Sting
Known for: Acting
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
Series
The Simpsons
Sting (voice)
1989
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest/Musical Guest
2015
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
2014
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
2014
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Musical Guest
1993
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
1975
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest
1975
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
1975
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self
1988
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
Series
Markus Lanz
Self
2008
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Musical Guest
2003
Series
Leute heute
Self
1997
Series
CBS News Sunday Morning
1979
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self - Musical Guest
2003
Series
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
Self
2008
Series
The One Show
Self
2006
Series
An Audience with...
Self
1978
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
1993
Series
Late Night with David Letterman
Self - Guest
1982
Series
Only Murders in the Building
Sting
2021
Series
Champs-Elysées
Self
1982
Series
Champs-Elysées
Self - The Police
1982
Series
Vivement dimanche
Self
1998
Series
MTV Video Music Awards
Self
1984
Series
Sacrée soirée
Self
1987
Series
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2015
Series
Bambi
Self
1948
Series
Behind the Music
Self
1997
Series
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self
1975
Series
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Zarm (voice)
1990
Series
The Larry Sanders Show
Sting
1992
Series
GMTV
Self
1993
Series
Le monde est à vous
Self
1987
Series
Finding Your Roots
Self
2012
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Series
Ally McBeal
Sting
1997
Series
American Music Awards
Self - Musical Guest
1974
Series
Parkinson
Self
1998
Series
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Self
2004
Series
Today
Self
1952
Series
TOTP2
Self
1994
Series
Kulturplatz
Self
2004
Series
MTV Unplugged
Self
1989
Series
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Self - Guest
1999
Series
World in Action
1963
Series
Inas Nacht
Self
2007
Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward
Self
1999
Series
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Self
2006
Series
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
Self - The Police
1963
Series
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
Self - Musical Guest
1963
Series
The BRIT Awards
Self
1977
Film
Bee Movie
Sting (voice)
2007
Series
Rove
Self
1999
Series
Rockpalast
1974
Series
Star Academy
Self
2001
Series
Victoires de la musique
Self
1985
Series
CMT Crossroads
Self
2002
Series
X Factor
Self - Guest
2008
Series
The Old Grey Whistle Test
Self
1971
Titel, Thesen, Temperamente
Self
1967
Series
Legends
Self
2006
Film
Dune
Feyd Rautha
1984
Series
The Michael J. Fox Show
Sting
2013
Series
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Self - Performer
2016
Series
Salut les Terriens !
Self - Guest
2006
Series
Lo + plus
Self - Guest
1995
Series
Lubach
2025
Under the Sun
Self
1989
Series
Miley's New Year's Eve Party
Self - Musical Guest
2004
Series
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self
1976
Series
TFI Friday
Self
1996
Series
VH1 Storytellers
Self
2005
Film
Zoolander 2
Sting
2016
Series
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Heroic Officer
1988
Film
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
JD
1998
Series
De TV Show
Self
1981
Series
Life's Too Short
Sting
2011
Series
The Max Headroom Show
Self
1985
Series
Little Britain USA
Self
2008
Film
Brüno
Self - 'Dove of Peace'
2009
Bio’s Bahnhof
Self
1978
Series
Al TV
Self (archive footage)
1984
Film
Radioman
Self
2012
Series
The Kenny Everett Video Show
1978
Film
America | A Tribute to Heroes
Self - Performer
2001
Series
Billy Joel: And So It Goes
Self
2025
Series
MADtv
Self
1995
Film
Quadrophenia
Ace Face
1979
Film
The Mighty
The Balladeer
1998
Series
TV total
Self
1999
Film
Lindisfarne's Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story
Self
2021
Film
The Sweatbox
Self
2002
Film
Plenty
Mick
1985
Film
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2022
Series
Brian Johnson's A Life on the Road
Self
2017
Film
Kaamelott: The First Chapter
Horsa
2021
Film
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Self
2004
Series
MTV Rockumentary
Self
1989
Film
Live Aid
Self
1985
Film
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
Self
2020
Series
Reel Stories
Self - Guest Star
2018
Film
WHAM!
Self (archive footage)
2023
Film
The Bride
Frankenstein
1985
Film
Live 8
Self
2005
Film
Being Mick
Self
2001
Film
Jaco
Self
2015
Series
Mylène Farmer, l’Ultime Création
Self
2020
Film
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman
Billy Idol
1998
Film
PoliWood
Self
2009
Film
20 Feet from Stardom
Self
2013
Film
Stormy Monday
Finney
1988
Film
FireAid Benefit Concert
Self
2025
Film
Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation
Self
2007
Film
The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts
Self
2009
Film
The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3D! On Ice!
