Sterling Walter Hayden, an American actor and author, was born Sterling Relyea Walter. Despite lacking aspirations to become an actor, he dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and began his career as a mate on a schooner. By the time he was 22, Hayden had become a ship's captain, and he needed to earn cash to purchase his own boat. To achieve this goal, he established himself as a model in New York, which caught the attention of Paramount Studios talent scouts and led to him being offered a contract.
Throughout his acting career, Sterling Hayden played a range of roles, initially portraying wholesome leading men in films from the 1940s to the 1950s. As he aged, he transitioned into more rugged, solid character roles in movies such as "Dr. Strangelove," "The Godfather," "Nine to Five," and "King of the Gypsies." During his extensive career, he appeared in 71 feature films and television productions, spanning from his debut in "Virginia" in 1941 to his role in the TV mini-series "The Blue and the Gray" in 1982.
In addition to his acting career, Hayden was a prolific writer. He published his autobiography, "Wanderer," in 1963, which explored his lifelong fascination with the sea. His 1970 novel, "Voyage," was a 700-page epic that delved into his experiences at sea and was selected as a main choice by the Book-of-the-Month Club.
Sterling Hayden also appeared in the German documentary "Pharos of Chaos" (1983),which was filmed on his barge in Europe. During the documentary, he was often seen in an intoxicated state, supplementing his wine consumption with hashish. On camera, he candidly discussed his struggles with addiction, stating, "What confuses me is I ain't all that unhappy. So why do I drink, I don't know."
