EPISODE ARCHIVE
62: On the Set of Le Mans
Writer, documentary filmmaker, and Emmy Award-winning director John Klawitter reflects on his time in Sarthe, France in the summer of 1970, documenting Steve McQueen’s Le Mans.
61: Small Screen McQueen
Writer, actor, and podcaster Dion Baia joins me to discuss four of Steve McQueen’s early TV appearances, including The Defender, the two-part television play starring Ralph Bellamy and William Shatner, and the pilot for Steve’s Western TV show, Wanted: Dead or Alive.
60: Bruce Buffer Remembers Steve McQueen
Bruce Buffer, the official octagon announcer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), shares stories about surfing, martial arts, and hanging out with Steve and Chad McQueen in Malibu, California. During the second half of the show, I share my thoughts on the Steven Spielberg Bullitt project.
59: Listeners Still Wanna Know
The Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill answers listener submitted questions about McQueen's womanizing, his drug use, and his religious beliefs.
58: Norman Jewison
Dr. Ira Wells, author of the 2021 book, Norman Jewison: A Director’s Life, joins me to talk about the Canadian filmmaker’s relationship with Steve McQueen, revealing details of a Western film Jewison had planned for “The King of Cool”.
57: James Coburn
James Coburn's daughter-in-law Robyn L. Coburn joins me to discuss her 2021 book, Dervish Dust: The Life and Words of James Coburn, highlighting James's relationships with Steve McQueen and Bruce Lee.
56: The Greatest Ever
Jeff Commings, host of the podcast, The Baton: A John Williams Musical Journey, joins me to discuss John Williams’s career, his best scores, and of course the super important film score for The Reivers.
55: Faulkner
Chris Rieger, Director of the Center for Faulkner Studies at Southeast Missouri State University joins me to talk about Faulkner’s rise to fame, we compare The Reivers book to the movie, and we also discuss Faulkner’s screenwriting career.
54: The Reivers
How does the biggest name in Hollywood end the 1960s? By starring in a film adaptation of William Faulkner’s last novel, 1962’s The Reivers, which takes place in Mississippi at the turn of the 20th century. Tune in as the Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill joins me to discuss the icon’s third and final comedy.
53: Charles Manson’s Creepy Crawl
Why is society obsessed with Charles Manson? Jeffrey Melnick, author of Creepy Crawling: Charles Manson and the Many Lives of America's Most Infamous Family, joins me to explore society's obsession with Manson. McQueen expert Marshall Terrill joins me on the second half of the episode to share his thoughts on Manson.
52: The Truth About Helter Skelter
Tom O’Neill, author of CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, discusses his shocking findings from 20 years of researching the crimes that took place at 10050 Cielo Drive in 1969. He also reveals what’s in McQueen’s LAPD Manson file, and shares what he knows about Steve’s cocaine dealer.
51: A Journey into Madness and Murder
In the summer of 1969, hippy cult leader Charles Manson and his followers terrorized Los Angeles, murdering actress Sharon Tate, McQueen’s close friend, Jay Sebring, and others. Writer Ivor Davis was there, reporting on the madness as it unfolded in real time. Ivor joins me to reflect on the Manson murders 50+ years later.
Beware! All of The Blobs
Teenagers! Fast cars! Red blobby monsters! Novelist and co-host of the Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast, Dion Baia, joins me on this Halloween bonus episode of Speeding Bullitt to discuss all of The Blob movies.
50: The Steve McQueen Expert
Writer and Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill joins me to share stories from his impressive writing career, including first hand accounts of interactions with Muhammad Ali, Richard Attenborough, and Edd "Kookie" Byrnes.
49: Just an Inch
Writer and Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill returns to debunk or confirm rumours about ‘The King of Cool’. Did Steve McQueen punch Charles Manson in the face? Whats the story behind the famous quote, “I live for myself and answer to nobody“? Did McQueen die with a poster for The Blob on his wall? Tune in to find out.
48: Mentored by McQueen
Lee Purcell’s film career was launched when Steve McQueen selected her to star in Solar Productions’ Adam at 6 AM. Purcell, who had never acted in a film before, became the only actress or actor to be introduced to the world by Steve McQueen as his personal discovery, and the only performer to receive mentorship from the icon.
