Rod Steiger facts for kids
Rodney Stephen "Rod" Steiger (April 14, 1925 – July 9, 2002) was an American movie, television, stage, radio, and voice actor. He was known for his roles in: In the Heat of the Night, On the Waterfront, The Pawnbroker, Doctor Zhivago, Oklahoma!, A Fistful of Dynamite, and in Mars Attacks!. He won two BAFTA Awards, one Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award.
Steiger was born on April 14, 1925 in Westhampton, New York. He studied at the Actor's Studio.
He was married to Sally Gracie from 1952 until they divorced in 1958. Then he was married to Clarie Bloom from 1959 until they divorced in 1969. Thirdly he was married to Sherry Nelson from 1973 until they divorced in 1979. Then he was married to Paula Ellis from 1986 until they divorced in 1997. He was married to Joan Benedict from 2000 until his death in 2002. With Bloom he has a daughter, Anna Steiger. With Ellis he has a son, Michael Steiger.
Steiger died on July 9, 2002 in Los Angeles, California from pneumonia after having bladder surgery, aged 77. He was later buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, California.
Images for kids
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Steiger attended West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, where he showed an early interest in acting.
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Steiger with Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront (1954)
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Steiger as film tycoon Stanley Shriner Hoff in The Big Knife (1955)
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Steiger with Diana Dors in The Unholy Wife (1957)
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Steiger as the notorious mobster Al Capone
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Steiger in The Longest Day (1962)
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Steiger in The Pawnbroker (1964)
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Steiger's In the Heat of the Night (1967) co-star Sidney Poitier, who considered Steiger and Spencer Tracy to be the finest actors he had ever worked with
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Daniel S. Burt described Steiger's portrayal of Napoleon (pictured) as an "unusual interpretation"
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Steiger's portrayal of W. C. Fields was poorly received by critics
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Steiger portrayed Benito Mussolini for the second time on screen in 1981's Libyan-funded Lion of the Desert
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Steiger in 1978 for the premiere ofF. I. S. T.
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Actress Claire Bloom, in 1958, who was married to Steiger for ten years
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Steiger during a dynamic scene in The Big Knife
