Trivia

On a never-aired game show pilot called "Talking Pictures", Jan revealed that when her dramatic studies ended in London, she traded her ticket for her flight home for passage on a steamship, in order to use the difference to purchase some lingerie. The original ticket was for The Hindenberg. Thus, she claimed that fancy lingerie saved her life.

Her son, Adams Douglas, died of heart failure in December 2003 just three months before her own death in 2004.

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, Born Yesterday (1950). 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.

Son Adams Douglas by actor Paul Douglas later became a programmer at NASA.

She was 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.

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).

In 1941, Jan took over actress Virginia Field's part in the Broadway musical "Panama Hattie" when Field left the show to marry actor Paul Douglas. By 1950 the marriage between Douglas and Field had ended in divorce and Paul married Jan.

Some sources give her year of birth 1921, others give 1923.

Resided in London for many years. Was a good friend of the late Sam Wanamaker.

Made her singing debut in a tour of the musical "Silk Stockings" in 1962.

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.

Friend and mentor of Karen Sharpe.

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.

Gave birth to her only child at age 34, a son Adams Douglas on October 20, 1955. Child's father was her 2nd husband, Paul Douglas.

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.