Self
2010
Film
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
Self
1988
Film
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Self
1982
Film
Julia and Julia
Daniel Hosler
1988
Series
Catherine et Liliane
Sting
2016
Film
The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special
Self
1995
Film
Dolly Parton - From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll
Self
2023
Series
Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World
Self
2025
Film
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
Self
2005
Film
VH1 Rock Honors: The Who
Self
2008
Series
The Grammys
Self
1959
Film
Pavarotti The Duets
Self
2008
Film
The Grotesque
Fledge
1995
Film
Sonic Sea
Self
2016
Film
Brimstone & Treacle
Martin Taylor
1982
Film
The Filth and the Fury
Self (archive footage)
2000
Film
Live Aid
Self
2004
Film
The Best of Max Headroom
Self
1987
Film
Music for Montserrat
Self
1997
Film
Destination Dune
Self
1983
Film
Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
Self (archive footage)
2016
Film
The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Music Edition
Self
2004
Film
Artemis '81
Helith
1981
Film
Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part II)
Horsa
2026
Film
Under the Volcano
Self
2021
Film
The Book of Solutions
Sting
2023
Film
2012: Time for Change
Self
2010
Film
The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune
Self (voice) (archive footage)
2021
Film
Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen
Self - Performer
2018
Film
The Big Night In
Self
2020
Film
Two Rooms: A Tribute to Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Self - Guest
1991
Film
Great North: A Run. A River. A Region.
Self
2021
Film
The Making of Do They Know It's Christmas?
Self
2024
The Beatles Revolution
Self
2000
Film
Attenborough at 90
Self
2016
Film
George Michael: A Different Story
Self
2004
Film
The Police: Certifiable
Self - Bass, Vocals
2008
Film
Bruce Springsteen A MusiCares Tribute
Self
2014
Film
Billy Joel: The 100th - Live at Madison Square Garden
Self
2024
Hope for Haiti Now
Self
2010
Film
Chris Botti Live: With Orchestra and Special Guests
Self
2006
Film
Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB
Self
2009
Film
An Audience with Elton John
Self
1997
They All Came Out to Montreux
Self
2023
Film
When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain
Self
2025
Film
Still Bill
Self
2010
Film
Radio On
Just Like Eddie
1979
Film
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Self - Bass, Vocals
2003
Film
Mylène Farmer: 2019 - Le Film
Self
2019
Film
Resident Alien
Singer
1990
Film
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
Self
2006
Film
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon
Self
2022
Film
One World, One Voice
Self
1990
Film
Urgh! A Music War
Self
1981
Film
The Very Best of Sting & The Police
Self (archive footage)
1997
Film
Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Final - Buenos Aires
Self
1988
Film
Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police
Self
2012
Film
Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story
Self
2023
Film
Tina Turner : Celebrate!
Self
1999
Film
Mylène Farmer : Les Clips L'Intégrale (1999-2020)
Self
2021
Film
Sting au Bataclan
Self
2016
Film
Sting Live At Irving Plaza
Self
2016
Film
Mylène Farmer : sur les pas d'une icône
Self
2015
CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill
Self
2011
Film
The Soul Cages Concert
Self
1991
Film
Sting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love
Self - Bass, Guitar, Lead Vocals
2003
Film
Sting: Radio 2 in the Park
Self
2024
STING: The Journey & The Labyrinth
Self
2007
Film
The Tribute to Pavarotti One Amazing Weekend in Petra
Self
2009
Film
Ligmalion: Or How to Help Yourself in Self-Help Britain
Machiavelli
1985
Film
Sting Festival de Viña del Mar
Self
2011
Film
GIMS: On the Record
Self
2020
Film
Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari
Self
2023
Film
Ruben Blades Is Not My Name
Self
2018
Film
The Police: Around The World
Self
1982
Film
The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration
Self
2019
Film
Sting: The Brand New Day Tour: Live From The Universal Amphitheatre
Self - Vocals, Bass
2000
Film
Sting: A Free Man
Self
2017
Film
Sting and the Police at the BBC
Self
2024
Film
The Police: Ghost in the Machine Tour - Live at Gateshead
Self
2001
Film
Sting: Beyond The Police
Self - Musician
2017
Film
Sting - Bring on the Night
Self
1985
Film
Sting ...All This Time
Self - Lead Singer
2001
Peter Gabriel, Sting, & Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Now!
Self - Musician
1988
Film
Chris Botti in Boston
Self
2009
Film
All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!
Self
2001
Film
Scott Walker: 30 Century Man
Self
2007
Film
Gurrumul
Self
2018
Film
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert
Self
1988
Film
Sting at the Pantheon in Paris - 50 Years of FIP Radio
Self
2021
Film
Human Rights Now 25th Anniversary
Self - Musician
1988
Film
Sting - Sounds Like Art Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
2026
Film
Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy
Narrator (voice)
1993
Film
Bruce Springsteen - 32nd Annual of Kennedy Center Honors
Self
2009
Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups
Self
2015
Film
Herb Alpert Is...
