Terry McQueen: Everything About Steve McQueen’s Daughter

Terry McQueen was born into a famous family. Her father was Steve McQueen. He was a huge movie star. Millions of people knew his name. But Terry chose a much quieter life.

Her story had both happy and sad times. She was close to her father. She grew up around movies and famous people. But she also faced loss at a young age.

Who was Terry away from her famous father? Here we will look at her early life. We will also learn about her parents and brother. We will see why her bond with Steve was so special.

Who Was Terry McQueen?

Terry McQueen was Steve McQueen’s only daughter. Her full name was Terry Leslie McQueen. She was born on June 5 1959. She was born in Los Angeles California.

Her mother was Neile Adams. Terry was the first child of Steve and Neile. About one year later the family welcomed a son. His name was Chad McQueen.

Terry became known because of her famous father. But she had her own life too. She did not become a big movie star. As she grew older she chose to live with much less public attention.

Terry McQueen’s Early Life

Terry McQueen had a very different childhood from most kids. Her father worked in movies. His fame grew quickly while Terry was still young. Soon Steve became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Terry sometimes spent time around her father’s work. Old family photos show her with Steve when she was young. One photo shows Terry with him while Le Mans was being made in France in 1971.

Think about seeing your dad on a huge movie screen. Other people saw a famous star. Terry saw her father. This simple fact helps us understand why her story is different from the normal Hollywood story.

Terry McQueen and Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen looked tough in many of his movies. He loved cars and motorcycles. Fans knew him as a cool action star. But Terry knew a much more personal side of him.

Steve loved his children. Neile Adams later talked about the close bond he had with them. Terry held a very special place in her father’s life. They shared many family moments together.

Their bond is an important part of Terry McQueen’s story. Fame could make Steve seem far away from normal family life. Yet to Terry he was still Dad. She knew the man behind the famous name.

Terry McQueen’s Mother and Brother

Terry’s mother was Neile Adams. Neile was an actress and dancer. She worked in show business too. She married Steve McQueen in 1956. Terry arrived about three years later.

Terry had one younger brother named Chad McQueen. He was born in December 1960. Chad later became an actor. He was also very interested in cars and racing like his father.

Steve and Neile had problems in their marriage. They later chose to end it. Their divorce became final in 1972. Terry was still young when her parents started living separate lives.

Terry McQueen’s Family Life Changed

Life inside a famous family was not always simple. Terry had money and fame around her. But those things could not stop family problems. Her parents’ divorce brought a big change to her young life.

Steve later married again. His love life often became news. Terry did not follow the same path. She kept many parts of her own life away from cameras and reporters.

That is why some parts of Terry McQueen’s life remain private today. She lived long before Instagram and other social media sites. People could not follow every part of her daily life.

Terry McQueen’s Life After Her Father’s Death

A very sad time came when Steve became ill. He had a rare type of cancer called mesothelioma. His health became worse during 1980. Steve McQueen died on November 7 1980. He was 50 years old.

Terry was only 21 when she lost her dad. It was a huge change in her life. Steve would never see his daughter grow older. He also never got to meet some later parts of her family life.

But Terry McQueen’s story did not end there. She grew into an adult and worked in the movie world. She also became a mother. These next years would bring love and success but also very hard health problems.

Terry McQueen’s Career in Hollywood

Terry McQueen grew up around movies. So it may not be a surprise that she later worked in the movie world. But she did not follow her father’s path. She did not become a big screen star.

Instead Terry worked behind the camera. She later ran a film company called Red Line. The company was based in Malibu California. This work gave Terry a way to build her own career.

At the time of her death Red Line had movie projects in the works. This shows that Terry McQueen had her own goals. She was more than Steve McQueen’s daughter. She had work and plans of her own.

Terry McQueen’s Marriage and Personal Life

Terry kept much of her love life private. She was not in the news as often as her famous father. This is why there are fewer clear facts about her personal life.

Terry had a relationship with Dennis Flattery. They became parents to a daughter named Molly McQueen. Terry’s life changed when she became a mother. Molly became a very important part of her world.

It is best not to guess about private parts of Terry’s life. Many websites share claims that are hard to prove. What we do know is that Terry became a mother and cared deeply about her family.

Terry McQueen’s Daughter Molly McQueen

Molly McQueen was born on July 18 1987. She is Terry McQueen’s daughter and Steve McQueen’s granddaughter. Sadly Molly was still a child when her mother died.

Molly later found her own place in show business. She studied theater and communications. She then worked as an actress. She also became a writer and producer.

This makes the family story very interesting. Steve became a movie star. Terry worked behind the scenes. Molly later worked in several parts of entertainment. Each person found a different way to follow a creative path.

Terry McQueen’s Health Problems

Terry faced serious health problems during the final years of her life. Her liver became very sick. Her health reached a point where doctors believed she needed a new liver.

In November 1997 Terry had an emergency liver transplant. This was a major operation. At first there was good news. Reports said the operation went well and Terry appeared to be getting better.

Her family had reason to hope. But sadly her health problems were not over. Only a few months later Terry became very ill again. This led to the saddest part of the Terry McQueen story.

Terry McQueen’s Cause of Death at 38

Terry McQueen died on March 19 1998. She was only 38 years old. She died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after facing several health problems.

Some reports connect her death with problems after her liver transplant. A report from the Los Angeles Times said Terry died from respiratory failure. This means her body could no longer breathe well enough to keep working.

Her death came only months after the transplant. Terry left behind her young daughter Molly. Molly was only ten years old. Terry’s mother Neile Adams and other family members were also left to face this painful loss.

How Steve McQueen Might Have Faced Terry’s Death

Steve McQueen never saw his daughter’s final health fight. He had died in 1980. That was almost 18 years before Terry’s death. In one sad way this may have saved him from seeing her suffer.

Years later Neile Adams spoke about this. She believed Terry’s death would have deeply hurt Steve. Neile knew how much Steve loved his daughter. She had seen their close bond for many years.

Of course no one can know exactly how Steve would have reacted. He was not alive when Terry died. Still Neile’s words show just how close father and daughter had been. Terry clearly held a special place in his heart.

Final Thoughts

Terry McQueen did not live a long life. But her story did not end in 1998. Her daughter Molly grew up and made her own way in entertainment. This helped carry the family story into another generation.

Terry’s brother Chad also kept the McQueen name alive. He worked as an actor and loved racing. Chad died in 2024 at age 63. His son Steven R. McQueen also became an actor.

As of 2026 Steve McQueen remains a famous Hollywood name. Yet Terry deserves to be remembered as more than his daughter. She was a daughter herself. She was also a sister and mother with her own work and dreams.

(FAQs)

What was Terry McQueen’s cause of death?

Terry McQueen died from respiratory failure on March 19 1998. She had faced several health problems and had a liver transplant in November 1997. She was only 38 years old when she died.

What did Terry McQueen’s obituary say?

Terry McQueen’s obituary reported that she died at UCLA Medical Center. It also shared that she ran a film production company called Red Line. She left behind her young daughter Molly and other family members.

What was Terry McQueen’s net worth?

Terry McQueen’s exact net worth was never made public. Some websites give different numbers but there is no strong proof for them. She did run her own film production company in Malibu before her death.

How old was Terry McQueen and when was her birthday?

Terry McQueen was born on June 5 1959 in Los Angeles. She died on March 19 1998. She was only 38 years old at the time of her death.

What was Terry McQueen’s ethnicity?

Terry McQueen had a mixed family background. Her mother Neile Adams was born in the Philippines. Her father Steve McQueen had European family roots. Terry herself was born in Los Angeles and was American.

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