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I think everyone loved watching Steve McQueen, whether he was in a western, a war flick or one of his great car chases, he always filled the theaters.
I'm adding some trivia in the comments section:
Tags:
steve
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Added: 30th March 2008
Views: 151
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Posted By: Naomi |
 
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Posted by: Naomi on 2008-03-30
- A week before the Woodstock Music Festival kicked off in Bethel, New York, McQueen had been invited for dinner at the Roman Polanski-Sharon Tate home in the Hollywood hills by mutual friend and hairdresser-to the-stars, Jay Sebring. An unexpected rendezvous with a mystery woman prompted him to cancel his appointment. In the wake of the Manson Family Tate-LaBianca murders at, respectively, 10050 Cielo Drive and 3301 Waverly Drive, McQueen would later learn that he was accorded the kind of priority billing for which he was unprepared: he topped Charles Manson's celebrity death list. Thereafter he carried a concealed weapon.
- Although he was the highest paid star of the 1960s, McQueen had a reputation for being tight-fisted. On some films he would demand ten electric razors and dozens of pairs of jeans. It was later found that he gave this stuff to Boys Republic, a private school and treatment community for troubled youngsters, where he spent a few years himself.
- Issued a private pilot's license by the FAA in 1979 after learning to fly in a Stearman bi-plane, which he purchased for that purpose. After his death it was sold at auction,along with his large collection of vehicles, in 1982.
- Was diagnosed with a form of lung cancer, mesothelioma, which is related to asbestos exposure, although McQueen had been a heavy smoker as well, which may have been a contributing factor. He wore an asbestos-insulated racers suit in his race cars, and possibly was exposed to the harmful insulating material during his stint in the Marines. His first wife recalled many instances when he had recklessly exposed himself to the harmful substance by soaking a rag in liquid asbestos and placing it over his mouth while racing cars.
- He proposed the idea for a film 'The Bodyguard' in 1976, but it was forgotten for 16 years until 1992, when Kevin Costner revived it.
- His role in 'Never So Few' (1959) was originally going to be played by Sammy Davis Jr. A feud had broken out between Davis and Sinatra after Davis had claimed in a radio interview that he was a greater singer than Sinatra. Sinatra demanded he be dropped from the cast, and thus McQueen received his breakthrough role.
- He was very interested in playing John Rambo in the adaptation of the novel 'First Blood'. He was actually slated to star, but did not due to his death. Sylvester Stallone got the role instead in First Blood (1982).
- In the 1960s, he publicly threatened to break Howard Hughes' nose if Hughes did not stop harassing Mamie Van Doren, a woman both men had had affairs with, but at different times. Needless to say, Hughes never bothered Van Doren again.
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wow. thanks for the info. i never knew that about him. funny last night i watched him and natalie wood in love with a proper stranger. good flick.
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Posted by: Naomi on 2008-03-30
I think so too!
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