History Creator / SteveMcQueenActor

** He also turned down both ''Film/DirtyHarry'' and ''Film/TheFrenchConnection'' because he didn't want to do any more cop movies after ''Bullitt''.

[=McQueen=] went into acting following a troubled childhood and a stint in the U.S. Marines. His early film work included a supporting role in the Creator/PaulNewman film ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'', about boxer "Rocky" Graziano. He also starred in the horror movie ''Film/TheBlob1958'', and shortly after that began a three-year run as star of the Western TV series ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''.

* DoingItForTheArt:
** He insisted on doing most of the stunts in ''Bullitt'' himself.
** Also learned to play polo for ''The Thomas Crown Affair''.

Began a RomanceOnTheSet with Creator/AliMcGraw, his co-star in ''Film/TheGetaway'', causing her to divorce her husband, legendary Creator/{{Paramount}} studio head Robert Evans.

Began a RomanceOnTheSet with [=Ali McGraw=], his co-star in ''Film/TheGetaway'', causing her to divorce her husband, legendary Creator/{{Paramount}} studio head Robert Evans.

He died of a heart attack while undergoing surgery for cancer in 1980 shortly after the release of his final film ''Film/{{The Hunter|1980}}''. His son Chad played one of the "Kobra Kais" in ''Film/TheKarateKid'' (1984) and his grandson, Creator/StevenRMcQueen, is a regular on the series ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.

* BadassDriver: McQueen was an avid racer under the alias Harvey Mushman, from touring car racing to off-road motorcycle racing, and often did his own driving stunts in films because he was already as good or better than any stunt double. He owned at least 100 motorcycles and cars ''each''. Part of what made the car chase in ''Bullitt'' so revolutionary is that he was able to be seen actually driving for about half of the chase.

Not to be confused with the British film director Creator/SteveMcQueenDirector, of ''Film/{{Hunger}}'', ''Film/{{Shame}}'', and ''Film/TwelveYearsASlave'', who was named after him. An easy mistake to make.

** During a reclusive period in the late 70s, he turned down roles in the films ''Film/ABridgeTooFar'', ''Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest'', ''Film/CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'', ''Film/TheDriver'' and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.
** He turned down both ''Film/DirtyHarry'' and ''Film/TheFrenchConnection'' because he didn't want to do any more cop movies after ''Bullitt''.

* ''Film/Papillon1973''

* ActingForTwo: The famous bike scene in ''Film/TheGreatEscape'' had to be done with a stunt double in his place. So Steve instead doubles as the German motorcyclist who hits the wire.
* TheDanza: In ''Film/TheBlob1958'' as Steve Andrews.

** He insisted on doing most of the stunts in ''{{Film/Bullitt}}'' himself.
** Also learned to play polo for ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1968''.
* FriendlyRivalry: With fellow '60s-'70s leading man Creator/PaulNewman. The two even got to be DuelingStars in ''Film/TheToweringInferno''.
* MagnumOpusDissonance: Despite ''Film/TheGreatEscape'', ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960'' or ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1968'' being his best known roles, his favourite was in ''Film/{{Bullitt}}''.

** In ''Film/TheReivers'', a more family-friendly project, where he was a bit more comedic.
** As a suave billionaire in ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1968'', in contrast to his tougher AntiHero image.

* ProductionPosse: He, Creator/JamesCoburn and Creator/CharlesBronson starred in both ''Film/TheGreatEscape'' and ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960''. Both films were directed by John Sturges and scored by Music/ElmerBernstein.

** Ditto for his Persol sunglasses in ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1968''.
* StarMakingRole: The TV series ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive'' is what brought him to the attention of Hollywood, and ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960'' solidified his status.

** During ''Film/TheGreatEscape'''s 4th of July scene, Goff says "no taxation without representation". Hilts looks at him and says "what?" - which was Steve reacting to an ad-lib by Jud Taylor.
** During ''{{Film/Bullitt}}'' he actually missed the turn in the chase scene, resulting in the reverse burnout.