Self
2020
Film
An Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues
Self
2005
Film
'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video
Self
1984
Film
The Police - Outlandos To Synchronicities
Self
1995
Film
Branford Marsalis: Steep
Self
1991
Film
John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly
Self
2014
Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special
Self
1992
Film
The Dark Side of The Sun
Narrator
2017
Film
Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris
Self - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
2017
Film
The Police: Live in Essen - Rockpalast 1980
Self
1980
Film
Sting – Fields Of Gold - The Best Of Sting
Self (archive footage)
1994
Film
Sting: When the Last Ship Sails (Live at the Public Theater)
Self - Host, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass
2014
Film
The Police - Live In Oakland
Self - Vocals, Bass
1983
Film
Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
Self
2007
The Queen's Birthday Party
Self - Performer
2018
Film
Pavarotti, Birth of a Pop Star
Self
2017
Film
Sting: A Winter's Night...Live From Durham Cathedral
Self
2009
Film
Citizens Of Boomtown: The Story of the Boomtown Rats
Self
2020
Film
Sting: Live In Berlin
Self - Performer
2010
Film
Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann
Robert Schumann
2009
Film
Message in a Bottle
Self - Lead Vocals
2024
Film
Sting - Fields Of Japan 1994
Self
2010
Film
Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out
Self - The Police Member (archive footage)
2007
Film
Freedom Beat
Self
2003
Film
Eric Clapton: Standing at the Crossroads
Self
1999
Film
The Police – Live Ghost In The Machine
Self - Vocals, Bass
1996
Film
Space Songs: Through the Distance
Self
2020
Film
Iain Goes Inside the Last Ship
Self
2014
Film
Rock'n'roll... Of Corse!
Self
2016
Film
Punk and Its Aftershocks
Self
1980
Film
Eric Burdon: Rock 'n' Roll Animal
Self
2019
Film
Sting - Grenzgänger und Freigeist
Self
2017
Film
Sting - 25 Years
Self - Vocals, Bass
2011
Film
Sting : My Songs au château de Chambord
Self
2022
Film
Sting & Shaggy au Château d'Hérouville
Self
2019
Sting - Live at iHeartRadio
Self
Film
The Police - Live '79 at Hatfield Polytechnic
Self
1979
Film
Take That Away!
Self
1993
Film
Sting and Gil Evans: Strange Fruit
Self - Vocals, Electric Bass
1987
Film
I Want My MTV
Self
2019
Film
Pavarotti & Friends
Self
1992
Film
Dire Straits: Money For Nothing
Sting (voice)
1985
Film
The Police: Live In Concert Tokyo
Self
2008
Film
Sting's 40th Birthday Celebration: Live from the Hollywood Bowl
Self - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
1991
Film
Le Grand Concert Unis pour le Liban
Self
2020
Film
The Police: Synchronicity Concert
Self - Bass, Vocals
1984
Film
Chris Botti & Friends - Night Sessions: Live in Concert
Self
2002
U2 & The Police: A Conspiracy of Hope
Self
1986
Film
The Police Rock in Rio - Live Madrid
Self
2008
Film
Sting, Daniel Hope & Freunde in Berlin Mit Golda Schultz, Bruce Liu u.v.m.
2022
Film
In Thanks We Trust
Self
2025
The Police - Live in Rio
Self
2007
Film
Sting: The Journey & The Labyrinth: The Music of John Dowland
Self
2004
Film
The Police: Live At Rockpalast
Self - Vocals, Bass
1980
Film
Acceleration Punk
Self
1977
Film
The Police - Greatest Video Hits
Self (archive footage)
2007
Film
Sting: 57th and 9th - The Interviews
Self
2016
Talking Pictures: Quadrophenia
Interviewee
1979
Film
Police in Montserrat
Self
1983
Film
Prince's Trust Rock Gala - Volume 3
Self
1988
If on a Winter's Night ... Live from Durham Cathedral
Self
2009
Sting Unplugged
Self - Double Bass, Vocals
1991
Film
Dance of Hope
1989
The Police: Better Than Therapy
Self
2008
Film
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade
Self
2019
Film
GIMS à Paris la Défense Arena : le concert événement
Self : Guest (virtual)
2025
Film
Dire Straits at Live Aid
Self
1985
Film
Sting - Live at iHeartRadio Music Festival 2016
Self
2016
Film
Christmas@Home 2022: Das Weihnachtskonzert mit Daniel Hope, Sting und weiteren Gästen
Self : Singer
2022