One of Hollywood's more talented and watchable stars on screen was sullen, strikingly stick-thin 50s actress Jan Sterling who didn't quite reach the top echelon of stardom but certainly ensured audiences of a real good time with her sexy pout and flashy style in soaps, film noir and saucy comedy. Jan was born Jane Sterling Adriance in Manhattan in ...
April 3, 1921, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Died
March 26, 2004, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Height
5' 5" (1.65 m)
Profession
Actress, Soundtrack
Spouse
Paul Douglas (m. 1950–1959), John Merivale (m. 1941–1947)
Children
Adams Douglas, Celia Douglas
Star Sign
Aries
#
Quote
1
You really have to be in Hollywood or New York to be thought of for parts. Then, too, I can't play the roles I once could and I'm not old enough for many of the others. I've lived in London for many years and I couldn't work here, either, because I did not have a work permit until very recently...And my almost total lack of ambition and the fact that I enjoy my life now very much. I'm not aware that I'm missing anything. JS - on the reasons for her professional inactivity
2
It was the longest minute of my life. And when the envelope was opened and it was Eva Marie Saint who had won, my heart sank. I really believed then that my place on earth would be complete if only I could have an Oscar. But Claire Trevor was nominated in the same category and the vote split because we were both up for parts we played in the same picture, The High and the Mighty (1954).
3
I was the original "happy hooker". I've played her in 10 of my 42 movies, and I've played her on television and on the stage.
4
I adored Hollywood because I'd always wanted to be a movie star. Maybe in some funny Freudian way, it was my way of getting more attention than my baby sister, who was pretty with curly hair. We all have drives we don't completely understand.
5
[after eating escargot] Erasers would taste good with this sauce.
On a never-aired game show pilot called "Talking Pictures", Jan revealed that when her dramatic studies ended in London, she traded her ticket for her flight home for passage on a steamship, in order to use the difference to purchase some lingerie. The original ticket was for The Hindenberg. Thus, she claimed that fancy lingerie saved her life.
3
In 1941, Jan took over actress Virginia Field's part in the Broadway musical "Panama Hattie" when Field left the show to marry actor Paul Douglas. By 1950 the marriage between Douglas and Field had ended in divorce and Paul married Jan.
4
Son Adams Douglas by actor Paul Douglas later became a programmer at NASA.
5
She was omitted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from the "In Memoriam" tribute during the telecast of the 77th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, although she once has been nominated for an Oscar in 1955 for her supporting performance in The High and the Mighty (1954).
In 1968 she received the first annual achievement award of the Century Club, comprised of members of the American-Jewish Congress, which recongized her service in radio and telvision programs for the women's conference of the Jewish Federation-Council of Greater Los Angeles.
8
Her son, Adams Douglas, died of heart failure just three months before her in 2004.
9
She's a descendant of two American presidents: John Adams and John Quincy Adams. In their honor, her son by actor Paul Douglas was named Adams Douglas.
10
Made her singing debut in a tour of the musical "Silk Stockings" in 1962.
11
Critics raved about her portrayal of "Billie Dawn" in the Chicago touring company of "Born Yesterday" and Columbia brought Jan out to the West Coast to test for the 1950 film version, Born Yesterday (1950). At one point, she was actually announced to play the part but the role ultimately went to the character's original player on Broadway, Judy Holliday, who went on to win the Oscar.
12
Has resided in London for many years. Was a good friend of the late Sam Wanamaker.
13
Known on stage as "Jane Adriance" until the 1940s. Her stage name was suggested by (Ruth Gordon), whose first suggestion was "Amethyst Adriance" because "you should name yourself after a gem." Instead, Sterling chose to drop the Adriance and shorten her first name to "Jan"; her character's name in the play in which she was appearing.
14
Gave birth to her only child at age 34, a son Adams Douglas on October 20, 1955. Child's father was her 2nd husband, Paul Douglas.
