Chad McQueen, who followed in his father, Steve McQueen,'s footsteps into acting and racing and played the Dutch bully in the first two films The Karate Boy film, is dead. He was 63 years old.
McQueen died Wednesday of organ failure at his ranch in Palm Desert, his friend of 40 years, Arthur Barens, said. The Hollywood ReporterHe was injured in a fall in 2020 and never fully recovered.
In a statement on Instagram, her children Chase and Madison wrote:
“His extraordinary journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication. His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent, but also served as a way to honor his father's legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him.
“He passed on his passion, knowledge and dedication to us, and we will continue not only his legacy, but that of our grandfather. As a family, we must navigate this difficult time and kindly ask for privacy as we remember and celebrate his extraordinary life.”
As a Dutch student of Cobra Kai The Karate Boy (1984) and Karate Kid – Part II (1986), McQueen had no qualms about giving Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso a run for his money. He didn't return for Karate Kid – Part III (1989) or for the current Cobra Kai TV series about Dutch serving time in prison.
Chadwick Steven McQueen was born in Los Angeles on December 28, 1960 and grew up in Malibu. His mother was Filipino actress Neile Adams. His parents were married from 1956 until their divorce in 1972.
His acting resume also includes roles in the film written by Dick Wolf Skateboard (1978), Martial law (1991), New York Policeman (1993), Ring of Death (1992) and Red line (1995).
Like his father, McQueen was an avid racer and competed in various events. An accident at Daytona International Speedway in 2006, while training for the 24 Hours of Daytona, ended his racing career.
His company, McQueen Racing, founded in 2010 and now run by Chase and Madison, develops high-performance cars and motorcycles.
Steve McQueen, of course, was the star of films like The Great Escape (1963), The Cincinnati Kid (1965), The pebbles of sand (1966), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Bullitt (1968) and The escape (1972).
When Chad was 19, he died in November 1980 of a heart attack after a battle with cancer at the age of 50. His other daughter, Terry, died in 1998 at the age of 38.
Chad's survivors include his mother, his second wife, Jeanie, and another son, Steven, an actor known for his work on the Vampire Diaries and the spin-off Inheritance.
In his memory, donations may be made to Boys Republic, an organization that provides housing and support for disadvantaged children.