Steve McQueen on the soft side of Josh Randall

The actor said that playing the Wanted Dead or Alive character made him a better man.

Everett Collection

Josh Randall was plenty of things. He was a bounty hunter with a conscience, a rarity for viewers who frequently consumed Western content. A typical cowboy has nerves of steel. Randall was plenty tough, but he wasn't afraid of exploring what truly lay in his heart.

"I call Josh a traveling Damon Runyon," said Wanted Dead or Alive series writer John Robinson, referencing the American journalist during an interview with The Record. "He's more interested in people than money. In lots of cases, Randall doesn't collect any money. And he makes mistakes."

Steve McQueen, who played Randall for the three years that Wanted Dead or Alive was on the air, agreed with Robinson's assessment. The actor referenced an episode, "A Ransom for a Nun," where Randall kills the wrong person. "I go after a guy and have to kill him," said McQueen. "Then I find out I got the wrong guy."

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Better than most people, who choose to bury their regrets, McQueen complimented his character for his ability to admit when he had done wrong, as well as his willingness to atone for his mistakes.

"After that, all I can do is look for the nearest church," said McQueen.

Strangely enough, McQueen found that playing the character of Josh Randall made him a better man in his day-to-day life.

"I think I'm really finding myself as a person and as an actor," said McQueen in an interview with The Virginian-Pilot. "I think the role of Josh Randall has taught me a lot. You can't help learning when you've done more than 30 different shows as the same character, and you're supposed to keep that character fresh and interesting."