** On ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960'', he sought to steal the spotlight from most of the other cast members. Creator/YulBrynner gave himself a ScullyBox in the form of a mound of earth to make himself appear taller than Steve, who took to kicking it between takes. This one-upmanship spread to the rest of the actors.
** His (anachronistic!) motorcycle stunt in ''Film/TheGreatEscape'' was put in at his own insistence. Although insurance reasons meant that he couldn't do the stunt himself.
** The gratuitous fight scene in ''Film/TheCincinnatiKid'' was added at his insistence.
** On ''Film/TheToweringInferno'' he and Creator/PaulNewman had to have the exact same amount of lines each. But Steve made sure that his character did not appear until an hour in, meaning that Paul would have used most of his by the time he came into the film.

** He turned down both ''Film/DirtyHarry'' and ''Film/TheFrenchConnection'' because he didn't want to do any more cop movies after ''Film/{{Bullitt}}''.

* FriendlyRivalry: With fellow '60s-'70s leading man Creator/PaulNewman. The two even got to be DuelingStars in ''Film/TheToweringInferno''.

A friend and student of Creator/BruceLee, he was one of his pallbearers after his untimely death. Before he began acting he was a U.S. Marine, and saved the lives of five men when the tank they were driving broke through the ice during an Arctic exercise.

His early film work included a supporting role in the Creator/PaulNewman film ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'', about boxer "Rocky" Graziano. He also starred in the horror movie ''Film/TheBlob1958'', and shortly after that began his three-year run as star of the Western series ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''. [=McQueen=]'s "anti-hero" persona, which he developed on the cusp of the 1960s counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era. In 1974, he became the highest-paid movie star in the world. Although [=McQueen=] was often combative with directors and producers, his popularity put him in high demand and enabled him to command large salaries. He also earned respect for his performances, garnering an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for his role in ''Film/TheSandPebbles''.

His early film work included a supporting role in the Creator/PaulNewman film ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'', about boxer "Rocky" Graziano. He also starred in the horror movie ''Film/TheBlob1958'', and shortly after that began his three-year run as star of the Western series ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''. His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era in the 1960s and 1970s. [=McQueen=] received an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for his role in ''Film/TheSandPebbles''. 1974, he became the highest-paid movie star in the world. Although [=McQueen=] was combative with directors and producers, his popularity put him in high demand and enabled him to command large salaries.

Terence Steven "Steve" [=McQueen=] (March 24, 1930 – November 7, 1980) was an American actor, and one of the leading male stars of the [[TheSixties 1960s]] and [[TheSeventies '70s]].

His early film work included a supporting role in the Creator/PaulNewman film ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'', about boxer "Rocky" Graziano. He also starred in the horror movie ''Film/TheBlob1958'', and shortly after that began his three-year run as star of the Western series ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''. His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. [=McQueen=] received an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for his role in ''Film/TheSandPebbles''. 1974, he became the highest-paid movie star in the world. Although [=McQueen=] was combative with directors and producers, his popularity put him in high demand and enabled him to command large salaries.

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Steve_McQueen047_7356.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:The King of Cool.]]

Terence Steven "Steve" [=McQueen=] (March 24, 1930 – November 7, 1980) was an American movie actor and star of such films as ''The Magnificent Seven'', ''The Great Escape'', ''The Cincinnati Kid'', ''The Thomas Crown Affair'', ''Bullitt'', ''Papillon'', ''The Towering Inferno'', and ''Le Mans''.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Steve_McQueen047_7356.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:280:The King of Cool.]]

He died of cancer in 1980 shortly after the release of his final film ''Film/{{The Hunter|1980}}''. His son Chad played one of the "Kobra Kais" in ''Film/TheKarateKid'' (1984) and his grandson, Creator/StevenRMcQueen, is a regular on the series ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.

* ProductionPosse: He, James Coburn and Charles Bronson starred in both ''Film/TheGreatEscape'' and ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960''. Both films were directed by John Sturges and scored by Music/ElmerBernstein.

* ''Literature/{{Papillon}}'' (1973)