McQueen enlisted in the Marines in 1947. He served boot camp on Parris Island and was promoted to private first class and was assigned to an armored unit. He was also assigned to the honor guard responsible for guarding
"When you see guys like Jackie Gleason or Steve McQueen on-screen, they represent real men-in all of their tragedy and triumph," he says. "It's the humor of Gleason in The Honeymooners and raw grit of McQueen, which both made a big impact on me at a young age. That's what I ...