Jan Sterling, born Jane Sterling Adriance on April 3, 1921, in New York City, was an American actress known for her roles in film, television, and theater. She was the daughter of Eleanor Ward (née Deans) and William Allen Adriance Jr., an architect and advertising executive.

Jan Sterling had a younger sister, Ann "Mimi" Adriance, who became a model and businesswoman. She grew up in a wealthy household and attended private schools before moving with her family to Europe and South America, where she was schooled by private tutors.

Jan Sterling began her acting career in 1938, performing on Broadway as the character Chris Faringdon in "Bachelor Born." Over the next 11 years, she dominated Broadway as proper British ladies while billing herself as "Jane Adrian."

She made her film debut in 1947 in "Tycoon," billed as Jane Darian, and later changed her name to Jan Sterling. She played a prominent supporting role in "Johnny Belinda" (1948) and alternated between films and television, appearing in several television anthology series during the 1950s.

Her career reached its peak in the 1950s, with notable roles in films such as "Ace in the Hole" (1951), "Flesh and Fury" (1952), "The High and the Mighty" (1954), and "Female on the Beach" (1955).

She received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "The High and the Mighty" and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the same performance. Her career slowed down considerably after the sudden death of her second husband, actor Paul Douglas, in 1959.

Jan Sterling passed away on March 26, 2004, in Woodland Hills, California, following a series of strokes.