Rod Steiger

Biography

Rod Steiger was an American actor who often played offbeat, volatile and crazed men, and who worked in the method acting tradition. He was born in Westhampton, New York, to a vaudevillian father, and after his Navy service during World War II he began acting on television in 1947. His stage debut came in 1946 in Curse You, Jack Dalton! in Newark, and he later studied at the Actors Studio. He gained notice for the title role in the teleplay Marty in 1953, then was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Charley in On the Waterfront (1954). The Pawnbroker (1964) brought him the Silver Bear for Best Actor, and he played Komarovsky in Doctor Zhivago (1965). He won the Best Actor Academy Award for In the Heat of the Night (1967). Later credits included Napoleon in Waterloo (1970), a priest in The Amityville Horror (1979), and a judge in The Hurricane (1999).

77years old at death

Born April 14, 1925Westhampton
Died July 9, 2002Los Angeles
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Rodney Stephen Steiger (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 47
Career span: 63 years1954 to 2017

Genres

Drama70%, 33 films
Crime32%, 15 films
Comedy17%, 8 films
Thriller17%, 8 films
Action13%, 6 films

First and latest

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A role that slipped away
Steiger would not agree to a seven-year studio contract, so Ernest Borgnine took his place in Marty (1955). That film earned the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Borgnine won the Best Actor Oscar.
A role that slipped away
Steiger auditioned for Michael Corleone in The Godfather, but Mario Puzo rejected him because he felt Steiger was too old for the part.
A role that slipped away
Steiger was fired from a theatrical production of Oklahoma! after director Rouben Mamoulian told him to get out of his theater and his life, when Steiger ignored complaints about mumbling and ate an apple on stage.
First role
Steiger made his stage debut in 1946 in Curse You, Jack Dalton! at the Civic Repertory Theatre of Newark, and a teacher, Daniel Mann, then invited him to the Actors Studio.
Early training
Steiger studied method acting at the Actors Studio alongside Marlon Brando, Karl Malden and Eli Wallach, and lacking matinee idol looks he pursued character roles rather than leading man parts.
Beyond film
Steiger provided the voice of an evangelist on the song Tax Free from Joni Mitchell's 1985 album Dog Eat Dog.

Rod Steiger movies on Netflix

I Am Not Your Negro2017IMDb rating 7.9as Himself
Poolhall Junkies2002IMDb rating 6.8as Nick
The Last Producer2000IMDb rating 4.6as Sheri Ganse
Crazy in Alabama1999IMDb rating 6.3as Judge Mead
End of Days1999IMDb rating 5.8as Father Kovak
The Hurricane1999IMDb rating 7.6as Judge Sarokin
Modern Vampires1998IMDb rating 4.6as Dr. Frederick Van Helsing
Incognito1997IMDb rating 6.4as Milton A. Donovan
Carpool1996IMDb rating 5.1as Mr. Hammerman
Mars Attacks!1996IMDb rating 6.4as General Decker
Shiloh1996IMDb rating 6.3as Doc Wallace
In Pursuit of Honor1995IMDb rating 7.0as Col. Owen Stuart
The Specialist1994IMDb rating 5.6as Joe Leon
The January Man1989IMDb rating 5.5as Mayor Eamon Flynn
American Gothic1987IMDb rating 5.8as Pa
The Kindred1987IMDb rating 5.7as Dr. Phillip Lloyd
The Naked Face1984IMDb rating 5.5as Lieutenant McGreary
Lion of the Desert1981IMDb rating 8.2as Benito Mussolini
The Chosen1981IMDb rating 7.2as Reb Saunders
Cattle Annie and Little Britches1980IMDb rating 6.1as Tilghman
Wolf Lake1980IMDb rating 6.2as Charlie
Love and Bullets1979IMDb rating 5.6as Joe Bomposa
The Amityville Horror1979IMDb rating 6.2as Father Delaney
F.I.S.T.1978IMDb rating 6.4as Senator Madison
Lolly-Madonna XXX1973IMDb rating 6.4as Laban Feather
Lucky Luciano1973IMDb rating 6.4as Gene Giannini
Waterloo1970IMDb rating 7.3as Napoleon Bonaparte
The Illustrated Man1969IMDb rating 5.8as Carl
No Way to Treat a Lady1968IMDb rating 7.0as Christopher Gill
In the Heat of the Night1967IMDb rating 7.9as Chief Bill Gillespie
Doctor Zhivago1965IMDb rating 7.9as Viktor Komarovsky
The Loved One1965IMDb rating 6.9as Mr. Joyboy
The Pawnbroker1964IMDb rating 7.6as Sol Nazerman
Hands over the City1963IMDb rating 7.6as Edoardo Nottola
Convicts 41962IMDb rating 6.5as Tiptoes
Seven Thieves1960IMDb rating 6.5as Paul Mason
Al Capone1959IMDb rating 6.7as Al Capone
Cry Terror!1958IMDb rating 6.7as Paul Hoplin
Run of the Arrow1957IMDb rating 6.6as Pvt. O'Meara
The Unholy Wife1957IMDb rating 5.6as Paul Hochen
Back from Eternity1956IMDb rating 6.6as Vasquel
Jubal1956IMDb rating 7.1as 'Pinky' Pinkum
The Harder They Fall1956IMDb rating 7.5as Nick Benko
Oklahoma!1955IMDb rating 7.0as Jud Fry
The Big Knife1955IMDb rating 6.7as Stanley Shriner Hoff
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955IMDb rating 6.8as Maj. Allan Guillion
On the Waterfront1954IMDb rating 8.1as Charley Malloy

