1001 Steve McQueen Facts. Tyler Greenblatt
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scenes. The one-hour and four-minute film was his first involvement in a feature production.
87. Steve’s credited TV debut came in the 1955 Goodyear Playhouse production of The Chivington Raid. The one-hour live to TV broadcast was based on the true story behind the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre. Colonel Chivington led his 675-man Colorado Volunteer Cavalry in an attack in Cheyenne and Arapaho territory to kill an estimated 70 to 163 men, women, and children as revenge for the suspected killing of two white men.
88. In the summer of 1955, the play Two Fingers of Pride was presented at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine with the intention of moving to Broadway. Steve was the only unproven actor among a well-known cast, and he played the second lead of Nino alongside Garry Merrill, who played the lead. The play was about corruption on the New York City docks, a dark theme that McQueen could play well. The writer, Jim Longhi, said of his performance, “This original, primitive, self-taught kid gets up onstage every night with these terrific pros and wins the race.”
89. Upon his discharge from the service in April 1950, Steve headed back to Myrtle Beach to rejoin his former flame Sue Ann. She had numerous well-connected, wealthy friends and the pair often attended fancy dinner and dance parties. It was a world he had never known, and by all accounts he enjoyed it, if only because he knew every next meal was coming and he’d have plenty of time to lounge around.
90. Sue Ann’s wealthy father approached Steve one day with a promising job offer and a life free from want if he would marry Sue Ann. Steve was so shocked that he left town immediately and never saw Sue Ann again. Bad for Sue Ann, good for Steve McQueen fans.
91. After leaving Myrtle Beach, McQueen worked his way back to New York City where his mother arranged for him to rent a room for $19 a month. His roommate was photographer and playwright Gene Lesser who went on to write several successful plays and films.
92. In typical cool, casual Steve McQueen style, he often credits his early interest in acting to a part-time actress he dated named Donna Barton, who was also a dancer at the Copacabana nightclub. She paid for the meal on their first date, and Steve moved in to her apartment the next day. She was taking classes at The Neighborhood Playhouse at the time and suggested that Steve should try it.
93. In all likelihood, Steve’s mother’s boyfriend Viktor Lukens played an even bigger role in his introduction to acting. Viktor was the one who introduced him to Sanford Meisner, who was on the faculty of The Neighborhood Playhouse.
94. Until he applied to The Neighborhood Playhouse on June 25, 1951, McQueen was still introducing himself as Steve Berri. Viktor Lukens was the one who told him to go by Steve McQueen, as he considered it to be a great name for an actor.
95. Further evidence that Viktor Lukens was the primary driving force behind McQueen’s acting career was that Steve listed Lukens’ 19 Barrow Street address on his application in addition to listing him as a professional reference. Lukens also paid for Steve’s application fee and the first year of classes.
96. McQueen officially started acting school at The Neighborhood Playhouse in August 1951. Among the required list of items was a leotard and a set of ballet slippers. That doesn’t exactly paint an image of the Steve McQueen we know, and according to his old instructor, Steve often complained about the attire. That is until she grabbed him by the groin and lifted him off the floor to teach him how to stand up straight.
97. In an informal poll conducted by fellow actors, Steve McQueen placed dead last as to who would be most likely to succeed.
98. Although not technically a paid production, McQueen’s first real play was The Neighborhood Playhouse’s year-end showcase entitled Truckline Café, which was originally a Marlon Brando production. Naturally, Steve played the Brando role and did so to perfection.
99. His performance was noticed by agent Peter Witt, who approached Steve after the show about becoming his agent. Steve later accepted the offer, making Peter Witt his first agent of record.
100. One of Steve’s co-actors on stage in the Truckline Café production was Al Hedison. After the performance, Steve told him, “Al, you and I are going to be stars!” About seven years later, the two of them attained stardom when Steve took the lead in The Blob and Hedison took the lead in The Fly. Marquees displayed both titles along with the names of the actors. Steve was right again!
101. McQueen began his second attempt at drama school with a low-key operation run by Herbert Berghof and Uta Hagen. The $3 daily fee was simply collected by one of the students, although oftentimes students who couldn’t afford the fee were allowed in anyway. The school focused on stage acting and heavy drama rather than big-screen cinema acting. Steve struggled in this setting, and with his instructors, who didn’t find his antics or attitude very amusing.
102. Until his death in 1954, Steve considered James Dean his biggest competition when it came to scoring parts. They were similarly method actors with a one-year age difference and they were born 80 miles apart. They even dated the same woman at one point! Oftentimes, Steve stared at the mirror trying to emulate James Dean or Marlon Brando in an attempt to nail down their personas. Steve considered Dean’s death an opportunity to take some of his roles.
103. After his “resignation” from Time Out For Ginger, Steve had a tough time landing paying jobs. To stay in the entertainment industry, and make some rent money, he posed for popular pulp magazines such as Crime Detective and Homicide Detective. Even though he was just about on the bottom of the acting business, he still insisted on choosing his own photographer for the shoots: Roy Schatt, who had previously done well-known pop-culture shoots with James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.
104. When Steve earned his part in Two Fingers of Pride, he was unable to produce an Actor’s Equity Card, which is required for working actors. The producer and director were shocked upon hearing this news, and even more shocked when Steve asked for the money so that he could go get one. They each pitched in $17.50 to the worthy cause, after which Steve informed them that he also needed an agent, which is another requirement for getting an Actor’s Equity Card. He even asked them to find him one. Because an agent represents the actor’s interests against the executives, the request was a peculiar one, but necessary to continue production of the show.
105. MCA agent John Foreman agreed to represent Steve McQueen so he could get his card and continue his role in the play. Afterward, Foreman dropped him as a client. Whoops!
106. McQueen’s role in Two Fingers of Pride was that of an Italian longshoreman working on the docks of New York City. To get a proper feel for the part, an arrangement was made to put Steve to work on the Mafia-run docks in the rough Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. He stacked wooden crates for a few weeks, and at one point was worried that the crew had forgotten he was only an actor because they had been working him so hard. He asked the play’s producer to call his contact who orchestrated the experience and confirm that the other workers knew that Steve was an actor studying for a role.
107. Two Fingers of Pride was shut down after only a week, but to Steve, it was a huge success. Although the play received harsh criticism, McQueen’s performance was regarded as “truly excellent” by The Village Voice. Producer Jack Garfein was also impressed with his work, and he continued as a mentor to Steve, helping him to harness his talent and navigate a difficult industry.
108. In 1955, McQueen tried out for and successfully gained entry into Lee Strasberg’s The Actor’s Studio. In his final audition, and with Jack Garfein there for support, Steve delivered an incredible performance and was accepted on his first attempt, a rare feat. Only he and actor Martin Landau were accepted into The Actor’s Studio that year out of the 2,000 actors who applied.
109. Although any direct evidence has yet to come to light, it’s believed that a young Steve McQueen first appeared on camera in some Viktor Lukens films as early as 1951. Steve’s application to acting school not only listed Lukens as his stepfather, but cites previous acting experience in his films.
110. At one point early in his acting career, McQueen began following James Dean around New York City. He took notes and copied his every move, trying to match and understand that