Sterling Hayden

He appeared in many films, among them:. His most notable moments on film include:. He died of cancer in 1986. He was the first American to choreograph and stage a ballet in the Paris Opera. Both books were well received. Kelly married three times:. He wrote his autobiography Wanderer in 1963 and an adventure novel of the tall ships, Voyage: A Novel of 1896 in 1976. He also received the Life Achievement Award from American Film Institute in 1985.

He defied a court order once and sailed to Tahiti with his children following a divorce. Kelly was awarded a special Academy Award “in appreciation of his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film” in 1951 and reawarded in 1984's Academy Awards due to a fire which burned down his home in the previous year. He professed distaste for film acting, claiming that he did it mainly to pay for his sailing vessels. Kelly was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in 1960. Ever after regretted this action, holding himself in enormous contempt for what he considered 'ratting'.". An energetic and athletic performer, he was known for doing his own stunts. According to his IMDB biography (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001330/bio), "As Red Scare deepens in U.S., he cooperated with the House Un-American Activities Committee, confessing his brief Communist ties. Eugene Curran Kelly (born August 23, 1912 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and died February 2, 1996 in Beverly Hills, California after suffering two strokes at the age of 83), was best known as an American dancer in films, but was also an actor, singer, director and choreographer.

His admiration for the Communist partisans led to a brief involvement with the Communist Party. "If Fred Astaire is the Cary Grant of dance, I'm the Marlon Brando." -- Gene Kelly. He won the Silver Star and a commendation from Yugoslavia's Marshall Tito. Dancing on roller skates in An American in Paris. His World War 2 service included running guns through German lines to the Yugoslav partisans and parachuting into Croatia. Dancing with a mop, a squeaky floorboard and a newspaper in Summer Stock. He also joined the Marines under the name John Hamilton. Singing and dancing in the rain in a much-parodied scene from the film Singin' in the Rain.

After only two film roles, however, he left Hollywood to serve as an undercover agent with the with William J. Donovan's COI office and remained after it became the OSS. Patricia Ward (1990–1996). His first film role starred Madeleine Carroll, with whom he fell in love and married. Jeanne Coyne (1960–1973) (two children, Bridget and Tim). He became a print model and eventually was signed to a contract with Paramount Studios, who dubbed the 6' 5" (1.96 m) actor The Most Beautiful Man in the Movies and The Beautiful Blond Viking God. Betsy Blair (1940–1957) (one child, Kerry). After serving as sailor and fireman on larger vessels, he was awarded his first command at 19, and sailed around the world several times. Xanadu (1980) - final film in which Kelly danced.

He ran away to sea at 17, as a ship's boy, then later was a fisherman on the Grand Banks. This was the second and last time Kelly and Astaire danced together on film. Hayden was a genuine adventurer and man of action, not dissimilar from many of his movie parts. That's Entertainment Part II (1976) - also directed. As a child, he lived in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., and Maine, where he attended Wassookeag School in Dexter, Maine. That's Entertainment! (1974). After his father died, he was adopted at the age of nine by James Hayden and renamed Sterling Walter Hayden. Hello, Dolly (1969) - Directorial and choreography credits.

Hayden's parents were George and Frances Walter, who named him Sterling Relyea Walter. The Young Girls Of Rochefort, (1967). He also played the Irish policeman, Captain McCluskey, who was gunned down by Al Pacino, in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather in 1972. What a Way to Go! (1964). Strangelove (1964). Inherit the Wind (1960). Ripper in Dr. Les Girls (1957) - Kelly's final film at MGM Studio.

Zero Hour!(1957). Ten Days to Tulara (1958). Terror in a Texas Town (1958). Strangelove (1964).

Dr. Carol for Another Christmas TV (1964). Hard Contract (1969). Ternos Cacadores (1969).