Steve McQueen

Was made the Official War Artist for Iraq in association with the Imperial War Museum.

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2002 Queens Birthday Honours List for his services to the Arts.

Won the Turner Prize for his film-installation work and exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, England.

Trained as a fine artist. He attended Chelsea School of Art, London, 1989-1990; Goldsmiths College, London, 1990-1993. He spent less than one semester in New York at the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, 1993-1994, but dropped out because he "hated" the experience.

He was awarded the CBE in the 2011 Queens New Years Honours List for his services to Visual Arts.

Created "Blues Before Sunrise", a two-week installation in the Vondelpark, Amsterdam, where all 275 street lamps were colored blue.

Says his influences range from Andy Warhol to Jean Vigo to Buster Keaton to Billy Wilder.

Attended and graduated from Drayton Manor High School in London, England.

Has directed three actors to Oscar-nominated performances: Chiwetel Ejiofor , Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyongo. Nyongo won Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave .

During exceptionally difficult scenes to watch, he says he uses a background distraction. For example, in 12 Years a Slave , there are children innocently playing in the field behind Solomon Northup who is clinging for life as he is hung up.

Did not direct a feature length film until he was 38 years old.

Currently resides with his wife in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

(April 2014) One of Time magazines 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Of the 2000 performers who auditioned for Lee Strasberg s exclusive Actors Studio in 1955, only two were accepted: Martin Landau and McQueen. Both men would go on to appear in just two joint ventures, "Wanted: Dead or Alive" {The Monster (#2.19)} and Nevada Smith .

In October 1997, he was ranked #30 in Empire magazines "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.

On August 8, 1969, a week before the Woodstock Music Festival kicked off in Bethel, New York, McQueen had been invited for dinner at the Roman Polanski -Sharon Tate home in the Hollywood hills by mutual friend and hairdresser-to the-stars Jay Sebring. An unexpected rendezvous with a mystery woman prompted him to cancel his appointment. In the wake of the Manson Family Tate-LaBianca murders at, respectively, 10050 Cielo Drive and 3301 Waverly Drive, McQueen would later learn that he was accorded the kind of priority billing for which he was unprepared--he topped Charles Manson s celebrity death list. Thereafter, he carried a concealed weapon.

Although he was the highest paid star of the 1960s, McQueen had a reputation for being tight-fisted. On some films he would demand ten electric razors and dozens of pairs of jeans. It was later found that he gave this stuff to Boys Republic, a private school and treatment community for troubled youngsters, where he spent a few years himself.

Issued a private pilots license by the FAA in 1979 after learning to fly in a Stearman bi-plane, which he purchased for that purpose. After his death it was sold at auction, along with his large collection of vehicles, in 1982.

Father of Chad McQueen and Terry McQueen.

Trained in Tang Soo Do with ninth-degree black belt Pat E. Johnson (not Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris as is popularly believed). His son was trained in karate by Norris. Lee trained him in Jeet Kune Do.

Served in the United States Marine Corps.

Was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an often fatal form of cancer related to asbestos exposure, which often afflicts workers in ship-building and construction industries. As in most cases, a tumor was discovered on the outside lining of a lung, and spread to other areas of the body. Although McQueen had been a heavy smoker, which may or may not have been a contributing factor, mesothelioma itself is not a smoking-related lung disease. While the source of his exposure has been debated, McQueen himself points to two likely sources, including the time when he took part in replacing asbestos-based insulation in the ships engine room during his stint in the Marines. He also believed he could have been exposed in his years as a film star, since soundstage insulation had also been made of asbestos. Others have suggested sources as varied as automotive brake pads and the cloth used to bandage his broken foot during the 12 hours of Sebring race in 1971.

He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on June 12, 1986.

He was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#19).

Was a pallbearer at the funeral of Bruce Lee.

Dropped out of school in ninth grade.

Former stepfather of Josh Evans.

He proposed the idea for the drama film The Bodyguard in 1976. However, this was forgotten for 16 years until 1992, when Kevin Costner revived the idea.

His role in Never So Few was originally going to be played by Sammy Davis Jr.. A feud had broken out between Davis and Frank Sinatra after Davis had claimed in a radio interview that he was a greater singer than Sinatra. Sinatra demanded he be dropped from the cast, and thus McQueen received his breakthrough role.