47: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: A Novel
The Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill and I discuss Quentin Tarantino’s first work of fiction, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: A Novel, which is loaded with plenty of Steve McQueen.
46: Five in a Row
Novelist and co-host of the Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast, Dion Baia, joins me to discuss Steve McQueen’s five consecutive box office hit films in the 1960s: The Cincinnati Kid, Nevada Smith, The Sand Pebbles, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Bullitt.
45: Time Starts Now
Professional auctioneer Matt Moravec from Mecum Auctions, the world leader in live auctions of collector and classic vehicles, discusses what it was like to bang the gavel on the1968 Bullitt Mustang, when it sold for 3.4 million dollars in 2020.
44: The Cars of Bullitt
Matt Stone, author of the 2020 book, Bullitt: The Cars and People Behind Steve McQueen, joins me to discuss the vehicles in the film, including the Mustangs, the Chargers, and the green Volkswagen Beetle everybody loves to talk about.
43: Bullitt
Hop in the highland green Bullitt Mustang with Marshall Terrill and me as we explore Steve McQueen’s defining film, 1968’s Bullitt. We talk about the time McQueen witnessed a murder in San Francisco, dig deeper into Steve’s vision for Solar Productions, and go into what makes Bullitt McQueen’s most memorable picture.
42: Blobfest
Blobfest is an annual three-day festival that celebrates the film in which Steve McQueen appeared in his first star billing role, The Blob. Typically the festival is held at The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania; however, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s edition has gone virtual. Chuck Francisco, aka Dash Daring, joins me to discuss all things Blobfest including this year’s activities.
41: Listeners Want to Know
Tune in to hear the Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill and I answer and discuss questions sent in by you, the listeners. This episode covers all time periods of McQueen’s life and career, exploring different aspects such as, his relationship with Sam Peckinpah, his workout regiment, his acting style, plus much more.
40: Star on Wheels
On this episode, I connect with two people who worked with Steve McQueen in the late 1950s, actor Michael Dante and writer William F. Nolan. Tune in to hear both guest share anecdotes about Steve McQueen and about working in Hollywood over the past 60 years.
39: The Home of Thomas Crown
Peter Drummey, Chief Historian and Stephen T. Riley Librarian for the Massachusetts Historical Society joins me to discuss the historical significance of Thomas Crown’s home at 85 Mount Vernon Street in Boston’s affluent neighbourhood of Beacon Hill.
38: A Star in Any Era
Film producer Arthur Friedman joins me to discuss his time working for United Artists in the 1960s, including his involvement with the world premiere of The Thomas Crown Affair in Boston, Massachusetts in 1968. Our conversation also includes anecdotes from Arthur’s experience in film distribution, insights into his friendship with Bobby Darin, and he explains how he got involved with the Coen brothers.
37: The Thomas Crown Affair
1968’s The Thomas Crown Affair was the only film Steve McQueen had to fight to be in after becoming a star. Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill joins me to discuss why Steve badly wanted to play Thomas Crown, and how it impacted his life and career. Megan Sanders and Simon Tennant join me in the second half of the show to discuss the Sanders chukka boot, a model made popular by Steve McQueen.
36: McQueen and the FBI
Writer and Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill unpacks the contents of Steve McQueen’s FBI file, as well as addresses rumours about Steve, including hearsay about his sexuality.
35: Standing in for McQueen
In 1965, John Norris scored a job as Steve McQueen’s stand-in and photo double for The Sand Pebbles. The two developed a friendship, which led to Norris working with McQueen again for 1972’s The Getaway. John joins me to share stories about filming the American war epic, and to talk about his friend, Steve McQueen.
34: Directed by Robert Wise
Writer J.R. Jordan discusses his book, Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures, as well as the life and career of the director. The second half of the show features a conversation with Jerry Figgiani, one of McQueen’s buddies from his days in Greenwich Village.
33: The Sand Pebbles
Writer and Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill and I explore Steve McQueen’s time filming the The Sand Pebbles, an American war epic directed by Robert Wise. The second part of the show looks at the curious life of the woman who played Maily, Marayat Andriane.
