A handsome, virile star of the late 1940s and 50s, Sterling Hayden spent several years at sea before signing with Paramount in 1940, appearing in two films with future wife Madeleine Carroll. Variously touted by the studio publicity machine as "The Most Beautiful Man in Movies" or "The Beautiful Blond Viking God", the actor broke his contract in 1941 to join the Marines. During WWII, he assisted the Yugoslavian partisans fight against the Germans and briefly joined the Communist Party in 1946 (resigning after six months) before resuming his acting career the following year. Shortly after his superb performance in "The Asphalt Jungle" (1950), Hayden was gray-listed and was unable to work in Hollywood for six months. He then privately called on the FBI to make a statement concerning his former Communist affiliations, but was subpoenaed by HUAC in 1951 and obliged to testify in public, naming his fellow believers. Hayden was then allowed to continue working, though he expressed his guilt over having "named names" in his 1966 autobiography, "Wanderer". Ironically, in Stanley Kubrick's classic comedy "Dr. Strangelove" (1963), Hayden played the deranged General Jack D. Ripper, whose over-zealous desire to stop the "communist threat" sets World War III in motion. Among his other memorable roles were the corrupt police captain in "The Godfather" (1972) and the chairman of the board in the comedy "9 to 5" (1980). He rounded out his career portraying John Brown in the CBS Civil War miniseries "The Blue and the Gray" (1982).
- Also Credited As:
John Hamilton, Sterling Relyea Walter, Stirling Hayden
- Born:
March 26, 1916 in Montclair, New Jersey
- Died:
May 23, 1986.
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Job Titles:
Actor, Author, Model, Seaman
Family
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Daughter: Gretchen Belle Hayden. born in September 1950; mother, Betty de Noon
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Father: George Walter. died in 1925
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Mother: Frances Walter.
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Son: Andrew Hayden. born in February 1961; mother, Catherine D McConnell
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Son: Christian Winslow Hayden. born in August 1948; mother Betty de Noon
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Son: Dana Morgan Hayden. born in June 1949; mother, Betty de Noon
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Son: David Hayden. born in September 1962; 1961; mother, Catherine D McConnell
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Son: Matthew Grant Hayden. born in July 1952; mother, Betty de Noon
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Step-father: James Hayden. adopted Sterling
Education
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Wassookaeg School, Dexter, Maine
Milestones
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1940 Signed to a film contract by Paramount Pictures; billed as "The Most Beautiful Man in Movies"
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1941 Film acting debut in "Virginia"
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1941 Left performing to join the Marines; used pseudonym John Hamilton
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1947 Returned to film acting in "Variety Girl" and "Blaze of Noon"
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1950 Co-starred in "The Asphalt Jungle"
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1954 Acted in "Johnny Guitar"
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1956 Co-starred in "The Killing"
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1960 Played title role in CBS adaptation of "Ethan Frome"
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1964 Cast by Stanley Kubrick as General Ripper in "Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"
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1972 Portrayed the brutal, corrupt police captain in "The Godfather"
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1973 Appeared in "The Long Goodbye"
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1976 Co-starred in "1900"
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1978 Had featured role as one of the monarchs in "King of the Gypsies"
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1980 Played the chairman of the board in a cameo appearance in "9 to 5"
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1982 Final film, "Venom"
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1982 Last TV acting role as John Brown in the Civil War drama "The Blue and the Gray"
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At age 17, ran away from home and became a ship's mate, seaman and fireman on various vessels
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During 1950s "Red Scare", cooperated with House UnAmerican Activities Committee
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During WWII, assisted Yugoslavian partisans by running guns through a German blockade; briefly flirted with joining the Communist Party
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Raised in New England and the Washington, DC, area