Steve McQueen had a highly publicised passion for fast cars and motorcycles, yet most of his acts of philanthropy remained unknown until after his death.
Steve and his wife Neile pictured during his early career (c.1958)
Photo: Pictorial Press
Much has been said about the tough demands Steve McQueen made to studio bosses when negotiating film contracts during his acting career, but bulk requests for electric razors and multiple pairs of jeans (in different sizes) could sound quite bizarre – unless you were aware that he was quietly donating these items to the residents of Boys Republic, the school in Chino Hills, California, established in 1907 to support at-risk teenagers, attended by 15-year-old McQueen in the 1940s.
The Thomas Crown Affair director Norman Jewison once said: “I can’t honestly say that he was the most difficult person I’ve ever worked with - because the rewards were so great.”
Photo: Picture Lux / The Hollywood Archive
Having suffered a miserable and abusive childhood, the benevolence of Boys Republic clearly had an enormous impact on McQueen's life, and he continued to support his alma mater, not only by making generous donations and funding scholarships, but also with regular visits to mentor the boys.
Steve at Boys Republic (1963)
Photo: John Dominis / Shutterstock
“Somewhere, right now, there are kids going through what I went through. Maybe if they know I survived, they can find hope. I can’t promise they’ll ever forget what happened to them. But if they hold out, they’ll get through okay and learn to live with the bad memories…and still learn to love.” Steve McQueen.
Steve McQueen’s charitable acts were not confined to Boys Republic, nor solely to the United States. In 1964, Steve and his wife, Neile, attended a charity event in Paris to promote the auction of the Winchester Model 1892 rifle that McQueen had used in the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958–1961).
Nicknamed "Mare's Leg", the rifle was customised by famed artist and gunsmith Kenny "Von Dutch" Howard, who cut down the barrel and stock allowing it to be carried in a leg-holster and operated by one hand. French singer Gilbert Bécaud acquired the gun, and the money raised was donated to the French Movement for Children's Villages.
Steve McQueen with Gilbert Bécaud and Mare's Leg (Paris 1964)
Photo: Photo 12 / 7e Art / UPI
"While filming The Sand Pebbles (1966) in Taiwan, Steve and Neile discovered an orphanage for young girls (mainly prostitutes), run by Edward Wojniak, a Catholic priest. In Taiwan, a boy was often the preferred child, as he could help lend a hand and support the family as he got older. A girl's only asset to her family was earning money through prostitution, and Steve found this way of life disheartening. He donated $25,000 to Wojniak's mission and continually supported Wojniak until the priest's death in the late seventies.”
Excerpt source: Steve McQueen - Portrait of an American Rebel by Marshall Terrill
Neile and Steve during filming of The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Photo: Masheter Movie Archive
In 1969, McQueen made a business trip to London, and despite being distracted by the antics of British hellraiser Oliver Reed, he insisted on making time in his schedule to visit the children at Great Ormond Street Hospital, the incredible institution founded by Charles West on Valentine's Day 1852 - it has a special place in the hearts of Mason & Sons and it's pleasing to know that Steve was able to share his love with the patients.
Steve at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital (June 5th,1969)
Photo: P A Photos
Closer to home in California in 1971, Los Angeles Times reporter Joyce Haber produced an article in which she reported, “A few seasons ago the owners of Four Oakes, a local restaurant, invited fifty black orphans for a free Thanksgiving Day dinner. They also invited several celebrities. McQueen arrived promptly on his cycle. He was the only star to show. I call that the act of a good man”.
Terry, Neile, Chad and Steve McQueen (1971)
Photo: ZUMA Press Inc.
A year later, the devastating earthquake in Nicaragua prompted Steve to make a $50,000 donation of food and medical supplies that he had shipped to the victims, and as the decade rolled on, he continued with his acts of kindness, mostly in complete anonymity.
Los Angeles, California (1972)
Photo: ZUMA Press Inc.
During the filming of The Hunter in 1979, McQueen was moved by the poverty he witnessed on location in Chicago. An interview with his widow, Barbara Minty, further explains:
“Chicago’s a great town, and that’s where we found Karen Wilson, our little “insta-kid.” One scene required lots of extras, but for some reason, this feisty young girl caught Steve’s eye. He questioned her, asking “Why aren’t you in school?”
Her reply floored him. “Because I need to make extra money,” she said. She had been watching over a seven-year-old neighbor named “Bobo.” It turned out that Karen’s birthday was the same as mine, which Steve took as some sort of sign.
When we visited Karen’s mother, we found her and her entire family living in squalor. Steve wasted no time telling Karen’s mother, “We’d like to take Karen back with us to California and put her in a good school, so that she has a chance to get out of here.”
After several weeks of going back and forth, her mother came to the decision that it was best for Karen to leave with us. Once The Hunter wrapped, we enrolled her in a private boarding school near our Santa Paula home.
On weekends we would bring Karen home so she could have some sense of normalcy. Almost a year after we became her legal guardians, Karen’s mother passed away.
When Steve died, I personally saw to it that she graduated high school. To make a long story short, Karen is now a happily married mother of four kids and works for an L.A.-based escrow company.”
Steve McQueen filming The Hunter (1979)
Photo: TCD / Prod. DB
Steve’s generosity also touched the lives of many more children during his time in Chicago. Barbara continues:
“One time Steve saw some local kids throwing a football stuffed with rags. He dispatched his stuntman to a sporting goods store. Before you could blink, hundreds of baseballs, footballs, mitts, and bats were left in a large recreational field.
Although he had practically stopped giving autographs a decade before, Steve freely handed out several thousand signed 8 x 10 glossies. When Steve discovered that a local Catholic church was in need, he wrote a check covering all expenses.
Before he handed over the check, he stopped by to see the film’s producer, Mort Engleberg, and said, “Mort, this is what I’m giving to the church. I’d like you to match it.”
No one knew he performed all of these great deeds, but he did. By the way, Mort immediately said yes and wrote a check on the spot. How could he say no to Steve McQueen?”
Steve McQueen's legacy of generous philanthropy was further enhanced by the tireless efforts of his late son, Chad, and continues to this day through the unwavering commitment of his grandchildren, Chase and Madison. We are proud to have partnered with them on the Steve McQueen X Boys Republic fundraising campaign.
Click here for further details.