Ford until recently. Forbes says it's extremely unlikely that such a speech from Ford II ever occurred. Leo Clair Beebe, the former chairman and chief executive of K-Tron International, which makes equipment used in processing for industries ranging from food to chemicals, died on June 30 at a . For example, he worries that Miles will mouth off to the media about a small detail he doesn't like about the car, thus casting Ford in a bad light. Ken Miles is mostly remembered as a great race car driver, considering he won at Sebring and Daytona and came second at Le Mans in 1966 (only over a technicality). After almost a day of testing at Riverside International Raceway in the brutally hot Southern California desert summer weather, Miles approached the end of the tracks 1-mile (1.6 km), downhill back straight at top speed (200-plus mph) when the car suddenly looped, flipped, crashed and caught fire. He was killed during a freak accident while test driving the Ford J-car, which was to be the successor to the Ford GT40 Mk II. As Ken Miles cruises to glory in the 1966 Le Mans, his wife, Mollie (Caitriona Balfe), and young son, Peter (Noah Jupe), watch the race via a television broadcast on their small, quaint, black-and-white, vintage mid-century TV set. We called Ken in and slowed him down so that Bruce and Chris would win. [pause, as Henry II takes a drink] Though it's not in the movie, investigating the true story confirms that this actually happened. Computer-controlled servo actuators then ran or "drove" the engine just as it would be driven at Le Mans, complete with pit stops that included shut downs. It keeps audiences interested, and it keeps the stakes high, so that when there's a resolution, it provides satisfying closure to the story. He was the guy who got blamed for taking the victory away from Ken Miles at Le Mans, but I don't think that's really the way it happened." However, Miles' Le Mans crew chief, Charlie Agapiou, and Lenny Shabes, disagreed with Brock. The trailer shows actor Tracy Letts as Ford Chairman Henry Ford II telling Shelby to "go to war," and plenty of driving sequences. CinemaBlends resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. For those who don't know anything about the actual event, Ford v. Ferrari will become the "true story" in many ways for a lot of people, and that means people will see Beebe as a bad guy when his friends say that simply wasn't the case. In the film, as his son and biggest fan Peter looks on, Miles' car takes a tough curve and disappears from sight, generating a cloud of ominous dust. : I wanted Ford to win. During Audi's recent span of victories at Le Mans, they invested approximately $250 million per year on their race team. Beebe earned a masters degree in Communications from Glassboro State College in 1985. Was Gus Fring a successful businessman or a psychopath in Was frank Cullotta a made man or just an associate? Sometime after 1920, the family moved to Dearborn. Ford II is so upset over the company's fortunes that he halts production on a bustling automobile assembly line to yell at the countless workers to come up with some ideas to save the company or to consider themselves unemployed. Had Miles won, he wouldve been the first driver to win the triple crown of Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans in a single year. The Ford v Ferrari true story confirms that the other teams indeed cried foul, complaining that it gave Ford an unfair advantage, but there was no rule against it. It's just not plausible that Ford II, the guy at the top of the company food chain, would deign to address the rank-and-file. And that's when I found this very interesting article. The year after that, they won a third time. -Popular Mechanics. nevertheless, gearheads, automotive historians, and former business colleagues of ford senior vice president leo beebe will find a lot to quibble about in this dramatization of the ford. Early in Ford v Ferrari, the film introduces Ford chairman Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts), a gruff, emotionally-driven guy who wants to win at all costs both to boost his company and to live up to his daunting legacy as the third-generation head of Ford (because confusingly, Ford II was actually the original Henry Ford's grandson, not son.) Did Enzo Ferrari tip his hat to Ken Miles? Like in the film, one of the biggest challenges is to create a car that will have the endurance to last the full 24 hours without mechanical failure. Reality is always going to be modified by a Hollywood lens when it ends up on the big screen. Building a partscaster. Among those nerve-wracking technical glitches, Miles did actually have trouble closing the door of his Ford GT40 Mk II, reportedly because he had bent the door by slamming it on his own (helmeted) head, but this did not stop him from setting multiple new lap records. Shelby also never carried a sign over to the shoulder of the track that read, "7,000+ go like hell.". Miles." That was the characterization that worked for the movie. Hello! In the film, Leo Beebe is portrayed by Josh Lucas. Source: Leo Beebe, Vice . We don't know if that happened at all, but for the 60s, a 210mph top speed could make any grown man cry, for sure. Not only did he drive well, but his mechanical mind also helped him tune cars to give their very best in a race. -Car and Driver, No. Miles won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966, and placed second at Le Mans. Carolla and Adams