Matinee Classics - Robert Sterling Biography & Filmography

Robert Sterling ACTOR

ROBERT STERLING BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Robert Sterling was born on November 13th, 1917 in New Castle, Pennsylvania with the birth name William Sterling Hart. After high school he enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh and first found work as a clothing salesman before he decided that he wanted to give acting a try.

Sterling began with finding work on a number of short films and a couple small roles in some feature films such as, "Blondie Meets the Boss" (1939), "First Offenders" (1939), "Sorority House" (1939) and "Mandrake the Magician" (1939).

His luck changed with another well known actor, Robert Taylor was getting ready to join the navy and MGM needed to find a replacement good looking male actor. Robert Sterling was their choice and soon he was being cast in more prominent roles such as in the films, "Ringside Maisie" (1941), "Two-faced Woman" (1941), "Johnny Eager" (1941), "The Getaway" (1941), "Somewhere I'll Find You" (1942) and "This Time for Keeps" (1942).

Between 1942 and 1946 he took a break from acting to serve in the Army Air Force during World War II. Upon completing his military service he returned back to acting however, although he was still receiving work, his demand in Hollywood and decreased after he left to join the Army.

Some of his later film roles included, "The Secret Heart" (1946), "Roughshod" (1949), "The Sundowners" (1950) and "Bunco Squad" (1950). He then decided to focus on working as a stage actor as film roles were becoming less available to him.

It was during a Broadway production of, "Gramercy Ghost" that he became acquainted with and later wed actress Anne Jeffreys. The two formed a musical club act and became an overnight success even performing on television in the comedy series, "Topper" (1953).

He also turned his site on more television roles adding such credits to his resume as, "Love That Jill" (1958), "Ichabod and Me" (1961), "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1962), "Twilight Zone" (1963), "Naked City" (1963), "Love, American Style" (1972), "The Brian Keith Show" (1974), "Simon & Simon" (1982), "Hotel" (1984) and his final television role was in 1986 on, "Murder, She Wrote".

Along with his career as an actor he also worked as the vice president for a computer software company and also started his own business during the 1970's called, Sterling & Sons based in Santa Monica, California that manufactured golf clubs.

Robert Sterling remained married to actress Anne Jeffreys and they had three children together before he passed away on May 30th, 2006 in Brentwood, California from natural causes at the age of eighty eight. He left behind his wife, three children and one other child from his first marriage to actress Ann Sothern.

Filmography

1986 Murder, She Wrote

1984 Hotel

1983 Masquerade

1982 Simon & Simon

1982 Fantasy Island

1979 Beggarman, Thief

1974 The Brian Keith Show

1973 Letters from Three Lovers

1972 Love, American Style

1971 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors

1971 Nanny and the Professor