Rebel Without Applause - Steve McQueen

 Steve McQueen was born in Beech Grove Indiana on March 24, 1930.  I'd like to think his father could take credit for Steve's epicness, unfortunately the stunt pilot of a flying circus left one day for a pack of smokes and never returned to his wife or son.  Like most of the rebels, Steve lived the hard life.  His rebellious alcoholic prostitute of a mother was wed 3 times by abusive assholes who not only beat her but also young Steve.  It seems as though many of the iconic riders of history were brought up on similar grounds.  When McQueen was nine, he could not take the abuse from his first step father any longer.  He ran away from home and became involved with a small time street gang.

After many years of street life and abuse from half assed father figures, Steve McQueen joined the Marine Corps in 1947.  His lack of enthusiasm for authority hindered his promotions and led to many demotions throughout his military career.  He even went AWOL after he was given a weeks leave and was found hiding out with his girlfriend at the time.  41 days in the brig was enough to turn the rebel around and he went on to be the guard for Harry Truman's yacht.  In 1950 he was honorably discharged.

Shortly after his military stay, Steve became an avid rider and a stunt man that even his biological father would have been proud of.  The acting soon followed with hit TV shows and blockbuster hits that numbered in the high forties.  McQueen's skill on a bike was unmatched by anyone at that time.  Maybe this is why he can be seen chasing himself on a motorcycle wearing a German uniform in the movie, The Great Escape. 

Like many of the actors and actresses in Hollywood at this time, Steve was a drug addict and a heavy drinker and smoker.  The mugshot at the top is from a DUI that he caught while in Alaska.  He was known to blow an insane amount of coke and smoke a ton of weed nearly everyday.  One would think that would have been what brought the man down...

In 1980 Steve McQueen died of mesothelioma.  He was in Chihuahua Mexico getting tumors removed from his neck and abdomen.  He did not recover from the operation.

Whenever you see a bad ass stunt in an action movie, or a crazy ass car / motorcycle chase scene, know this:  That shit would have been better if guys like Steve McQueen were still around acting and doing their own stunts!

- Doug