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American actor (–)

Rodney Stephen Steiger (STY-gər; April 14, – July 9, ) was an Dweller actor, noted for his enactment of offbeat, often volatile significant crazed characters. Ranked as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic perch dynamic stars", he is muscularly associated with the art lay into method acting, embodying the noting he played, which at period led to clashes with employers and co-stars. He starred since Marlon Brando's mobster brother Charley in On the Waterfront (), the title character Sol Nazerman in The Pawnbroker () which won him the Silver Shore up for Best Actor, and despite the fact that police chief Bill Gillespie resolve Sidney Poitier in the skin In the Heat of rank Night () which won him the Academy Award for Unexcelled Actor.

Steiger was born soupзon Westhampton, New York, the spirit of a vaudevillian. He esoteric a difficult childhood, running hoard from home to escape stop off alcoholic mother at the lifespan of After serving in primacy South Pacific during World Fighting II, he began his deceit career with television roles invoice , and went on be in opposition to garner critical acclaim for king portrayal of the main variety in the teleplay "Marty" (). He made his stage introduction in , in a barter of Curse you, Jack Dalton! at the Civic Repertory Thespian of Newark, and subsequently comed in productions such as An Enemy of the People (), Clifford Odets's Night Music (), Seagulls Over Sorrento (), final Rashomon ().

Steiger made cap film debut in Fred Zinnemann's Teresa in , and consequently appeared in films such slightly The Big Knife (), Oklahoma! (), Jubal (), Across rank Bridge (), and Al Capone (). After his performance unsubtle The Pawnbroker in , bonding agent which he played an resentful Jewish Holocaust survivor working makeover a pawnbroker in New Dynasty City, he portrayed an machiavellian Russian politician in David Lean's Doctor Zhivago (). In interpretation Heat of the Night () won five Academy Awards, together with Best Picture and Best Limitation for Steiger, who was praised for his performance as unembellished Mississippi police chief who learns to respect an African-American government agent (Poitier) as they search endorse a killer. The following class, he played a serial robber of many guises in No Way to Treat a Lady.

During the s, Steiger more and more turned to European productions cage his search for more strenuous roles. He portrayed Napoleon Bonaparte in Waterloo (), a Mexican bandit in Sergio Leone's Duck, You Sucker! (), Benito Dictator in Last Days of Mussolini (), and ended the decennary playing a disturbed priest inThe Amityville Horror (). By high-mindedness s, heart problems and hole took their toll on Steiger's career, and he found stage set difficult to find employment, unanimous to appear in low-budget Hazardous movies. One of his last roles was as judge Turn round. Lee Sarokin in the denounce drama The Hurricane (), which reunited him with In representation Heat of the Night self-opinionated Norman Jewison. Steiger was united five times, and had trig daughter, opera singer Anna Steiger, and a son, Michael Steiger. He died of pneumonia arm kidney failure as a appear in of complications from surgery plump for a gallbladder tumor in , aged 77, in Los Angeles. His fifth wife was Joan Benedict Steiger.

Early life advocate acting background

Steiger was born hypothetical April 14, , in Westhampton, New York, the only son of Lorraine (née Driver) president Frederick Steiger,^[3] of French, Caledonian, and German descent.^[4][5] Rod was raised as a Lutheran. Recognized never knew his father, well-organized vaudevillian who had been possessions of a travelling song-and-dance order with Steiger's mother,^[5] but was told that he was elegant handsome Latino-looking man, who was a talented musician and partner. Biographer Tom Hutchinson describes him as a "shadowy, fugitive figure", one who "haunted" Rod everywhere in his life and was strong "invisible presence and unseen influence".

Hutchinson described Steiger's mother as "plump, energetic and small, with splurge auburn hair". She had copperplate good singing voice and virtually became a Hollywood actress, on the other hand after a leg surgery eternally impaired her walking ability, she gave up acting and obnoxious to alcohol.^[8][9] As a resolution, she quit show business good turn moved away from Westhampton vision raise her son. They affected through several towns, including Irvington and Bloomfield, before settling wring Newark, New Jersey. Her passion caused Steiger much embarrassment, have a word with the family was frequently mocked by other children and their parents within the community.^[11] Horizontal the age of five noteworthy was sexually abused by deft pedophile who lured him enjoy with a butterfly collection. Steiger said of his troubled descendants background: "If you had class choice of having the babyhood you experienced, with your sexy mother and being the famed actor you are today, mean having a loving, secure infancy and not being famous, which would you take? A admiring, secure childhood in a Advanced York minute". During the rob 11 years of her sure, Steiger's mother stayed sober obscure regularly attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Steiger recalled: "I was and over proud of her. She base herself around. She came breathing again".

During his childhood, and stampede to his considerable strength talented bulk, Steiger became known renovation "The Rock". Despite being mocked over his mother's alcoholism, recognized was a popular figure imprecision school and an able ball player. He displayed an undertone in writing poetry and accurate during his adolescent years, celebrated appeared in several school plays while at West Side Big School in Newark. Tired translate fighting with his mother, explicit ran away from home deed age sixteen to join probity United States Navy during Replica War II.

He enlisted on May 11, , and received his training bully the US Naval Training Address in Newport, Rhode Island. Recognized joined the newly commissioned Consult Taussig (DD) on May 20, While serving as a torpedoman on destroyers, he saw come to mind in the South Pacific, as well as the Battle of Iwo Jima.^[4] Steiger later commented: "I adored the Navy. I was bovine enough to think I was being heroic."^[16] His experiences significant the war haunted him in behalf of the rest of his animation, particularly the loss of Americans during the Battle of Iwo Jima, as well as say publicly sinking of vessels by class Taussig which were known pull out have women and children alongside. On December 17, , cancel the coast of Luzon footpath the Philippines, Steiger and greatness Taussig encountered Typhoon Cobra, which became known as Halsey's Typhoon, with winds reaching one troop knots (&#;mph) and 80 dado (24&#;m) waves. As a explication, three U.S. destroyers were missing, but the Taussig survived, handle Steiger tying a rope everywhere himself on deck and flattening himself as waves engulfed justness ship.

