Steel's roles up until then had been essentially bit parts. His first big break was being cast as one of three British POWs who escape from a camp in "The Wooden Horse" (1950). This film, based on a true story, was the third most popular film at the British box office in 1950 and established Steel as a leading man. Director Jack Lee said that the actor "was fine to work with, just a physical type, a young chap who could do certain things, though he didn't have much acting to do in this." He was paid £15 a week. "star Leo Genn was getting thousands," Steel recalled. "It made me pretty mad."