Sterling Hayden

Born in Montclair, N.J., on March 26, 1916, Sterling Hayden was at the height of his powers in the wake of World War II as a studio-described "blond Viking god," turning in a memorable performance in the Oscar-nominated crime drama The Asphalt Jungle (1950) before suffering a career setback for his affiliation with the Communist Party.

But in an ironic twist, after testifying for the House Un-American Activities Committee, Hayden returned to the big screen with a splash as an anti-Communist general in Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove (1964), a performance that earned him a BAFTA nomination.

Hayden is also remembered for playing supporting roles in two high-profile films: The Godfather (1972) and Nine to Five (1980), in which he played a corrupt cop and a chairman of the board, respectively. He died on May 23, 1986, at the age of 70.

Filmography