Sterling Hayden: Hollywood's Radical Rebel and True Original
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- #classicmoviestars #classicmovies #oldmovies
Sterling Hayden was a man who lived life on his own terms. During the golden age of Hollywood he was more concerned with ships and sailing than being an actor. He was a reluctant star, a war hero, a communist and a self described “rat”.
Sterling Hayden was one of the kings of 1940s and 1950s film noir and he appeared in the classics THE ASPHALT JUNGLE, CRIME WAVE, and THE KILLING among others - Just for that alone his legacy should be cemented but he seems to be as underrated as some of his classic 1950s film noir movies .
I spent a lot of time with Sterling Hayden while making this video and this is by no means a definitive look at his career or life but I think it's a nice overview. The films I chose to focus on are the ones that resonated deeply with me.
Just to clarify because I seem to have overlooked putting in this detail - Sterling Hayden and Madeleine Carroll were married in the winter of 1942 in New Hampshire.
It did occur to me that I did not really describe the social context for the House Un-American Activities hearings so if you’re unfamiliar with the Hollywood, HUAC, the red scare and the blacklist of the 1950s here’s an overview video to watch.
• What is the Hollywood ...
Also, I did have a segment on his 1976 novel Voyage, but for some reason there were audio issues so I had to cut it out. The novel, coming in at just under 800 pages, was a best seller and it is his only published work of fiction.
You can watch the full interviews with Sterling Hayden here:
• Sterling Hayden Interv...
You can watch some of Sterling Hayden’s movies for free here:
Journey Into Light (1951)
• Journey Into Light (19...
Battle Taxi (1955)
• ♦War Classic♦ 'BATTLE ...
Manhandled (1949)
• Manhandled (1949)
El Paso (1947)
• Video
Suddenly (1954) I didn’t use this one in the video but I really like this film. I
• Suddenly (1954) | Full...
The Killing (1956) if you’re curious about that suitcase. . . .
• Video
Finally, if you want to brave it, here’s the link to Sterling Hayden’s very first film 1940’s VIRGINIA.
• Video
If you're interested in the films and books mentioned in this video I've listed where you can find them in the links below. If you buy something through my links I may get a small share of the sale. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I can not recommend Sterling Hayden’s 1963 autobiography “Wanderer” enough. If you have any interest in the man then you need to read this book.
amzn.to/3PLLhXe
His novel “Voyage” is out of print but you can find used copies on both Amazon and Ebay.
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) Absolutely essential viewing. This is the criterion edition which has some fantastic special features including the excellent Hayden documentary PHARAOHS OF CHAOS which I used some clips of in this video.
amzn.to/3BrqKmf
The Star (1952) This is one of the few films where Sterling Hayden gets show his tender side. He and Bette Davis have great chemistry and in an article in Modern Screen magazine he says that Davis inspired him to have confidence and he felt himself able to give back to her on screen what she was giving to him.
amzn.to/3SmxQ1I
Johnny Guitar (1954) If you haven't seen it, watch it. It's unlike anything else.
amzn.to/3OE9T2I
Naked Alibi (1954): I bought this one earlier this year and I have already watched it 5 times and listened to the great commentary track as well. It’s a noir scorcher!
amzn.to/3zEvSSW
Crime of Passion (1957) This is 100% Barbara Stanwyck’s movie. Sterling Hayden provides some nice support as the oblivious cop/husband but she’s the star.
amzn.to/3QmoQb9
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After rewatching this I just realized that I failed to say when Sterling Hayden and Madeleine Carroll got married! They were married in the winter of 1942 in New Hamspshire. Also, Sterling Hayden died on May 24, 1986.
Only 60.
@@craigbhill He was 70, no?
@craigbhill thanks for the update Einstein 😀
@jamesanthony5681 that is right Sir!😂
Loved him in Dr.Strangelove- pitch perfecr deadpan comedic performance. And then in The Godfather film- portrayed a corrupt Irish cop to a t...A hugely talented actor ...
Thank You ! This is an awesome study about Sterling !! He rode into the Mobil gas station on Bridgeway in Sausalito 3 days after i started working there as a petroleum transferral technician (pump jockey).
He’d just received his 1959 BMW motorcycle, with a small wicker basket attached to the handlebars for groceries, back from a dealership in San Francisco … he looked like ‘Heidi’s’ grandfather - @ 6’5” basically wrapping himself around the bike!
I had no idea who he was that day in ‘85 but soon found out!!
I jumped out to serve him with a smile and asked him,
“Fill it with STUPID UN-LEADED, Sir?”
A brief flicker of annoyance flashed across his face as he looked at my name tag. “I don’t like jokes. Don’t spill a drop on the paint. Just got her back from the dealership in the City. I loaned it to them to display in their store window.”
I gently filled the tank with Super Unleaded as he balanced the bike to make it level. I didn’t spill a drop.
He started it up and drove up the hill and turned right … i heard the bike stop but didn’t know he lived around the corner.
When I went back into the office, my trainer, Brian, asked me how it went with Sterling Hayden ... That’s when it clicked - ‘Dr. Strangelove’ is my absolute favorite film ! I’d just seen ‘The Godfather’ a week earlier and had just moved to Sausalito to go to auditions and try to get into The American Conservatory Theatre in SanFrancisco … !!!