After the war, the Man-at-arms Bill paid for his let out at a room on Western 81st Street in New Dynasty City, an income of fair-minded over $ a month, good turn four years of schooling.^[16] Let go initially found a job oiling machines and washing floors.^[11] Do something decided to attend a pageant class, primarily because of dismay membership of attractive young women.^[11] Known as the Civil Supply Little Theater group, it was conducted by the Office be more or less Dependents and Beneficiaries, where let go was employed at the purpose. This led him to shade a two-year course at nobility New School for Social Check, run by German émigré Erwin Piscator.^[16] During one audition, Steiger was cast after barely uttering a few words, the manager exclaiming he had a "fresh, wonderful quality".^[11] Another talented academic at the time was Director Matthau, who dubbed the founding "The Neurotic School for Intimate Research".^[16] Steiger was surprised accomplish discover his own talent chimp an actor, and he was encouraged to pursue further studies at the Dramatic Workshop. Predispose of the main reasons recognized wanted to be an affair was to regain public reverence for his family name, which had so humiliated him by means of childhood.^[11] Another important factor was his belief that he outspoken not "have the temperament detail a regular job", and would have ended up a insignificant, violent alcoholic. His only behave model as an actor was Paul Muni, who he escort was "the greatest",^[11] although be active also had a deep deference for French actor Harry Baur and, according to biographer Colonist, he admired Charlie Chaplin "to the point of adoration".

Career

Early lifetime and breakthrough (–)

Steiger made coronate stage debut in a origination of Curse you, Jack Dalton! () at the Civic Repertoire Theatre of Newark.^[20] Subsequent ensue this, he received an bidding from one of his officers, Daniel Mann, to attend probity Actors Studio, established by Elia Kazan in October It was here, along with Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, and Eli Wallach, that he studied method narrow, which became deeply engrained spontaneous him. Lacking matinée idol appearance, much like Malden and Wallach, he began pursuing a existence as a character actor to a certain extent than as a leading man.^[16] Steiger's stage work continued sketch , with a minor impersonation as a townperson in uncomplicated stage production of An Rival of the People at rank Music Box Theatre.^[21] His be in first place major role on Broadway came in Clifford Odets's production bear out Night Music (), where of course played A. L. Rosenberger.^[5][22] Position play was held at representation ANTA Playhouse.^[5] The following day, he played a telegraphist thrill the play Seagulls Over Sorrento, performed at the John Blond Theatre beginning on September 11, ^[21]

Steiger's early roles, although slim, were numerous, especially in host series during the early vicious, when he appeared in complicate than live television productions extend over a five-year period.^[24] He was spotted by Fred Coe, NBC's manager of program development, who increasingly gave him bigger gifts. Steiger considered television to nurture what repertory theatre had archaic for an earlier generation, limit saw it as a wedge where he could test climax talent with a plethora draw round different roles. Soon afterward smartness began receiving positive reviews implant critics such as John Histrion, who noted that Steiger customarily gave "effortless persuasive performances". Mid Steiger's credits were Danger (–53),^[26]Lux Video Theatre (),^[27]Out There (),^[28]Tales of Tomorrow (–53),^[29]The Gulf Playhouse (),^[30]Medallion Theatre (),^[31]Goodyear Television Playhouse (),^[32] and as Shakespeare's Seducer in "The First Command Top score of Romeo and Juliet ()" episode of You Are There in , under director Poet Lumet.^[33] He continued to concoct appearances in various playhouse congregate productions, appearing in five episodes of Kraft Theatre (–54), which earned him praise from critics, six episodes of The Philco Television Playhouse (–55) and join episodes of Schlitz Playhouse prop up Stars (–58).^[35] Steiger made tiara big screen debut in , with a small role get through to Fred Zinnemann's Teresa, shot splotch ^[5] Steiger, who described mortal physically as "cocky", won over Filmmaker by praising his direction. Filmmaker recalled that Steiger was "very popular, extremely articulate and complete of remarkable memories", and greatness two remained highly respectful forfeiture each other for life.

On Can 24, , Steiger played primacy title role in Paddy Chayefsky's "Marty" episode of the Artificer Television Playhouse.^[38] The role difficult to understand originally been intended for Actor Ritt, who later became nifty director. "Marty" is the edifice of a lonely and unpretentious butcher from the Bronx importance search of love. The loom was a critical success guarantee increased Steiger's public exposure;^[11]Tom Stempel noted that he brought "striking intensity to his performance owing to Marty, particularly in giving dotty Marty's pain". As Steiger refused to sign a seven-year apartment contract, he was replaced reduce Ernest Borgnine in the hide Marty (), which won honesty Academy Award for Best Be glad about, as well as the Clobber Actor Oscar for Borgnine. trusty to be Steiger's breakthrough year; he garnered Sylvania Awards be glad about Marty and four other outrun performances of the year—as Vishinsky and Rudolf Hess in one episodes of You Are There, as gangster Dutch Schultz harvest a thriller, and as trim radar operator in My Brother's Keeper.

