Jan Sterling

Biography: Born into a prosperous New York family, Jan Sterling was educated in private schools before heading to England, where she studied acting with Fay Compton. Billed as Jane Sterling, she made her first Broadway appearance at the age of fifteen; she went on to appear in such major stage offerings as Panama Hattie, Over 21 and Present Laughter. In 1947, she made her movie bow--billed as Jane Darian for the first and last time in her career--in RKO's Tycoon. Seldom cast in passive roles, Sterling was at her best in parts calling for hard-bitten, sometimes hard-boiled determination. In Billy Wilder's searing The Big Carnival (1951), she played Lorraine, the slatternly, opportunistic wife of cave-in victim Richard Benedict, summing up her philosophy of life with the classic line "I don't go to church. Kneeling bags my nylons." In 1954, Jan was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Sally McKee, a mail-order bride with a questionable past, in The High and the Mighty. In aBorn into a prosperous New York family, Jan Sterling was educated in private schools before heading to England, where she studied acting with Fay Compton. Billed as Jane Sterling, she made her first Broadway appearance at the age of fifteen; she went on to appear in such major stage offerings as Panama Hattie, Over 21 and Present Laughter. In 1947, she made her movie bow--billed as Jane Darian for the first and last time in her career--in RKO's Tycoon. Seldom cast in passive roles, Sterling was at her best in parts calling for hard-bitten, sometimes hard-boiled determination. In Billy Wilder's searing The Big Carnival (1951), she played Lorraine, the slatternly, opportunistic wife of cave-in victim Richard Benedict, summing up her philosophy of life with the classic line "I don't go to church. Kneeling bags my nylons." In 1954, Jan was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Sally McKee, a mail-order bride with a questionable past, in The High and the Mighty. In a prime example of giving one's all to one's art, Sterling submitted to having her eyebrows shaved off for a crucial scene; her brows never grew back, and she was required to pencil them in for the rest of her career. Also in 1954, Sterling travelled to England to play Julia in the first film version of George Orwell's 1984; though her character was a member of "The Anti-Sex League," Sterling was several months pregnant at the time. Having no qualms about shuttling between films and television, she showed up in nearly all the major live anthologies of the 1950s. She was also a panelist on such quiz programs as You're In the Picture (1961) and Made in America (1964). Married twice, Sterling's second husband was actor Paul Douglas. Jan Sterling retired from films in favor of the stage in 1969; she returned before the cameras in 1976 to portray Mrs. Herbert Hoover in the TV miniseries Backstairs at the White House. Expand

Jan Sterling's Scores

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Title: Year: Credit: User score:
tbd The Incredible Hulk: Season 4 Nov 7, 1980 Stella Verdugo tbd
tbd Three's Company: Season 5 Oct 28, 1980 Judge Sheffield tbd
tbd Little House on the Prairie: Season 3 Sep 27, 1976 Laura Colby Ingalls tbd
tbd Kung Fu: Season 3 Sep 14, 1974 Mary Jenkins tbd
tbd Guiding Light: Season 18 Jan 2, 1970 Miss Mildred Foss (1969 - 1970; As Jan Sterling Douglas) tbd
tbd The Jackie Gleason Show: Season 18 Mar 29, 1969 Herself/Panelist tbd
tbd The Jackie Gleason Show: Season 15 Oct 14, 1967 Herself/Panelist tbd
tbd The Alfred Hitchcock Hour: Season 1 Sep 20, 1962 Beatrice tbd
tbd The Untouchables: Season 2 Oct 13, 1960 Francey McKay tbd
tbd Bonanza: Season 2 Sep 10, 1960 Diane tbd
tbd The Jackie Gleason Show: Season 5 Jun 22, 1957 Herself/Panelist tbd