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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In the Heat of the Night1967 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thrilleras Chief Bill Gillespie
IMDb rating 7.992K votes
On the Waterfront1954 Crime, Drama, Thrilleras Charley Malloy
IMDb rating 8.1181K votes
Doctor Zhivago1965as Viktor Komarovsky
IMDb rating 7.988K votes
The Specialist1994as Joe Leon
IMDb rating 5.674K votes
The Amityville Horror1979as Father Delaney
IMDb rating 6.250K votes
Mars Attacks!1996as General Decker
IMDb rating 6.4261K votes
The Pawnbroker1964as Sol Nazerman
IMDb rating 7.612K votes
Waterloo1970as Napoleon Bonaparte
IMDb rating 7.315K votes

Most often with

Norman Jewison directed three of these films, Stuart Rosenberg two and Jack Smight two. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Charles Bronson

Scott Wilson

Udo Kier

Sylvester Stallone

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Robert Ryan

Norman JewisonDirector, 3 films Stuart RosenbergDirector, 2 films Jack SmightDirector, 2 films

Films together

Charles Bronson3 films together, 1956 to 1979
Charles Bronson's page
- Love and Bullets1979IMDb rating 5.6Steiger as Joe BomposaBronson as Charlie Congers
- Run of the Arrow1957IMDb rating 6.6Steiger as Pvt. O'MearaBronson as Blue Buffolo
- Jubal1956IMDb rating 7.1Steiger as 'Pinky' PinkumBronson as Reb Haislipp
Scott Wilson3 films together, 1967 to 1996
Scott Wilson's page
- Shiloh1996IMDb rating 6.3Steiger as Doc WallaceWilson as Judd Travers
- Lolly-Madonna XXX1973IMDb rating 6.4Steiger as Laban FeatherWilson as Thrush Feather
- In the Heat of the Night1967IMDb rating 7.9Steiger as Chief Bill GillespieWilson as Harvey Oberst
Udo Kier2 films together, 1998 to 1999
Udo Kier's page
- End of Days1999IMDb rating 5.8Steiger as Father KovakKier as Head Priest
- Modern Vampires1998IMDb rating 4.6Steiger as Dr. Frederick Van HelsingKier as Vincent
Sylvester Stallone2 films together, 1978 to 1994
Sylvester Stallone's page
- The Specialist1994IMDb rating 5.6Steiger as Joe LeonStallone as Ray Quick
- F.I.S.T.1978IMDb rating 6.4Steiger as Senator MadisonStallone as Johnny Kovak
Arnold Schwarzenegger2 films together, 1999 to 2017
Arnold Schwarzenegger's page
- I Am Not Your Negro2017IMDb rating 7.9Steiger as HimselfSchwarzenegger as Himself
- End of Days1999IMDb rating 5.8Steiger as Father KovakSchwarzenegger as Jericho Cane
Robert Ryan2 films together, 1956 to 1973
Robert Ryan's page
- Lolly-Madonna XXX1973IMDb rating 6.4Steiger as Laban FeatherRyan as Pap Gutshall
- Back from Eternity1956IMDb rating 6.6Steiger as VasquelRyan as Bill Lonagan
Norman JewisonDirector, 3 films, 1967 to 1999
All films by Norman Jewison
- The Hurricane1999IMDb rating 7.6Steiger as Judge Sarokin
- F.I.S.T.1978IMDb rating 6.4Steiger as Senator Madison
- In the Heat of the Night1967IMDb rating 7.9Steiger as Chief Bill Gillespie
Stuart RosenbergDirector, 2 films, 1979
All films by Stuart Rosenberg
- Love and Bullets1979IMDb rating 5.6Steiger as Joe Bomposa
- The Amityville Horror1979IMDb rating 6.2Steiger as Father Delaney
Jack SmightDirector, 2 films, 1968 to 1969
All films by Jack Smight
- The Illustrated Man1969IMDb rating 5.8Steiger as Carl
- No Way to Treat a Lady1968IMDb rating 7.0Steiger as Christopher Gill
Also two films together26 more actors
- John GielgudLion of the Desert (1981) and The Loved One (1965)
- Martin BalsamAl Capone (1959) and On the Waterfront (1954)
