When his father was killed during World War II, Sterling left school to work in a chartered accountant's office.
He served in the Royal Australian Navy then did a Bachelor of Arts at Sydney University, with Honours in English and History.
He began writing and producing radio plays, and in 1956 moved into directing television at the ABC.
Sterling originally directed all sorts of programs for the ABC but in October 1959 was assigned to drama full time.
[9] Sterling returned to Australia in 1972 to promote the release of Alice in Wonderland and criticised local movies as too self consciously Australian.