Rod Steiger

American actor

Also known as: Rodney Stephen Steiger

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Apr 10, 2025 • Article History

Quick Facts

In full:: Rodney Stephen Steiger

Born:: April 14, 1925, Westhampton, New York, U.S.

Died:: July 9, 2002, Los Angeles, California, U.S. (aged 77)

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (1968); Academy Award (1968): Actor in a Leading Role; Golden Globe Award (1968): Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Married To:: Joan Benedict Steiger (married 2000); Claire Bloom (1959–1969); Sherry Frances Donatt (1973–1980); Sally Gracie (1952–1959); Paula Lee Ellis (1986–1997)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Steiner - Das Eiserne Kreuz, 2. Teil" (1979); "The Sergeant" (1968); "The Glory Boys" (1984); "On the Waterfront" (1954); "The Amityville Horror" (1979); "The Hollywood Sign" (2001); "Lolly-Madonna XXX" (1973); "The Lucky Star" (1980); "EZ Streets" (1996); "Run of the Arrow" (1957); "E venne un uomo" (1965); "Giù la testa" (1971); "Animals with the Tollkeeper" (1998); "Route 66" (1962); "Columbo" (1995); "The Harder They Fall" (1956); "Justice" (1954); "The Longest Day" (1962); "Teresa" (1951); "Lion of the Desert" (1980); "The Last Producer" (2000); "The Last Tattoo" (1994); "The Gulf Playhouse" (1953); "Convicts 4" (1962); "Suspicion" (1958); "Danger" (1950–1953); "Legacy" (1998); "End of Days" (1999); "Medallion Theatre" (1953); "The Specialist" (1994); "Out There" (1951); "Back from Eternity" (1956); "The Neighbor" (1993); "BBC Play of the Month" (1966); "The Commish" (1996); "You Are There" (1954); "The Big Knife" (1955); "Livers Ain't Cheap" (1996); "Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys" (1995); "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1957–1958); "Cypress Edge" (1999); "Al Capone" (1959); "Producers' Showcase" (1955); "Tales of the City" (1993); "Oklahoma!" (1955); "General Electric Theater" (1960); "Across the Bridge" (1957); "Kölcsönkapott idö" (1993); "Suspense" (1952–1953); "The Critic" (1994); "An einem Freitag um halb zwölf" (1961); "Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season" (1999); "Guilty as Charged" (1991); "Happy Birthday, Wanda June" (1971); "The Philco Television Playhouse" (1951–1955); "13 West Street" (1962); "Ben Casey" (1962); "Catch the Heat" (1987); "Sinatra" (1992); "The Philip Morris Playhouse" (1954); "Le mani sulla città" (1963); "Waterloo" (1970); "Decision" (1958); "Poolhall Junkies" (2002); "The Loved One" (1965); "The Kid" (1997); "La ragazza e il generale" (1967); "Carpool" (1996); "Men of Respect" (1990); "Wagon Train" (1961); "Kraft Television Theatre" (1952–1954); "The Unholy Wife" (1957); "Body and Soul" (2000); "Wolf Lake" (1980); "Screen Directors Playhouse" (1956); "Three Into Two Won't Go" (1969); "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" (1991); "In the Heat of the Night" (1967); "Les innocents aux mains sales" (1975); "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977); "The Pawnbroker" (1964); "Mussolini ultimo atto" (1974); "Lucky Luciano" (1973); "Actor's Studio" (1950); "Truth or Consequences, N.M." (1997); "Doctor Zhivago" (1965); "Lux Video Theatre" (1951); "The Chosen" (1981); "Der Zauberberg" (1982); "BBC Sunday-Night Play" (1960); "W.C. Fields and Me" (1976); "Love and Bullets" (1979); "A Month of Sundays" (2001); "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell" (1955); "Tennessee Nights" (1989); "Gli eroi" (1973); "Incognito" (1997); "The January Man" (1989); "The Player" (1992); "On Trial" (1959); "Hennessy" (1975); "F.I.S.T" (1978); "Crazy in Alabama" (1999); "Klondike Fever" (1980); "Hollywood Wives" (1985); "The Mark" (1961); "No Way to Treat a Lady" (1968); "Seven Thieves" (1960); "The Kindred" (1987); "Jubal" (1956); "The Simpsons" (1998); "Chicken Soup for the Soul" (1999); "Mars Attacks!" (1996); "American Gothic" (1987); "The Illustrated Man" (1969); "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" (1964); "Hotel Alexandria" (1999); "The Naked Face" (1984); "Shiloh" (1996); "Cry Terror!" (1958); "Tous les jours dimanche" (1994); "Portrait of a Hitman" (1979); "Playhouse 90" (1958); "Gli indifferenti" (1964); "Goodyear Television Playhouse" (1952–1953); "Djavolji raj" (1989); "Cattle Annie and Little Britches" (1981); "Tales of Tomorrow" (1952–1953); "The Hurricane" (1999); "Lightmaker" (2001)

See all related content

Rod Steiger (born April 14, 1925, Westhampton, New York, U.S.—died July 9, 2002, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) was an American actor who used the techniques of method acting—enhanced by his powerful delivery and intensity—to inhabit a wide variety of complex characters during a half-century-long career as a performer. He was nominated for an Academy Award three times and won it once, for best actor, for his role as a racist Southern sheriff in In the Heat of the Night (1967).

Steiger dropped out of high school at age 16, lied about his age so he could join the navy, and spent most of World War II as a torpedo man on a destroyer in the Pacific. Following his discharge he took a civil service job in Newark, New Jersey, and joined a theatre group. Encouraged to pursue acting seriously, Steiger studied acting at a succession of schools in New York City, ending up at The Actors Studio. His stage debut came in 1947 with a small part in The Trial of Mary Dugan, and in 1951 he made his Broadway debut in a revival of Night Music. His film debut was also in 1951, in Teresa.

Most of Steiger’s work between 1948 and 1953 was in live television dramas, however; he appeared in more than 250 productions, most notably as the title character in the original TV version of Marty. That performance made him a TV star and helped him land one of his most memorable film parts—Charley Malloy, Marlon Brando’s character’s older brother, in On the Waterfront (1954)—and his first Oscar nomination, for best supporting actor.

Empty movie theater and blank screen (theatre, motion pictures, cinema).

Britannica Quiz

Oscar-Worthy Movie Trivia

Among the roles that followed were Jud Fry in Oklahoma! (1955); a tyrannical film producer in The Big Knife (1955); a haunted survivor of the Holocaust in The Pawnbroker (1964), the role he considered his finest and one that gained him a second Oscar nomination, this time for best actor; the outrageous undertaker Mr. Joyboy in The Loved One (1965); and a serial killer with a flair for disguise in No Way to Treat a Lady (1968). Most of Steiger’s later work—with the possible exception of W.C. Fields and Me (1976); The Player (1992), in which he portrayed himself; the TV miniseries Tales of the City (1993); and The Specialist—was not considered to have been as accomplished or as successful as his earlier movies, however. His final film was A Month of Sundays (2001)

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.