Died from two consecutive heart attacks at 3:45 am on November 7, 1980, less than 24 hours after undergoing successful surgery to remove the malignant tumors in his stomach and lungs. According to the doctor present at the operation, his right lung was entirely cancerous.

Sheryl Crow made a song titled "Steve McQueen" as a tribute to him. It is featured on the album "Cmon Cmon".

The original script of The Towering Inferno called for his character to have more lines of dialogue than Paul Newman s. McQueen insisted that the script be changed so that he and Newman would have the same number of lines. He believed that his talent was superior to Newmans and he wanted the critical criteria to be as equal as possible.

Was originally slated to star with Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ; however, due to a disagreement over the billing, he left the project. Ironically, the billing method was used several years later when he and Newman starred together in The Towering Inferno .

He was very interested in playing John Rambo in the adaptation of the novel "First Blood". He was actually slated to star, but did not due to his death. Sylvester Stallone got the role instead in First Blood .

The band Drive-By Truckers have the tribute song "Steve McQueen" featured on their album "Gangstabilly".

Along with Martin Sheen and James Dean , is mentioned in the song "Electrolite" by R.E.M..

After being told his lung cancer was inoperable, he went to a health clinic in Mexico to undergo a controversial "apricot pit" therapy that is still banned in the United States.

Was the first of the original film The Magnificent Seven to pass away.

Had appeared, helmeted and uncredited, as a motorcyclist in the B-movie Dixie Dynamite , starring Warren Oates and Christopher George. Legend has it that the call went out for dirt bike riders to take part in this low-budget action adventure, and among those who turned up was McQueen. Heavily bearded and overweight, he kept a low profile (this was during his reclusive period when he was turning down multi-million-dollar offers for such films as A Bridge Too Far and Apocalypse Now ), and was only noticed when he queued up to accept his days payment, about $120. The astonished production assistant handing out the cash saw his name on a list and said, "Is that THE Steve McQueen?". McQueens riding style (standing on his foot pedals, leaning forward, head over the handlebars) makes him immediately identifiable to bike buffs.

He was voted the 56th Greatest Movie Star of all time by "Entertainment Weekly".

The "King of Cool" became a born-again Christian shortly before he died, due to the influence of his third wife Barbara Minty and his flying instructor Sammy Mason. He went through Bible studies with Rev. Billy Graham. It is interesting to note that this conversion happened before he was diagnosed with cancer, meaning it was probably genuine. McQueens favorite Bible verse was John 3:16, which reads, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.".

In the 1960s, he publicly threatened to break Howard Hughes nose if Hughes did not stop harassing Mamie Van Doren , a woman both men had affairs with, but at different times. Needless to say, Hughes never bothered Van Doren again.

Upon meeting Martin Landau , McQueen told Landau that they had already met. Landau, who didnt remember McQueen, inquired as to where. McQueen told him that he--Landau--was on the back of James Dean s motorcycle when Dean brought it in for repairs at a garage in New York City. The motorcycle mechanic at the garage was none other than McQueen.

After the huge success of The Towering Inferno , McQueen announced that any producer wishing to acquire his services would have to send a check for $1.5 million along with the script. If he liked the script and wanted to make the movie, hed cash the check; the producer then owed him another $1.5 million. Hed keep his half of his $3 million salary if the producer couldnt come up with the other half. McQueen likely used this then-unprecedented pay-or-play arrangement to guarantee the six-year semi-retirement he undertook after "The Towering Inferno", in which he appeared in only one picture, the vanity project An Enemy of the People . When he did return to commercial filmmaking, his price was $3 million.

He was voted the 31st Greatest Movie Star of all time by Premiere magazine.

Had appeared with Charles Bronson in three films directed by John Sturges : Never So Few , The Magnificent Seven , The Great Escape . Also, appeared with James Coburn in the latter two Sturges films cited above.

