Actor Rod Steiger was an American actor who had a long and successful career in film, television, and theater. He was best known for his Academy Award-winning performance in the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night. He also starred in films such as The Pawnbroker, On the Waterfront, and Doctor Zhivago. Steiger was nominated for two other Academy Awards and won numerous other awards throughout his career. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 77.