Two weeks later, i was reading his book, ‘The Wanderer’ and he drove in with his daughters’ Karmen Ghia - all 6’5” crammed into it … i trotted out and waited on him.
“Fill it with SUPER, Mr. Hayden?”
He looked at me & said,
“Call me Sterling.”
After filling the tank, i asked him if he’d do me a favor to which he replied, “Depends!”. I asked him to autograph my dog-eared copy of ‘The Wanderer’. He smiled. He looked at my name tag again and asked where i got the name of Donnan.
When i told him i was named after the poet Robinson Jeffers’ twin boys, Sterling was surprised. “One of my favorite people! And you were named after both sons?”
When I returned from the office for his autograph, he signed it,
“To Donnan Balazs,
Courage! Fuck ‘em all !!”
- Sterling Hayden
He started calling me ‘Donnan The Magician’ because i made his day by asking for an autograph.
He said, “Come on up to the house for a cup of tea sometime.”
I was thunder-struck!!!
After screwing up my courage a week later, i walked up to his house after work, knocked on the door and his wife Ms. Katherine answered the door. She called out, Sterling! Your little magician from the gas station is here!”
The next several hours are still etched in my heart and soul.
After he died a year later, my tears were flowing when Katherine came down with a framed picture from him … to give to us guys at the gas station.
I’m sure Sterling’s still sailing, just like he always will.
Thanks again for all your hard work producing this stellar presence!!!
D.G.Balazs - aka Garth Sky Walker
Oh wow! What an amazing story. The comments for this video have been full of the most wonderful personal accounts of the experiences people had with Sterling Hayden. Thank you so much for sharing this.
What a good story, he seemed like cool guy to me, your a lucky guy to have had met him and go to his house and all, thx for sharing that story!👍
Love your story, what a wonderful man. I think I saw all his movies.
A beautiful story with a wonderful ending. You did the man proud.
i saw him too! see my comment here!😮
This is my first video of yours that I've watched and you got me hooked. It's SO rare to find well-narrated videos on youtube; especially when so many can't pronounce half the words that they utter. I liked the smooth jazz piano music, not too loud and not distracting at all; totally appropriate for a film noir typecast actor. Way to go, Cinema Chick!
Thanks for watching. I'm glad you like the content, I hope you find more here to enjoy!
His OSS career was legendary and General "Wild Bill" Donovan was very fond of him. Great review of his life and work. Bravo!
If you want to know more of Hayden's military career I recommend the excellend book, "Sterling Hayden's Wars" by Lee Mandel (if you haven't read it). It has a lot of detail about his exploits in during WWII.
Men can be complex creatures. War brings out the best and worst in them...
@@KarmaFlight Men have to have a 'work', hobby, something to occupy the 'task oriented mind'
I lived in Sausalito CA. in the 1980"s. Sterling lived in the Sausalito Inn owned by a friend of his. My friend David was a cab driver. We used to take Sterling out for a evening drive across three bridges, thru the city and back again. We talked about everything, movies, books, poetry politics history etc. We also i might add indulged in some Afghani Hash!
I'm so envious of this experience!
Enjoyed your profile of Sterling Hayden very much. Lightly styled but informative. He certainly suffered badly from guilt, numbing himself constantly with alcohol and cannabis, as vividly apparent in the french/german documentary that your profile featured clips from. Much appreciated.
thank you so much for watching. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent job! I 100% loved your presentation. Ever since I saw him in The Godfather as a kid, and then Dr. Strangelove, I knew he was special. Over time I went backwards and discovered his great earlier work. They don't make guys like this anymore. Truly, one of a kind!
One of my favorite actors. You did a great job of capturing this singular personality.
Since he's one of your favorites, I'm really happy that you liked the video.
Hmmmm, I wonder why no one ever considered Sterling Hayden playing Santiago in Ernest Hemmingway's book The Old Man & The Sea? I think Hayden would have been perfect, considering Hayden's passion for the sea.
I wonder at this as well. Especially, in his later years his image was the ideal Santiago!
Anyone but Spencer Tracy. Hemingway said Tracy looked like an accountant. The producer, Leland Hayward, lied about Hemingway's appreciation of the film, saying Hemingway was pleased with it. In 1959, Hemingway implicitly disagreed with Hayward's assessment, stating that the only Hollywood adaptation of one of his stories that he liked was "The Killers". Sterling would have done well in his later years; his size would not have been apparent.
Brian nowadays the woke would demand a Cuban actor which would have been the best choice for Santiago! Cesear Romero would be a better choice as Santiago than hayden!
Very poetic. Going down the middle of the road and hanging on. - I'd like to know how his kids turned out and what they ened up doing.
A fascinating actor and person. His Dr. Strangelove & Johnny Guitar performances are iconic. Thanks for this bio.
Ever since I read Wanderer back in the 1970's I have been almost obsessed with the man's life, fascinating personality, better actor than he gave himself credit for, John Huston nailed it when he told Hayden that Hayden could act (I think Sterling had a lot of respect of John Houston and that had something to do with the fact that he was so godawful good in the part) but GOD he was hard on himself ever since the HUAC hearings, I am convinced that really ran him off he rails for the rest of his life, escaped into alcohol and drugs, prostate cancer took him early but that may have been more a blessing than a curse, he was very unhappy at the end, hopefully he found peace whatever comes next after we check out of this, what for some people like Sterling, is truly a veil of tears.
