Steven McQueen had an extensive career in television and films. Renowned by the nickname āThe King of Cool,ā the roles played by him were that of reticent antihero that connected strongly with the masses. In 1953, āGirl on the Runā marked his debut where he appeared in an uncredited role. This was followed by another uncredited role in āSomebody Up There Likes Me.ā
His first major role came in the 1958 film āThe Blob,ā in which he played the lead. He hogged the limelight for his performance in āThe Magnificent Sevenā in 1954. It was followed by a trail of unsuccessful films. He bounced back with āThe Great Escape,ā which not only became one of the top-grossing films of the year but also earned him an award at the āMoscow International Film Festival.ā
For his performance in āLove with the Proper Stranger,ā he earned a āGolden Globe Awardā nomination. His only āAcademy Awardā nomination came for his performance in āThe Sand Pebbles.ā He attained commercial and critical success with āThe Cincinnati Kid.ā Steve then appeared in āLe Mansā that bombed at the box-office and left him bankrupt.
Some of his other noteworthy works include āThe Reivers,ā āThe Thomas Crown Affair,ā āBullitt,ā āThe Getaway,ā āJunior Bonner,ā āPapillion,ā āThe Towering Inferno.ā etc. He took a four-year hiatus and returned to acting with āAn Enemy of the People.ā Before his death he appeared in two more films, āThe Hunter,ā and āTom Horn.ā