Sterling Hayden

Sterling Walter Hayden, born Sterling Relyea Walter, was an American actor, author, sailor, model and Marine. Born on March 26, 1916, in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, Hayden went on to be a leading man for most of his career, specializing in Westerns and film noir throughout the 1950s. Notably, he starred in films such as John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle, Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar, and Stanley Kubrick's The Killing. He found further success in the New Hollywood era, with notable roles in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather, and Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove. Standing at an impressive 6 ft 5 in, Sterling had a commanding screen presence.

Beyond his acting career, Hayden was also an adventurer in his personal life, using his film earnings to finance his voyages as a sailor. He served as a decorated Marine Corps officer during World War II and an agent for the Office of Strategic Services. Early in his life, Hayden took a job at the age of 16 as mate on a schooner. His voyages ranged from sailing to Newport Beach, California, to skippering a trading schooner in the Caribbean after earning his master's license. Hayden was also a writer, living in Sausalito, California, while authoring his autobiography 'Wanderer', first published in 1963.