I think what really got to me was the self loathing in Wanderer. It broke my heart. I would read a passage and say aloud "good god don't be so hard on yourself!". Have you read the biography Sterling Hayden's Wars by Lee Mandel? It's really good and fills in the pieces where Wanderer left off.
@@CinemaCities1978 I have read Mandel's bio, very well researched and in some ways even more depressing than Wanderer but fascinating. It sounds like you are a Hayden geek like I am so you have probably seen Pharos of Chaos which is an uneven picture of Sterling as he spiraled downward, he left his mark for sure on my soul. RIP
@@dougowen9873 oh man. . .Pharos of Chaos is so painful to watch. But, he's so honest and open about all of his demons and regrets that you can't turn it off.
Nicely and professionally done!
I must admit I never saw a movie star in Sterling Hayden. I had read that after his pictorial discovery on the ship, he was a male model of primarily swimsuits and underwear and perhaps that's where he should have stayed. Male models made pretty good money and women ran after them. Models being photographed didn't have as much to be ticked off about as there was in making movies. With movies there were just more "things" to argue about and more expectations by the studio bosses, directors, producers, etc. and more contractual obligations with stiff requirements and punishments. And you really do need to have some acting talent in movies whereas a male model back then just really needed to have a good bod, a "look" that photographs well because not all great-looking people looked as good in photographs, and not much more. One didn't have to speak, learn lines, interact with others, follow strict contractual rules, or know how to successfully argue with the top boss (because the modelling agency took the lead on things like that).
With Sterling, I always saw and heard a person who had no real ambition to be in movies or want to use his ability to learn more about acting and movie making, interact with others, be a member of the Hollywood social milieu, or successfully negotiate for his advancement in what parts he played. These factors probably contributed to his never playing a leading man in a big time expensive, loaded with big time STARS movie. His co-stars were good actors but they were not members of the top of the heap. Yes, I know Joan Crawford was at one time a "true star in heaven". But Johnny Guitar was not a class A picture and Sterling wasn't the romantic leading man to Joan - Mercedes McCambridge was.
Hayden did know exactly what he wanted to do. And that and his choice, his obsession was very specific - sailing. Other actors had non-movie obsessions but they also wanted to be in the movies.
He was a big good looking guy whose deep voice and chiseled face conveyed little emotion, some amount of cruelty,, and no compassion or vulnerability.
Thinking back to his youth, he quit school at 16 and he didn't run to Hollywood as many youngsters did because they wanted to get their chance to be in movies ASAP. He ran to the sea to be a sailor. And, that is great! And so that led to
Hollywood often having to talk him into coming back to make his next movie.
And both Hayden and Hollywood got tired of that.
I am glad that Hayden was able to finally live his life that he wanted.
He knew so much about boating and sailing that he could have made a movie about his world wide boating ventures...
Thank you for this tribute to one of my favourite actors (along with Robert Ryan and Marlon Brando). I have Wanderer and his ambitious novel Voyage in my book shelf. Hayden loved the craft but not the business of acting. Still he got the perfect name for a movie star, partly thanks to his step father.
I love Robert Ryan too!
Although Robert Ryan made a number of films alongside his contemporaries. He's one actor rarely mentioned.
What I want to know is this: how could anyone NOT like Sterling Hayden?
I don't know those people, do those people exist???? 😂
Umm?......the people and the relatives of the people that he named to the HUAC in the 1950's? Just a guess.
@@jamesanthony5681Maybe- behind the booze, the beards and the nautical romance-Hayden was a hollow man and he knew it.
I don't know much about Sterling Hayden so I watched this and recognised him at once. A film, British production 1980s,Never released on video or dvd. He is superb in it.He owns a dilapidated yacht and runs an amusement arcade.And drives a classic Bently.I have watched it a few times and have it on my watch later list."Will you love me tomorrow" Very delicate subject matter, after watching your doc i think i understand why he played the part. :}
I already loved his work… You helped me to like the man too.
In my opinion, in The Godfather, he played the best, most inventive _death by shooting scene_ in all of 20th century cinema.
I've never watched a movie with Sterling Hayden featured in it where my attention isn't drawn to him regardless of whether he is the protagonist or the antagonist because he is so believable you can't avoid suspending the reality of the fact you are watching a movie. He was a superb actor and was always an impressive practitioner of the craft. Other than George C. Scott, and Peter Sellers' performances in Doctor Strangelove he was the most outstanding of all the rest.
And though his time on the screen was minimal at best he was magnificent as the corrupt New York Police Captain McCloskey in "The Godfather." His greatest asset as an actor as I perceive it was his commanding yet cynical voice.
Great work. After loving the performances in Asphalt jungle, Johnny Guitar, The Killing, Long Goodbye, I had to know more
thank you for watching! Sterling Hayden is definitely someone that you want to know more about. I'm glad I could help you know him a little better.
Sterling Hayden is also indirectly referenced in the Macventure game, Deja Vu (nes, mackintosh computer), as the main character 'Ace Harding' strongly resembles Sterling in attire and in color-pallet and physique. It's a film noir plot set in the late 1940s.
This is a true eye opener,I always thought of Hayden as a hard right wing conservative along the lines of John Wayne, I guess it was his performance in Doctor Strangelove,but now he’s ten times more interesting than I previously thought and now I’m a big fan….
