Birth name:Terrence Stephen McQueen Birth:24 March 1930 Died:7 November 1980 Nationality:
Career / Biography
Steve McQueen was a popular actor in the 1960's who was known as the king of cool. As well as being an actor he also aspired to being a racing driver. He had a difficult chilhood and in Wold War 2 served in the marines and after discharge started studying acting. In the late 1950's he appeared in various television series. It was the series Wanted Dead Or Alive that made him a household name. His first lead film role was in the Sci-fi film The Blob and became a cult classic.
His big break came when Frank Sinatra recommened him for the John Sturges film Never So Few. This was followed by another John Sturges film The Magnificent Seven. It is perhaps The Great Escape that he is most well known for, not least his escape attempt on the motorbike over the barbed wire. He won his only Oscar for The Sand Pebbles.
Bullitt was his other well known film role and has arguably the greatest car chase in films. The Thomas Crown Affair was a change in style away from the action films as he plays against Faye Dunaway especailly the sexy chess scene. He returned to more action films with Le Mans and Sam Peckinpah's Getaway. He met his second wife Ali MacGraw during this film.
At this point he wa one of the highest paid actor in Hollywood. Papillon was was a box office success. After this he sepnt time with his motor racing and motor cycle racing. After a break he returned to the screen in an adaptaion of the Ibsen play An Enemy of the People. He died aged 50 from cancer.