- David PaymerThe Hurricane (1999) and Carpool (1996)
- Strother MartinLove and Bullets (1979) and The Big Knife (1955)
- William SchallertIn the Heat of the Night (1967) and Cry Terror! (1958)
- Angie DickinsonThe Last Producer (2000) and Cry Terror! (1958)
- Jay C. FlippenRun of the Arrow (1957) and Oklahoma! (1955)
- Beulah BondiThe Unholy Wife (1957) and Back from Eternity (1956)
- Fred ClarkBack from Eternity (1956) and The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)
- Murray HamiltonThe Amityville Horror (1979) and No Way to Treat a Lady (1968)
- Jack KruschenConvicts 4 (1962) and Cry Terror! (1958)
- Jack AlbertsonConvicts 4 (1962) and The Harder They Fall (1956)
- Nehemiah PersoffAl Capone (1959) and The Harder They Fall (1956)
- Paul KosloLove and Bullets (1979) and Lolly-Madonna XXX (1973)
- Arthur MaletIn the Heat of the Night (1967) and Convicts 4 (1962)
- Chuck HaywardRun of the Arrow (1957) and The Unholy Wife (1957)
- Timothy ScottLolly-Madonna XXX (1973) and In the Heat of the Night (1967)
- Richard HerdWolf Lake (1980) and F.I.S.T. (1978)
- Don C. HarveyThe Unholy Wife (1957) and Jubal (1956)
- Larry GatesLucky Luciano (1973) and In the Heat of the Night (1967)
- Bruce MacVittieThe January Man (1989) and The Chosen (1981)
- Joe De SantisAl Capone (1959) and The Unholy Wife (1957)
- David HuffmanWolf Lake (1980) and F.I.S.T. (1978)
- Sam Chew Jr.Love and Bullets (1979) and F.I.S.T. (1978)
- Irene DaileyThe Amityville Horror (1979) and No Way to Treat a Lady (1968)
- Alberto AmatoLucky Luciano (1973) and Hands over the City (1963)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Rod Steiger's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$850 million

18 of the 47 films have a worldwide figure.

18Worldwide figure
8US gross only
1Never in cinemas
20Figure not found

Top grosser

End of Days1999Father Kovak$212 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 95% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
End of Days1999as Father Kovak
$212M24.9% of the total
2
The Specialist1994as Joe Leon
$170M20.0% of the total
3
Doctor Zhivago1965as Viktor Komarovsky
$112M13.2% of the total
4
Mars Attacks!1996as General Decker
$101M11.9% of the total
5
The Amityville Horror1979as Father Delaney
$86M10.2% of the total
6
The Hurricane1999as Judge Sarokin
$74M8.7% of the total
7
In the Heat of the Night1967as Chief Bill Gillespie
$27M3.2% of the total
8
F.I.S.T.1978as Senator Madison
$20M2.4% of the total

I Am Not Your Negro (2017), $7.1 million

No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), $3.1 million

The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955), $3.0 million

The Harder They Fall (1956), $1.4 million

$46.0 millionfrom the other 10 films with a worldwide figure, 5% of the total

Awards

Six awards and honors from 1964 to 1997, three of them major.

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Rod Steiger's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1968	Best Actor	In the Heat of the Night	Won
Golden Globes
1967	Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama	In the Heat of the Night	Won
Berlin Film Festival
1964	Silver Bear for Best Actor	The Pawnbroker	Won
Other honors
1997	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored
1996	Mary Pickford Award		Won
1969	David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor		Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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