The beginnings were inauspicious. An unaccredited appearance as an extra in Girl on the Run, a low-budget crime flick, kicked off several years of roles in TV series and films for Steve McQueen.
Then, in 1960, he was in The Magnificent Seven and got himself noticed even among the likes of Yul Brynner and Charles Bronson. From then on, McQueen was the embodiment of cool, rugged masculinity and turned in stellar performances in myriad movies, including The Great Escape, Bullitt (the one with the famous Mustang car chase), The Thomas Crown Affair, Papillon and The Towering Inferno.
He turned down many roles, too, declining to appear in Dirty Harry and Apocalypse Now, to name but two – and if it hadn’t been for contractual reasons, he might also have taken Peppard’s place in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. When he wasn’t acting, this one-time US Marine enjoyed life and also lifted weights, ran, and practiced martial arts. As if that weren’t enough, he was into off-road biking, motor racing, and flying. Bit of a daredevil…
Sadly, cancer – a legacy of his work with asbestos as a Marine – took him at the age of just 50, in 1980.
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Steve McQueen and Neile Adams
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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McQueen in the Mojave Desert
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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McQueen at gas station
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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McQueen Asleep In Pickup
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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Steve McQueen’s Pistol
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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McQueen Working Out
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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Steve McQueen Takes A Dive
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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McQueen on a Motorcycle
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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Steve McQueen and his Wife
Photo by: John Dominis © Life Picture Collection
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Steve Mcqueen, The Thomas Crown Affair
Photo by: Bridgeman Images
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Steve Mcqueen on the set of Bullit
Photo by: Bridgeman Images
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S. McQueen on the set of Le Mans
Photo by: Collection CSFF / Bridgeman Images
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