Sterling Hayden
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Hayden was reportedly offered the role of Quint, the sea captain, in "Jaws" but had to decline the role because of a problem with the IRS.
Biography
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).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1940
Signed to a film contract by Paramount Pictures; billed as "The Most Beautiful Man in Movies"
1941
Film acting debut in "Virginia"
1941
Left performing to join the Marines; used pseudonym John Hamilton
1947
Returned to film acting in "Variety Girl" and "Blaze of Noon"
1950
Co-starred in "The Asphalt Jungle"
1954
Acted in "Johnny Guitar"
1956
Co-starred in "The Killing"
1960
Played title role in CBS adaptation of "Ethan Frome"
1964
Cast by Stanley Kubrick as General Ripper in "Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"
1972
Portrayed the brutal, corrupt police captain in "The Godfather"
1973
Appeared in "The Long Goodbye"
1976
Co-starred in "1900"
1978
Had featured role as one of the monarchs in "King of the Gypsies"
1980
Played the chairman of the board in a cameo appearance in "9 to 5"
1982
Final film, "Venom"
1982
Last TV acting role as John Brown in the Civil War drama "The Blue and the Gray"
Photo Collections
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Promo
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Hayden was reportedly offered the role of Quint, the sea captain, in "Jaws" but had to decline the role because of a problem with the IRS.