Steve McQueen: The King Of Cool (1963)

By Bob Pakes
 
 

 

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Typing ‘King Of Cool’ in Google Images, leaves no doubt that Terence Steven McQueen has become the personification of ultimate coolness.
 
McQueen’s troubled youth plagued him throughout his life. He could never shake the idea that he would one day wake up, and find that all he had achieved had vanished like snow before the sun. McQueen lived each day of his life as if it were his last, and competative as he was, McQueen never settled for anything less but the best. Although he was only 50 years old when he died, he had packed 3 or 4 lifetimes in that short amount of time.
 
By the spring of 1963 McQueen’s signature movies had not been released yet, but he had already earned himself a reputation of being a director’s pain in the ass. The Hollywood bad boy did not like doing interviews and open himself up. He also felt uncomfortable being around strangers. So when LIFE photographer John Dominis was sent out on a mission to photograph this upcoming new star, he sure had doubts how the meeting would work out. But when McQueen discovered that Dominis shared his passion for racing cars, he was granted full access to Steve’s life. In the end, the photographer spent no less then 3 consecutive weeks with McQueen and his wife Neile Adams. And he was taken for one hell of a ride!
 

Only a small amount of Dominis’ photos actually ended up in LIFE’s 7-page story on Steve McQueen in July of 1963.
On this page we have the complete LIFE article, as well as some of Dominis’ most legendary shots from his time with McQueen.

Why was Steve McQueen cool? Well, because he did cool things!

 

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At home

Most of the indoor shots in this article were taken at McQueen’s hideaway: a bungalow in Palm Springs.
 
“When a kid didn’t have any love when he was small, he begins to wonder if he’s good enough. My mother didn’t love me, and I didn’t have a father. So I guess I’m not very good.”
– Steve McQueen
 

 
 
 

Racing

McQueen liked fast wheels. These photos are from a 500 mile dirtbike-race. Steve was one of 300 entrants, the race took 2 days and went across the Mojave Desert. Steve led the amateur class until his bike broke down 3 miles from the finish.
 
“Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting.”
– Steve McQueen

The hulk of a man in the foreground is Bud Ekins, Steve’s friend and a stuntman in 4 of his movies. Ekins did the famous motorcycle jump in The Great Escape. Steve’s character in this movie was named The Cooler King. Ekins also worked as a stuntman on Elvis Presley’s Speedway (1968).
 
“I’m not sure whether I’m an actor who races or a racer who acts.”
– Steve McQueen

 
 
 

Shooting

Steve and his wife Neile Adams doing some target-practice in the California desert.
 
“When I believe in something, I fight like hell for it.”
– Steve McQueen

 
 
 

Relaxing

Steve and Neile taking a sulphur bath at Big Sur.
 
“I’ve spent too much of my life feeling insecure. I still have nightmares about being poor, of everything I own just vanishing away.”
– Steve McQueen

 
 
 

Camping

Steve loved to go on camping trips with his family or his friends. This particular trip took place in the Sierra Madre. The dog in the photo below is Steve’s own, a Malemute named Mike.
 
“I’d rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth.”
– Steve McQueen

 
 
 

Loving

By this time Steve and Neile had been married for 7 years, but according to John Dominis “They were always necking!” and “They chase each other around as though it was going out of style.”
 
“My old lady is the heart of my home.”
– Steve McQueen

 
 
 

Training

Working out at the gym of Paramount Studios while filming Love With The Perfect Stranger (1963).
 
“I work hard, and if you work hard you get the goodies.”
– Steve McQueen

 
 
 

Acting

Natalie Wood co-starred with Steve in Love With The Proper Stranger.
 
“I’m not sure that acting is something for a grown man to be doing.”
– Steve McQueen

 
 
 

Living

Back at their bungalow in Palm Springs, where we find the sign by the pool that is typical McQueen:
Anyone caught in here better have a damned good reason.
 
“I live for myself and I answer to nobody.”
– Steve McQueen

 

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To conclude this article, we have the original photo of Steve and his wife that was used for the frontcover of LIFE magzine, but this time in glorious black & white. Plus also an alternate shot of the McQueens in color.
 

 

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CREDITS:

The scans from LIFE magazine are courtesy of LIFE/TIME

All photographs are copyrighted by JOHN DOMINIS

Dominis‘ three weeks with Steve McQueen have been captured in the wonderful book shown below to the left, titled MCQUEEN.

Two more excellent photobooks have been published:
STEVE MCQUEEN by William Claxton
UNSEEN MCQUEEN by Barry Feinstein

 

 
 
These doc’s about McQueen come highly recommended:
 
– STEVE MCQUEEN: THE ESSENCE OF COOL (2005)
This docu is also part of the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD of Bullitt.
 
– I AM STEVE MCQUEEN (2014)
The most recent documentary about McQueen.
 
More Steve McQueen here: THE BARACUTA JACKET

 

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