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. 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.
Has resided in London for many years. Was a good friend of the late Sam Wanamaker.
Her son, Adams Douglas, died of heart failure just three months before her in 2004.
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.
In Italy, almost all her films were dubbed by Rosetta Calavetta, except Union Station (1950) and High School Confidential! (1958) where she was dubbed by Dhia Cristiani and Micaela Giustiniani respectively.
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.
Made her singing debut in a tour of the musical "Silk Stockings" in 1962.
Measurements: 35C-23-35 (during The High and the Mighty (1954)- 1954), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
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).
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.
Some sources give her year of birth 1921, others give 1923.
Son: Adams Douglas (1955 - 2003) died of heart failure.