About this item
A master sailor when he was barely in his twenties, Sterling Hayden (1916-1986) became an overnight film star despite having no training in acting. After starring in two major films, he quit Hollywood and trained as a commando in Europe. Hayden joined the OSS and fought in the Balkans and Mediterranean, earning a Silver Star for his distinguished service. Hayden's wartime admiration for the Yugoslavian Partisans led to a brief membership in the Communist Party after the war, and this would come back to haunt him when he was called to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee where he became the first star to name names.After returning to Hollywood, Hayden's film career flourished as he starred in several films including The Asphalt Jungle, Denver and Rio Grande, and The Killing.
About the Author
Lee Mandel is a retired US Navy physician with a passion for history and writing. As a result of his research and publications on the health history of President John F. Kennedy, he has been invited to appear twice on The History Channel. His newest book is "Sterling Hayden's Wars", an authorized biography of the late film star (The Godfather, The Asphalt Jungle, Dr. Strangelove, etc.) author, and war hero Sterling Hayden. He is also the author of "Unlikely Warrior: A Pacifist Rabbi's Journey from the Pulpit to Iwo Jima", a biography of Rabbi Roland Gittelsohn and "Moryak: A Novel of the Russian Revolution."
