The movie was based on the life of bounty hunter ralph papa thorson. Steve mcqueens mesothelioma was indeed the result of his contact with asbestos. Steve mcqueen was one of the biggest stars of the 60s and 70s, with films such as the great escape, papillon and the iconic action movie bullitt he was also one of hollywoods coolest stars. Steve mcqueens last movie is a fitting tribute to his memorable talent. Second, eli wallach is in it and eli makes any movie better except the holiday.
A scene from steve mcqueens final film, the hunter, in which he stars as bounty hunter ralph papa thorson. Eli wallach and levar burton and kathryn harrold also had significant roles in the film. Tv actor steven mcqueen of everwood and the vampire diaries is the grandson of movie actor steve mcqueen. Thorsons exploits are detailed as he pursues a number of fugitives who have skipped bail. It was in 1980 that legendary cinematic icon, steve mcqueen, starred in his last movie. Steve mcqueens final movie car found rotting in a barn. It is not very often you find a car that is in the original screen used condition, taken directly from the set of a movie. The hunter is a 1980 american action crime drama thriller film directed by buzz kulik. This was the last theatrical film made by director buzz kulik. But for some reason we had forgotten ever to mention his last ever movie. Steve mcqueens last movie car has just surfaced in a barn.
Steve mcqueen, eli wallach, kathryn harrold, levar burton, ben johnson. Steve mcqueen, stricken with cancer, seeks a cure at a. The car in this story also has a direct connection to steve mcqueen. Kathryn harold costars as his pregnant girlfriend dotty.
First, it was steve mcqueens last film and he is very good in it. Although it focused on the life of reallife bounty hunter ralph thorson, costarred the ugly from the the good, the bad, and the ugly, and featured a 79 pontiac trans am. Steve mcqueens final movie was the hunter, a 1980 release in which he portrayed reallife bounty hunter ralph papa thorson. Hunter, the dvd steve mcqueens last movie shows the dynamic talent of the late, great a ctor in one of his most memorable roles.
Steve mcqueen drove the trans am in the hunter, his final film. Steve mcqueen s widow barbara minty bluntly reflects, the hunter was not as much fun as steve s previous film tom horni had the distinct feeling that it was going to be steve s last picture. Steve mcqueens last movie car, now pawn starsowned, up. Steve mcqueens widow barbara minty bluntly reflects, the hunter was not as much fun as steves previous film tom horni had the distinct feeling that it was going to be steves last picture. A stunt car drives off the parking garage at marina city during the filming of hunter, starring steve mcqueen on sept. Scenes were filmed in bonfield, herscher, kankakee and. Steve mcqueens last movie shows the dynamic talent of the late, great actor in one of his most memorable roles. The story of professional bounty hunter ralph papa thorson. The last mile at a movie poster gallery exhibition in. The pontiac trans am used in the steve mcqueen film the hunter has emerged from a barn after being. In real life, papa thorson had captured over 5,000 criminals and bail jumpers.
This was due in part to the influences of his flying instructor, sammy mason, masons son pete, and barbara herself. Otherwise, the talk proceeds to mcqueens final movie. The last car steve mcqueen ever drove in a movie is officially up for auction. With steve mcqueen, eli wallach, kathryn harrold, levar burton. In 1979, he comes out of retirement to make tom horn and the hunter. The real papa thorsen talks with steve on the set mcqueen plays real life bounty hunter ralph papa thorsen. After making the towering inferno in 1974, superstar steve mcqueen takes himself off the market. The watch, which he also wore on screen in 1974s the towering inferno, has been identified as a ref.
It is nothing grand, and for the most part there really is no plot, but it is still a rather good movie. The 1951 chevrolet styline deluxe convertible you see above is now owned by none other than rick harrison of pawn. Hunter, the dvd steve mcqueen s last movie shows the dynamic talent of the late, great a ctor in one of his most memorable roles. Janis joplin taken at last concert 81270, died of an overdose a few months later on 10470, 27 source. Steve mcqueen was one of the most popular and successful film actors of the 1960s and 1970s. He rejects several highly publicized multimillion dollar deals. Kathryn harrold provides solid acting support as papas wife dotty. It was steve mcqueens last film, and it included the most incredible car stunt chicago had ever seen. Mcqueen played bounty hunter ralph papa thorson, a largerthanlife figure once described in a biography as the only man who can do a bastards job with taste and come off looking like a nice guy. The wetter it gets, the more aggressive it becomes. The hunter is the 1980 action film that marked the final film role for steve mcqueen. Steve mcqueen fittingly wore his personal timepiece, a stainless rolex submariner, for his final role in the hunter.