Hayden and Wayne were definitely on opposite ends of the political spectrum
The Wanderer is one of the best non-fiction books I've read. This video gives and excellent depiction of his life. There are some great old shorts of him. What a great flawed character. Don't we all have our flaws?
I saw "Johnny Guitar" when it came out and I was quite young, but it impressed me so much that I remembered I liked it long after I forgot what it was about.
Whenever I think of Sterling Hayden, I think of what Elliot Gould's Philip Marlowe says about him in The Long Goodbye: "I never saw one like him before."
Great biography....thanks for taking the time to make such a great video.
Very nicely done portrait of Hayden. Thank you.
thank you for taking the time to watch.
The Killing is an all time great film
This video is very intriguing. I had no idea what Sterling Hayden's personal life was like.
The story of his life adapted into a movie would be better than "Forrest Gump".
The tension would absolutely rivet anybody with telling of his issue of testifying about the communist party.
His aversion to Hollywood is understandable.
Rufus and Chaka Khan recorded a song "Hollywood". The lyrics of that song most likely describes some the characteristics about Hollywood that Sterling Hayden wanted to avoid.
Excellent documentary, I like Sterling Hayden even more.
Didn't know most of that about Sterling, good stuff. In a Hollywood time warp, he would make a perfect Jack Reacher.
Hi cinema cities, enjoyed watching this episode. It's occured to me that there are some elements of Sterling Hayden melded into Pitts/DiCaprio characters in "once upon a time in hollywood".
I need to watch OUTIH again. I've only seen it once, but I feel like that is a film that rewards multiple viewings.
A bit of trivia here: There is an amusing allusion to Sterling Hayden in the great spy movie "Three Days of the Condor." Wabash, a CIA big wheel, played appropriately by John Houseman, is asked what he did in the OSS. He replies, "I sailed the Adriatic with a movie star at the helm."
I had read Hayden's memoir just before I watched this film, and I loved the little wink at the audience.
Did I miss a mention of his film "Suddenly" with a young Frank Sinatra? Besides this, "Strangelove" are the only movies of Hayden's I've seen, but I intend to see more.
I remember him as a policeman in The Godfather Part I. He did not get the opportunity to finish his dinner.
A very interesting man and as an actor he had his moments.
Great overview of Hayden - didn't know much about him - thanks!
I just happened across this clip. I only remember Hayden from the Godfather. Now I'm gonna watch some more of his films. Thanks!
Of course I think of this man with a cigar as Kubrick filmed him. But I also think of him in the role played by Robert Ryan in ‘Bad Day at Black Rock’. Very similar.
As impressive as his WW II experiences are, it is disappointing that he caved to the committee. Had it not been for the threat to his family, he might likely have just set sail.
HE was an extremely interesting man from those interviews
I was in film school in 1980 and two of my classmates were big Sterling Hayden fans, partly because he was said to smoke Hashish which made him a kindred spirit. They somehow got his phone number and when I was there politely called him on the pretext of doing an interview - he answered and in his rough voice said “call me at a decent hour” and hung up.
Films are strictly a matter of personal taste and we all have our own opinions. Even his simple films were great because of him.
A beautiful presentation. Thank you.
Beautifully done accounting of a most fascinating and often admirable life.
thank you so much for watching!
Good show. " Dix" was real tough guy, you could almost smell the sweat and cigarettes.
This was a GREAT man, a man of honor.
Always wondered how well he and Sinatra got along in Suddenly.
Troy Donahue and Sterling Hayden were good looking guys that had everything and finished with nothing. 😎 George "Gabby" Hayes and Roy Rogers made me smile.
He was also in Bertolucci's masterpiece 'Novecento'.
Well produced video, far above most of the others on TH-cam.
I don't brook his commie nonsense, but he was a genuine American bad ass. Right to the core. And those beady eyes could pierce right through you. And he had a way with mackin' on the babes, no doubt! Great video!
That was great. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Does anyone else think Robert Ryan was similar in many ways, to iconic Sterling Hayden?..Did they ever appear in a Film together?...
Yes. I saw a great similarity, both in looks and demeanor between Hayden and Ryan--although Ryan was less stand-offish than Hayden.
In The Godfather restaurant scene, Micheal Corleone shot him in the neck twice and he kept chewing a few more bites of veal anyway. It was that good! When they first ordered Sellozo said “ try the veal, it’s the best in the city.”
Excellent. Thank you
I think that Sterling Hayden did not become a MAJOR movie star only because he choose not to. Powerful personality, independent thinker. Plus, a decorated WW2 veteran, smuggled weapons for Tito, to fight the Nazi's, in Yugoslavia. Quite a guy.
He’s one of the most handsome and sexiest actors from Hollywoods golden age.
I saw the star recently, and really liked his performance.
He's really good in The Star. He said that Bette Davis was very kind, and she was helpful when he started to feel insecure about his performance.
"I don't avoid women, Mandrake, but I do deny them my essence".
I subscribed after the first few minutes of watching this video!
There is a 60s movie after Strangelove: "Hard Contract" -- ambitious and subversive, but generally poor. The star James Coburn can't overcome the klutzy screenplay. But what Sterling Hayden does in his scene is for the ages.
I tried to watch Hard Contact while I was working my way though Hayden's filmography and it was impossible to find. Now, I want to see it even more!
