Ringside Report Puts the Spotlight On Steve McQueen

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By Geoffrey Huchel

American actor Terrence Stephen McQueen aka “The King of Cool” was born March 24, 1930, in Beech Grove, Indiana. Prior to becoming a big screen hotshot, McQueen enlisted in the Marines in 1947. He served boot camp on Parris Island and was promoted to private first class and was assigned to an armored unit. He was also assigned to the honor guard responsible for guarding the presidential yacht of US President Harry Truman. McQueen served until 1950, when he was honorably discharged.

An avid motorcycle enthusiast, McQueen considered being a professional race car driver. However, in 1952, he began studying acting in New York at Sanford Meisner’s Neighborhood Playhouse at HB Studio. He was cast in the productions Peg O’ My Heart, The Member of the Wedding, and Two Fingers of Pride. He made his Broadway debut in 1955 in the play A Hatful of Rain.

In 1955, at age 25, McQueen left New York and headed to California to seek acting jobs in Hollywood. McQueen’s acting career began in the early 1950s. He had an uncredited role in GIRL ON THE RUN (1953), and appeared in the television series GOODYEAR PLAYHOUSE (1951), SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME (1956), WEST POINT (1956), TRACKDOWN (1957), and THE BLOB (1958). McQueen’s breakout role was on the television series western TALES OF WELLS FARGO (1957). McQueen’s next role was in his first feature film, NEVER LOVE A STRANGER (1958). He followed with roles in the films THE ST. LOUIS BANK ROBBERY (1959) and NEVER SO FEW (1959).

McQueen’s first film during the 1960s was the Oscar nominated THE MAGINIFICENT SEVEN (1960). McQueen played Vin Tanner. The film became his first major hit. The film co-starred Yul Brenner, Eli Wallach, Robert Vaughn, Charles Bronson and James Coburn. His next film projects were the drama THE WAR LOVER (1962) and HELL IS FOR HEROES (1962). McQueen was cast in the lead role Hilts ‘The Cooler King’ in Oscar nominated THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963), with James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson and James Coburn. His next films were the comedy SOLDIER IN THE RAIN (1963), with Jackie Gleason and Tuesday Weld, LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER (1963), with Natalie Wood, THE CINCINATTI KID (1965), with Ann-Margret, BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL (1965), THE SAND PEBBLES (1966), NEVADA SMITH (1966), THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968), with Faye Dunaway, and BULLITT (1968), with Robert Vaughn. BULLITT was McQueen’s best-known film and earned him an Oscar nomination. He was given the opportunity to perform his own for the films BULLITT and THE GREAT ESCAPE.

Throughout the 1970s McQueen starred in several films including THE GETAWAY (1972), JUNIOR BONNER (1972), PAPILLON (1973), with Dustin Hoffman, THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974), with Paul Newman, William Holden and Faye Dunaway, and AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (1978). McQueen’s final film appearances were TOM HORN and THE HUNTER, both 1980.

Steve McQueen died on November 7, 1980, of heart failure. He was 50 years old.

Essential McQueen:

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960)

THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)

THE CINCINNATI KID (1965)

BULLITT (1968)

THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968)

THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974)

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