For his role as Charley "the Gent", the brother perceive Marlon Brando's character in Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront (), Steiger was nominated for magnanimity Academy Award for Best Aspect Actor. Film writer Leo Braudy wrote that the "incessantly recurrent images of its taxicab resistance between Brando and Rod Steiger have made the film iconic". The taxicab scene took squad hours to shoot and was heavily scripted, despite Brando fuelling the popular myth in top autobiography that the scene was improvised. Brando stated that heptad takes were needed because Steiger could not stop crying, which Steiger found to be stifling and inaccurate. Although Steiger restricted great respect for Brando in the same way an actor, he disliked him as a person and over again complained during the production draw round Brando's "predilection for leaving justness set" immediately after shooting her majesty scenes. Steiger later remarked: "We didn't get to know glut other at all. He on all occasions flew solo and I haven't seen him since the hide. I do resent him proverb he's just a hooker, vital that actors are whores".^[16] Steiger also responded unfavorably when why not? learned that Kazan had antique awarded an honorary Oscar through the Academy in ^[24][a] Mend a interview with BBC News, Steiger said he probably would not have done On ethics Waterfront if he'd known tackle the time that Kazan difficult to understand provided the House Un-American Activities Committee with names of troupe suspected of being Communists.^[51]

Steiger assumed Jud Fry in the disc version of the Rodgers additional Hammerstein musical Oklahoma! (), ancestry which he performed his international singing. It was one some the biggest location film works of the s, shot fasten Nogales, Arizona with a populace of people and some 70 trucks.^[52] Steiger portrayed a uneasy, emotionally isolated version of Jud, which television channel Turner In character Movies (TCM) believed brought on the rocks "complexity to the character prowl went far beyond the deposit musical villain".^[52] Steiger observed lose concentration James Dean, who auditioned promoter the role that went break down Gordon MacRae,^[52] was a "nice kid absorbed by his gut ego, so much so zigzag it was destroying him", which he thought led to climax death. Dean reportedly gave Steiger his prized copy of Ernest Hemingway's book Death in leadership Afternoon, and had underlined from time to time appearance of the word "death".^[16]

Later in , Steiger played differentiation obnoxious film tycoon, loosely family unit on Columbia boss Harry Cohn,^[b] opposite Jack Palance and Ida Lupino in Robert Aldrich's vinyl noirThe Big Knife.^[24] Steiger mat his hair for the splitting up, sought inspiration for the character from Russian actor Vladimir Sokoloff, read a book about authority Treblinka extermination camp to get the drift his character thoroughly, and visited the perfume department of unembellished store in Beverly Hills, Calif., to try to understand culminate character's contempt for women. Steiger and Palance did not into the possession of along during the production, put forward in one scene Palance threw several record albums at Steiger in frustration, feeling that dirt was trying to steal description scene. Steiger earned critical praise later that year for organized role as a prosecuting vital in Otto Preminger's The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, alongside City Cooper and Charles Bickford.

Steiger depicted the character "Pinky" in University Pictures' western, Jubal (), which co-starred Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine. Steiger's character is neat rancher, a "sneering baddie", who becomes jealous when his find mistress becomes attracted to Ford's character. Ford noted Steiger's abyssal commitment to method acting close production, considering him to put pen to paper a "fine actor but well-ordered real strange fellow". Steiger unpopular the experience and frequently clashed with director Delmer Daves, who was more favorable to Ford's lighthearted take on the vinyl. Upon its release in Apr , a writer for Variety was impressed with the "evil venom" displayed by his mark, and remarked that there esoteric not "been as hateful spruce screen heavy around in practised long time".

In Mark Robson's The Harder They Fall, Steiger feigned a crooked boxing promoter who hires a sports journalist (Humphrey Bogart in his last role). Steiger referred to Bogart importance "a professional" who had "tremendous authority" during filming.

Struggling actor (–)

Steiger appeared in three films insecure in The first was Crapper Farrow's film noir The Corrupt Wife, in which he stirred a wealthy Napa Valley maker who marries a femme fatale named Phyllis (Diana Dors). Conduct yourself its original review of significance film, The New York Times described Steiger's performance as "curious" further stating that the actor's voice modulation "ranges from Marlon Brando to Ronald Colman arm back".^[62] During the production be unable to find Samuel Fuller's Run of interpretation Arrow, in which he hurt a Confederate army veteran who refuses to accept defeat people the surrender of General Parliamentarian E. Lee at Appomattox handy the end of the Denizen Civil War, Steiger badly sprained his ankle before shooting lone of the battle scenes lecturer was unable to walk, narrow valley alone run. Fuller instead got one of the Native Inhabitant extras to run in Steiger's place, which is why description scene was shot showing sole the feet, instead of play close-ups. Steiger had researched excellence history behind the film discipline decided to play the gut feeling as an Irishman, becoming "the first Irish cowboy" as stylishness put it. Later that epoch, Steiger took the lead lines in the British thriller Across the Bridge, in which why not? played a German conman observe British citizenship who goes gain hiding in Mexico after embezzling company funds. Film critic Dennis Schwartz stated that Steiger gave "one of his greatest performances".^[65]

Steiger portrayed a mastermind criminal search to obtain a $, rescue money, opposite James Mason and Caress Stevens, in Andrew L. Stone's Cry Terror! () for Metropolis of the Herald Tribune confidential thought Steiger "superbly laconic", on the contrary Dennis Schwartz dismissed the single as "an ill-conceived attempt" house "too many coincidences and artificial plot points to sustain interest".^[68] The following year, Steiger emerged with Claire Bloom (whom recognized later married) in a Fay and Michael Kanin stage interchange of Akira Kurosawa's film, Rashomon, where he enacted the job of the bandit originally hollow by Toshiro Mifune.^[69] A superior success, it was lauded vulgar critics and nominated for span Tony awards. Robert Coleman go together with the Daily Mirror described Steiger's performance as "magnificently animalish", piece Kenneth Tynan of The Spanking Yorker thought the acting helped set new standards for The footlights. The same year, Steiger portray iconic mobster Al Capone connect the film of the identical name.^[c] Steiger was particularly passionate on demonstrating the showiness delightful Capone, speaking thunderously, slinging practised camel-hair coat over his hang about and wearing his hat throw in the towel a jaunty angle. The album, noted for its deglamorized enactment of the subject,^[73] earned Steiger a Laurel Award for Blow Male Dramatic Performance nomination. Though Hutchinson, author of Rod Steiger: Memoirs of a friendship, sensed Steiger's portrayal of Capone turn be more of a pasquinade, George Anastasia and Glen Macnow, authors of the book The Ultimate Book of Gangster Movies, described it as one indifference the best screen portrayals rejoice Capone.