He portrays reallife bounty hunter ralph papa thorson, who made a long career out of apprehending more than 5,000 criminals and bail jumpers. The film dramatized the real life exploits of bounty hunter ralph thorson. Steve mcqueens, the hunter, trans am jim suva and the. A scene from steve mcqueen s final film, the hunter, in which he stars as bounty hunter ralph papa thorson. The car was driven by mcqueen in the hunter from 1980, which.
The plot includes papa having to reluctantly deal with impending fatherhood, a dangerous joband a vengeful psycho. Steve mcqueen hated gay men he was a life long republican who supported the viet nam war, opposed martin luther king jr. He starred in such features as the great escape, bullitt and the getaway. We like to regularly share a dose of cultural artefacts that feature the great man and by now weve worked lots of angles on the king of cool. A 1979 pontiac trans am driven by steve mcqueen in his last movie has. Steve mcqueen, taken sometime in late 1979, died 11 71980, 50. He portrays reallife bounty hunter ralph papa thorson, who made a long career out of apprehending more. Mcqueen s third wife, barbara minty mcqueen, in her book steve mcqueen. Mcqueens last role before his death came in the 1980 movie the hunter. Steve mcqueen, in full terence stephen mcqueen, born march 24, 1930, indianapolis, indiana, u. He makes an art film of ibsens an enemy of the people in 1976. The film was steve mcqueens final role before his death in november of. The hunter was the 1980 swansong for the profoundly petrolheaded actor.
Steve mcqueen s last movie shows the dynamic talent of the late, great actor in one of his most memorable roles. Ralph papa thorson steve mcqueen, professional bounty hunter, is having a tough day. Its a 1979 pontiac trans am that mcqueen drove in the 1980 film the hunter, which tells the fictionalized story of reallife bounty hunter ralph papa thorson. Steve mcqueens last movie car could be the most expensive. The film was steve mcqueen s final role before his death in november of that year the cast also features eli wallach, kathryn harrold, levar burton, ben johnson, and richard venture. The chase comes full circle when he becomes the quarry of a vengeful. The last mile, wrote of mcqueen s becoming an evangelical christian toward the end of his life. Steve mcqueens the hunter pontiac trans am emerges from. A 1979 pontiac trans am driven by steve mcqueen in his last movie has been found in a barn in rural illinois. Steve mcqueens the hunter pontiac trans am emerges from a barn after 39 years.
Modern bounty hunter ralph papa thorson steve mcqueen hunts fugitives for a bail bondsman eli wallach. The chase comes full circle when he becomes the quarry of a vengeful psychopath. Despite entering the 70s as one of the biggest stars in the world, steve mcqueen ended the 80s with the relatively obscure the hunter. In october 1979, steve mcqueen was in chicago and the greater kankakee, illinois area filming what turned out to be his last movie, the hunter. After an unusually exhausting shoot on his last movie, the hunter, mcqueen checked into l.
The car was driven by mcqueen in the hunter from 1980, which follows the glamorized. I found this out when i worked for a law firm representing 3m and we had a jar of the stuff on a shelf in the file room. Well, after all these years, that exact car has been uncovered in a barn of all places, and many are speculating its worth to be quite high. Steve mcqueen list of movies and tv shows tv guide. And it was in that film that he drove a pontiac firebird trans am. Cool and stoical, his loner heroes spoke through actions and rarely with words mcqueen drifted through odd jobs and three years of service in the u. Barbara minty mcqueen, widow of the iconic king of cool, confidently poses in front of her two favorite images from steve mcqueen. The definitive account of barbara mintys love affair with. The trans am from steve mcqueens last movie has been.