Posted on 11/29/2008 5:59:58 PM PST by Daffynition
'The Great Escape' superstar spent his last year there. Neighbors remember him as a generous man who enjoyed quiet respect and cheap beer.
One day in 1979 the King of Cool decided to fly.
Before anyone knew it, Steve McQueen was living with his girlfriend in a hangar at the Santa Paula Airport. During the day, he learned to pilot a World War II-era biplane. In the evening, the tough-guy superstar would crack open cold beers with grease monkeys, fledgling pilots and aging flyboys who still had a few loop-de-loops left in them.
He and his girlfriend, a stunning model who would become his third wife, slept on a four-poster brass bed amid his vintage motorcycles and airplane parts. His bright yellow Stearman biplane loomed over their cramped quarters, its wings close enough to create a head-whacking hazard for someone groping through the dark.
But life was good: On Saturday nights, the couple kicked back in their hangar -- really a big storage shed -- to watch "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island" on a black-and-white TV. Dinner was often a feed at the local Chinese restaurant.
"It was a sweet time in a sweet place," said Barbara McQueen, the last woman in McQueen's life. "We just loved it."
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Cool
The Ultimate Man’s Man.
Fella had some flaws in life, as we all do, but the man showed a lot to be admired.
He’s still missed.
My favorite McQueen movie is “the Sand Pebbles”, probably not the first one people usually think of....
I know a guy who owns his old steerman, a true conversation piece.
“McQueen’s Machines”, a recent book by Mike Stone and son Chad McQueen, is an excellent read. Much background information as well as coverage of all the bikes, cars and airplanes Steve owned at different times, especially the ones which appeared in his movies.
Yes sir!
I didn't know how he had spent his last days. Terribly sad.
Yep. Still missed. He danced to the beat of a different drummer.
WOW! That is amazing.
That he was, Red. Thanks for the ping.
Steve McQueen was a great actor and a good man.
Commie flick. :)
As far as I know he drove all of his scenes in LeMans driving the 917-10’s Porsches around LeMans aka the LaSarthe circuit. One of the most successful race cars in history but not particularly safe.
James Garner did all of his driving in Gran Prix and was a very good driver like Steve.
As far as Sand Pebbles - probably his best film. The Great Escape and Magnificent 7 was also pretty good too. :-)
McQueen: “Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting.”
That’s what I really liked about him ... engagement with speed. The race scene in Bullitt is a classic.
“As far as Sand Pebbles - probably his best film”
A great flick!
I had an enormous crush on Steve McQueen. Now I remember why. :)
Santa Paula airport was a great place for vintage airplanes, experimental, and homebuilt aircraft in the mid-70s!
Mira Slovak kept his black and white checked bi-plane there.
He used to perform arial stunts in between heats at unlimited hydroplane races, when he raced on the Columbia in the 60s. (they’d helicopter him from the pits to the airport and back)
Does anyone know for certain if McQueen did the bike stunts in the Great Escape?
He certainly did the “close ups” — I’m wondering if he did the hairy stuff on that bike.
Some of the best book trivia is about the fence jump in "The Great Escape". He wanted to do that one too, and probably could have. His riding buddy and favorite wrench, Bud Ekins was brought over from California to do it.
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