TORONTO -- Movie actor Sterling Hayden, a 40-year Hollywood veteran of such films as 'The Godfather' and 'Dr. Strangelove,' was charged Friday with possession of hashish, Canadian police said.
Police said Hayden, 65, was arrested late Thursday at Toronto International Airport after his luggage was seized and searched by customs officials.
No further details were given and Hayden was unavailable for comment.
The 65-year-old native of Wilton, Conn., was charged with possession of a narcotic and released after posting bail of $200, a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.
Hayden is scheduled to appear in Peel County Provincial Court on April 27.
In 1959, the craggy actor was involved in a widely-publicized child custody case when he defied a court order and took his four children on 10-month cruise to Tahiti. He was given five-day jail sentence and fined $500 although both were later suspended.
The following year he was given permission to take the children to Europe while he made a movie there.
In 1969, his son Christian was convicted of evading the draft and sentenced to 3 years in prison.
Born John Hamilton in 1916, Hayden made his debut in movies in 1940 in the film 'Virginia.'
Film critics generally agree his best role was as an American army general in the 1963 nuclear war satire, 'Dr. Strangelove' in which he played alongside Peter Sellers and George C. Scott.
In another memorable role, he played a corrupt police captain in the 1972 movie 'The Godfather.'
More recently, Hayden has taken to writing and authored a book about his experiences sailing around the world in his yacht, 'The Wanderer.'