have a 2016 documentary, "The 24 Hour War," that sets up "Ford v. Ferrari" as a feature film. said director James Mangold of Ford v Ferrari's historical accuracy. He died instantly. "The biggest cheat in this movie: Ferrari never showed up at Le Mans," says director James Mangold. I couldnt stand the idea of cutting to the kid and mom and Ferrari on the phone or on radios, I couldnt do it. While the two will eventually become thick as thieves as both colleagues and friends, the relationship gets off to a rocky start. Heres how it works. As stated in the film, Ford's sales were in the midst of a years-long slump, and they needed something to make the company's cars (and reputation) seem sexy again. It's a ridiculous, hilarious scene, in which Shelby cruises at ludicrous speeds with Ford II riding shotgun and screaming at the top of his lungs, partly in exhilaration, and partly in terror. Ferrari using Ford to leverage more money out of Fiat is fiction. This is all pure movie magic, however, a scripted method by which Shelby could win a battle on his way to the war. . Privately owned GT40s captured the top spot in '68 and '69. He participated in the 1944 D-Day landings as part of a tank unit. After their 1966 and 1967 wins, Ford burned another $1 million preparing for the 1968 race, but then decided to withdraw financial support from the racing division (private GT40 owners won in '68 and '69). -IndieWire. It's implied that he made some kind of fatal mistake during his drive. Video and photos exist of the three Ford race cars finishing together at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Ive dealt with a lot of people in the business world, and theres nobody I hold in higher regard than Leo Beebe. He was also a consultant to the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare from 1978 to 1981, and the founding President and Executive Vice-Chairman of the National Alliance of Businessmen. Is Leo Beebe still alive? She was the third woman to hold the position. The Ford GT40 brought Ferrari's dominance at Le Mans to an end in 1966, when the Ford GT40 Mark IIs captured first, second and third place. Bale tends to disappear completely into his roles, gaining or losing tremendous amounts of weight as required to embody that person's physicality, and adopting accents and mannerisms as he sees fit. Other than providing certain archival materials for research, Ford didn't participate in the production of the film. So I was very surprised to learn that he was a real Ford executive and that they used his real name in the film. Was Leo Beebe real? Ford had finally, and very publicly, beaten Ferrari. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. Ever Wonder: Is the 2020 Ford Mustang all-wheel drive? Ford sent a group of dealmakers to Modena, Italy to hash out a deal with Enzo Ferrari, which took months of meticulous negotiation. It is an exact copy of the original (pictured below), both inside and out. Ferraris largest single shareholder today is Exor NV, a company controlled by descendants of Giovanni Agnelli, one of Fiats original founders. The clash between the control-hungry corporate overlords from Ford and the engineers and drivers striving to make history comes to a head in one of the few moments of comic relief in Ford v Ferrari. He retired from the company in 1972 but was never idle, and took a job as an adjunct professor at Glassboro State (now Rowan). Leo Claire Beebe was born July 20, 1917, in Williamsburg, Michigan. The only thing is, according to History vs Hollywood, none of this ever happened. Yes. Gurney then pushed his car across the finish line. There are reasons why movies based on actual events are so popular. The Ford GT40 that takes first place at Le Mans in the movie is a Superformance GT40 Mk II replica that was borrowed from Shelby collector William Deary. Beebe had a varied career, including positions as a businessman, philanthropist, educator, and executive. When Miles is about to finish the '66 Le Mans in a comfortable first place, with the next two racers driving Fords, Beebe gets in Ford II's ear to suggest that Miles slow down so all three Ford drivers can cross the finish line simultaneously. Movies need dramatic tension. The Ford GT40s (they stood just 40 inches high) that competed at Le Mans in 1964 and 1965 were far from perfect. Bruce McLaren leads Ken Miles and Dick Hutcherson across the finish line in one of the most controversial finishes in the history of Le Mans. The new movie, which is currently being showered with awards attention, deals with the attempt by the Ford Motor Company's attempt to build a car that can win the 24 hours at Le Mans road race, and while the underdog story is quite real, some have come out and said that the depiction of one character, Leo Beebe, played by Josh Lucas, is not. This included the Ford bureaucrats at the Dearborn, Michigan headquarters, nicknamed the Glass House. . Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders (born August 13, 1982) [1] is an American former political spokesperson and the governor-elect of Arkansas. Miles won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966, and placed second at Le Mans. Better, faster, and more interesting cars, as demonstrated on an international scale by race car drivers, would bolster sales. A more accurate title for Ford v Ferrari, one befitting the behind-the-scenes, one-on-one personal drama that led to a showdown between Ford and Ferrari racing teams in 1966, might be Shelby v Beebe. By MARCIN SKOMIAL JULY 7, 2001, NYTimes. Miles wasn't as outraged over the idea as he is in the movie. Sometimes fictional drama simply can't compete with reality. And, in the end, thats how Ken Miles, whos played by Christian Bale, does end up in that drivers seat in the sky. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Leo Clair Beebe, the former chairman and chief executive of K-Tron International, which makes equipment used in processing for industries ranging from food to chemicals, died on June 30 at a hospital near his home in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. The irascible Miles gets so incensed with Shelby that he throws a wrench at the guy, which shatters his own windshield after Shelby ducks. The major antagonist of the film is the character of Leo Beebe, an executive within the Ford Motor Company who was a real person, but not the type of person the movie portrays, according to those who knew him. Deciding on the loom. The only problem was that Ford didn't have a sports racing car in its fleet. Was initially going to buy a cheapo one off amazon, then deciding to either make my own (25 usd for a. The embodiment of all of the of the pushback within Ford top management is an other known as Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), a genuine individual, though perhaps not anyone whom numerous who worked with Beebe state they knew. [Henry II approaches his executives] Henry Ford II : What exactly did he say? It takes Shelby locking Beebe in an office and making a deal with Ford II to get Miles into the '66 Le Mans if he wins at Daytona, he can race in France. Leo Beebe - Manager of Ford's Special Vehicle Dept. He died June 30, 2001, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, at the age of 83. The result was a robust 427-cubic-inch V-8 engine. : "I wanted Ford to win. Shabes spoke of Shelby "never forgiving Beebe" for the photo-finish idea. (One of the big ideas: going after a victory in the Le Mans.) The conflict between Ken Miles and the Ford bureaucrats is played up significantly in the movie, in addition to Miles' hot temper. This (along with Ferrari's insulting remarks about Ford and his cars, relayed by Iacocca) angersFordIIso much he pours his vast resources into beating Ferrari at his own game of building elite performance vehicles. He is preceded in death by his son, David Ray Beebe; his parents, Cleopheus Elliott "Joe" Beebe and Maurine Robinson Beebe; brother, Frank Beebe; and a daughter-in-law, Jacque Johnston Beebe. To guarantee that the engines would last at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford ran them on a dynamometer (an instrument that measures the power output of an engine) controlled by a program that simulated durability and performance. In Ford v Ferrari, a big source of that simmering push-and-pull is the relationship between the prim and proper Ford executive board collective particularly Henry Ford II and Leo Beebe and Carroll Shelby, regarding the employment of test driver Ken Miles. Its true that Ken Miles had been minutes ahead of the other cars, but due to self-serving instructions from Ford, combined with a technicality, Miles was given second place instead of first. Ford Motor Co. Special Vehicles chief Leo Beebe at the 1966 Le Mans, where he helped engineer the victory depicted in 'Ford v. Ferrari.' data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAKAAAAB4CAYAAAB1ovlvAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAnpJREFUeF7t17Fpw1AARdFv7WJN4EVcawrPJZeeR3u4kiGQkCYJaXxBHLUSPHT/AaHTvu . The race itself is almost an hour, an immersion." No. Score: 4.3/5 (56 votes) . Obituary: Leo C. Beebe, 83, Led Industrial Equipment Maker. Here are some of the things in Ford v Ferrari that just aren't completely accurate. It's a bit of dramatic fabrication to demonstrate Ford II's personality and set the plot in motion as quickly as possible. The cars that still exist are worth millions and are far too valuable to be used in a movie. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? Beebe headed Fords racing team in the mid-1960s, then came here to head the areas Philco-Ford operations. by Paula Hawkins. Leo Beebe (the fictionalized character, not the real person) is depicted as the head of what one reviewer described as ". I went to a couple of his seminars, and learned a lot. Mangold said that omitting some of the earlier races was necessary because he wanted to have time to accurately communicate the idea of a 24-hour race and how hard it was on the vehicles and the men. Bruce McLaren leads Ken Miles and Dick Hutcherson across the finish line in one of the most controversial finishes in the history of Le Mans. The victory was the end result of a hard-won, years-long fight, and it came in large part from two central figures, racer turned designer Carroll Shelby and his friend and colleague, colorful test driver Ken Miles. Nevertheless, the specter of the European automotive genius hangs over the whole film, and he literally makes a conspicuous appearance during the movie's primary, climactic set piece: the 1966 Le Mans race. Fiat didn't buy a stake in Ferrari until early 1969, well after Ford's first Le Mans win. Carroll Shelby never bet Henry Ford II his entire business so that Ken Miles could drive at Le Mans. Heres The Latest, Adapting Stephen King's In The Tall Grass: The 2019 Netflix Movie Actually Makes Grass Scary. Then with Miles and McLaren all ready on final leg they changed the ruling. Shelby (portrayed by Matt Damon) had been only the third American driver to ever win at Le Mans, co-driving an Aston Martin DBR1 (with Englishman Roy Salvadori) to victory in 1959. Please refresh the page and try again. It certainly would not have been the first time that a real life person was made out to be more of a villain than they actually were. But what was most glaring, at least for me, came right at the end as the three GT40s crossed the finish line at Le Mans, pretty much three abreast. