Only after watching ‘Noir Alley’ on TCM did I appreciate Sterling Hayden.
When out of sheer luck I tuned in & caught “Zero Hour!” that was when it all opened up....and the “Airplane!” connection.
Up to that point I was only familiar with Sterling Hayden in Dr Strangelove & The Godfather.
Have you ever seen The Killing? This one has Timothy Carey in it too.
https://youtu.be/SZlGv6XsZuc