Speeding Bullitt: The Life and Films of Steve McQueen

Drummer and Jazz historian Steven Cerra joins me to explore Steve McQueen's record collection, as seen in LIFE photographer John Dominis' 1963 photograph of the "King of Cool" listening to Jazz records in his Palm Springs bungalow.

James Curtis, author of Spencer Tracy: A Biography, joins me to discuss the life and films of one of Steve McQueen's favourite actors, Spencer Tracy.

Georgetown University professor Dr. Susanna Lee, author of Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction and the Decline of Moral Authority and Detectives In the Shadows: A Hard-Boiled History, joins me to discuss the hardboiled crime fiction of Jim Thompson, including his 1958 novel turned Steve McQueen movie, The Getaway.

As we say goodbye to 2022, and welcome in 2023, I share with you the most listened to/downloaded episode of Speeding Bullitt of the past year, with a new intro providing insightful background information about the podcast. 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 McQuee...

Steve McQueen robbed banks in The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery, The Thomas Crown Affair, and The Getaway; Clay Tumey robbed banks in real life. Clay joins me to discuss what led to him robbing banks, to talk about how prison changed him, and he shares his thoughts on Hollywood depictions of heists and bank robberies.

Writer and Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill joins me to provide an update on the books he's been writing, to talk about fact and fiction in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, and to discuss Steve McQueen's Junior Bonner and The Getaway.

Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino has released his nonfiction film theory book, Cinema Speculation, which includes chapters on Bullitt and The Getaway. On this episode of Speeding Bullitt, McQueen expert Marshall Terrill and I unpack the McQueen content of the book, as well as discuss the latest Steven Spielberg Frank Bullitt news.

It's Noirvember, and on this episode of Speeding Bullitt, Daniel Epler from The Cobwebs Podcast joins me to explore Steve McQueen's very first appearance on film in the ultra low budget film noir, 1953's Girl on the Run. During the second half of the episode listeners share their thoughts on Steve McQueen.

Novelist, actor, and co-host of the Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast, Dion Baia, joins me to discuss Steve McQueen's two episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Human Interest Story from 1959 and Man from the South from 1960.

Musicians have been singing about Steve McQueen for over 50 years, including singer-songwriter Patterson Hood, co-founder of the Drive-By Truckers. Patterson joins me to talk about his song, Steve McQueen, and to explore the origins of his fascination with "The King of Cool".

Novelist and co-host of the Six-Gun Justice Western pop culture podcast, Paul Bishop, discusses Junior Bonner and explores the history of rodeo books, TV shows, and films. Matthew Asprey Gear, writer, educator, and film historian follows Paul to dive into the life and career of the woman who plays McQueen's mother in Junior Bonner, Ida Lupino.

Costume designer and the youngest child of director Sam Peckinpah, Lupita Peckinpah, discusses the Turner Classic Movies 2019 documentary, Peckinpah Suite, of which she is the focus of. Lupita also talks about the life and films of her father, and shares stories from her career.

Stuart Rosebrook, writer, Western historian, and editor of True West magazine, discusses the Steve McQueen film his father Jeb Rosebrook wrote, Junior Bonner, providing an extensive amount of behind-the-scenes information.

Noah Isenberg, George Christian Centennial Professor and Chair of the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin, and author of We'll Always Have Casablanca: The Legend and Afterlife of Hollywood's Most Beloved Film, discusses Steve McQueen's favourite actor, Humphrey Bogart.

Filmmaker Dana Brown discusses the pioneering films of his father, Bruce Brown, director of The Endless Summer and On Any Sunday. Dana also talks about his relationship with the McQueens, and looks back on his own career as a documentary filmmaker.

Mert Lawwill is one of the stars of Bruce Brown's 1971 documentary, On Any Sunday, a film that documents Lawwill's defence of his 1969 AMA Grand National Championship. Mert joins me to discuss the documentary, to reminisce about riding with Steve McQueen, and to look back on an accomplished motorcycle racing career.

Rebecca Sullivan is a professor in the department of English at the University of Calgary, specializing in feminist film, media and cultural studies. Her Natalie Wood book was published by the British Film Institute in 2019, shedding new light on Wood's enormous contributions to American cinema and popular culture.

Charles Bronson historian Paul Talbot, author of Bronson's Loose!: The Making of the Death Wish Films and Bronson's Loose Again! On the Set with Charles Bronson, joins me to explore the life and films of Steve McQueen's buddy, Charles Bronson.

Not only was Steve McQueen one of the biggest movie stars of the 1960s and 70s, he was also one of the coolest dressers in Hollywood. Nick Guzan from the blog BAMF Style joins me to discuss Steve McQueen's most iconic looks, and provides pointers on how to dress like Steve McQueen.

Gabriel Clarke, writer and codirector of the 2015 documentary Steve McQueen: The Man and Le Mans joins me to discuss his film, revealing all sorts of behind-the-scenes information from the production, including how it all came together and what it was like to work closely with the McQueen family.

Matt Stone, author of BULLITT: The Cars and the People Behind Steve McQueen, McQueen's Motorcycles: Racing and Riding with the King of Cool, and McQueen's Machines: The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Icon joins me to discuss Steve McQueen's four-wheeled co-stars in 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.

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 McQueen's Western TV show, Wanted: Dead or Alive.

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.

The Steve McQueen expert Marshall Terrill answers listener submitted questions about McQueen's womanizing, his drug use, and his religious beliefs.