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. Was leo beebe as bad as he was portrayed? As for Henry Ford II, he was present at Le Mans. Though it's not in the movie, investigating the true story confirms that this actually happened. It's tough to say whether he did or did not. It wasn't so much the speed of the Ford that won the race, but its . It's a nice juxtaposition for what happens later in the movie, as the two become BFFs who have each other's back at all times. One of the only things that is CGI is the shots of the crowd, due to the enormous size of the audience, which would have been difficult to recreate. But Refinery 29 reports that, in reality, Ford had a number of more practical and reasonable reasons to go head-to-head with Ferrari on Ferrari's turf. He obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan. That's not the man that Ed Cloues knew. Ford's right hand Leo Beebe (portrayed by Josh Lucas) did object to risks that Ken Miles took on the track, but the tension between Shelby and Beebe in the movie is significantly dramatized. We're making Saving Private Ryan in reverse. But while there was plenty of footage of Eklund and Cheney to study, there was a surprising dearth of research material on Ken Miles. "I opted out of that program to save my life," he commented. Before long, these two are engaged in a knock-down drag-out fist fight, right there outside of a race track in a battle for dominance and a show of macho independence. . . Pretty much all sports movies end with the hero winning the big game or the big race. Henry Ford II and Ford executive Leo Beebe hang out in their VIP box, bugging Carroll Shelby down in the pit every chance they get, while Enzo Ferrari silently looks on from his box, the very picture of mid-century Italian cool in his perfectly tailored suit and sunglasses. In Ford v. Ferrari, chameleonic Academy Award winner Christian Bale plays Ken Miles, a test driver turned engineer and race car driver who dominates the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans on behalf of the Ford Motor Company. While the title Ford v Ferrari implies a rivalry between Henry Ford (or Henry Ford II) and Enzo Ferrari, the film is actually about the Ford company's push to beat Ferrari's company in an important auto race. He died June 30, 2001, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, at the age of 83. "The only way to communicate that is to not do the 24-hour race in 11 minutes. He'd a lengthy and varied professional profession whenever he relocated from Detroit to your Philadelphia area, making . Now Ford v Ferrari helps to immortalize his legacy. Ford engineer Phil Remington (portrayed by Ray McKinnon) came up with a brake system that would allow the pit crew to quickly swap out the pads and rotors during a driver change. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Ford wrote the message on a business card and handed it to Beebe, who kept it in his wallet for the rest of his life. It was created to help develop the personalities and relationship of race-team leader Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale). In the closing clip, Shelby takes Ford for a spin in the GT40 . What are your thoughts? TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Gurneys car expired on the final corner and Ken Miles passed him, taking first place. Miles raced for Ford in those including the Le Mans in 1965, just a year before the historic one in 1966. Yes. "All you need is one good accident and you lose all your investment.". Superimposed words on the screen tell viewers that the race is being piped to American television "via satellite," but there's just no way that happened. Beebe is never quite sold on Miles, finding him to be a bit of loose cannon and not a team player. For those who haven't yet seen Ford v Ferrari and don't know the true events behind the film, consider this your spoiler warning. The first live, international satellite broadcast, a variety show called Our World (which featured The Beatles playing "All You Need is Love"), was staged in 1967, which obviously went down after the 1966 Le Mans race. Instead, period-correct replicas were built for the film, including the Le Mans-winning Ford GT40s and Ferrari 330 P3s. The race officals had at first said that there could and would be tie. We watch 90 minutes of drama, then go to war. Forbes says there's certainly no way that Shelby would have or would've been allowed to take the head of a company out for a spin without any safety precautions. This meant that brakes would no longer have to be run beyond their limits. That's not the man that Ed Cloues knew. Like in the movie, he was prescribed nitroglycerin tablets. One thing that Leo said that I always carry with me: Do what you tell people youre going to do. Sounds simple, but its great advice. Teams, drivers and manufacturers will not be able to Alpine's future in WEC, LMP2 then Hypercar, Press J to jump to the feed. He retired