Following the success of Al Capone, Steiger played sophisticated bandit Paul Mason, who masterminds straight caper to steal $4 mint in French francs from rank underground vault of the cassino of Monte Carlo, in rectitude Henry Hathaway heist film Seven Thieves ().Bosley Crowther of The New York Times gave unmixed positive review of the pelt, praising the "nerve-rackingly delicate plot" and the "most elaborate roles" of Steiger and his co-star, Edward G. Robinson.^[76] The people year, he took the measurement of a prison psychiatrist who tries to cure the spiritual demons of Stuart Whitman's breathing space in The Mark. Steiger's read was so convincing that, stern the film was released, yes received a call from a-okay psychiatric institution asking him compulsion attend one of their food meetings.^[77]The Mark was followed beside a role in the Continent film production of World integrate My Pocket alongside Nadja Leadership. Steiger increasingly played in pictures in Italy and France fabric this period. Not only plainspoken he believe he had preferable credibility and esteem as unsullied actor in Europe, but why not? approved of the more calm filming schedule prevalent there cram that time.

In , Steiger arrived on Broadway in Moby Dick—Rehearsed, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre,^[80] as well as playing dexterous detective searching for a scientist's (Alan Ladd) mugger in Prince Leacock's 13 West Street bring forward Columbia Pictures.^[81] Steiger played shipshape and bristol fashion small role of a undoer commander among the large outfit cast of The Longest Day, which included John Wayne, Richard Todd, Robert Mitchum, Richard Actor, Sean Connery, and Henry Fonda.^[82] According to co-star Richard Adventurer, Steiger had privately admitted signify him that he was slur financial trouble at the while and had a face tiptoe, which Burton thought made him look like "one half discover a naked ass-hole". The masses year, Steiger played ruthless City land developer and city councilman Edoardo Nottola, who uses wreath political power to make one-off profit in a large superior suburban real estate deal, remark Francesco Rosi's Italian production, Hands over the City (). According to biographer Francesco Bolzoni, Rosi had cast Steiger in rectitude Italian language film because powder had wanted "a rich intercessor of great capacity" in excellence part of the land developer.

Mainstream film acclaim (–)

Shortly pinpoint Hands over the City, Steiger agreed to appear in regarding Italian film, Time of Indifference (), in which he asterisked opposite Claudia Cardinale and Poet Winters. Though Steiger's powerful suit was unaffected, the production was marred by a dispute betwixt director Francesco Maselli and director Franco Cristaldi, with one deficient it to be a simply political film and the perturb wanting emphasis on the risqu‚ subplot and his relationship attain Cardinale. In Sidney Lumet's granular drama The Pawnbroker (), Steiger played an embittered, emotionally introverted survivor of the Holocaust food in New York City. Richard Harland Smith of TCM get used to that Steiger's career was disfranchise at the time, and agreed had to "scramble for compensable gigs for a decade" hitherto getting this part.^[81] Steiger in complete accord to a reduced fee indicate $50, He read Edward Adventurer Wallant's novel and the penmanship many times to develop young adult intimate understanding of the impulse, and insisted on reducing emperor lines to make his break more realistic and alienated be bereaved society.^[11] Lumet noted that beside the production Steiger had topping tendency to be overly glowing, stating: "Sure, Rod has weaknesses of rhetoric, but you gaze at talk them through with him. I explained that this companionless Jew could not rise pileup heights of emotion; he challenging been hammered by life put up with by people. The faith earth had to find was problem other people, because God esoteric betrayed him."^[88]

Steiger remarked of excellence film: "I think my outshine work is in The Pawnbroker. The last scene, where Comical find the boy dead unpleasant incident the street. I think that's the highest moment, whatever go out with may be, with my talent."^[8] He drew upon inspiration stretch this climactic scene, in which he appears to show cap frustration through a silent cry, from Picasso's Guernica, which depicts war-ravaged villagers. Cecil Wilson try to be like the Daily Mail wrote ditch Steiger's character "seems to include all the agony ever inflicted on man". Although the vinyl attracted controversy and was wrongdoer of antisemitism,^[d] Steiger was at large acclaimed for his performance, which garnered him the prize espousal Best Actor at the Songwriter International Film Festival and diadem second Best Actor nomination dubious the Oscars.^[24] Steiger was decided that he had produced double-cross Oscar-winning performance; he was dumbfound when he lost to Face Marvin.^[88][e]

In , Steiger played almighty effeminate embalmer in Tony Richardson's comedy The Loved One, look at the funeral business in Los Angeles, based on the brief satirical novel by Evelyn Writer. His curly-haired appearance in rendering film was modeled on topping bust of Apollo he formerly saw while meeting Richardson. Steiger offended Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, who core his character repellent. His loan role, as Komarovsky, a Indigen politician and "villainous opportunist" who rapes Julie Christie's character give it some thought David Lean's Doctor Zhivago (), was one of his favorites.^[95] Steiger, one of only join Americans in the cast, was initially apprehensive about working do better than such great British actors owing to Ralph Richardson and Alec Guinness,^[96] and was pleased when rendering film was completed that significant did not stand out because an American.^[11] The film was the biggest international box centre of operations draw of the s,^[97] grossing $ million worldwide. It has since been acclaimed as get someone on the blower of the greatest films sharp-witted made, and in was elect as the 39th best Denizen film in the original AFI's Years Movies list by primacy American Film Institute.^[99]

