1. Steve McQueen used to race dirt bikes under the name of Harvey Mushman.

2. McQueen is considered the highest paid actor of the 60's and 70's.

3. Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris were Steve McQueen's personal Martial Arts instructors and Lee actually called himself "The oriental Steve McQueen" out of respect. Steve was good enough to be a 3rd degree black belt but never tested.

4. He is featured on the August 23, 1971 Sports Illustrated.

5. Steve actually designed and patented his own race seat.


Here's a great site with some more info on him click here. My co-worker told me about the Harvey Mushman thing. There is more info on that in the documentary "On any given Sunday."

Enjoy,
Andy

 

I saw a bio on him a few months ago - might have been "Biography" on the Discovery Channel - and it talked about how he got kinda weird when he got into his 40s and found out about his cancer. Seems he went kinda Howard Hughes on us, moved to Mexico and tried some whacko 'cure' for the cancer.

He came back to Hollywood to make "The Hunter" (which, btw, is about a distant cousin of mine, Ralph Thorsen), then went back to Baja to resume treatments.

Sadly, of course, it didn't work, and that was that......

 

Yes, the tumor that was removed from his abdomen after his death weighed in at an astounding 5 pounds. During his later years he focused a lot more on living life and just enjoying it. At least thats what his last wife said.

 

 

You've got that issue?!?!? You lucky dog

 

Good info. You can see him ride in the movie "On Any Sunday." He's good.

 

How did he die? Car accident?

 

Good info. on Steve McQueen. He is so missed in my books!
He died of cancer, too early in his life!
Happy Trails!!!

 

Thanks Irwin I just thought I would start this thread to maybe learn more about him.

 

Do you remember the old movie LeMans? He wanted to drive a Porsche, I think it was a 917, but the insurance contract prohibited it. There is a persistent rumor that he was a Marine at Camp Pendleton and stole an amtrack, but I haven't been able to confirm this. In the later stages of his life he was rumored to have frequented the bar at a famous Beverly Hills hotel wearing jeans and a t shirt while using an alias to talk to so called regular people. Again, I have not verified this but if it were true I certainly would understand that.

He was quite a guy in spite of being an actor, and from what I've read, he would agree with that.

When I was just a kid I used to watch him every week on an old black and white TV. He played Josh Randall in Wanted: Dead or Alive Hunter and his signature move was cocking what looked like a cut down Winchester Model 94, although the link says it was a Model 92 which I don't know. Am I the only one who remembers this?

I know I'm the only one who remembers Chuck Conners in The Rifleman. Before becoming an actor he played a different role: first base for the Washington Senators. But I guess all of this was before your time.....

BTW, that was a great link to a very informative site. Thanks for the post.

 

Yeah I remember black and white tv,growing up in the 50's!
Rifleman, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Gunsmoke!
Gee! I went to see Bullitt when it first came out!
Has it been that many years? Seems like I was kid, not so long ago.
Guess I'm just a big kid now!
When Bullitt came out, I was driving a 66 Mustang 289. That movie
made me a Mustang fan for life!
Thanks Steve!
Happy Trails!!!

 

Well I just heard Bullitt was on tonite, missed it but I'm going watch Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith later tonite on AMC!
Happy Trails!!!

 

I have to see Le Mans.... I know shame on me...

So far my favorite is a tie between Bullitt and The Great Escape

 

The Great Escape! Good Movie. Got to get that dvd!
Happy Trails!!!

 

Cool site, thanks for sharing Andy.

 

No problem Jim I bought "The Great Escape" on DVD a few months ago. Its well worth the money. Has some neat extras too

 

Guess I know what my next DVD is!
Happy Trails!!!