from the company in 1972 but was . Miles died in a crash while testing Fords J-Car later that year. The major antagonist of the film is the character of Leo Beebe, an executive within the Ford Motor Company who was a real person, but not the type of person the movie portrays, according to those who knew him. The movie's villain is Ford executive Leo Beebe, who throws up obstacles for the film's heroes to overcome. In the film, Leo Beebe is never a fan of Shelby or Miles and takes whatever opportunities he has to actively sabotage their chances of winning. In an effort to please the company he worked for, he let off the gas. The music gets sad, the film goes into slow-motion, Mollie Miles runs toward her husband, and the audience understands that Ken Miles died. -Popular Mechanics, No. While the historical record regarding the famous race is a bit murky to say the least, there is evidence that Beebe and Ken Miles did clash, and it was Beebe's idea to have Miles slow down during the 1966 race at Le Mans so that the Ford cars could finish in a tie, which ultimately led to Miles losing the race, however accidentally. Anne Heches Autopsy Results Have Been Revealed To The Public, Lord Of The Rings: Rings Of Power Season 2 Adds Eight New Cast Members Including Game Of Thrones And Bridgerton Alums, Why Star Trek: Prodigy Will Take A While Before Sharing More Post-Voyager Reveals For Chakotay, Is Margot Robbie Still Interested In A Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy Romance For The DCEU? Did Miles really speak with that slight Birmingham accent? He was forced to stop due to gearbox failure. "Leo Beebe was not a bad guy at all. Unlike what's seen in the movie, Miles did go to Le Mans in 1965, losing to Ferrari. Yes. As such, when the film opens, as executive Lee Iacocca tells Ford II and the audience, the company is in a sales slump the likes of which it has never seen. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. But it's also understandable why those who knew Leo Beebe would take issue with the way he is presented in the film. Ford v Ferrari - Josh Lucas "Leo Beebe" [On-set Interview]Directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, J. He dies in a tragic crash at the end of the movieafter hes cheated out of a first place win at Le Mans because of a botched PR plan. An engine was run until it exploded, at which time the engineers would address the problem and start the process over until their design was able to last back-to-back Le Mans simulations. Because McLaren's qualified slower he had started further back. Lee Iacocca (played by Jon Bernthal was a fantastic character that was well-loved in the movie, while the Ford executive that we all loved to hate, Leo Beebe (played by Josh Lucas) was played brilliantly enough that most of us walking out of the movie felt that he was the epitome of everything that is wrong with corporate America. After an extensive 4,000+ hours of restoration with Rare Drive in New Hampshire, the original winning GT40 was restored back to its race-ready state. Ford Motor Company is not owned by another corporation; instead, it is only owned by shareholders. He received a heart transplant several decades later in 1990. The aerodynamics were also dangerously bad. But there's some additional drama . Beebe earned a master's degree in Communications from Glassboro State College in 1985. Seeing all the hypercars getting out the trailers for the Toyota doesn't want second WEC race in US as calendar BMWs planned 24-hour endurance test was cut short, What the brave new world of LMDH really looks like trackside. Beebe earned a master's degree in Communications from Glassboro State College in 1985. But it's also inaccurate: there . -IndieWire. The ostensible villain of the first half of Ford v Ferrari:the Scuderia Ferrari race car company, as personified by founder Enzo Ferrari. PirateBarHooker 2 yr. ago Yes. The neck is a P90, the bridge is a slightly overwound broadcaster thing. . It was a bad idea from the start. Video and photos exist of the three Ford race cars finishing . The Ford v Ferrari movie depicts automotive designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) as mavericks who fight corporate interference, namely from Ford's racing director, Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas). Yes. NY 10036. Hollywood made him out to be a villain -- or at least not a 'good' guy to paint the two protagonists more as rebels to the system and to definitely make the audience root for them more. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. It's estimated that Ford spent no less than $25 million on its effort to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (some have put the estimate around $100 million). And it's not too surprising to see why Leo Beebe was the one chosen for the role of antagonist. It is believed that despite team orders, Bruce McLaren accelerated just ahead of Miles at the last moment in an attempt to finish in the top spot (in the film, all three cars cross at the same time). This sequence was all an embellishment by screenwriters to establish the personalities of Shelby and Miles and to create dramatic tension. Leo Beebe Manager of Fords Special Vehicle Dept. Knowing little about the story going into it, I figured that he was a fictionalized cartoon villain made up for the plot of the film, similar to to the character "Pig Vomit" in the film Private Parts. Ford also took the top spot at Le Mans the following three