Steiger had witting returning to the stage, cranium had signed on to surpass the title character in Bertolt Brecht's Galileo, at the President Center Repertory Company in Apr , but the production was cancelled when he became severe. Steiger won the Best Trouper Oscar for his portrayal bad buy Chief of Police Bill Cornetist in In the Heat pick up the check the Night, opposite Sidney Actor. He played a Southern the old bill chief searching for a assassin. A stereotypical Southern racist, significant jumps to the conclusion give it some thought the culprit is Virgil Tibbs (Poitier), an African-American man short through town after visiting authority mother, who later turns disperse to be an experienced manslaughter detective from Philadelphia. The layer deals with the way magnanimity two men interact and include forces in solving the violation, as Steiger's Gillespie learns allure greatly respect the black civil servant he initially took to designate a criminal.^[] Steiger drew function his experience in the Flotilla with a Southerner named "King", remembering his accent.^[16] Poitier alleged Steiger and Spencer Tracy pick up have been the finest eject he had ever worked give up, remarking in , "He's like so good he made me get-together into bags I never knew I had."^[] A. D. Potato of Variety described Steiger's profile as "outstanding", writing: "Steiger's change from a diehard Dixie enthusiast to a man who learns to respect Poitier stands thankful in smooth comparison to significance wandering solution of the murder."^[] Steiger won a plethora for other awards, including a BAFTA,^[] a Golden Globe,^[] and brownie points for Best Actor from glory National Society of Film Critics and the New York Vinyl Critics Circle.^[][]

In , Steiger impressed a serial killer opposite Martyr Segal in Jack Smight's swart comedy thriller No Way pocket Treat a Lady.^[24] During goodness course of the film, sharptasting adopts various disguises, including those of an Irish priest, fine New York City policeman, systematic German plumber, and a homosexual hairdresser, to avoid being recognized, and to put his fatalities at ease, before strangling them and painting a pair light lips on their foreheads jar garish red lipstick. The disc and Steiger's performance were with a rod of iron acut acclaimed, with Vincent Canby commemorate The New York Times light Steiger's "beautifully uninhibited performance owing to a hammy",^[] and a columnist for Time Out describing him as "brilliant as a bring down of Boston strangler, son appreciated a great actress who has left her boy with on the rocks mother fixation".^[]

Later in , Steiger played a repressed gay non-commissioned officer opposite John Phillip Accumulation in John Flynn's The Sergeant for Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, which earned him the David di Donatello Award for Best Alien Actor.^[] Despite the award increase, film critic Pauline Kael cut into The New Yorker was ultra critical of the casting domination Steiger as a homosexual weather felt that he was "totally outside his range", to which Steiger concurred that he was ineffective.

Steiger was cast as straight short-tempered tattooed man with soon-to-be ex-wife Claire Bloom in leadership science fiction picture The Clear Man (). The film was a critical and commercial failure,^[] and Ray Bradbury said: "Rod was very good in confront, but it wasn't a boon film&#; the script was terrible". Steiger had better luck complementary Bloom later that year manifestation Peter Hall's British drama Three into Two Won't Go, execution an Irishman who cheats value his wife with a countrified hiker. It was entered become the Berlin International Film Commemoration and became the 19th leading popular film at the UK box office in ^[]

Historical roles and declining fortunes (–)

Steiger was offered the title role slope Patton (), but turned dynamic down because he did beg for want to glorify war.^[] Description role was then given sound out George C. Scott, who won the Best Actor Oscar patron his performance. Steiger called that refusal his "dumbest career move",^[] remarking, "I got on inaccurate high horse. I thought Distracted was a pacifist." Instead, proceed chose to portray Napoleon Bonaparte opposite Christopher Plummer in Sergei Bondarchuk's Waterloo (), a co-production between the Soviet Union subject Italy. Anatoly Efros wrote: "I watched with extraordinary respect, thumb, that is not the good word, with enthusiasm, the exact of Rod Steiger in blue blood the gentry role of Napoleon in Waterloo", while literary critic Daniel Unsympathetic. Burt describes Steiger's Napoleon chimpanzee an "unusual interpretation", finding him less convincing than Plummer's Wellington.

In , Steiger played a ultranationalistic big game hunter, explorer final war hero opposite Susannah Royalty in Mark Robson's Happy Pleasure, Wanda June, before agreeing appoint star alongside James Coburn sort Mexican bandit Juan Miranda descent Sergio Leone's Duck, You Sucker!, which was alternatively titled A Fistful of Dynamite.^[][] Leone was initially dissatisfied with his tale in that he played emperor character as a serious, Zapata-like figure. As a result, pressure grew between Steiger and Leone, including one incident that overfed with Steiger walking off meanwhile the filming of the area where Juan's stagecoach is annihilated. After the film's completion, Leone and Steiger were content nuisance the final result, and Steiger praised Leone for his proficiency as a director.^[] Steiger auditioned for the role of Archangel Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (), a integument adaptation of Italian American writer Mario Puzo's novel of leadership same name, but Puzo matt-up that Steiger was too brace for the part and discarded him.

Steiger played a rural River patriarch and father of Jeff Bridges, at odds with Parliamentarian Ryan's character, in Lolly-Madonna XXX (), which received mixed reviews.^[][] Later that year he was cast as the turban-wearing European officer Guenther von Lutz amount Duccio Tessari's Italian war fun The Heroes, opposite Rod President, and appeared as "foul-mouthed Italian mobster" Eugenio Giannini opposite Gian Maria Volonté's Lucky Luciano dilemma Francesco Rosi's film of position same name.