According to military records released by the Pentagon in 2005, Marine Pfc. Steve McQueen was confined to base for being absent without leave for 30 days and fined $90 after being AWOL from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He joined the Marine Corps at 17 and worked as a tank driver and mechanic, which probably spurred his lifelong interest in vehicles, especially motorcycles. He received a commendation for rescuing five Marines in a training accident, and later took advantage of GI Bill education benefits to study at the Actors Studio in New York City.

Had appeared with Eli Wallach in both his first major successful film, The Magnificent Seven , and his final film, The Hunter .

Had appeared with Robert Vaughn in three films: The Magnificent Seven , Bullitt and The Towering Inferno .

When he briefly left The Great Escape during filming, due to the fact that his character did not play as large a part as he would have liked, it was James Coburn and James Garner who convinced him to return. Because of its huge success and continuing popularity, it has become his best known role.

Always resented the fact that Horst Buchholz was cast as Chico in The Magnificent Seven , the role he had initially wanted.

Like the coolest movie stars, was strongly connected to Triumph motorcycles, riding a 650cc TR6 Trophy in The Great Escape and competing on the same model in the 1964 International Six Days Trial held in East Germany. Photographs of his desert racing also show him upon this model. He also visited Triumphs Meriden factory in 1964 and 1965 for collection and preparation of his motorcycles.

In the movie S.W.A.T. , Colin Farrell s character of Jim Street has a poster of McQueens Bullitt in his apartment. In real life, Farrell frequently cites McQueen as one of his idols and influences as an actor.

In 1960, with his growing success, he formed his own production company called Scuderia Condor Enterprises, which he ran until 1963 when he and his family moved to 2419 Solar Drive and he renamed his company Solar Productons, Inc., and would produce many films under this banner until his death.

Of all the characters he ever played, he frequently cited Lt. Frank Bullitt from Bullitt as his favorite.

The last words he uttered on screen were "God bless you" in The Hunter . He died shortly after the films release.

His only two appearances at the Academy Awards were as a presenter: in 1964, he presented the Oscar for Best Sound, and in 1965, holding hands with Claudia Cardinale , he presented the Oscar again for Best Sound.

Shortly before filming began on Tom Horn , he had quit smoking cigarettes. His somewhat "squashed" appearance was due to a crash diet.

Former father-in-law of Stacey Toten.

Grandfather of Steven R. McQueen and Molly McQueen.

His name somehow appeared on President Richard Nixon s "List of Enemies" in 1972. In reality, McQueen was conservative in his political beliefs, with a strong belief in self-help. In 1963 he had declined to participate in the March on Washington for civil rights and, in 1968, refused to join many of his Hollywood peers in supporting Sen. Robert F. Kennedy s presidential campaign. An incredulous Ali MacGraw asked McQueen how he could have been considered a threat by Nixon, adding, "You are the most patriotic person I know!" McQueen responded to the whole affair by flying an enormous American flag outside his house.

Was William Friedkin s first choice for the Jackie Scanlon character in Sorcerer . McQueen accepted the part, but on one condition. He wanted a co-starring role for his then wife, Ali MacGraw. Friedkin would not accept his conditions, and McQueen dropped out of the film. Freidkin later went on record has having regretted not accepting McQueens conditions.

Before his death, McQueen optioned two screenplays from Walter Hill : The Driver and "The Last Gun". "The Driver" got made later, with Ryan ONeal playing the lead part. "The Last Gun" remains unproduced.

Some of the few movie stars he admired were Humphrey Bogart , James Cagney , Spencer Tracy and John Wayne.

After The Towering Inferno he was offered several multi-million-dollar roles but refused them all. He turned down the chance to star in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest , Close Encounters of the Third Kind , Superman , Raise the Titanic and the opportunity to star in and direct a film called "Deajums Wife".

Turned down a role for the sequel to The Towering Inferno in 1977.

Died of the same cause (lung cancer) as his The Magnificent Seven co-star Yul Brynner , though McQueens cancer was brought on by exposure to asbestos and Brynners was due to smoking.

Felt ill during the filming of Tom Horn , and assumed he had pneumonia. However, towards the end of filming McQueen had begun to cough up blood. On 22 December 1979, after filming had finished, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Following the release of Bullitt McQueen found it hilarious how he was considered the coolest celebrity by teenagers, despite being nearly 40. In that same year, he declared his support for the Vietnam War and voted for Richard Nixon in Novembers presidential election.

