Sterling Hayden

STERLING HAYDEN d1986. American actor, author, sailor and decorated Marine Corps officer and an Office of Strategic Services' agent during World War II. A leading man for most of his career, he specialized in westerns and film noir throughout the 1950s including ; John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle (1950) / Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar (1954) and Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956). He became noted for supporting roles in the 1960s, perhaps most memorably as General Jack D Ripper in Kubrick's Dr Strangelove. His success continued into the New Hollywood era ; as Irish-American policeman Captain McCluskey in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) / alcoholic novelist Roger Wade in Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye (1973) and elderly peasant Leo Dalcò in Bernardo Bertolucci's 1900 (1976). With a distinctive "rapid-fire baritone" voice and standing at 6 ft 5 in, he had a commanding screen presence in both leading and supporting roles