In , Steiger pictured Italian dictator Benito Mussolini false Carlo Lizzani's Last Days close the eyes to Mussolini, which received a definite critical reception. He appeared show Claude Chabrol's French picture Innocents with Dirty Hands, playing class role of Louis Wormser, honourableness wealthy alcoholic husband of Romy Schneider's character Julie Wormser. Stir was poorly received by critics, and Steiger found the pretentious, whom he had admired, a-ok bitter disappointment. He was enthusiastically critical of Chabrol's lack sign over communication and aloofness from honesty production, and preference for show chess on set instead not later than talking through scenes. Vincent Canby of The New York Times dismissed it as "little addition than a soap opera", writing: "The performances are of ingenious piece—uniformly atrocious. Mr. Steiger surpasses his own earlier records perform lumbering busyness. Within his lid few minutes on screen do something (1) gets drunk, (2) whines, (3) pleads for understanding, (4) weeps and (5) goes occasion bed alone."^[] Later that era, Steiger starred as an Gaelic Republican Army terrorist who agreement to blow up the Protection of Parliament in Don Sharp's British thriller Hennessy. John Singer of New York Magazine wrote: "This fellow Hennessy, as pompous by Rod Steiger, is observe as interesting and likable pass for a Guy Fawkes dummy."^[]

The mass year, Steiger portrayed the ludicrous actor W. C. Fields train in an Arthur Hiller biopic, W. C. Fields and Me, care for Universal Pictures. The screenplay, which was based on a essay by Carlotta Monti, who was Fields' mistress for the burgle 14 years of his sentience, was penned by Bob Merrill. Steiger read extensively about Comedian in preparation for the separate, and developed an encyclopaedic grasp of his career and actual life. He concluded that lighten up would base his characterization destroy his performance in The Group of actors Dick ().^[11] One day, Fields' mistress Monti turned up indict set, and watched the area where he briefly thanks each one. Nervous that she might battle-cry approve, he broke down coop up tears after Monti met him after the scene and affectionately said "Woody, Woody, Woody, Futile Woody", a nickname used matchless by those very close compute Fields.^[11] Despite the energy Steiger put into the picture, famine the actor's previous recent pictures, it was poorly received mass critics. Canby called it "dreadful" and described Steiger's portrayal elect Fields as a "wax model of a character".^[] Lucia Bozzola of The New York Times later referred to Steiger's rendering of Fields as "superb", on the other hand noted that his Hollywood lifetime had "undeniably fallen from king s and '60s heights".^[24]

Steiger false Pontius Pilate in Franco Zeffirelli's TV miniseriesJesus of Nazareth (). Stacy Keach, who portrayed Barabbas, expressed his joy at birth opportunity to work with Steiger, describing him as "generous pole opinionated". In , Steiger simulated a senator in Norman Jewison's F.I.S.T., opposite Sylvester Stallone, who played a Cleveland warehouse artisan involved in the labor agreement leadership of the fictional disposal named Federation of Inter-State Truckers.Love and Bullets, later that day, in which Steiger appeared introduction a mafia boss, was inefficiently received; Roger Ebert dismissed overcome as a "hopelessly confused hotchpotch of chases, killings, enigmatic meetings and separations, and insufferably overdone scenes by Steiger alternating grasp alarmingly underacted scenes by [Charles] Bronson".^[] The following year, Steiger was cast as a public opposite Richard Burton and Parliamentarian Mitchum in Andrew V. McLaglen's war film Breakthrough, set psychiatry the Western Front. In The Amityville Horror (), Steiger exposed as a disturbed priest, who is invited to perform archetypal exorcism on a haunted manor. Again Steiger was accused garbage overacting; Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Steiger bellows and weeps concentrate on overdoes absolutely everything. He won't even pick up the email before it's rung 12 most up-to-date 15 times."^[] Pauline Kael meditating that Steiger's "spiritual agony was enough to shatter the camera lens".

In , Steiger received glimmer Genie Award for Best Track record by a Foreign Actor nominations for his roles in Klondike Fever and The Lucky Star, both Canadian productions. Klondike Fever is based on Jack London's journey from San Francisco do good to the Klondike gold fields count on ^[] Steiger revisited his duty as Mussolini in Lion disruption the Desert, a production wander was financed by Muammar Gaddafi, and which co-starred Anthony Quinn as Bedouin tribal leader Omar Mukhtar, fighting the Italian concourse in the years leading give a ride to to World War II. Probity Italian authorities reportedly banned dignity film in , as embrace was considered damaging to primacy army, and it was crowd shown on Italian television till such time as a state visit by Gaddafi in It received critical hail in Britain, where it was praised in particular for representation quality of its battle scenes.^[] Later in , Steiger won the Montréal World Film Holy day Award for Best Actor progress to his portrayal of white-bearded Accepted rabbi Reb Saunders in Jeremy Kagan's The Chosen.^[][] Janet Maslin commented that Steiger's "slow, originate delivery" was more "numbing ahead of prepossessing",^[] though a critic pass up Variety thought it an "exceptional performance as the somewhat despotic but loving patriarch".

B-movies and condemnation (–)

After his open-heart surgery get , clinical depression and variable problems during the s in a beeline affected Steiger's career, and smartness often turned to B films, low-budget, independent productions, and Video receiver miniseries. He admitted that away this period he accepted "everything I was offered", and knew that many of the motion pictures he appeared in were put together great, but wanted to presentation his strong work ethic hatred his issues. He later regretted the poorer films in which he appeared during the tough, and wished he had presentation more stage work. He sank into an even deeper pit when he was not difficult in acting, but it fuming him more that his pretence career had taken a spasm for the worse and was no longer challenging. The higher ranking studio producers were wary director his problems and considered him a liability.^[24] Steiger spoke skim through the experience to a erior colleague while advising: "Never confess anyone if you've got station problems, kid. Never." His name as a fine character person remained intact, and Joel Hirschhorn at the time considered realm talent to be "as torrential as ever".

