Chad McQueen

Chad McQueen
McQueen in 2016
Born	Chadwick Steven McQueen (1960-12-28)December 28, 1960 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	September 11, 2024(2024-09-11) (aged 63) Palm Desert, California, U.S.
Occupations	Actor producer race car driver
Years active	1978–2001 (acting)
Spouse	Stacey Rae Toten ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1990)​ Jeanie Galbraith ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	3, including Steven
Parents	Steve McQueen Neile Adams

Chadwick Steven McQueen (December 28, 1960 – September 11, 2024) was an American actor, film producer, martial artist, and race car driver. He was the only son and last living child of actor Steve McQueen (1930–1980).

Early life

Chadwick Steven McQueen was born on December 28, 1960, in Los Angeles to actors Steve McQueen and Neile Adams. From an early age, McQueen was an enthusiast of automobiles, motorcycles, and racing, interests that he inherited from his father. He began racing dirt bikes by age 9 and, in three years, went on to win his class in the World Mini Grand Prix. He moved on to auto racing, winning his first race: the Mini Le Mans event, a children-only track created on the set of the 1971 film Le Mans, when McQueen was 10 years old. Before filming was completed on that film, McQueen enjoyed racing at triple-digit speeds down the straights while seated in his father's lap at the wheel of a Porsche 917. At 12, he won his class at the World Mini Grand Prix.

Acting career

McQueen began his career as a film actor, playing the character Dutch in The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid Part II. His further acting work included main roles in direct-to-video action films including Martial Law, Death Ring, and Red Line. He also worked as a producer, winning a Telly Award for his documentary Filming at Speed. After his retirement from acting, McQueen appeared as himself on various television programs related to motorsports, including Hot Rod TV and Celebrity Rides.

Attempts were made to arrange for him to reprise his role as Dutch in the series Cobra Kai, but commitments to his company, McQueen Racing, and problems with his racing injuries, prevented this. He almost appeared in the show's sixth season before backing out due to scheduling conflicts.

Racing career

His professional racing career started in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). McQueen competed in several types of racing from Motocross to the Baja 1000. He teamed with Belgian racing legend Jacky Ickx and his daughter Vanina, piloting a trio of Porsche 959s restored by Porsche Motorsports for the 2004 Goodwood event. Also in 2004, he qualified for the SCCA Runoffs, winning multiple events. Racing for Westernesse Racing, he finished fourth.

In January 2006, he was seriously injured (suffering a broken lower left leg, two fractures to his vertebrae, and multiple rib fractures) in an accident at the Daytona International Speedway while practicing for the 24 Hours of Daytona Sports Car race. He returned to Daytona during the 2007 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona race to thank the medics and track workers who he said saved his life. McQueen subsequently stated that his driving days were over and he wanted to become a team owner.

In November 2007, he returned to the Daytona International Speedway and got behind the wheel of the Brumos 1975 Ecurie Escargot RSR, driving it in the exhibitions at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion III.

In January 2010, he started McQueen Racing, LLC, a company that partners with leaders in the motorcycle and custom-car industries towards development of high-performance, limited-edition custom cars, motorcycles, and accessories.

Personal life

Chad McQueen dated Jill Henderson White Pasceri in the 1980s, a USEF Equestrian rider and horse trainer. Jill is the daughter of trombonist Jimmy Henderson. He was married to Stacia Toten (who later wed Hockey Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille) from 1987 to 1990. The couple had a son, Steven R. McQueen (b. 1988), an actor, who was a regular in the television series The Vampire Diaries and Chicago Fire. McQueen married Jeanie Galbraith in 1993.

His sister and only other sibling fathered by Steve McQueen, Terry, an owner of a Malibu film production company, died in 1998 of respiratory complications after a liver transplant, at the age of 38.

Death

McQueen died from organ failure at his ranch in Palm Desert, California on September 11, 2024, at the age of 63. According to a friend, Arthur Barens, McQueen had never fully recovered from an injury he sustained in a fall in 2020. The Cobra Kai episode "Benvingust a Barcelona" was dedicated to his memory.

Filmography

Source:

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	Skateboard	Competition Skateboarder #21
1983	Hadley's Rebellion	Rick Stanton
1984	The Karate Kid	Dutch
1985	Fever Pitch	Prisoner
	The Fascination
1986	The Karate Kid Part II	Dutch
1987	Nightforce	Henry
1991	Martial Law	Sean Thompson
1992	Death Ring	"Skylord" Harris
	Where the Red Fern Grows: Part Two	Rainie Pritchard
1993	New York Cop	Hawk
	Firepower	Darren Braniff
1994	Sexual Malice	David
	Jimmy Hollywood	Audition Partner
	Indecent Behavior II	Darrell Martine
	Bullet II	Bullet
1995	Number One Fan	Zane Barry
1996	Red Line	Jim
	Squanderers	John
1998	Papertrail	William Frost	Also executive producer
	Surface to Air	Lt. Dylan "Raven" Massin
2001	The Fall	Manny Carlotti	Final acting role

External links

• Chad McQueen at IMDb
• McQueen Racing, LLC
• Garrett, Jerry (March 24, 2010). "Steve McQueen: 30 Years Gone, Not Close to Forgotten". The New York Times.