DailyKenn.com — Born on March 24, 1930, in the Beach Grove neighborhood of Indianapolis, Indiana, Steve McQueen’s early life was marked by turmoil. His father, William McQueen, abandoned him and his mother, Julianne, who struggled with alcoholism. At a young age, Steve was sent to live with his great grand-uncle Claude on a farm in Missouri, where he spent most of his childhood. His mother seldom visited during these years.
At age 12, Steve reunited with his mother after she remarried, moving to Los Angeles, California. However, life with his stepfather proved difficult, as Steve endured physical abuse. Falling in with street gangs, he began committing petty crimes and was eventually sent to reform school for stealing car parts. Despite escaping several times, he eventually settled down with the help of counseling.
In 1946, McQueen joined the Merchant Marines, serving aboard the SS Alpha. Afterward, he traveled across the U.S., taking on various odd jobs, including working for a carnival and on oil rigs. The following year, in 1947, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps but was soon arrested for unauthorized absence and resisting arrest, spending 41 days in the brig. He was discharged from the Marines in 1950.
After drifting for a while, McQueen moved to New York City and spent time in the bohemian Greenwich Village. Thanks to the GI Bill, he enrolled in the Neighborhood Playhouse acting school and later studied with Lee Strasberg at the Actor's Studio. His career started taking off in 1956 when he appeared on Broadway in *A Hatful of Rain* and in the film *Somebody Up There Likes Me*.
By 1958, McQueen had a breakout role in *The Blob*, and he starred in the TV Western *Wanted Dead or Alive*, where he played a bounty hunter. His love for motorsports flourished around this time, especially motorcycle racing.
The early 1960s marked his rise to stardom. He starred in *The Magnificent Seven* alongside Yul Brynner and Charles Bronson and delivered another iconic performance in *The Great Escape* in 1963. More hits followed, such as *The Cincinnati Kid* in 1965 and *Nevada Smith* in 1966. That same year, he earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in *The Sand Pebbles*. In 1968, McQueen starred in *Bullitt*, featuring the now-legendary car chase sequence in his Ford Mustang.
In the 1970s, McQueen continued to be a major Hollywood star, appearing in *Junior Bonner* (1972), *The Getaway* (1972), and *Papillon* (1973) with Dustin Hoffman. His rivalry with Paul Newman culminated in *The Towering Inferno* (1974), where both actors shared top billing. McQueen's interest in fitness also became well-known, running five miles a day and training in martial arts alongside his friend, Bruce Lee.
McQueen's personal life, however, was troubled by drug and alcohol abuse. After separating from his wife, Neile Adams, with whom he had two children, he began a highly publicized romance with actress Ali MacGraw, eventually marrying her in 1973. Their tumultuous relationship ended in divorce in 1978.
In 1978, McQueen developed a persistent cough and was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos exposure, likely stemming from his time in the Marines. His final films, *Tom Horn* and *The Hunter*, were released in 1980. He spent his last months in Mexico seeking alternative treatments but passed away on November 7, 1980, at the age of 50. His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.
Many believe McQueen’s exposure to asbestos occurred during his time in the Marines while cleaning pipes on Navy ships, or possibly from other jobs he held before his acting career.
Find archived black-on-white homicide news reports here ►
200 latest news reports from 100 top conservative websites