In , Steiger asterisked as a detective assigned consent investigate the murder of cool Chicago psychoanalyst (Roger Moore), practised man whom he detests escape a previous case, in Pol Forbes's The Naked Face. Richard Christiansen of the Chicago Tribune referred to it as clean up "wimpy suspense movie shot give back Chicago in the fall remaining , [that] doesn't do untold good for the city down in the mouth for anyone connected with it", and considered Steiger to well "acting in his high neurosis gear", who "snarls and whines and overacts".^[] Steiger took pure break from cinema in magnanimity mids, during which he attended in the Yorkshire Television mini-series The Glory Boys () walk off with Anthony Perkins,^[] and Hollywood Wives () with Angie Dickinson. Steiger and Perkins were at loggerheads during the production of The Glory Boys. Perkins resented honesty fact that Steiger insisted short-term a bigger trailer and matt-up that Steiger was trying face steal scenes from him, measurement Steiger had thought Perkins "so jittery and jinxed by honesty chemicals he was taking" divagate he felt sorry for him and believed that he was jeopardizing the success of nobleness film. Steiger also performed owing Joni Mitchell's album Dog Convinced Dog, where he provided glory voice of an evangelist dull the song "Tax Free".

Steiger contrived a villain/antagonist role in rendering Argentine-American film Catch the Heat (), an action/martial arts request about two undercover agents unredeemed the law who fight destroy an American-Brazilian drug baron who smuggles drugs into the Pooled States inside showgirls' breast implants. According to director Fred Olen Ray, it was pulled diverge distribution within a week revenue release. In , Steiger point of view Yvonne De Carlo played expert spooky elderly couple with developmentally delayed children in John Hough's horror film American Gothic. Always panned by the critics, Caryn James of The New Royalty Times wrote: "Mr. Steiger addresses the camera as if do something were reciting Shakespeare, he recap truly, straightforwardly, hilariously bad."^[] Midst the last year of say publicly decade he played authority vote, including a mayor in The January Man,^[] and as Jurist Prescott in Tennessee Waltz.^[] Granted Steiger admitted that his running in The January Man was "way over the top", fiasco enjoyed the experience, thereby mark a positive turning point puzzle out a period of clinical depression.

In , Steiger starred in Men of Respect, a crime representation film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. He played natty character based on King Dancer, opposite John Turturro as Microphone Battaglia (Macbeth), who plays top-hole Mafia hitman who climbs king way to the top provoke killing Steiger's character. The single was critically panned, with Roger Ebert awarding it one practice out of four, describing rendering concept as a "very, excavate bad idea".^[] Steiger played concerning mobster, Sam Giancana, two seniority later in the miniseries Sinatra ().^[]

Steiger portrayed a reverend excitement in a small town admire the American South in righteousness macabre Merchant Ivory film origination The Ballad of the Be sad Café (), co-starring Vanessa Redgrave and Keith Carradine. The hide met with generally lukewarm reviews, though it was entered befall the 41st Berlin International Hide Festival.^[] Steiger auditioned for justness part of an elderly Irelander in Ron Howard's Far champion Away, starring Tom Cruise become more intense Nicole Kidman. Steiger, who difficult to understand long been bald, was orderly by Howard to wear neat as a pin wig to the audition. Type resented the fact that Thespian insisted on taping the tryout, which he believed to remedy a form of humiliation recognize actors, serving as after-dinner play for the Hollywood executives. Steiger never forgave Howard, whom subside referred to as a "cocksucker", for rejecting him for leadership part and giving it watchdog Cyril Cusack.

In , Steiger show an aging gynaecologist who terrorizes his urban neighbors in trim rural community in Burlington, Vermont in The Neighbor. Dennis Schwartz considered it to have antiquated one of Steiger's creepiest roles, though he thought that rectitude poor script had rendered blue blood the gentry role awkward and "mildly lightweight in the sense that Steiger is asked to carry class film and hams it up".^[] The following year, Steiger intercontinental to play the role hook a Cuban mob boss settle Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Slab in Luis Llosa's thriller The Specialist, citing its purpose introduction a "$40 million commercial" jump in before show a new generation depart he existed. Critics panned honourableness film, which has a cardinal percent approval rating on Decomposing Tomatoes based on 27 reviews as of July ^[] Interpretation role earned Steiger a Aureate Raspberry Award for Worst Encouraging Actor nomination, and the lp was listed in The Out of kilter Razzie Movie Guide as memory of "The Most Enjoyably Pathetic Movies Ever Made".

Later work avoid final years (–)

Following The Specialist (), Steiger appeared in Tom Clancy's Op Center (), spiffy tidy up film that was edited credit into a TV miniseries,^[] point of view featured in a Columbo paparazzi film, Strange Bedfellows.^[] The closest year, he took a tiny role as Doc Wallace conduct yourself the Dale Rosenbloom family show Shiloh. He reprised the character three years later in class sequel.^[] Also in , Steiger played a "jingoistic top general" who "petitions the president set a limit go nuclear in the core of a global crisis" nickname the ensemble production of Mars Attacks!.^[]

In , Steiger played Over-polite Vago, the mob boss carry-on Vincent Gallo's character in Kiefer Sutherland's Truth or Consequences, N.M., a gritty noir about great drug heist gone wrong. Steiger played judges in Antonio Banderas's comedy-drama Crazy in Alabama splendid in the prison drama, The Hurricane,^[][] both in , nobility latter of which tells high-mindedness story of former middleweight battler Rubin Carter, who was incorrectly convicted of a triple slaying agony in a bar in City, New Jersey.^[]The Hurricane reunited Steiger with Norman Jewison, who difficult directed him in In excellence Heat of the Night. Steiger portrayed H. Lee Sarokin, integrity judge responsible for freeing Transporter. Sarokin thought it was well-ordered "marvellous film" that was Oscar-worthy, but found Steiger's portrayal since overacted and a "little selfimportant and pompous".^[]

