Sting
Acting • Born 1951-10-02
Biography
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, activist, and actor. He was the frontman, principal songwriter and bassist for new wave band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music. Sting has sold a combined total of more than 100 million records as a solo artist and as a member of the Police. He has received three Brit Awards, including Best British Male Artist in 1994 and Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2002; a Golden Globe; an Emmy; and four Academy Award nominations. As a solo musician and as a member of the Police, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Police in 2003. Sting has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors; a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to music; Kennedy Center Honors; and the Polar Music Prize. In May 2023, he was made an Ivor Novello Fellow. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner was born at Sir G B Hunter Memorial Hospital in Wallsend, Northumberland, England, on 2 October 1951, the eldest of four children of Audrey (née Cowell), a hairdresser, and Ernest Matthew Sumner, a milkman and former fitter at an engineering works. He grew up near Wallsend's shipyards, which made an impression on him. As a child, he was inspired by the Queen Mother waving at him from a Rolls-Royce to divert from the shipyard prospect towards a more glamorous life. He helped his father deliver milk and by ten was "obsessed" with an old Spanish guitar left by an emigrating friend of his father. Sting attended St Cuthbert's Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne. He visited nightclubs such as Club A'Gogo to see Cream and Manfred Mann, who influenced his music. He learned to sing and play simultaneously by listening to records at 78 rpm. After leaving school in 1969, he enrolled at the University of Warwick in Coventry, but left after a term. After working as a bus conductor, building labourer, and tax officer, he attended the Northern Counties College of Education (now Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher.[20] He taught at St Paul's First School in Cramlington for two years. Sting performed jazz in the evenings, at weekends, and during breaks from college and teaching, playing with the Phoenix Jazzmen, Newcastle Big Band and Last Exit. He gained his nickname after his habit of wearing a black and yellow jumper with hooped stripes with the Phoenix Jazzmen. Bandleader Gordon Solomon thought he looked like a bee (or according to Sting himself, "they thought I looked like a wasp"), which prompted the name "Sting". In the 1985 documentary Bring On the Night a journalist called him Gordon, to which he replied, "My children call me Sting, my mother calls me Sting, who is this Gordon character?" In 2011, he told Time "I was never called Gordon. You could shout 'Gordon' in the street and I would just move out of your way". Despite this, he chose not to legally change his name to "Sting". ... Source: Article "Sting (musician)" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Filmography
281 credits
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Movie • 1998
JD
Dune
Movie • 1984
Feyd Rautha
George Michael: A Different Story
Movie • 2004
Self
Great North: A Run. A River. A Region.
Movie • 2021
Self
Quadrophenia
Movie • 1979
Ace Face
Bee Movie
Movie • 2007
Sting (voice)
The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts
Movie • 2009
Self
Sting - Bring on the Night
Movie • 1985
Self
Punk and Its Aftershocks
Movie • 1980
Self
Stormy Monday
Movie • 1988
Finney
The Filth and the Fury
Movie • 2000
Self (archive footage)
The Police: Certifiable
Movie • 2008
Self - Bass, Vocals
America | A Tribute to Heroes
Movie • 2001
Self - Performer
Plenty
Movie • 1985
Mick
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
Movie • 2006
Self
The Bride
Movie • 1985
Frankenstein
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Movie • 1988
Heroic Officer
Attenborough at 90
Movie • 2016
Self
Live 8
Movie • 2005
Self
Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story
Movie • 2021
Self
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Movie • 2004
Self
Sting at the Pantheon in Paris - 50 Years of FIP Radio
Movie • 2021
Self
Artemis '81
Movie • 1981
Helith
Sting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love
Movie • 2003
Self - Bass, Guitar, Lead Vocals
Live Aid
Movie • 1985
Self
Sting: The Brand New Day Tour: Live From The Universal Amphitheatre
Movie • 2000
Self - Vocals, Bass
The Police: Live In Concert Tokyo
Movie • 2008
Self
Radio On
Movie • 1979
Just Like Eddie
Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Final - Buenos Aires
Movie • 1988
Self
Chris Botti & Friends - Night Sessions: Live in Concert
Movie • 2002
Self
The Grotesque
Movie • 1995
Fledge
Sting: Live In Berlin
Movie • 2010
Self - Performer
Herb Alpert Is...