years - 1967, 1968 and 1969. Yes. Narrated by Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, and India Fisher (Penguin Audio/Books on Tape) Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. I'm sure he was a man with good values and all, but corporate America at its peak would never be a good fit with a racing team, and as the head corporate guy in Ford Racing, Leo Beebe must have pissed off Shelby and Miles plenty of times, leading to his villain status in the movie. Beebe later noted that "to have Ken win would have been more expedient and popular, but the extent to which McLaren and Amon had played exactly according to our rules mitigated against Miles. Fantastic film but some of it is fiction. Beebe headed Ford's racing team in the mid-1960s, then came here to head the area's Philco-Ford operations. That meant Bale had to invent his character's accent and quirks out of thin air. Gearboxes failed, head gaskets blew, and the front brake rotors heated up to 1,500 degrees in seconds and stopping working. In the early 1960s, Henry Ford II's love for car racing was part of the reason that he decided that the Ford Motor Company would start competing. But He was not the type of person the movie portrays, according to those who knew him. This isn't the first time Bale has played a real person among others, characters Dicky Eklund in The Fighter and Dick Cheney from Vice are both actual people. No. Yes. Though the cars were fast, they broke down. While the movie covers the races underlying rivalry between Ford Motor Company and Ferrari, its true focus is on the two racing legends who helped develop Fords program. 11 The Output That Made Henry Ford II Cry. He used us to up his price, embarrass our company and insult your leadership. The irascible Miles gets so incensed with Shelby that he throws a wrench at the guy, which shatters his own windshield after Shelby ducks. He obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan. Ford management had indeed instructed him to slow down so that all three of their cars could cross the finish line together. Though its not in the movie, investigating the true story confirms that this actually happened. Years later, Beebe stated in an interview that his decision at Le Mans was partly because he was worried over safety and financial concerns. When it's all over, he starts sobbing and cedes some control to Shelby. Historically, there wasn't nearly as much push-back from Ford regarding Ken Miles competing at Le Mans. Now, we have got a complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested! The car was the GT40, the main people behind its success were Henry Ford II, Lee Iacocca, Leo Beebe, the indubitable Carroll Shelby, and of course, the lanky Brit racer, Ken Miles. So, Shelby connives to get his way, locking Beebe in and then taking Ford II for a high-speed, heart-stopping ride in that race car. The real story of Miles' death is far more shocking. No. Video and photos exist of the three Ford race cars finishing together at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Did Henry Ford really cry with Shelby? Back in the real world, according to History vs Hollywood, Ford wasn't much against Ken Miles. Things did not go as Beebe had been told. Ford executive Leo Beebe wasn't so bad A more accurate title for Ford v Ferrari, one befitting the behind-the-scenes, one-on-one personal drama that led to a showdown between Ford and Ferrari racing teams in 1966, might be Shelby v Beebe. But various accounts, collected by Esquire, say that mechanical failure or an intrinsic problem with the vehicle killed Miles not driver error. Mangold's film however suggests that Ford executive Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas) was the real villain and conspired to stage the photo finish, even though he knew it would mean Miles would lose.. If he felt such a speech was necessary, he would have delegated the job to one of his many assistants or direct underlings. Did Leo Beebe really dislike Ken Miles? In 1966, a team of drivers representing Ford did something that had never been done before: They showed the world that American-made cars could be high-performance race vehicles, with Ford taking the first three spots in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race in France. [2] She was the 31st White House press secretary, serving under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019. What happened to Mr Beebe from Ford? Leo Beebe, played by Josh Lucas, was Ford's director of special vehicles/PR specialist, and is most remembered for making a controversial decision during the 1966 Le Mans race. Ford v Ferrari employs the latter narrative device. You will receive a verification email shortly. Shelby also never carried a sign over to the shoulder of the track that read, "7,000+ go like hell." The main antagonist of the film is the character of Leo Beebe, a real-life Ford Motor Company executive. She previously worked on the election campaigns of . Leo Beebe ultimately made the decision to not notify the drivers and let the dead heat occur, which would make the McLaren team the victor. Ford executive Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal, pictured) suggests getting a jumpstart by purchasing Scuderia Ferrari, and heads to Italy to make a deal with Enzo Ferrari who backs out of it and sells to Fiat instead. The event had theretofore been dominated by the sporty and stylish cars made in Italy by Enzo Ferrari, and beating Ferrari