Homer Simpson named McQueen as his personal hero in "The Simpsons" {Saturdays of Thunder (#3.9)} .

Was offered the co-starring role in Breakfast at Tiffanys . However, he was still under contract for his television series "Wanted: Dead or Alive" , which prevented him from appearing. The role eventually went to George Peppard.

In 1973, McQueen flew to England to meet Oliver Reed and discuss a possible film collaboration. "Reed showed me his country mansion and we got on well," recalled McQueen. "He then suggested he take me to his favorite London nightclub." The drinking, which started at Reeds home, Broome Hall, continued into the night until Reed could hardly stand. Suddenly, and with no apparent warning, he vomited over McQueens shirt and trousers. "The staff rushed around and found me some new clothes, but they couldnt get me any shoes," said McQueen. "I had to spend the rest of the night smelling of Oliver Reeds sick.".

Turned down a role in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice .

Turned down Close Encounters of the Third Kind . McQueen told director Steven Spielberg he couldnt play a character who was too emotionally oriented.

Posthumously inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers.

He did not like gratuitous violence, swearing or nudity in movies.

Was considered for the role of Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now , which eventually went to Marlon Brando.

At one point he approached playwright Samuel Beckett with an idea for filming the play "Waiting for Godot", but Becket had never heard of him.

Intended to retire after filming The Towering Inferno .

Inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1978.

After Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn , McQueen was the celebrity most sought out by the press at the premiere of My Fair Lady .

Turned down Clint Eastwood s role in Dirty Harry .

Inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

His friend and co-star Richard Attenborough said that if McQueen had lived for longer he would have been regarded as the greatest film actor since Spencer Tracy.

British band Prefab Sprout used his name for the title of their second album, released in 1985. Due to objections from the late actors estate, the album was issued with the alternative title of "Two Wheels Good" in the United States.

He later regretted turning down Roy Scheider s role in Sorcerer .

Profiled in "Back in the Saddle: Essays on Western Film and Television Actors", Gary Yoggy, ed. (McFarland, 1998).

Kevin Costner has named McQueen as his favorite actor, and his main influence as an actor.

Turned down Gene Hackman s Oscar-winning role as drug-busting cop Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in The French Connection because he thought the movie was too similar to Bullitt .

Quigley Down Under was written for McQueen in the 1970s.

Made headlines when accepting the lead in Tai-Pan for an unheard of $10 million, for which he was given a $1-million fee up front. However, his health declined and he died before the producers were able to raise the necessary capital for production. It was eventually released six years after McQueens death, with Bryan Brown in the lead.

Was considered, but ultimately rejected, for the role of Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby . The role eventually went to Robert Redford.

Colin Farrell , Kevin Costner , Pierce Brosnan and Bruce Willis have all listed McQueen as their hero and inspiration for being an actor.

Turned down a $4-million offer to star in The Gauntlet when Barbra Streisand was originally attached to the picture with Sam Peckinpah set to direct. McQueen and Streisand did not get along and refused to appear together, for reasons unknown. Kris Kristofferson and Ali MacGraw were then a considered pair, before Clint Eastwood took over as director and cast himself and Sondra Locke in the lead roles.

He had expressed interest in starring in Return of the Seven , but Yul Brynner vetoed the idea.

Turned down Marlon Brando s role in The Missouri Breaks and George C. Scott s role in Islands in the Stream because he claimed to be completely retired from acting.

Turned down lead roles in The Victors and King Rat because he didnt want to become typecast in war movies.

Turned down Oceans Eleven on the advice of his friend Hedda Hopper , who told him to be his own man rather than Frank Sinatra s "flunky".

On March 21, 1967, three days before his 37th birthday, he became the 153rd star to put his handprints and footprints on the forecourt of Graumans Chinese Theater.

Turned down a role in A Bridge Too Far because he only wanted top billing roles, not all-star assembled projects.

Cousin of Janice McQueen Ward.

Had a younger paternal half sister, Terri McQueen, whom he never met.

He was brought up by his grandparents.

A troublesome teenager, he spent five years in a California reformatory.

He ran away from home and worked on ships, as an oil field laborer and fairground barker.