Movie • 2020
Self
Ligmalion: Or How to Help Yourself in Self-Help Britain
Movie • 1985
Machiavelli
Brimstone & Treacle
Movie • 1982
Martin Taylor
Sting: All this Time
Movie • 2001
Self - Lead Singer
Sting Festival de Viña del Mar
Movie • 2011
Self
Julia and Julia
Movie • 1988
Daniel Hosler
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Movie • 1982
Self
CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill
Movie • 2011
Self
Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out
Movie • 2007
Self - The Police Member (archive footage)
WHAM!
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
The Mighty
Movie • 1998
The Balladeer
Sting: The Journey & The Labyrinth: The Music of John Dowland
Movie • 2004
Self
Sting Unplugged
Movie • 1991
Self - Double Bass, Vocals
The Police: Around The World
Movie • 1982
Self
Hope for Haiti Now
Movie • 2010
Self
The Beatles Revolution
Movie • 2000
Self
Mylène Farmer : Les Clips L'Intégrale (1999-2020)
Movie • 2021
Self
20 Feet from Stardom
Movie • 2013
Self
Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy
Movie • 1993
Narrator (voice)
The Tribute to Pavarotti One Amazing Weekend in Petra
Movie • 2009
Self
Resident Alien
Movie • 1990
Singer
Police in Montserrat
Movie • 1983
Self
Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann
Movie • 2009
Robert Schumann
Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police
Movie • 2012
Self
Radioman
Movie • 2012
Self
Sting: 57th and 9th - The Interviews
Movie • 2016
Self
Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story
Movie • 2023
Self
The Police - Outlandos To Synchronicities
Movie • 1995
Self
The Book of Solutions
Movie • 2023
Sting
One World, One Voice
Movie • 1990
Self
Human Rights Now 25th Anniversary
Movie • 1988
Self - Musician
Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari
Movie • 2023
Self
Mylène Farmer : sur les pas d'une icône
Movie • 2015
Self
Sting - 25 Years
Movie • 2011
Self - Vocals, Bass
Iain Goes Inside the Last Ship
Movie • 2014
Self
Bruce Springsteen A MusiCares Tribute
Movie • 2014
Self
Dolly Parton - From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll
Movie • 2023
Self
The Queen's Birthday Party
Movie • 2018
Self - Performer
Sting: When the Last Ship Sails (Live at the Public Theater)
Movie • 2014
Self - Host, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass
GIMS: On the Record
Movie • 2020
Self
Sting: Unplugged
Movie • 1991
Self
Sting's 40th Birthday Celebration: Live from the Hollywood Bowl
Movie • 1991
Self - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
Chris Botti Live: With Orchestra and Special Guests
Movie • 2006
Self
Sting: A Winter's Night...Live From Durham Cathedral
Movie • 2009
Self
Bruce Springsteen - 32nd Annual of Kennedy Center Honors
Movie • 2009
Self
Still Bill
Movie • 2010
Self
Jaco
Movie • 2015
Self
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman
Movie • 1998
Billy Idol
The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Music Edition
Movie • 2004
Self
Tina Turner : Celebrate!
Movie • 1999
Self
Sting : My Songs au château de Chambord
Movie • 2022
Self
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Movie • 2022
Self
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert
Movie • 1988
Self
Sting - Fields Of Japan 1994
Movie • 2010
Self
Freedom Beat
Movie • 2003
Self
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon
Movie • 2022
Self
If on a Winter's Night ... Live from Durham Cathedral
Movie • 2009
Self
Dire Straits at Live Aid
Movie • 1985
Self
They All Came Out to Montreux
Movie • 2023
Self
Billy Joel: The 100th - Live at Madison Square Garden
Movie • 2024
Self
Peter Gabriel, Sting, & Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Now!
Movie • 1988
Self - Musician
Acceleration Punk
Movie • 1977
Self
The Police - Greatest Video Hits
Movie • 2007
Self (archive footage)
The Sweatbox
Movie • 2002
Self
Sting Live At Irving Plaza
Movie • 2016
Self
Zoolander 2
Movie • 2016
Sting
Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward
Movie • 1999
Self
The Police: Ghost in the Machine Tour - Live at Gateshead
Movie • 2001
Self
Royal Opera House: Message in a Bottle
Movie • 2024
Self - Lead Vocals
Sonic Sea
Movie • 2016
Self
Music for Montserrat
Movie • 1997
Self
The Police: Better Than Therapy
Movie • 2008
Self
An Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues
Movie • 2005
Self
The Dark Side of The Sun
Movie • 2017
Narrator
The Police - Live in Rio
Movie • 2007
Self
U2 & The Police: A Conspiracy of Hope
Movie • 1986
Self
Being Mick
Movie • 2001
Self
2012: Time for Change
Movie • 2010
Self
Urgh! A Music War
Movie • 1981
Self
Sting: Beyond The Police
Movie • 2017
Self - Musician
Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris
Movie • 2017
Self - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
Sting: A Free Man
Movie • 2017
Self
Sting - Grenzgänger und Freigeist
Movie • 2017
Self
Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen
Movie • 2018
Self - Performer
Gurrumul
Movie • 2018
Self
Ruben Blades Is Not My Name
Movie • 2018
Self
Talking Pictures: Quadrophenia
Movie • 1979
Interviewee
All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!