32: McQueen’s Hollywood
Film historian and writer Alan L. Gansberg and I discuss Steve McQueen’s Hollywood, exploring various aspects of the industry, and how they impacted McQueen’s life and career.
31: The Lost Movie
In 1965, Steve McQueen and John Sturges set out to make the first authentic grand prix racing film, Day of the Champion. The movie was shelved before being completed, leaving McQueen fans with plenty of questions about the project. Filmmaker Alex Rodger’s new documentary Steve McQueen: The Lost Movie helps answer many of those questions, he joins me on Episode 31 to talk about his film.
30: Never Love a Stranger
Veering from Speeding Bullitt’s chronological exploration of McQueen’s life and films, Episode 30 takes a deeper look at 1958’s Never Love a Stranger and Steve’s time spent at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. John Blyth Barrymore discusses his father’s turbulent life and career, followed by Pamela Kareman, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Playhouse, talking about the school’s rich history.
29: What If?
What if Steve McQueen starred in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, or Rambo: First Blood? Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill and I discuss the films Steve McQueen missed out on, movies he passed on, and projects that never got made.
28: Nevada Smith
Writer and host of the Six-Gun Justice podcast, Paul Bishop, provides insight into McQueen’s 1966 Western, Nevada Smith, after which Peter Bernstein, son of Academy Award-winning composer and conductor Elmer Bernstein, joins me to talk about his father’s life and music.
27: Young Steve McQueen
Writer and filmmaker Dana Schoel discusses his book, Young Steve McQueen: His Incredible Life Before Stardom, and the process of trying to get his work onto the screen.
Steve McQueen In His Own Words
Marshall Terrill discusses his new book, Steve McQueen In His Own Words, 40 years after McQueen's passing.
Return of the Blob
Tune in to this Halloween bonus episode of Speeding Bullitt to hear conversations with Steve Vertlieb, cinema archivist, journalist, film historian, and film music educator; as well as Mr. Lobo, horror host of the nationally syndicated American television series Cinema Insomnia, as well as the host of Blobfest.
26: The Man
On this episode of Speeding Bullitt, Alan L. Gansberg, author of Little Caesar: A Biography of Edward G. Robinson, and someone who has dedicated almost his entire life to film and film education, working in both entertainment and academia, discusses the life, career, and legacy of the great Edward G. Robinson.
25: The Cincinnati Kid
Writer and Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill explores Steve McQueen’s experience filming the classic 1965 poker movie The Cincinnati Kid. Dr. Robert Joseph, PhD joins me during the second half of the show to discuss the history of filmmaking in New Orleans, Louisiana.
24: Baby, The Rain Must Fall
Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill shares stories from Steve’s time filming Baby, the Rain Must Fall, including anecdotes about Steve McQueen expensing drugs to the studio, his connection to JFK, and "The King of Cool's" rivalry with "The King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley.
23: McQueen’s Machines
Matt Stone, author of McQueen’s Machines and McQueen's Motorcycles: Racing and Riding with the King of Cool joins me to discuss some of McQueen’s most popular machines, as well as to tell me about his newest book, Bullitt: The Cars and People Behind Steve McQueen.
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind
Go behind the scenes of HBO’s documentary, Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind with director Laurent Bouzereau, a pioneer of “making-of” documentary film making and the director of Netflix’s Five Came Back.
22: Love with the Proper Stranger
Marshall Terrill looks at McQueen's life immediately after The Great Escape, following the "King of Cool" to New York City as he films Love with the Proper Stranger. After that, Dr. Gretchen Sisson, PhD talks representations of abortion and reproductive decision-making in film and television.
21: Almost a Great Escape
Tyler Trafford shares an incredible story about his mother’s love affair with Norwegian pilot Jens Müller, one of only three men to escape to freedom from German POW camp Stalag Luft III.
20: Walk the Walk with Steve McQueen
Don Whistance joins me to talk about stevemcqueen-justclickhere.com, a site in which he has meticulously archived the filming locations for 18 McQueen films, including The Great Escape.
19: The Great Escape
Film writer and critic Sheila O'Malley discusses her essay Not Caught, part of the Criterion Collection release of The Great Escape, after which film historian Steve Rubin explores how the film came together.
