Home

•

Intro

•

1960s

•

1970s

•

1980s

•

1990s

•

2000s

•

2010s

•

Epilogue

•

Film

•

Credit

•

Names

In the 1980 Paramount Pictures film The Hunter, Steve McQueen plays a bounty hunter who chases a fugitive up the spiral parking ramp on Marina City’s west tower before the villain loses control and drives off into the Chicago River.

The stunt was performed on Friday afternoon, September 21, 1979. McQueen kept mostly to the parking ramp that day, venturing out once but returning when spectators got too close. About 1,500 people gathered near Wacker Drive to watch the stunt.

(Left) The area in center frame is now occupied by Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel. Kemper Building is at left. The Chicago Theatre sign is visible in the distance...

...until the car blocks the view.

Directly below the flying car, the empty area is now a Smith & Wollensky restaurant. Directly behind the car is the present location of Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk.

The car is falling past two large signs – for Marina City Restaurant and Marina City Marina.

The car crashes into the Chicago River.

The car was a green 1980 Grand Prix Pontiac. With a dummy and a movie camera in the front seat, the car moved at 40 miles per hour, guided by a stunt man running behind it. He then locked a throttle that was rigged to the trunk. The car crashed through a fake cable barrier made of wood on the 17th floor of the ramp and dived hood-first into the Chicago River, landing halfway across.

When it landed, it sounded like a cannon blast. The car floated for a few seconds and then disappeared into the dark river. Six camera crews filmed the stunt, including one from a helicopter hovering over the Dearborn Street Bridge.

In the script, the driver was supposed to survive the crash. But the impact was so severe that producer Mort Engelberg changed the story. “If it had surfaced,” he told the Chicago Tribune, “We could have gotten him out.”

The car was later salvaged. If the stunt had not worked, filmmakers would have been ready with two more cars.

While in Chicago, McQueen visited an antique store on Wells Street to look for antique airplane memorabilia, which he collected. While speaking with antiques expert Anita Gold, he said he was glad the stunt at Marina City was over and he was relieved that no one was injured.

(Left) Outside what is now House of Blues, a crowd watches actor Steve McQueen prepare for a car chase, only for this movie, “The Hunter,” he will be driving a red and white tow truck. Former Marina City resident Paul Huebl snapped this photo with a Rollei 35S on September 20, 1979, the day before the film’s climactic stunt was filmed.

Released on August 1, 1980, the film grossed more than $16 million. It was McQueen’s last film. He died on November 7, 1980, of mesothelioma.

Watch the scene filmed at Marina City...

In case you blinked... Thomas Rosales Jr., in his portrayal of villain “Bernardo,” climbs over planters – still there today – between the State Street bridge house and the present location of Smith & Wollensky. Rosales has appeared in more than 100 films, mostly as a stunt performer and villain.

He runs north, parallel to State Street, toward the east tower, through an area that is now in front of the restaurant and includes an access ramp for the disabled.

Steve McQueen, as Ralph “Papa” Thorson, has also climbed over the planters and runs toward the east tower. The area at left is now the restaurant. The large awning in the distance at right has since been taken down.

Bernardo steals a car idling on the ground floor of the east tower parking ramp.

He drives clockwise toward the State Street entrance but a truck and cars block his path.

Bernardo has backed up and is turned toward the west tower parking ramp. McQueen borrows a tow truck and follows in pursuit. From inside the truck, we see a valet stand near the southeast corner of the theater building. This valet stand has since been moved to a larger glass-enclosed structure on the other side of the driveway.

McQueen follows Bernardo up the west tower parking ramp. In the distance, what is now The Westin Chicago River North. The address on the awning is 310 North Dearborn Street.

As Bernardo rounds a turn, he passes a sign for the marina leased by Phillips Petroleum Company. In the distance is Wacker Drive.

With McQueen rounding a turn, the Dearborn Street Bridge and 55 East Wacker are visible in the distance.

Shortly before Bernardo reaches the end of the ramp, he passes a sign for Stein & Thomas Realtors. He will back up, run into the tow truck, turn toward the south edge of the ramp, lose control, and make movie history.

After the crash, McQueen passes a column with a number printed on it that identifies the parking space (and not the floor number). These numbers begin with 1 in the west tower and 2 in the east tower.

He surveys the damage from the 17th floor.

← Menu

Next →