Movie • 2001
Self
Sting au Bataclan
Movie • 2016
Self
The Police Rock in Rio - Live Madrid
Movie • 2008
Self
Sting – Fields Of Gold - The Best Of Sting
Movie • 1994
Self (archive footage)
Scott Walker: 30 Century Man
Movie • 2007
Self
Brüno
Movie • 2009
Self - 'Dove of Peace'
John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly
Movie • 2014
Self
The Police - Live '79 at Hatfield Polytechnic
Movie • 1979
Self
STING: The Journey & The Labyrinth
Movie • 2007
Self
Two Rooms: A Tribute to Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Movie • 1991
Self - Guest
Live Aid
Movie • 2004
Self
Chris Botti in Boston
Movie • 2009
Self
I Want My MTV
Movie • 2019
Self
The Police: Synchronicity Concert
Movie • 1984
Self - Bass, Vocals
Sting & Shaggy au Château d'Hérouville
Movie • 2019
Self
Take That Away!
Movie • 1993
Self
The Soul Cages Concert
Movie • 1991
Self
The Very Best of Sting & The Police
Movie • 1997
Self (archive footage)
Sting and Gil Evans: Strange Fruit
Movie • 1987
Self - Vocals, Electric Bass
Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB
Movie • 2009
Self
The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration
Movie • 2019
Self
Pavarotti & Friends
Movie • 1992
Self
Pavarotti The Duets
Movie • 2008
Self
Kaamelott: The First Chapter
Movie • 2021
Horsa
Rock'n'roll... Of Corse!
Movie • 2016
Self
The Police: Live At Rockpalast
Movie • 1980
Self - Vocals, Bass
The Police – Live Ghost In The Machine
Movie • 1996
Self - Vocals, Bass
The Police - Live In Oakland
Movie • 1983
Self - Vocals, Bass
Space Songs: Through the Distance
Movie • 2020
Self
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
Movie • 2005
Self
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
Movie • 2020
Self
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
Movie • 1988
Self
Citizens Of Boomtown: The Story of the Boomtown Rats
Movie • 2020
Self
Branford Marsalis: Steep
Movie • 1991
Self
Eric Burdon: Rock 'n' Roll Animal
Movie • 2019
Self
'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video
Movie • 1984
Self
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Movie • 2003
Self - Bass, Vocals
The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special
Movie • 1995
Self
Le Grand Concert Unis pour le Liban
Movie • 2020
Self
The Police: Live in Essen - Rockpalast 1980
Movie • 1980
Self
Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special
Movie • 1992
Self
Pavarotti, Birth of a Pop Star
Movie • 2017
Self
Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups
Movie • 2015
Self
An Audience with Elton John
Movie • 1997
Self
Under the Volcano
Movie • 2021
Self
VH1 Rock Honors: The Who
Movie • 2008
Self
Sting - Live at iHeartRadio Music Festival 2016
Movie • 2016
Self
Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
Movie • 2007
Self
PoliWood
Movie • 2009
Self
Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
Movie • 2016
Self (archive footage)
Sting - Live at iHeartRadio
Movie
Self
Sting and the Police at the BBC
Movie • 2024
Self
Sting: Radio 2 in the Park
Movie • 2024
Self
Mylène Farmer: 2019 - Le Film
Movie • 2019
Self
The Making of Do They Know It's Christmas?
Movie • 2024
Self
Destination Dune
Movie • 1983
Self
The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune
Movie • 2021
Self (voice) (archive footage)
FireAid Benefit Concert
Movie • 2025
Self
The Best of Max Headroom
Movie • 1987
Self
When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain
Movie • 2025
Self
Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part II)
Movie • 2026
Horsa
In Thanks We Trust
Movie • 2025
Self
Prince's Trust Rock Gala - Volume 3
Movie • 1988
Self
Eric Clapton: Standing at the Crossroads
Movie • 1999
Self
Sting, Daniel Hope & Freunde in Berlin Mit Golda Schultz, Bruce Liu u.v.m.