@@CinemaCities1978 It may still be available through TCM? But I can't say.
Scholars a thousand years from now (as if) would refer to this scene often, is my feeling.
Tom Russell has a great song simply called “Sterling Hayden” that’s a great tribute to Mr. Hayden, check it out folks
He was intense.
Beautiful biopic.
I always liked Hayden, I guess mostly because of The Asphalt Jungle however, the real person is a narcissistic trainwreck!
Just discovered you & immediately sub. Thanks
To all my Haydenheads out there, don't miss his brief but insane role as a stoned hippie arms dealer/US general in WW3 in the indescribable film The Final Programme (based on the Jerry Cornelius novels of Michael Moorcock)
that was extremely well written and presented. but you could've mentioned the other two 60s films he was in and his last film and his cause of death. so, it was well written but lacking in closure. btw, i'm a communist and never joined the communist party.
being a communist is, like being a socialist, nothing more than being anti-fascist and advocating for universal human rights and economic justice. some in the 40s and 50s were pro-stalin but this was before stalin's madness was well known.
the anti-communist witch-hunts of the late 40s and 50s, of which fascist joe mccarthy took a leading role, was the fascist backlash to the "liberalism" of the FDR revolution following wwll. these people were so paranoid and corrupt they sought and found a dreaded, evil communist under every rock and behind every door. whether a communist was realy there or not.
'being a communist is, like being a socialist, nothing more than being anti-fascist and advocating for universal human rights and economic justice.'
The witch hunt of the 1950s could have only happened in the U.S., where people are hard wired from youth to think about no.1.
Social justice? You have to pay for that lool
I allways loved Sterling Heyden in the king of gypsies he was superb.
His performance in "Dr. Strangelove" has to be one of the most memorable supporting roles in all of cinema.
I agree 100%
His performance in Dr Strangelove was not by design, but Hayden said his takes 'began to blow,' to such a degree that Hayden pulled Stanley Kubrick aside and apologized for not being on his game, he said I've tried everything and there's nothing I can do. Stanley replied to Sterling: 'Well, there's nothing I can do either, Sterling.' So, Stanley chose to focus on Peter Sellers three parts (there were four parts as Sellers was also to play Major Kong in the bomber, but that was scratched) and Stanley let Peter go off as Lionel Mandrake, The President, and Strangelove. th-cam.com/video/nDuharXlQDo/w-d-xo.html
@@guadalahonky4002 I don't know what you mean by "not by design." Adlibbed? Not up to par? Not as large a role as it was intended to be? At any rate, I think you are wrong.
@@Kermit_T_Frog Then you did NOT watch that video where he addresses that exact subject. Perhaps you should.
@@guadalahonky4002 Shrug.
The Killers, Dr. Strangelove, The Asphalt Jungle, The Godfather, Johnny Guitar ... weird how this guy managed to be in some of my favorite movies, arguably some of the greatest movies of all time, and all he wanted was a damn boat
😂
Not quite. Kubrick's film is called "The Killing", although "The Killers" is a fine film, too.
He's instantaneous
He’s also great in Altman’s
The Long Goodbye, people forget that film
@@JackKlumpass honestly the long goodbye is one of my favorites, people throw the word underrated around too much but this definetly fits the bill
I grew up with his 2 sons. A lot of people did not know who their father was. It was never really discussed. After watching this it gives me more respect for him. I can sense he had his demons so to speak but he was not a showboat and and acting never went to his ego. He lived a very low key life. One of his sons went to Yale.
I read a lot of stuff about old hollywood (obviously 😂) and I have to say Sterling Hayden is one of the people that I find forever fascinating. He lived a life that was only possible in 20th century but always seemed like a man born in the wrong time.
@@CinemaCities1978 America was sick back then . . . and still is.
@@jean6872 You mean hollwood was sick and now, sicker.
He's actually mentioned in a nonchalant way by John Houseman's character in the 1975 Robert Redford movie Three Days of The Condor (possibly my favorite Redford movie), when Cliff Robertson's character asks him if he "saw a lot of action in the war" when he was in the OSS before it became the CIA Houseman responds with "I sailed the Adriatic with a movie star", it was written in as a direct reference to Hayden and his covert smuggling of agents and arms to the fighter's battling the Nazi's in that part of Europe.
It was Hollywood giving one of it's own a little nod I guess you could say.
@@jean6872
And exactly what country is it you're from that has American graveyards in it as a result of your liberation and then received economic aid bailing it out after the war?
You smack talkers that run your mouths like that never volunteer what country you're from when you're running your mouths on America, that's because you know whatever one it may be has a history and has done things far worse than America has.
Like what are the chances you're from one of the countries that had colonies here that started the institution of slavery before America was even a country but then likes to run your mouths on America about slavery as if it was invented here? Huh? Which one of those countries are you from? Or maybe you're from one that built it's economy on a banking system that hid gold that came from people's teeth.
But no matter which one it is I'll guarantee you it's got a history far worse than America's, so take you smart mouthed insults and shove them up your pompous ass.
The man had that deep baritone voice just like Bob Mitchum. He also had the same attitude towards Hollywood. I saw an interview with Mitchum where the lady asked Bob what was his favorite director. “They’re all the same” was Mitchum’s reply. She was stunned 😳
Mitchum was a much better actor. Hayden was over the top and loud many times. Sterling had a screen presence, however.
