Sterling, Ford, 1882-1939

American silent film star known for his association with Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios Ford Sterling was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on November 3, 1883 to Mary Kirby and George Stitch as Georege Franklin Stitch. Sterling ran away from home at the age of 12 and joined the George Hutchinson repertory company. He later joined the Flying Lees circus before joining the Forepaugh Amalgamated Circus as an acrobatic clown. Sterling joiend a musical show in New York, New York after tiring of the circus life, where Mack Sennett discovered him. He spent eight yeard working with Sennett at Keystone Pictures from 1912 to 1920, where he portrayed primarily police chiefs. Stering also starred as Michael Poole in Howard Hughes' now lost film Everybody's Acting (1926).

Sterling married fellow silent film star Nora "Teddy" Sampson in 1914. The couple remained married until Sterling's death in Los Angeles, California on October 13, 1939 after a prolonged illness that forced doctors to amputate one of his legs.

Sources:

"FORD STERLING, 55, MOVIE COMIC, DIES: 'CHIEF OF KEYSTONE POLICE,' CONTEMPORARY OF CHAPLIN AND GLORIA SWANSON IN MABEL NORMAND FILMS SURVIVOR OF CUSTARD PIE DAYS LOST LEFT LEG LAST YEAR THROUGH AN OPERATION OLD KEYSTONE POLICE CHIEF HIS FIST SCREEN ROLE WITH MACK SENNETT 8 YEARS." New York Times (1923-), Oct 14, 1939. 19, http://ezproxy.library.unlv.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/ford-sterling-55-movie-comic-dies/docview/102897169/se-2?accountid=3611.

Genealogy files about "George Franklin Ford Sterling." Accessed on November 16, 2021 on FamilySearch.org.