The actor of 'The Great Escape' or 'The Colossus on Fire', a universal icon, died at the age of 50 from lung cancer
Steve McQueen has been one of the great stars of Hollywood with a short professional career that has great successes such as 'The Great Escape', 'Bullitt' or 'The Colossus in Flames', which led him to be one of the highest-paid actors.
An intrepid actor who tried different genres and his passion for cars and motorcycles, for speed and risk, was about to put an end to his film career.
An actor who crossed the screens became an icon, the so-called King of 'cool', which all the big brands did not want to give up.
McQueen died at the age of 50 of lung cancer on November 7, 1980. 21 years later, he continues to remember this movie legend.
THE BEGINNING
After a delicate and complicated childhood and youth after being abandoned by his father, suffering abuse from his mother's partners, studying in a reform school, being arrested on some occasions... Finally, McQueen decided to enlist in the Navy.
During his time in the Navy, Steve saved the lives of five Marines in the Arctic during exercises they were conducting. After leaving her, he took advantage of the Government's aid to veterans to enroll in the Actor's Studio in New York.
After getting some roles on Broadway and secondary roles, he achieved popularity with the television series 'Randall, the Vigilante' (from 1958 to 1961).
SHORT BUT INTENSE CAREER AS AN ACTOR
Steve McQueen's film career is not one of the longest in memory, but one of the most intense and best amortized. There are a total of 27 films in which he has participated (they could have been more if he had not rejected numerous emblematic roles), and a single Oscar nomination for his role in 'The Yangtze on Fire' (1966 ).
Despite this, he became the highest-paid actor in the world: in 1969, he already earned 3 million dollars for a movie plus gross box office percentages.
A career centered on the 1960s and early 1970s, when in 1974 after filming 'The Colossus on Fire' he decided to retire for a few years to return to acting in 1978. However, it was not the only time he thought about retiring since his passion for speed and his love for car and motorcycle racing made him think about it on occasion.
THE SEVEN MAGNIFICENT
The first of his successes would come with 'The Magnificent Seven' (1960) by John Sturges. Considered a classic Western, it is based on Akira Kurosawa's 'The Seven Samurai'.
Years later, in 1963, he would repeat his success with John Sturges in 'The Great Escape', that historic film escape of English and American prisoners in World War II who are prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp. One of the cinematographic classics in which McQueen unites his passion for cinema and speed on the back of his brand new Triumph.
In addition to remembering his brilliant soundtrack, this film has left one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history. The chase of the motorcycles and the jump of McQueen with his motorcycle over a wire fence. Scenes that Steve himself performed, except for that final jump.
BULLITT'
If the motorcycle was present in 'The Great Escape', this time it was the turn of the car, specifically a Ford Mustang. Thus, in 'Bullitt' (1968) by Peter Yates, McQueen becomes Lieutenant Frank Bullitt.
Another of the mythical scenes of the cinema and, curiously, another chase. This time through the streets of San Francisco, chasing two murderers in another car in his Mustang.
The Towering Inferno
And with 'The Towering Inferno' (1974) he temporarily put an end to his acting career. This film directed by John Guillermin has in the cast him, among others, Paul Newman with whom Steve had a certain rivalry.
In fact, in this film, McQueen demanded to extend his role by 12 lines to match Newman's dialogue, in addition to his character being the last to appear on the screen.