@jamesanthony5681 all actors are the same. "All actors are whores": Katherine Hepburn
Sadly Mitchum in real life was said to be a racist redneck. According to Tony Curtis he refused to act with Sidney Portier. Sterling was on the right side of history with regards to the civil rights. Of course he was way smarter than Mitchum.
@@biaedwards4025 'Of course he was way smarter than Mitchum'? What makes you say that? The Esquire magazine article? Bob Mitchum actually read books and wrote some poetry, for what that's worth. Yes, Hayden wrote as well.
@@biaedwards4025 ...what’s your source on this unpleasant news? Found some stinging stuff related to an episode of anti-semitism which Mitchum walked back/explained/apologized for... but hadn’t previously heard/read, nor can currently find any info to back up the idea that Robert Mitchum was racist. We didn’t internet dig too deep on this and one may never know for sure (people were and still are, sadly enough, taught all sorts of hateful crap, so we’re not saying what’s what here...). He was a casual pot smoker and cut a Calypso record, however, so that’s mighty unusual behavior for someone who doesn’t dig black folks (just sayin’).
Hayden is a fascinating cat, weirdly lacking in recognition, so thank you for this. On the commentary track for CRIME WAVE, James Ellroy says Hayden's Sims "is Bud White," referring his detective in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (my favorite film). While I cannot imagine anyone other than Russell Crowe in that role, I see his point. Hayden's towering presence would have done wonders in the Victory Motel. Meawhile, THE KILLING is one of the few Stanley Kubrick films I genuinely love, while THE ASPHALT JUNGLE is the greatest heist film ever made (and another personal favorite). Plus, he was wonderfully bonkers in 9 TO 5. :)
I remember hearing that after I had read Ellroy's LA Quartet, and that totally made sense. Funny enough, I just had a conversation the other day about how Kubrick left me cold. But as a noir fan and Hayden fan, I actually really love The Killing.
@@CinemaCities1978 I also enjoyed Kubrick's other "noir" film, KILLER'S KISS, which is an odd little gem. Otherwise, Kubrick feels to me like the triumph of style over substance. I might feel differently if I were a filmmaker, not just a film-enjoyer, but I ain't, so I don't. :)
Hi Doc, good comment. I was surprised they didn't mention the film he shared co-lead with Sinatra. The movie " Suddenly" were Frank is an assassin and Sterling is the small town police captain. Have you seen that film ? It's reminds me of the " The Killing" in style and tone.
@@jaydouglas5847 Thank you! I have seen SUDDENLY, yes.
"Crime Wave" is a very good movie.
Sterling Hayden lighting a broken cigarette and looking at it with amusement at the end of Crime Wave (1953) is one of my favorite things in all of movies. This guy ruled.
Crime Wave! Another gem. Love the vigor of the gas station robbery, among other things.
Yep, one of my favorite moments too. That movie's a neat little noir and Hayden just bulls his way through, badass all the way through until that bit with the butt, then he laughs to himself...perfect period on the end of his performance.
Great film, directed with great style by Andre de Toth
Gene Nelson is soooo good-looking in Crime Wave and just perfect in the young married role. Unique among his roles as usually a dancer.
Just finished watching Crime Wave. A Great little movie and that last scene is so cool and funny.
Eddie Muller said that director of the movie De Toth didn't let Sterling to smoke during the filming to get him more irritated and agressive for the role. That fact makes that last scene even more ironic and hillarious !🙂
That was absolutely brilliant to watch. Sterling has for a long time been one of my all-time heroes. I read Wanderer while I was sitting at anchor on my 50 foot ketch in Olympia harbor. That got me up and moving. Long story short. I went to Scandinavia, Denmark, and bought a Danish coaster from the 20s. Spent the next seven years in the shipyard it was originally built in, to re-rig her and rebuild. Then we went sailing in the Mediterranean, kitted out to look like an 1800s privateer. Crew and passengers alike dressed in period clothes. Sterling helped fuel the dream in May.
I you haven't already read "Voyage." If you like ships and the sea, it's the book for you. The character "Harwar" is told through Sterling's mind's eye. I spent a little time at sea on a couple "restored" ladies myself; I'd never buy a new boat, you don't know her. Most of my time on boats was as a captain on offshore crew boats in the oilfields of the Gulf of Mexico. Throttling down on 20,000 HP and feeling a 120-foot aluminum hull get on step at 30 knots is a thrill all its own.
@@CajunWolffe I read that one also. In fact, I have done my best to not miss anything that Sterling has done. But, thanks for looking out!
He didn't seem the easiest man, but certainly a very honourable one at the end of the day. It takes courage to admit one's mistakes, especially for someone in his position. An impressive character, and in a handful of his best films, he was bloody good. Rip.
The Godfather scene was classic. R.I.P. Sterling Hayden.
Thank you for this. A wildly underrated treasure of the American cinema and endlessly captivating personality.
You're welcome! I totally agree that Hayden is an underrated treasure and endlessly captivating.
I'm just reading "Wanderer" right now, so this comes at the right time. Thank you very much! :D
I find Hayden fascinating in many ways and, watching his interviews and reading his autobiography (he was an excellent writer, btw), it never ceases to amaze me how such a big guy in every sense of the word could belittle himself and his contribution to pictures so much.
