
Sterling Hayden
Sterling Walter Hayden (born Sterling Relyea Walter; March 26, 1916 – May 23, 1986) was an American actor and author. He dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and hired on as mate on a schooner. He was a ship's captain at 22, and in need of cash to buy his own boat, established himself as a model in New York, discovered by Paramount Studios talent scouts and offered a contract.
Sterling Hayden, the handsome tall blond actor who played wholesome leading-man movie roles in the 1940's and 1950's and later weathered into a rough-hewn solid character actor in films such as "Dr. Strangelove", "The Godfather," "Nine to Five" and "King of the Gypsies". He appeared in 71 feature films and tv-productions from the debut in "Virginia" 1941 to the tv mini-series "The Blue and the Gray" in 1982.
He wrote of his obsessive fascination with the sea in a 1963 autobiography, "Wanderer," and in 1970 his 700-page epic novel of the sea, "Voyage," was a main selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club.
Sterling Hayden appeared in the German documentary, "Pharos of Chaos," (1983) filmed aboard his barge in Europe, and seemed to be in an alcoholic stupor much of the time, supplementing his wine intake with hashish. On camera he said: "What confuses me is I ain't all that unhappy. So why do I drink, I don't know."
38Credits8 TV · 30 films
1941–2016Years activefirst to latest
9.0 Highest ratedVirginia
7.2 Average ratingacross 38 titles
Top TV shows 8best Sterling Hayden shows
- 1
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for TelevisionCapt. Mark McCluskey · 4 eps · 1977 - 2
BanacekTony Fowler · 1 ep · 1972 - 3
The StarlostOld Jeremiah · 1 ep · 1973 - 4
Playhouse 901 ep · 1956 - 5
Schlitz Playhouse of StarsMaj. Jim Curtis · 1 ep · 1951 - 6
General Electric TheaterJoe Turner · 1 ep · 1953 - 7
The Blue and the GrayJohn Brown · 3 eps · 1982 - 8
Dick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreLink Stevens · 1 ep · 1956
Top movies 30best Sterling Hayden movies
- 1
VirginiaNorman Williams · 1941 - 2
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959Capt. Mark McCluskey · 2016 - 3
The GodfatherCaptain McCluskey · 1972 · Drama - 4
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the BombBrigadier General Jack D. Ripper · 1964 · Comedy - 5
The Starlost: The BeginningJeremiah · 1980 - 6
1900Leo Dalcò · 1976 - 7
The KillingJohnny Clay · 1956 - 8
Bahama PassageAdrian Ainsworth · 1941 - 9
The Asphalt JungleDix Handley · 1950 - 10
Johnny GuitarJohnny 'Guitar' Logan · 1954 - 11
The Long GoodbyeRoger Wade · 1973 - 12
The StarJim Johannsen aka Barry Lester · 1952 - 13
Crime WaveDet. Lt. Sims · 1953 - 14
Nine to FiveRussell Tinsworthy · 1980 - 15
HellgateLt. Tod Voorhees · 1952 - 16
The Last CommandJim Bowie · 1955 - 17
Zero Hour!Captain Martin Treleaven · 1957 - 18
Terror in a Texas TownGeorge Hansen · 1958 - 19
5 Steps to DangerJohn Emmett · 1956 - 20
Top GunRick Martin · 1955 - 21
The Iron SheriffSheriff Samuel Galt · 1957 - 22
The Eternal SeaRear-Adm. John Madison Hoskins · 1955 - 23
Take Me to TownWill Hall · 1953 - 24
Journey Into LightRev, John Burrows · 1951 - 25
Variety GirlSterling Hayden · 1947 - 26
SuddenlySheriff Tod Shaw · 1954 - 27
The ShipwreckerBook · 1984 - 28
Sweet HuntersAllan · 1970 - 29
The AlbatrossGlass Man (voice) (archive footage) · 2016 - 30
Arrow In The DustBart Laish · 1954