Image of Gordon Mitchell

Gordon Mitchell

1923-07-29 Denver, Colorado, USA

Image of Gordon Mitchell

Biografia

Gordon Mitchell was born "Charles Pendleton" in Colorado and served his country in both World War II and the Korean War (during which he was briefly a POW). Afterward he worked as a teacher in inner city schools in California and got heavily involved in personal fitness and bodybuilding. He became friends with Joe Gold (of Gold's Gym), joining Mae West's comedy act as one of her "strongmen" who would carry her on and off the stage. During this time he also found himself in demand as an extra in several Hollywood films including "Lil Abner", "The Enemy Below", and "The Ten Commandments" (in which he and Joe Gold bring Moses to Ramsey's court in chains). When the Peplum craze began in Italy and his fellow Muscle Beach star Steve Reeves became a huge star. Gordon (along with Reg Park, Mark Forrest, Brad Harris, Mickey Hargitay, and Richard Harrison) similarly jumped on the bandwagon and headed to Italy to find stardom and financially greener pastures. Thanks to his unconventional appearance (small, sharp eyes and craggy face) and enthusiasm for his work, Mitchell found himself one of the most in-demand performers in Italy's Sword & Sandal craze of the early 60's, working with several top directors including Marino Girolami, Alberto De Martino, and Michele Lupo. Unlike most of his peers who left Italy once the genre ran its course, Mitchell stayed on to play villains in numerous Spaghetti Westerns, Giallos, War Films, and Science Fiction movies. He also had a small but key role in the Elizabeth Taylor / Marlon Brandon vehicle "Reflections in a Golden Eye" (1967) during this time though perhaps his most prestigious role would be the rogue who helps the two protagonists kidnap the noble in Fellini's "Satyricon" (1969). Mitchell used his extra cash to buy and build his own movie studio (Cave Studios) which he single-handedly constructed outside of Rome. It went largely unused except by ultra-low budget director Demofilo Fidani who would often cast Mitchell as well. In the late 1980's when the Italian genre film industry had basically self-destructed, unable to compete with American films even for video rentals, Mitchell packed his bags and moved back to California. Once home, he re-teamed with old friend Joe Gold to manage World Gym, at which Mitchell acted as COO and lived at the top floor of its headquarters in Marina Del Rey. Continuing for years to act in low budget films purely for the fun of it, Mitchell passed away in his sleep at age 80 in 2003. Having just won the California recall election the day prior, Arnold Schwarzenegger took time out of his busy schedule to pay his respects at Mitchell's Memorial Service at the World Gym Headquarters along with many other bodybuilders who credit Mitchell with getting them into their careers.