His book is such a revealing work of self reflection. I agree, I find fascinating that he so easily and openly belittled himself and his work.
I hope you read "Sterling Hayden´s Wars", by Lee Mandel. It´s such a great book about Mr. Hayden too. I wrote to Mr. Mandel after reading his book and the author was very kind. About Mr. Hayden, I think he was very ahead of his time - and he was a better actor than he thought. I wish I could have met him.
Hayden also wrote an historical novel "Voyage, a Novel of 1896", which is very good as well. I saw Sterling Hayden in Sausalito, CA about a year before he died. He was a passionate sailor who loved schooners and he was standing on a dock looking at a large schooner that was tied to the dock. He probably had sailed on it as well. Master sailor Irving Johnson had Hayden as a crew member on some long voyages and said that he was the finest First Mate he ever had. High praise from him.
He wrote the foreword to the classic "The Schooners of Gloucester."
"The Long Goodbye" is one of my favorite movies also. Hayden is perfect in it, and it seems like real life when he's onscreen. Eliot Gould is great also. And towards the end, you can catch a glimpse of Arnold Schwarzenegger in a bit part as a thug.
Yeah, but the real scene stealer was Morris The Cat.
"@@mindspringers2447 "You killed my cat"
As a big Hayden fan, I really appreciate the time for making this vid. You did a good job running down his notable movies, but I would highly recommend Crime Wave (1953) to anyone reading the comments that wants to check out more of his work.
Not only was it one of Hayden's finest performances, it's also one of the best B crime movies of the classic noir period. Crime Wave is also beautifully shot in a docudrama or proto veritae style that was way ahead of its time with gorgeous location work.
1958's Terror in a Texas Town may not feature a great Hayden performance due to his odd Swedish (?) accent, but his great presence makes up for the odd accent choice. And it's something of a cult oddball gem, which is rare for the western genre. Only Track of the Cat (1954) can really rival it in terms of weirdness, in a good way.
What a beautiful specimen of a man, he did look like a Viking God and I liked every film I saw him in just so I could look at him...didn't really care what the movie was about.
I love Track of the Cat.
@@gaillouise8310Me too!!!! He is absolutely positively addictive 🥰 😊
Hayden captured my attention by sheer chance. I happened to be flipping through channels one day, and caught his monologue in the Asphalt Jungle about striving to earn enough money to buy back his family's horse farm. I was so entralled I watched the rest of the movie, wishing I had caught it at the beginning. Even so, what an impression his and the rest of movie made on me.
What a wonderful introduction to Sterling Hayden! I was able to find the film free for you to watch on the internet archive archive.org/details/the-asphalt-jungle-1950
I hope you enjoy it! It's one of my favorite Hayden films and the supporting actors are all phenomenal.
@@CinemaCities1978 Thanks, but I've have since bought the DVD, watched it several times, and plan to do so in the future. That's a film that will never get old
Sterling Hayden is so cool! It's nice to know a guy like that could have existed back then and been a big star! I love Johnny Guitar, it is probably one of my favorite westerns (along with Samuel Fuller's 40 Guns). I often find myself quoting his line from the Long Goodbye "I'm all turned around..."
Yes, Sterling Hayden was undeniably cool! They defiantly don't make 'em like that anymore.
Johnny Guitar was a strange movie, to be sure.
Hayden walked in and made that one film for everyone. That's what makes a great actor.
Beautifully done! Thank you for remembering one of my favorite actors. I had no idea he was so attached to the sea.
Sorry, if I already a similar comment here before. I agree that Hayden was a Hollywood rebel. But the king of film Noir was surely Robert Mitchum.
A friend of mine on Twiiter says it's Richard Widmark. . . .
Naw, it's Hayden.
@@shirleybalinski4535 No, it;s Mitchum.
by a mile. Sorry to disappoint you.☺
@@irish66 ...Mitcham did blockbuster filmsof this category but, for overall amount of this genre, it was Hayden. He did mainly westerns and film nor, that was his " speciality. Mitchum was the better actor( screen presence) of the two men. Plus Mitchum could do a little of everything, including comedic roles. That was something Hayden never really accomplished.
@@shirleybalinski4535 Hi Shirley. So looking at both their film lists on imdb, and focusing solely on movies made up to around 1970. I offer these lists as the noir movies made by both actors. I decided to concentrate on movies set in more or less the period the movie was released,
Robert Mitchum
When strangers Marry
Undercurrent
The Locket
Crossfire
Out of the past
The Big Steal
where Danger lives
His Kind of woman
The racket
Macao
Angel Face
Second Chance
The night of the Hunter
Cape fear
Total 14
Sterling hayden
The ashpalt Jungle
crime wave
Suddenly
Naked Alibi
the Come on
The Kiling
Five Steps to danger
Crime of Passion
Total 8
James Ellroy said he based the character of Bud White in LA Confidential on Sterling Hayden.
I,d say you did a sterling job with this video but that,s corny.
I’m a massive Ellroy fan! I read that as well. I think he specifically said Hayden’s character from Crime Wave was the direct inspiration and that I can totally see.
@@CinemaCities1978 exactly! And he published a book of short stories called Crime Wave. Hmmmm.....🤔
@@maartenlemmens8628 yes!
My Dad knew Hayden. He was one of the most entertaining people I have ever known and completely out of his mind. The stories he could tell ...