Had appeared with his good friend Don Gordon in three films: Bullitt , Papillon and The Towering Inferno .

Dick Powell , head of Four Star Productions, gave the green light to McQueens western series "Wanted: Dead or Alive" , but was concerned about his continuing in the lead after the pilot sold because the actor was not big or tall enough to be believable as a rough-hewn bounty hunter, and did not know how to ride a horse. Powell changed his mind when he saw McQueens charismatic performance in the early rushes of the shows first episode.

He was a rebellious teenager, didnt get along with his stepfather and had several thefts on his record. In 1944, his parents placed him in the California Junior Republic for Boys at Chino. In later years, he referred to his stay at Chino as "the best thing that ever happened to me" and that "they straightened me out there".

After his first meeting with director Robert Wise for his first film role in Somebody Up There Likes Me , Wise referred to him as "just a kook in a beanie".

In 1966, he appeared on the game show "Whats My Line" .

Although he had problems with authority in the strict Marine Corps and served a tough 41 days in the brig for a 21-day AWOL incident, he was discharged honorably.

Acting teacher Sanford Meisner said of the fledgling actor: "He was an original--both tough and childlike, as if hed been through everything, but he had preserved a basic innocence".

During the scene in Bullitt in which the giant airliner taxis just above McQueen, observers were shocked that no double was used. Asked if the producers couldnt have found a dummy, the actor wryly replied, "They did".

McQueen died from mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. It is assumed he was exposed to race driver suits that used asbestos for protection from car fires and movie soundstage insulation.

McQueen was cremated and a memorial service was held at his home with a bi-plane flyover by his flying buddies. There were so many flowers and cards from his fans put on his likeness at the Hollywoo Wax Museum, the wax statue had to be put in storage to prevent damage from the tributes.

He was born on March 24 (1930), the same day that 76 Allied prisoners of war begin breaking out of the German POW camp Stalag Luft III in 1944, during World War II, which later became the basis of The Great Escape in which McQueen starred.

He quit smoking cigarettes in 1978, although he continued to smoke cigars.

He was once employed as a "towel boy" in a brothel.

Smoked three packs of cigarettes a day.

Had a feud with next-door neighbor British rocker Keith Moon ("the loon") of The Who in Malibu. Moon had a habit of leaving his bathroom light on at night. The light shone directly into McQueens bedroom and kept him awake at night. After telling Moon repeatedly to turn it off without success, he took out a shotgun, blew out the light and went back to bed.

Charged a $50,000 script reading fee upfront during his semi-retirement years.

Was voted #14 in an online poll for Channel 4s 100 Greatest Movie Stars in 2003.

Was the first actor to make the transition from television star to huge box-office movie star.

First wife Neile Adams had an abortion in 1971 when their marriage was on the rocks. Several months later, then-girlfriend Barbara Leigh also had an abortion. Second wife Ali MacGraw had a miscarriage in 1974.

Although McQueen himself was an alcoholic, he loathed a woman who drank at all.

He was of Scottish, English, German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and distant Cornish, Dutch, and Welsh descent.

The characters and narrative dictate how I film a scene.

Want, urge, need - these are the things that create drama.

[on binge-watching movies as a student at London theatres] It was,addictive. We saw everything - French, Italian, Swedish, American,British, Taiwanese, Chinese. You could look at how other people fall in,love in Tokyo. Other people fall in love in Gdansk. What people eat for,breakfast in New York, what people eat for breakfast in Moscow. How we,are all the same, but very different.

When I believe in something, I fight like hell for it.

I just want the pine trees and my kids and the green grass. I want to,get rich and fat and watch my children grow.

An actor is a puppet, manipulated by a dozen other people. Auto racing,has dignity. But you need the same absolute concentration. You have to,reach inside yourself and bring forth a lot of broken glass.

Stardom equals financial success, and financial success equals security.

I worked hard, and if you work hard you get the goodies.

[on An Enemy of the People (1978) ] The main thing I was shooting,for was not to make bucks but to have something I could believe in.

The Marines gave me discipline I could live with. By the time I got out,I could deal with things on a more realistic level. All in all, despite,my problems, I liked my time in the Marines.

[His last words] I did it.