Movie • 2022
Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation
Movie • 2007
Self
GIMS à Paris la Défense Arena : le concert événement
Movie • 2025
Self : Guest (virtual)
The Big Night In
Movie • 2020
Self
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade
Movie • 2019
Self
Christmas@Home 2022: Das Weihnachtskonzert mit Daniel Hope, Sting und weiteren Gästen
Movie • 2022
Self : Singer
The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3D! On Ice!
Movie • 2010
Self
Sting - Sounds Like Art Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
Movie • 2026
Dance of Hope
Movie • 1989
The Simpsons
TV • 1989
Sting (voice)
Ally McBeal
TV • 1997
Sting
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self
The One Show
TV • 2006
Self
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
TV • 2006
Self
Today
TV • 1952
Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
TV • 1988
Self
TFI Friday
TV • 1996
Self
Markus Lanz
TV • 2008
Self
The Secret Policeman's Ball
TV • 1976
Self
CBS News Sunday Morning
TV • 1979
Finding Your Roots
TV • 2012
Self
MADtv
TV • 1995
Self
MTV Unplugged
TV • 1989
Self
Late Night with David Letterman
TV • 1982
Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV • 1993
Self - Guest
Al TV
TV • 1984
Self (archive footage)
TOTP2
TV • 1994
Self
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
TV • 1999
Self - Guest
GMTV
TV • 1993
Self
Salut les Terriens !
TV • 2006
Self - Guest
The Larry Sanders Show
TV • 1992
Sting
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Host
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Host & Musical Guest
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
TV • 1963
Self - The Police
Only Murders in the Building
TV • 2021
Sting
American Music Awards
TV • 1974
Self - Musical Guest
The Kenny Everett Video Show
TV • 1978
Victoires de la musique
TV • 1985
Self
Miley's New Year's Eve Party
TV • 2004
Self - Musical Guest
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV • 2015
Self - Guest/Musical Guest
Under the Sun
TV • 1989
Self
Rove
TV • 1999
Self
Little Britain USA
TV • 2008
Self
Reel Stories
TV • 2018
Self - Guest Star
The Old Grey Whistle Test
TV • 1971
Self
An Audience with...
TV • 1978
Self
Catherine et Liliane
TV • 2016
Sting
MTV Video Music Awards
TV • 1984
Self
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
TV • 1990
Zarm (voice)
Leute heute
TV • 1997
Self
Bio’s Bahnhof
TV • 1978
Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
TV • 2003
Self
The Michael J. Fox Show
TV • 2013
Sting
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
TV • 2016
Self - Performer
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Musical Guest
Life's Too Short
TV • 2011
Sting
Brian Johnson's A Life on the Road
TV • 2017
Self
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV • 2009
Self - Guest
Bambi
TV • 1948
Self
CMT Crossroads
TV • 2002
Self
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
TV • 2008
Self
Inas Nacht
TV • 2007
Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV • 1975
Self
Legends
TV • 2006
Self
TV total
TV • 1999
Self
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
TV • 2022
Self (archive footage)
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
TV • 2004
Self
Titel, Thesen, Temperamente
TV • 1967
Self
The Graham Norton Show
TV • 2007
Self
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
TV • 2015
Self
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self - The Police
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
TV • 1963
Self - Musical Guest
Lo + plus
TV • 1995
Self - Guest
Kulturplatz
TV • 2004
Self
Star Academy
TV • 2001
Self
Le monde est à vous
TV • 1987
Self
De TV Show
TV • 1981
Self
Mylène Farmer, l’Ultime Création
TV • 2020
Self
Behind the Music
TV • 1997
Self
Vivement dimanche
TV • 1998
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV • 2014
Self
Parkinson
TV • 1998
Self
MTV Rockumentary
TV • 1989
Self
Sacrée Soirée
TV • 1987
Self
The Max Headroom Show
TV • 1985
Self
The Grammys
TV • 1959
Self
Rockpalast
TV • 1974
Lubach
TV • 2025
Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World
TV • 2025
Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
TV • 1988
Self - Guest
Billy Joel: And So It Goes
TV • 2025
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self - Musical Guest
X Factor
TV • 2008
Self - Guest
VH1 Storytellers
TV • 2005
Self
Late Show with David Letterman
TV • 1993
Self - Musical Guest
The BRIT Awards
TV • 1977
Self