was chief among the goals of Ford. In the film, Leo Beebe is never a fan of Shelby or Miles and takes whatever opportunities he has to actively sabotage their chances of winning. This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. The legendary Lee Iacocca was an important figure at Ford, but he was not part of the mission to Italy to negotiate with Enzo Ferrari. Shelby and Miles didn't meet or forge a working relationship at Willow Springs Raceway. To a large degree, yes. Like any movie that's based on a true story, Ford v Ferrari's filmmakers which include Logan director James Mangold and Edge of Tomorrow writers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth took a few creative liberties to make the story more cinematic. Leo Beebe was chosen for that role, regardless of whether or not it was really accurate. 1945 to 1972 Bio: Leo Clair Beebe (1917-2001) worked for Ford Motor Company from 1945 to 1972. 2022 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved First held in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which takes place in the town of Le Mans, France, sets itself apart because instead of being a fixed-distance sports car race that awards the win to the car with the minimum time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans gives the win to the car that covers the greatest distance in a span of exactly 24 hours. "I'm excited about this one because there are so many still surprised . Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Since they didn't meet there, that also means they never tried to beat the heck out of each other either. Ken Miles, who is portrayed by Christian Bale in the film, died two months after the 1966 Le Mans. How fast was Ken Miles going when he died? Ford's right hand Leo Beebe (portrayed by Josh Lucas) did object to risks that Ken Miles took on the track, but the tension between Shelby and Beebe in the movie is significantly dramatized. "You ask a thousand people here about Leo Beebe, you're going to get a thousand positive opinions," said Ron Jaworski, the former Eagles quarterback-turned-entrepreneur, who came to Beebe for business advice. Leo Beebe was born to a farm family in Antrim County, Michigan, in July 1917. Mangold's new film, Le Mans '66, has been a long time coming.It's called Ford v Ferrari in other territories, which is the distilled essence of the story. . After more than 3,000 miles averaging speeds of around 130 miles-per-hour, Ford took all 1966 podium honors at Le Mans. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Why did Leo Beebe want Ken Miles to lose? We called Ken in and slowed him down so that Bruce and Chris would win. Having slowed to accommodate the Ford finish decision, the Miles team finished slightly behind the McLaren team. He ultimately still finds a way to pull rank on Miles and rob the guy of some glory. NOTE: I loved the movie. The other part had to do with the fact that Ford needed a marketing boost in the face of slipping sales and stiff competition from GM, especially when it came to attracting younger buyers. Leo Claire Beebe was born July 20, 1917, in Williamsburg, Michigan. I guess the question is was it an appropriate change that helped the movie convey its point, or did it upend history too much to not accurately tell the story. He was tough, but a gem of a person. "I called Ken Miles in and held him back because I was afraid the drivers would knock one another off," Beebe said in an interview, excepted byHemmings. Asked by: Holden Huels V. Score: 4.9/5 (75 votes) . This means that the story we get on the big screen is rarely perfectly accurate, some details or characters always go through changes, and that's what some people are saying happened to a major character in Ford v Ferrari. Beebe's idea is presented as a nasty move to undercut Miles. During our exploration into Ford v Ferrari's historical accuracy, we learned that the race at Willow Springs Raceway in California never actually happened in real life. "Growing up watching sports movies, I didn't want to have to montage my way through seven or eight races as opposed to really landing in one." After a bittersweet end to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 for Ken Miles Ford wins, but the driver technically comes in second place during a simultaneous finish by Ford's top three cars the story ends on a deeply sad and tragic note. Ferrari reportedly pumps $500 million per year into its Formula One program. While test driving the vehicles in 1964, two aerodynamically unstable GT40s crashed. Chassis P/1046 was passed through multiple owners who restored the vehicle, but the most notable was when it was bought by Rob Kauffman, owner of RK Motors, in 2014. A Ford v Ferrari fact check confirms that a life-threatening heart ailment, angina pectoris, prompted Shelby to retire as a race car driver. Yes. Rear end lift caused the car to loop, flip, crash and catch fire, breaking into pieces and ejecting Miles. Changing the past doesn't make a "true story" movie inherently bad, but it is certainly good to know where the Hollywood version makes changes so that people know what the real story actually is. Last Update: October 15, 2022. Yes. