Mr Cool

The cool looking fellow above is one Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen born this day 1930 in Beech Grove, Indiana. He had a rough childhood with a bastard of a step-father would beat his ass on a few occasions, and this lead to his eventually winding up at a "reform" school for boys. After a few bad steps he got his shit together at this school (called Boys Republic), and after he became famous, he would go back to the place and give lectures. That's how fucking cool Steve McQueen was. He eventually joined the Marine Corp in 1947, and at first reverted back to his rebellious ways, but a trip to the brig for 41 days, and being busted down to private seven different times, forced him to rethink his life, and he eventually became a model Marine. He was honourable discharged in 1950, and used the money from the G.I. bill to take up the study of acting, so Uncle Sam in a way funded one of the best actors the American screen has ever seen. The first film that lands him on the hero podium, is 1963's "The Great Escape" (from which the picture above is taken). A gritty war drama which he plays an American POW that is always being sent to the "cooler" for failed escape attempts. He did a lot of his own stunts in the film, and at one point near the end of the film he is, through the magic of editing, trying to escape on one motorcycle as his character, and chasing himself on another motorcycle dressed as a German solider. Then in 1966 came "The Sand Pebbles" another awesome film, and his role is fantastic. 1968 saw him in "Bullitt" with its famous car chase scene, and he was pretty much the biggest star in Hollywood after that. He liked to drive fast and take chances, and considered becoming a professional race car driver at one point. He was famous for asking for products in bulk while filming a movie, items such as razor and blue jeans, it was eventually found out that he would take the products, and donate them to Boys Republic, the school that "reformed" him as a child, that was how fucking cool Steve McQueen was. He remains a symbol of the rebellious, anti-hero, and is the King of Cool. His role in "The Cincinnati Kid" is a perfect example of how fucking cool Steve McQueen was, and is to this day. His death at the age of 50, was a great blow to American cinema, but cool dudes should not live to be 80, Steve McQueen was too fucking cool to live to a ripe old age. So, for being the King of Cool, and showing us that a little rebellion can go a long way, Steve McQueen (March 24, 1930- November 7th, 1980, of cancer), you are my (210th) hero of the day.


P.S. I am mortified that I forgot to mention McQueen's role in 1973's Papillon with Dustin Hoffman, go WATCH it NOW! It is one of the best movies I have ever seen (about 9 times), and his performance is outstanding. That is how fucking cool Steve McQueen was, he could play a Frenchman with a nickname of butterfly, and make you feel like he was the biggest, baddest, motherfucker on the planet.