15
Some sources give her year of birth 1921, others give 1923.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Baby Boom
1988
TV Series
Barbara
Riptide
1985
TV Series
Ruth Davis
Dangerous Company
1982
TV Movie
Ray's Mother
First Monday in October
1981
Christine Snow
The Incredible Hulk
1981
TV Series
Stella Verdugo
My Kidnapper, My Love
1980
TV Movie
Geegee's Mother
Three's Company
1980
TV Series
Judge Sheffield
Backstairs at the White House
1979
TV Mini-Series
Mrs. Lou Hoover
Little House on the Prairie
1976
TV Series
Laura Colby Ingalls
Having Babies
1976
TV Movie
Mrs. Fontreil
Sammy Somebody
1976
Kung Fu
1974
TV Series
Mary Jenkins
The Virginian
1971
TV Series
Mary Beth Stanton
Medical Center
1971
TV Series
Florence Brent
Bracken's World
1970
TV Series
Harriett Moran
The Minx
1969
Louise Baxter
The Name of the Game
1969
TV Series
Elsa Roarke
The Angry Breed
1968
Gloria Patton
Mannix
1968
TV Series
Anne Marion
The Incident
1967
Muriel Purvis
The Road West
1967
TV Series
Sarah Meagen
Run for Your Life
1966
TV Series
Clara Mallory
Burke's Law
1963-1965
TV Series
Vera Selby / Devora Cato
American in Paris
1964
TV Movie
Gloria Miles
The Doctors and the Nurses
1964
TV Series
Claire Lucas
Breaking Point
1963
TV Series
Nurse Murdoch
The Dick Powell Theatre
1961-1963
TV Series
Selena Royce / Chris
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
TV Series
Beatrice Bartel
Kraft Mystery Theater
1962
TV Series
Guest Cast
Naked City
1961
TV Series
Myrtle Tiloff
King of Diamonds
1961
TV Series
Shelia Bradford
Wagon Train
1959-1961
TV Series
Selena Hartnell / Annie Griffith
Love in a Goldfish Bowl
1961
Sandra Slide
Adventures in Paradise
1961
TV Series
Topaz Harmony
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1958-1961
TV Series
Wanda Ferlini / Fran Holland
Bonanza
1960
TV Series
Dianne Jordan
The Untouchables
1960
TV Series
Francie McKay
General Electric Theater
1960
TV Series
Gloria Miles
Alcoa Theatre
1960
TV Series
Dr. Mary Cartwright
Riverboat
1959
TV Series
Lorna Langton
Lux Playhouse
1959
TV Series
Alice Vincent
Kathy O'
1958
Celeste Saunders
High School Confidential!
1958
Arlene Williams
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre
1958
TV Series
Martha
Kraft Theatre
1958
TV Series
Jackie
Suspicion
1958
TV Series
Georgiana
The Female Animal
1958
Lily Frayne
Pursuit
1958
TV Series
Allison Smith
Climax!
1956-1957
TV Series
Audrey Caldwell / Dinah Lake
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue
1957
Madge Pitts
The Loretta Young Show
1957
TV Series
Lucia
Playhouse 90
1957
TV Series
Helen Ott
Lux Video Theatre
1955-1957
TV Series
Maggie / Mary Ford / Julia / ...
The Kaiser Aluminum Hour
1957
TV Series
Brenda Stevens
Celebrity Playhouse
1956
TV Series
Lil Brown
Chevron Hall of Stars
1956
TV Series
Front Row Center
1956
TV Series
Ruth Merrill
The Harder They Fall
1956
Beth Willis
1984
1956
Julia of the Outer Party
Man with the Gun
1955
Nelly Bain
Female on the Beach
1955
Amy Rawlinson
The Star and the Story
1955
TV Series
Paula Vaughan / Marje Fallon
Stage 7
1955
TV Series
Marge
Women's Prison
1955
Brenda Martin
The Ford Television Theatre
1954
TV Series
Ann
The Human Jungle
1954
Mary Abbott
Return from the Sea
1954
Frieda
The High and the Mighty
1954
Sally McKee
Alaska Seas
1954
Nicky Jackson
The Vanquished
1953
Rose Slater
Split Second
1953
Dottie Vale
Pony Express
1953
Denny Russell
Sky Full of Moon
1952
Dixie Delmar
Guiding Light
1952
TV Series
Mildred Foss (1969-1970)
Flesh and Fury
1952
Sonya Bartow
Rhubarb
1951
Polly Sickles
Ace in the Hole
1951
Lorraine Minosa
Appointment with Danger
1951
Dodie
Pulitzer Prize Playhouse
1951
TV Series
The Mating Season
1951
Betsy
Union Station
1950
Marge Wrighter
Gunfire
1950
Flo - Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Mystery Street
1950
Vivian Heldon
The Skipper Surprised His Wife
1950
Rita Rossini
Caged
1950
Jeta Kovsky - aka Smoochie
Johnny Belinda
1948
Stella McCormick
Tycoon
1947
Dancer at Fiesta (uncredited)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Cannibal Hookers
1987
"Angel Fire" opening theme
The Human Jungle
1954
performer: "It Ain't Gonna Be You"
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Movie Quiz
1973
TV Series
Herself - Price Team Member
The Woody Woodbury Show
1968
TV Series
Herself
Talking Pictures
1968
TV Movie
Herself
The Price Is Right
1964
TV Series
Herself
Made in America
1964
TV Series
Herself - Panelist (1964)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1963-1964
TV Series
Herself - Guest
The Plot Thickens
1963
TV Movie
Herself
Your First Impression
1962
TV Series
Herself
The Mike Douglas Show
1962
TV Series
Herself - Actress
The Jackie Gleason Show
1961
TV Series
Herself - Panelist
Here's Hollywood
1960
TV Series
Herself
About Faces
1960
TV Series
Herself
The Jack Paar Tonight Show
1959-1960
TV Series
Herself
Person to Person
1957
TV Series documentary
Herself
Lux Video Theatre
1956
TV Series
Herself - Intermission guest
The George Gobel Show
1955
TV Series
Herself
The 27th Annual Academy Awards
1955
TV Special
Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Art Direction-Set Decoration Awards