Otheruses
Terrence Steven "
Steve"
McQueen (March 24, 1930 – November 7, 1980) was an American movie actor nicknamed "The King of Cool."
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
Academy Award nomination for his role in
The Sand Pebbles
. His other popular films include
The Magnificent Seven,
The Great Escape
,
The Thomas Crown Affair,
Bullitt,
The Getaway,
Papillon
, and
The Towering Inferno. In 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.
He was an avid racer of both motorcycles and cars. While he studied acting, he supported himself partly by competing in weekend motorcycle races and bought his first motorcycle with his winnings. He is recognized for performing many of his own stunts, especially the majority of the stunt driving during the high-speed chase scene in
Bullitt.
[Nolan, William F. McQueen, Berkley, 1984. ISBN 0425065669, pp. 101-106] McQueen also designed and patented a
bucket seat and
transbrake for race cars.
[The First Steve McQueen Site - FAQ/Trivia]