Jan Sterling facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jan Sterling
Sterling in 1952
Born	Jane Sterling Adriance (1921-04-03)April 3, 1921 New York City, U.S.
Died	March 26, 2004(2004-03-26) (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1938–1988
Known for	The High and the Mighty Ace in the Hole Johnny Belinda
Spouse(s)	John Merivale ​ ​ (m. 1941; div. 1948)​ Paul Douglas ​ ​ (m. 1950; died 1959)​
Children	2

Jan Sterling (born Jane Sterling Adriance; April 3, 1921 – March 26, 2004) was a talented American actress. She starred in movies, television shows, and plays. Jan was most active in films during the 1950s.

She won a Golden Globe Award for her role in The High and the Mighty (1954). She was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Many people think her best performance was in the 1951 movie Ace in the Hole. Even though her career slowed down in the 1960s, she kept acting in TV and theater.

About Jan Sterling's Early Life

Jan Sterling was born in New York City. Her parents were Eleanor Ward and William Allen Adriance Jr. Her father was an architect and worked in advertising. Jan had a younger sister named Ann, who was a model.

Jan grew up in a wealthy family. She went to private schools. Later, her family moved to Europe and South America. In London and Paris, she had private teachers. She also went to a drama school in London.

A funny story from her youth: In 1937, she was supposed to fly back to the United States. But she saw some pretty clothes in a shop window. She spent her last money on them! Then, she traded her plane ticket for a spot on a steamship. Midway through her trip, she found out the plane she was supposed to be on, the Hindenburg, had been destroyed in a fire.

Jan Sterling's Acting Career

When Jan was a teenager, she returned to Manhattan. She started her acting career on Broadway in 1938. She used different versions of her name, like "Jane Adriance." Her first role was in a play called Bachelor Born.

In the summer of 1939, Jan acted at Elitch Theatre. This is the oldest summer theater in the country. She appeared in many other Broadway plays in the 1940s.

In 1947, she made her first movie, Tycoon. She was called Jane Darian in this film. Later, she changed her stage name to Jan Sterling. She had an important role in Johnny Belinda (1948).

Sterling in Split Second (1953)

Sterling in The High and the Mighty (1954)

Jan acted in both movies and television shows in the 1950s. She appeared in many TV series. Some of her famous movies include Caged (1950), Ace in the Hole (1951), and The High and the Mighty (1954). She often played strong and determined characters. But she also played a kind character in Sky Full of Moon (1952).

In 1954, Jan was nominated for an Academy Award. She won a Golden Globe Award for The High and the Mighty. That same year, she went to Britain. She played Julia in the first movie version of George Orwell's 1984.

Jan continued to appear in films regularly. She also guest-starred on many American TV shows. These included Wagon Train, Bonanza, and The Road West. In 1968, she started playing Miss Foss on the show The Guiding Light.

After her 1969 film The Minx, she acted less in movies and TV. But she kept working on stage. In 1979, she returned to TV. She played the wife of President Herbert Hoover in Backstairs at the White House. Her last movie role was in 1981. She played Walter Matthau's wife in First Monday in October.

Jan Sterling's Marriages

Jan Sterling was married two times. In 1941, she married actor John Merivale. They divorced seven years later. In 1950, she married actor Paul Douglas. They stayed together until he passed away in 1959.

In the 1970s, she had a long relationship with Sam Wanamaker. He mostly lived in the United Kingdom. Jan didn't act much for almost 20 years. But she made an appearance at a film festival in Los Angeles in 2001.

Later Life and Passing

Jan Sterling faced several health challenges later in life. These included diabetes, a broken hip, and strokes. Her son passed away in December 2003 at age 48. Jan Sterling died three months later, on March 26, 2004. She was 82 years old. She passed away at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in California.

Jan Sterling's Films

Selected Television Appearances

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958) (Season 3 Episode 20: "On the Nose") - Fran Holland
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 6 Episode 17: "The Last Escape") - Wanda Ferlini
• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) (Season 1 Episode 14: "The Tender Poisoner") - Beatrice Bartel

Radio Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Jan Sterling para niños