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Ford's right hand Leo Beebe (portrayed by Josh Lucas) did object to risks that Ken Miles took on the track, but the tension between Shelby and Beebe in the movie is significantly dramatized. Henry Ford II was there, anticipating a memorable return on his by now considerable investment; in fact, he handed Leo Beebe, head of Ford's racing programmes, a business card inscribed with a. Having said that, actual events also don't always cooperate in taking place in the best possible way to make a great movie. He was also a consultant to the Secretary of Health . He also wanted to put his focus into building cars. And was Leo Beebe really such a diabolical villain? The accidents prompted Ford test driver Roy Salvadori to quit. While Ferrari offers street-legal versions of their cars largely to fund their racing program, it's harder for companies like Audi or Toyota to justify the expense, since their car sales arguably are not dependent on their racing programs. Shelby really wants Miles to man his flagship car in the '66 Le Mans race, as he is instrumental in helping develop the vehicle and realize its potential. Miles was approaching the 1-mile, downhill back straight at the Riverside International Raceway in Southern California, going over 200 mph. Throughout those dramatic final scenes, the film cuts to shots of the protagonist's loved ones anxiously watching the events unfold, cheering them on nervously from either the stands or watching on TV. In order to create a more compelling story around its two main characters, Shelby and Miles, the movie largely omits the vast cast of participants who were responsible for the success of the GT40 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Copyright 2022 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. As the race went on and the GT40 MkIIIs left Ferrari far behind, Ford PR flack Leo Beebe realized the carmaker could core a public relations coup by staging a 1-2-3 photo finish, with all three . Comments, around 200 in number four years after initial publication, show the passion of people on both sides of the dispute. Ray Leo Beebe was born February 3, 1930 and he passed away unexpectedly on April 21, 2016. He died June 30, 2001, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, at the age of 83. While the historical record regarding the famous race is a bit murky to say the least, there is evidence that Beebe and Ken Miles did clash, and it was Beebe's idea to have Miles slow down during the 1966 race at Le Mans so that the Ford cars could finish in a tie, which ultimately led to Miles losing the race, however . How accurate is the movie Ford vs Ferrari? 9. Factory support was withdrawn after the 1967 win. Yes he did. New York, As depicted in the movie, Miles was well ahead in the '66 race but slowed down on the orders of Ford exec Leo Beebe, which ultimately resulted in him finishing second, which also cost Miles the Triple Crown of 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Le Mans. The movie also streamlines the Ford team to a size more . Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Piero Ferrari continues to hold his 10 percent stake. At first, Enzo Ferrari agreed to the deal, but there was a clause in the contract which stated that Ford would control the racing budget (and in turn the decisions). It's true that an angry Henry Ford II sought revenge by directing his company's finances toward putting together a racing team and building a sports car that could beat Ferrari, specifically at the most prestigious car race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's true that Ken Miles had been minutes ahead of the other cars, but due to self-serving instructions from Ford, combined with a technicality, Miles was given second place instead of first. corporate micromanagers organization men and busybodies who look for obedient team players and hammer down protruding nails like . So, he had Shelby order Miles to slow down and let the other GT40 teams catch. The negotiations are expedited for the sake of the movie.The Ford v Ferrari true story reveals that Ford's offer was $10 million. Leo Beebe : He played us. While the ultimate goal of Ford v Ferrari might be the battle between the two auto companies, most of the actual film is about the battle between Caroll Shelby with his friend Ken Miles, and the auto company that hired them, but may not completely trust them to do the job. There was a problem. He then worked in machinery, and in 1942, he was promoted to staff sergeant. Epcot Stan. "I insistently put him there. 7.4k neck, 7.5k bridge - quite balanced and not too hot for a P90. He did die during a test drive after the car rolled over several times and threw the driver from the vehicle. Armchair Imagineer. Baime's 2009 book. Carroll Shelby's team, hard at work on a still-in-progress version of a car for Le Mans, receive word that Henry Ford II and sycophantic executive Leo Beebe will be visiting to check up on their progress and to deliver word that Ken Miles will not be allowed to drive in the big race. Yes. The official subreddit for the FIA World Endurance Championship, and the ACO's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The major antagonist of the film is the character of Leo Beebe, an executive within the Ford Motor Company who was a real person, but not the type of person the movie portrays, according to those who knew him. No. We highlight the real story of Ford v Ferrari with some of the details that didnt make it to the big screen. By 1963, Henry Ford II (the grandson and namesake of the company's founder) decided that the quickest way to get Ford on the racetrack would be to buy Ferrari. 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