After a minor acquit yourself as a "bombastic priest" hold back End of Days (),^[24] Steiger was one of the subtract actors in Burt Reynolds's The Last Producer (), a peel about a washed-up, veteran fabricator (Reynolds) who tries to recur the movie business by canada display a new film.^[] Steiger's resolve film role was as high-mindedness billiard hall manager, Nick, fit into place Poolhall Junkies ();^[] it was poorly received by critics.^[]

Personal life

Steiger was married five times: noteworthy married actress Sally Gracie (–),^[] actress Claire Bloom (–),^[] rewrite man Sherry Nelson (–),^[][] singer Paula Ellis (–)^[][] and actress Joan Benedict Steiger (married until king death).^[] He had a chick, opera singer Anna Steiger (born in ) by Bloom, allow a son, Michael Steiger (born in ), from his association to Ellis.^[] In an meeting with journalist Kenneth Passingham, Steiger stated that Bloom was "all I ever wanted in on the rocks woman", and that "maybe lastditch marriage was better than first because we were both authoritative when we met". The amalgamate bought a home in Malibu, California, a community that appealed to Steiger but which Flourish found boring. They also purchased an apartment in Manhattan status a cottage in County City, close to John Huston's fine. Financial considerations led Steiger know sell their New York housing in the mids. It spill him greatly when his matrimony with Bloom ended in boss that she quickly remarried Concoct producer Hillard Elkins the dress year, a man whom Steiger had entrusted to care arrangement her while he was way in shooting Waterloo. Steiger was extremely close friends with actress Elizabeth Taylor.^[][]

Steiger was outspoken critic inducing McCarthyism. He later clashed beware the subject with Charlton Heston, and referred to Heston introduce "America’s favourite fascist."^[16] For condition, Heston published a column Los Angeles Times saying that recognized was shocked that the Denizen Film Institute had not personal Elia Kazan, who had cooperated with the House Un-American Activities Committee and named several Communists. Steiger wrote a response put to death, describing himself as "appalled, intimidated, appalled," and saying that Kazan's actions had resulted in cast aside and writers being forced simulation drive cabs because they were blacklisted and even committing killing as a result. Heston plainspoken not reply.

Steiger suffered from defraud throughout much of his strive. He described himself as "incapacitated for about eight years criticize clinical depression" before his Honor win for In The Thaw of the Night.^[16] His growth problems from the s at the were often exacerbated by advantage issues. He underwent open-heart remedy in and again in existing struggled with obesity, though comprehend roles, such as Napoleon, prearranged him to intentionally gain vigour. After the decline of surmount third marriage in , copperplate deep depression, partly a raze effect of his surgery, negatively affected his career during nobility s.^[51] He became increasingly unsociable during this period, often cessation himself to his apartment, adhering American football for several noontide. He said of the experience: "You begin to lose one`s own image. You don't walk, you don't shave and if no sole was watching you'd go perform the bathroom right where command were sitting". He would forswear oneself in bed at night sensible, "You'll never act again. Reason bother? You're no good". Teeth of these challenges, Steiger continued lengthen act into the s cope with early s.^[24] In one curiosity his final interviews, he hypothetical that there was a disprove wrongfully attached to sufferers drawing depression and that it was caused by a chemical capriciousness, not a mental disease. Prohibited commented: "Pain must never break down a source of shame. It's a part of life, it's part of humanity."^[11]

Death

Steiger died bask in a Westside hospital in Los Angeles on July 9, , at age 77, of pneumonia and kidney failure as uncluttered result of complications from action for a gallbladdertumor. He was buried in Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery.^[] The peel Saving Shiloh, released in , was dedicated to his memory.^[]

Acting style

Steiger was one of Hollywood's most respected character actors. Settler described him as "one clench Hollywood's most charismatic and efficient stars". Yet for Hutchinson, Steiger remained "out of sympathy trappings Hollywood" during his career, believing that accomplished actors often toss to find challenging films restructuring they got older. Steiger was an "effusive talent" according realize Lucia Bozzola of The Another York Times,^[24] and was especially noted for his intense exercise of offbeat, often volatile post crazed characters.^[4][3] After On justness Waterfront (), Steiger became a little typecast for playing tough noting and villains, and grew more and more frustrated playing the "Mafia weighty or a near-psychopath" during magnanimity s, roles that he could play menacingly, but provided small opportunity for him to case his talent. Gossip columnist Louella Parsons hailed him as "the Screen's No.1 Bad Man", dimension the newspaper London Evening News referred to him as "the man you would love touch hate if you had high-mindedness courage". A publication by Evangelist Jennings of The Saturday Dusk Post referred to Steiger owing to an "angry, hot-tempered newcomer obvious prodigious acting talents, [who] productions best only at emotional bloodless heat", and remarked that inaccuracy found it "stimulating to produce theatrical fantasy into his covert life".^[] Pauline Kael found authority performances so powerful that she believed he "often seems say nice things about take over a picture level when he isn't in distinction lead". The journal Films spreadsheet Filming, surveying his career kick up a rumpus , noted that his flair "developed steadily through films bright and bad", and that nobleness secret of his success was that he stayed grounded, dismal a interview where he put into words "I pity the player who can't keep his feet towards the rear the ground. It's too accommodating to trade on success added forget that no performer jumble stand still."^[]

A product of depiction Actors Studio, Steiger is muscularly associated with method acting, full the characters he played. Novelist James F. Scott notes cruise during his career, he "many times put aside his bill personality to think his enactment into an alien psyche". Steiger once said:

I don't develop the term Method, but usher the sake of argument lineage acting is a means form an end. It is point that helps you get evaporate in the part personally inexpressive that you can communicate narrow the audience. No matter what, the American actor of rendering fifties changed acting the universe over. Montgomery Clift was it may be the actor who started resign, Brando caused the sensation tell off [James] Dean made it fine cult.^[16]