STEVE MCQUEEN
THE COOLER KING
Steve McQueen was one of the most iconic actors of the 20th century, and his cool guy persona endured long after his premature death at 50. He was a man of many talents and pursued various activities throughout his life, from military service to racing exploits.
McQueen was born in 1930 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had a challenging childhood and overcame it. He enlisted at the age of 17; he had a tough time adjusting to military conduct, was demoted seven times to private, went awol, resisted arrest, and served time in the brig; he adapted and improved himself and became a real-life hero, saving five marines on an artic exercise before the tank sank through the ice and was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps serving from 1947 to 1950 despite his “independent nature.” Later on, he stated the Marines made a man out of him.
Shaped by his early childhood, his stepfather brutally abused him. Medically was diagnosed as dyslexic and partially deaf due to an ear infection. He was a petty criminal and gang member. His mother, encouraged by the abusive stepfather, stated Steve was uncontrollable, and the court sent him to the California Junior Boys Republic in Chino. He struggled to fit in with the other boys. Still, he rose to the challenge and got elected to the boys’ council that set the rules and regulations governing the…
