Sterling Hayden- Biography

Also Credited As:

John Hamilton, Sterling Relyea Walter, Stirling Hayden

About Sterling Hayden

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).

Partners

Wife

Betty Ann de Noon. Married 1947, 1954, and 1956; divorced 1953, 1955, and 1958

Wife

Madeleine Carroll. Married in 1942; divorced in 1946

Wife

Catherine Devine McConnell. Married from 1960 until his death 1986

Family

Daughter

Gretchen Belle Hayden. born in September 1950; mother, Betty de Noon

Father

George Walter. died in 1925

Mother

Frances Walter.

Son

Andrew Hayden. born in February 1961; mother, Catherine D McConnell

Son

Christian Winslow Hayden. born in August 1948; mother Betty de Noon

Son

Dana Morgan Hayden. born in June 1949; mother, Betty de Noon

Son

David Hayden. born in September 1962; 1961; mother, Catherine D McConnell

Son

Matthew Grant Hayden. born in July 1952; mother, Betty de Noon

Step-Father

James Hayden. adopted Sterling

Education

Brown-Nichols School, Cambridge , Massachusetts

Wassookaeg School, Dexter , Maine

Career Milestones

At age 17, ran away from home and became a ship's mate, seaman and fireman on various vessels

During 1950s "Red Scare", cooperated with House UnAmerican Activities Committee

During WWII, assisted Yugoslavian partisans by running guns through a German blockade; briefly flirted with joining the Communist Party

Raised in New England and the Washington, DC, area

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"