18: The War Lover
Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill explores McQueen’s experience in England filming The War Lover, and Matthew Burchette, Senior Curator at Seattle’s Museum of Flight shares the history of the Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress.
Bruce Lee: A Life
Bruce Lee: A Life author Matthew Polly joins me to discuss how his 2018 definitive biography of Bruce Lee came together, share stories about the martial arts legend, and to dismiss popular rumours about the Enter the Dragon star.
17: Bruce Lee
After watching Bao Nguyen’s ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Be Water, I connected with the Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill to discuss McQueen’s relationship with Bruce Lee.
16: Interviewing Steve McQueen
In 1979, Alexander Hamilton High School student Rick Penn-Kraus had the opportunity to conduct an interview with Steve McQueen, this is his story.
15B: Hell is for Heroes
Steven Jay Rubin, writer, film historian, producer, and screenwriter shares his thoughts on Hell is for Heroes.
15A: Hell is for Heroes
Jeanine Basinger, film historian and founder of the department of film studies at Wesleyan University, shares her love for Steve McQueen and his gritty World War II film, Hell is for Heroes.
14: Funny Business
Marshall Terrill and I take a look at two Steve McQueen comedies, 1961's The Honeymoon Machine, and 1963's Soldier in the Rain, two instances where ‘The King of Cool’ makes a complete departure from what he is known for.
13: Buying McQueen
This episode explores the most expensive Steve McQueen related items one can purchase on eBay, featuring
Dr. Ian Olney, York College of Pennsylvania; Jake Ehrlich, Jake’s Rolex World; and Marshall Terrill, biographer and Steve McQueen expert.
12: Fake McQueens
Marshall Terrill provides insight into Jeremy Roberts' 2017 article, The Relentless Dilemma of the Fake Steve McQueens, exploring stories of people pretending to be related to McQueen.
11: The Magnificent Seven
Paul Bishop and Marshall Terrill dive deep into The Magnificent Seven, John Sturges’ 1960 classic Western remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.
10: Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Dr. Richard Edwards who has taught several online courses for Turner Classic Movies, including The Master of Suspense: 50 Years of Hitchcock, discusses McQueen’s episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
9: Never So Few
Author of Sinatra in Hollywood Tom Santopietro talks about Frank Sinatra’s acting career, Marshall Terrill explores the icon’s search for his biological father, and I take a look at the wild life of Gina Lollobrigida.
8: The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery
Andrew Wanko, Public Historian with the Missouri Historical Society, talks about details of the crime, and the history of Tower Grove Park, after which Marshall Terrill answers questions about McQueen’s experience filming the heist movie.
7: Rumours
Marshall Terrill debunks and confirms popular internet rumours about Steve McQueen, including his relationship with Sharon Tate, his connection to the Manson Family murders, and his unreleased adventure heist film Yucatan.
6: From the Same Alumni
Frank Hill met Steve McQueen in 1963 as a youth attending Boys Republic in Chino, California. Over the next 17 years, Frank developed a close relationship with McQueen, spending a significant amount of time with the Hollywood icon.
5: Wanted: Dead or Alive
On this episode I am joined by Paul Bishop to discuss TV westerns in the 1950s and 60s. Marshall Terrill joins me for the second part of the show as we discuss McQueen’s experience making Wanted: Dead or Alive, and his life in and around that time.
4: Beware of the Blob
Chuck Francisco joins me to discuss all things Blobfest, an annual event that celebrates the film in which Steve McQueen’s first star-billing role. Marshall Terrill joins me for the second half of the show to talk about how film impacted McQueen’s career.
3: Birth of the Cool
Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill returns as we take listeners way back to the birth of Steve McQueen, explore his youth, and examine his life up until he lands a role in The Blob.
2: Chasing McQueen
Actor Andre Brooks played Steve McQueen in the 2019 movie Chasing Bullitt. Listen in as he takes me behind the scenes of making the independent film.
1: A Hollywood Icon
Tune in to hear my conversation with the Marshall Terrill, the McQueen expert who has spent over 25 years researching and writing about “The King of Cool”.