ROD STEIGER BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Rod Steiger was born on April 14th, 1925 in Westhampton, New York, to parents Lorraine and Frederick Stieger.   After his parents divorced, he was raised in New jersey by his mother and went to high school at Westside High School, Newark, New Jersey.  His mother was an alcoholic and at the age of sixteen, he dropped out of high school, ran away and joined the navy in 1941.  In 1945, he was discharged and returned to New Jersey to work at the Veterans Administration and joined a civil service theater group, where he developed an interest in acting. 

Stieger had a G.I. Bill to study at various New York Schools including the Actors Studio and began landing roles in live TV plays in 1947.   Steiger's TV appearances began in the early 1950's on such series as "Philco Television Playhouse" (1948-56) and "Danger" (1950-55).

The early 1950's brought on his first film roles, "Teresa" (1951) followed by, "Marty" (1953) starring Ernest Borgnine, which earned him an Academy nomination for Best Supporting Actor.  His career continued on an upward motion with roles in, "The Big Knife" (1955), "The Court Marshall of Billy Mitchell" (1955) starring Gary Cooper in the lead role and "Oklahoma" (1955). 

Steiger co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in Bogie's final film, "The Harder They Fall" (1956) followed by "Run of the Arrow" (1957) and "Cry Terror" (1958).  He was definitely staying employed as an actor and had an amazing performance as  a concentration camp survivor in "The Pawnbroker" (1965).  His big moment came in 1967 when he won an Oscar for Best actor in, "In the Heat of the Night" (1967) starring opposite Sidney Poitier.   He won critics over again with, "No Way to Treat a Lady" (1968). 

No matter what role he portrayed, Stieger always managed to make a unique impression.   Steiger has also made a number of films abroad.  Among the more notable are, "Hands Over the City" (1963), "Duck, You Sucker" (1972), and "Three Into Two Won't Go" (1969).  

After twenty years of working only in films, Stieger, returned to television to play Pontius Pilate in , "Jesus of Nazareth".   Stieger continued to work steadily through the 70's and 80's, but critics claim his best performance in years was in, "The Chosen" (1981) where he played a rabbi and in 1983 he followed with his first Television movie, "Cook and Peary". 

Going on into the 90's, Stieger had no issues working leading roles in television and film.   Some of his work included, "Men of Respect" (1991) and "The Specialist" (1994).  Stieger did have a slight issue with alcohol in the 90's but he still managed to work.  He received some supporting roles in, "Mars Attack" (1996), "Shiloh" (1997), "Crazy In Alabama" (1999), "The Hurricane" (1999), and in, "End of Days" (1999).
 
Stieger was married a total of five times.  First to actress Sally Gracie between 1952 and 1958, then to actress Claire Bloom between 1959 and 1969.  Between 1973-1979 a short marriage to Sherry Nelson followed by Paula Ellis for eleven years between 1986 and 1997 and finally to actress Joan Benedict from 2000 until his death.  He had a daughter, the opera singer Anna Steiger from his marriage to Bloom, and a son by his marriage to Ellis.

In 1976 Rod Steiger had triple heart bypass, which lead to a spell of depression lasting almost eight years.  However, he never stopped acting.   He eventually died on July 9th, 2002 in Los Angeles at the age of 77, of pneumonia and complications from the surgery.  He was survived by his fifth wife, his daughter, son and grandchildren.
 

2002   Poolhall Junkies
2001   Lightmaker
2001   The Flying Dutchman
2001   The Hollywood Sign
1999   Crazy in Alabama
1999   Cypress Edge
1999   End of Days
1999   Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season
1999   The Hurricane
1998   Modern Vampires
1997   Animals
1997   Artist's Revolution
1997   Incognito
1997   Truth or Consequences, N.M.
1996   Carpool
1996   Livers Ain't Cheap
1996   Mars Attacks!
1996   Shiloh
1995   Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys
1995   Little Surprises
1994   Black Water
1994   Seven Sundays
1994   The Last Tattoo
1994   The Specialist
1993   The Neighbor
1992   Guilty as Charged
1992   The Player 
1991   Men of Respect
1991   The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
1990   That Summer of White Roses
1990   The Exiles
1989   January Man
1989   Sauf votre respect
1987   American Gothic
1987   Feel the Heat
1987   Hello Actors Studio
1987   The Kindred
1984   The Naked Face
1982   Der Zauberberg
1981   Cattle Annie and Little Britches
1981   Lion of the Desert
1981   The Chosen
1980   The Lucky Star
1979   Jack London's Klondike Fever
1979   Love and Bullets
1979   The Amityville Horror
1979   Wolf Lake
1978   F.I.S.T.
1978   Teil Steiner - Das Eiserne Kreuz 2
1976   W.C. Fields and Me
1975   Hennessy
1975   Les Innocents aux mains Sales
1974   Last Days of Mussolini
1973   Re: Lucky Luciano
1973   The Lolly-Madonna War
1972   Duck, You Sucker
1972   Gli Eroi
1971   Happy Birthday, Wanda June
1970   Waterloo 
1969   The Illustrated Man 
1969   Three Into Two Won't Go
1968   No Way to Treat a Lady
1968   The Sergeant
1967   In the Heat of the Night 
1965   Doctor Zhivago 
1965   The Loved One 
1964   The Pawnbroker
1963   Hands Across the City
1962   13 West Street
1962   Convicts Four
1962   The Longest Day
1961   The Mark
1960   Seven Thieves 
1959   Al Capone
1958   Cry Terror!
1957   Across the Bridge
1957   Run of the Arrow
1957   The Unholy Wife
1956   Jubal
1956   The Harder They Fall
1955   Oklahoma!
1955   The Big Knife
1955   The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell
1954   On the Waterfront