The Asphalt Jungle is one of my all-time favorites. Also, The Killing, which I would like to see re-made.
Presently reading "Wanderer," and Sterling Hayden wrote better prose than any actor I've ever read with the exception of Louise Brooks. Actually I decided to pick up a copy of "Wanderer" after listening to an interview, circa 1969, with Gary Lockwood, who fairly raved about the book.
I picked up Wanderer on a whim last year after watching a couple of Hayden's films. I was blown away by how honestly he talks about his life, his failings and his insecurities. He was truly one of the mot fascinating people of the 20th Century.
I discovered Sterling a few years ago; he’s terrific; similar to Bob Mitchem. He had the guts to go where his heart took him, especially the sea.👏
I fell in love with "Dr. Strangelove" when I was 12, and it's still my favorite movie of all time. SH is absolutely FABU as BG Jack Ripper! A total tour de force ensemble...A MASTERPIECE!!
What a joke. In The Virginian the stars Fred MacMurray is Poor (he owned half of the San Fernando Valley) and Sterling Hayden is Rich (struggling poor newbie actor at the time)
Yes, it’s very ironic when compared to their real lives.
Gregory Peck played a good Capt Ahab ...but Sterling Hayden would have been a GREAT Ahab.
He would of won a Oscar for it.
Thanks for this! I remember his performance in Suddenly caught my attention then I recognized him instantly. Powerful presence.
I had the great good fortune to serve in a US Marine counterterrorism unit in the late 1980s. Sterling Hayden and Lee Marvin were heroes to us, and still are. Sterling Hayden is a legendary covert warrior. He served in the Marines before being seconded to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), with which he served with distinction in the Balkans, France, Belgium, and Germany. One of the unsung heroes of Allied clandestine operations in WWII, he was awarded the Silver Star for displaying “great courage” in the Mediterranean Theater. Lee Marvin, by the way, survived 26 battles in the Pacific and was a decorated US Marine scout/sniper.
If you're interested in more about Hayden, I highly recommend the book "Sterling Hayden's Wars" it goes in depth into his war service and his exploits primarily in the Balkans and it's extraordinary.
@@CinemaCities1978 Many thanks--much appreciated, I'll check it out. 👍
Semper Fi ! 0211 here.
One of the ironies of the whole HUAC situation is that Dalton Trumbo gets treated like a great man who was done so very very wrong by HUAC in their trying to keep a man from working because of his political beliefs. But the book The Anti-Communist Manifestos, recounts, on page 159, how . . . Dalton Trumbo spent hours and hours talking and calling and writing people in Hollywood trying to prevent works like Out of the Night (written by a survivor of a communist gov't) from being made into movies.
That's right. Dalton Trumbo worked tirelessly to try to keep the film industry from presenting stories that would reflect badly on his political viewpoint. So, in a way, Dalton Trumbo became the blacklisted blacklister.
Congrats on another fine (and now viral!) episode, CC. You really captured the man here. I've been a fan of his work and was surprised how little I knew about the man.
An interesting note: in the BTS book The Annotated Godfather, it's noted that Hayden never ate the catered food on the production. He only ate fruits and nuts, which the book implied he brought with him.
Seeing this portrait of the man, it all makes sense now. Very impressed by his civil rights support, too.
I popped this on again last night and will likely screen it a third time, too.
Hi Mr. Kurt!!!!! I'm so glad you enjoyed this video. Sterling Hayden was such a fascinating individual I feel like this video could've been 2 hours long. That story about the food is a perfect Hayden anecdote. He was someone, although greatly flawed, worked very hard at being his own man.
@@CinemaCities1978 I'll say! He was definitely that. I must admit, when I saw you'd chosen him for a profile, it seemed a curious choice at first, even for a fan of his work, like myself. I had no idea the treasure trove of facts I'd learn about the man. Very early on, the wisdom of your choice was abundantly clear. Very glad so much of his own voice was a part of it, too. Great job, CC!
@@mrkurtlovesmovies I love it when there are interviews and a person can speak for themselves. For Sterling there were A LOT of interviews and all of them were amazing.
He wrote two books, The Wanderer being his autobio, and also The Voyage, a fictional account of an 1896 voyage around Cape Horn by a shanghaied crew on a "Yankee blood boat" of a red-hulled steel barkentine, among the last of the great windships. The latter book has been widely criticized as containing too many disparate characters whose ends don't tie up. But I can't help thinking that Hayden used the book as an opportunity to showcase the many smaller character stories he'd met up with in his seagoing experience.
Read Voyage and it's a very good novel, the kind they don't write anymore, and to his credit, Sterling must of been shocked when The Book of the Month Club chose his book as a Main Selection back when a panel of judges still chose their picks based on what they liked and not sales potential ( Gone with the Wind not a hit at first, Catcher in the Rye their least best selling pick among members! ) they could have easily picked Shogun or Roots around that time, but they did'nt!
I read Voyage many years ago, before I knew that the author was an actor. One of my favorite books of all time.
I love that book!! And Hayden.
Devoted to his communist ideology, but testified before HUAC. Deeply regretted testifying, but took all the big parts his ruining others' careers gave him. A very interesting person certainly, but maybe he lived on his own terms a little too much.
He was in The Godfather as the Police Captain. The most memorable scene was when Michael shot him in the face in Italian Restaurant. He was so great as the Police Captain. Just an excellent performance.