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Sterling Hayden

Actor

Sterling Hayden

Born March 26, 1916 in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, USADied May 23, 198663 films

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.

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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."

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The best way into Sterling Hayden's work
The Godfather posterFirst watchThe Godfather19728.7as Captain McCluskeySpanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb poster8.1Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb1964The Killing poster7.6The Killing19561900 poster7.819001976The Long Goodbye poster7.4The Long Goodbye1973The Asphalt Jungle poster7.5The Asphalt Jungle1950The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 poster8.9The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-19801992Johnny Guitar poster7.4Johnny Guitar1954Nine to Five poster7.0Nine to Five1980

Filmography

63 films as actor
  1. 1992The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980Captain Mark McCluskey
  2. 1981VenomHoward Anderson
  3. 1981GasDuke Stuyvesant
  4. 1980Nine to FiveRussell Tinsworthy
  5. 1980The Starlost: The BeginningJeremiah
  6. 1979The OutsiderSeamus Flaherty
  7. 1979Winter KillsZ.K. Dawson
  8. 1978King of the GypsiesKing Zharko Stepanowicz
  9. 19761900Leo Dalcò
  10. 1975Cry, Onion!Henry 'Jack' Pullitzer
  11. 1975Deadly StrangersMalcolm Robarts
  12. 1973The Final ProgrammeMaj. Wrongway Lindbergh
  13. 1973The Long GoodbyeRoger Wade
  14. 1972The Big DepartureM. Nature / The Leader
  15. 1972The GodfatherCaptain McCluskey
  16. 1971Angel's LeapMason / Custer
  17. 1970Sweet HuntersAllan
  18. 1970LovingLepridon
  19. 1969Hard ContractMichael Carlson
  20. 1964Carol for Another ChristmasDaniel Grudge
  21. 1964Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the BombBrigadier General Jack D. Ripper
  22. 1958Old ManTall Convict
  23. 1958Ten Days To TularaScotty
  24. 1958Terror in a Texas TownGeorge Hansen
  25. 1957Zero Hour!Captain Martin Treleaven
  26. 1957Gun Battle at MontereyJay Turner / John York
  27. 1957A Sound of Different DrummersGordon Miller
  28. 1957ValerieJohn Garth
  29. 1957The Iron SheriffSheriff Samuel Galt
  30. 1956Crime of PassionLt. William Doyle
  31. 19565 Steps to DangerJohn Emmett
  32. 1956The KillingJohnny Clay
  33. 1956The Come OnDave Arnold
  34. 1955Top GunRick Martin
  35. 1955The Last CommandJim Bowie
  36. 1955ShotgunClay Hardin
  37. 1955The Eternal SeaRear-Adm. John Madison Hoskins
  38. 1955TimberjackTim Chipman
  39. 1955Battle TaxiCapt. Russ Edwards
  40. 1954Naked AlibiJoe E. Conroy
  41. 1954SuddenlySheriff Tod Shaw
  42. 1954Johnny GuitarJohnny 'Guitar' Logan
  43. 1954Arrow In The DustBart Laish
  44. 1954Prince ValiantSir Gawain
  45. 1953Fighter AttackSteve
  46. 1953So BigPervis De Jong
  47. 1953Crime WaveDet. Lt. Sims
  48. 1953Take Me to TownWill Hall
  49. 1953Kansas PacificCapt. John Nelson
  50. 1952The StarJim Johannsen aka Barry Lester
  51. 1952Flat TopCommander Dan Collier
  52. 1952The Golden HawkKit 'The Hawk' Gerardo
  53. 1952HellgateLt. Tod Voorhees
  54. 1952Denver and Rio GrandeMcCabe
  55. 1952Flaming FeatherTex McCloud
  56. 1951Journey Into LightRev, John Burrows
  57. 1950The Asphalt JungleDix Handley
  58. 1949ManhandledJoe Cooper
  59. 1949El PasoBert Donner
  60. 1947Variety GirlSterling Hayden
  61. 1947Blaze of NoonTad McDonald
  62. 1941Bahama PassageAdrian Ainsworth
  63. 1941VirginiaNorman Williams