Películas

Malevolence Don Fabrizio De Martino 2004-06-18
An Enraged New World General Murchison 2002-03-28
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co Self 2000-01-01
Bikini Drive-In Goliath 1995-04-08
The Alien Within Dan Thorn 1990-01-01
Overdose Costa 1989-12-08
SFX Retaliator Morgan 1988-02-01
Delirio di sangue Hermann 1988-08-08
Faida 1988-02-19
Commando Invasion 1987-01-01
La croce dalle 7 pietre Black Mass Leader 1987-04-30
Cobra Mission Col. Mortimer 1986-07-31
Le miniere del Kilimangiaro Rolf 1986-07-31
Three Men on Fire Dr. Andrew Milhench 1986-11-04
Vivre pour survivre Olaf 1984-07-05
She Hector 1984-05-15
Rush Yor 1983-10-28
Gizli Kuvvet 1983-01-01
Il commissionario (uncredited) 1983-03-19
Se tutto va bene siamo rovinati Jack Volpetti 1983-12-29
Endgame - Bronx lotta finale Col. Morgan 1983-11-05
Diamond Connection Abdul Pascha 1982-01-01
Vai avanti tu che mi vien da ridere killer 1982-11-19
Kırmızı Kelebek Brado 1982-01-01
Kopfschuß Maserati 1981-10-31
Trois filles dans le vent Gordon Mitchell 1981-03-11
La dottoressa preferisce i marinai killer russo 1981-12-01
Η Μαύρη Εμμανουέλα Robert 1980-02-01
Febbre a 40! Mr. Temple 1980-01-01
Le Coup du parapluie Moskovitz, le tueur à gages 1980-10-08
Mafia, una legge che non perdona Don Nicola 1980-01-01
Holocaust 2: I ricordi, i deliri, la vendetta Felix Oppenheimer 1980-04-10
Santa Lucia Amerikaner 1979-01-01
Dottor Jekyll e gentile signora Pretorius 1979-08-31
Porno erotico western (as Charles Pendleton) 1979-09-12
Strategia per una missione di morte Paul 1979-06-26
Une femme spéciale Gordon 1979-04-01
Zanna Bianca e il grande Kid Morgan 1978-12-15
Pugni dollari e spinaci Frank Stilo 1978-01-01
Ισχυρή Δόση... Σεξ Haine 1978-04-25
Kaput lager - gli ultimi giorni delle SS Kommandant von Stolzen 1977-01-15
Gli Uccisori Pablo 1977-09-09
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau Gooming 1977-05-13
Cuibul salamandrelor Joe 1977-02-28
La polizia ordina: Sparate a vista David 1976-04-01
I sette del gruppo selvaggio Cooper 1975-03-29
Quei paracul… pi di Jolando e Margherito Margherito 1975-01-31
Anasının Gözü 1975-01-01
Due Magnum .38 per una città di carogne Renato Proietti 1975-10-02
La tigre venuta dal fiume Kwai Jack Mason 1975-09-23
Le Ricain Mike 1975-07-10
La pelle sotto gli artigli Professor Helmut 1975-05-10
Una donna per 7 bastardi Gordon 1974-06-05
Il domestico General Von Werner 1974-10-04
Terror! Il castello delle donne maledette Igor 1974-02-19
香港小教父 1974-06-28
C'era una volta questo pazzo pazzo west Mike 1973-10-17
La schiava io ce l'ho e tu no Von Thirac 1973-10-04
Amico mio, frega tu... che frego io! Miller 1973-02-18
Dagli archivi della polizia criminale Peter Wilcox 1973-12-18
Il mio nome è Shanghai Joe Burying Sam 1973-12-28
Allegri becchini... arriva Trinità Martin 1973-12-19
Frankenstein '80 Dr. Otto Frankenstein 1972-12-12
Io monaca... per tre carogne e sette peccatrici El Kadir 1972-05-25
Casa d'appuntamento Man in nightclub 1972-06-15
Il magnifico west Martin 1972-05-27
Un uomo Chiamato Dakota Dakota 1972-03-05
Situation Gordon 1972-01-01
Scansati... a Trinità arriva Eldorado Jonathan Duke 1972-11-12
Era Sam Wallash!... lo chiamavano... E Così Sia Gordon Mitchell 1971-11-25
Il giorno del giudizio Deputy 1971-09-09
Giù la testa... hombre Ironhead 1971-04-17
فاتحین صحرا 1971-01-01
Giù le mani... Carogna! Buck/Butch Bradley 1971-08-21
Se t'incontro, t'ammazzo Chris Forest 1971-03-27
Tre nel mille 1971-03-06
Vamos a matar Sartana Greg "The Crazy Person" 1971-09-06
Le saut de l'ange Henry Di Fusco 1971-09-21
Io non spezzo... rompo Joe il Rosso 1971-01-21
Il suo nome era Pot... ma... lo chiamavano Allegria Ray Potter 1971-11-26
Per una bara piena di dollari John Hamilton 1971-04-01
Arrivano Django e Sartana... è la fine Black Burt Keller / Burt Kelly 1970-11-14
The Arizona Kid Coyote 1970-09-05
Inginocchiati straniero... I cadaveri non fanno ombra! Roger Murdock 1970-11-27
The Wings of War 1969-01-01
Fellini – satyricon Il predone 1969-09-18
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida 1969-07-20
Sono Sartana, il vostro becchino Degueyo 1969-11-20
Lisa dagli occhi blu Football player 1969-12-23
Sapevano solo uccidere Clayton 1968-03-10
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten Alfredo 1968-07-25
Fenomenal e il tesoro di Tutankamen Gregory Falco 1968-03-04
Un killer per sua maestà Toni 1968-04-12
Al di là della legge Burton 1968-04-10
Carogne si nasce Donkey / Morgan Pitt 1968-11-21
Tutto sul rosso Erikson 1968-05-25
Cin cin... cianuro Al Rubino 1968-04-04
T'ammazzo! - Raccomandati a Dio Roy Fulton 1968-08-17
Sette volte sette Big Ben 1968-04-25
Bersaglio mobile The Albanian 1967-10-09
Reflections in a Golden Eye Stables Sergeant 1967-10-13
Nato per uccidere Rod Gordon 1967-06-15
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak Ringo 1967-06-07
John il bastardo Danite 1967-11-16
Little Rita nel West Häuptling Sitzender Büffel 1967-08-11
È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere Van Himst 1966-12-23
Thompson 1880 Glenn Sheppard 1966-10-13
3 Colpi di Winchester per Ringo Frank 1966-03-16
2+5: Missione Hydra Murdu 1966-10-01
Uccidi o muori Baltimore Joe/Ringo 1966-11-01
L'Estate Self 1966-11-17
La vendetta di Lady Morgan Roger 1965-12-16
Erik, il vichingo Sven 1965-09-24
Hercules and the Princess of Troy Pirate Captain 1965-03-08
Il tesoro della foresta pietrificata Hunding 1965-06-13
Sinbad Contro I Sette Saraceni Omar 1964-12-18
Gli schiavi più forti del mondo Balisten 1964-08-28
La Vendetta di Spartacus Arminio 1964-09-24
Brenno il nemico di Roma Brenno 1963-12-23
L'ira di Achille Achilles 1962-09-23
Col ferro e col fuoco Ulrich 1962-07-14
Giulio Cesare contro i pirati Hamar 1962-04-23
Il figlio dello sceicco Yussuf 1962-06-29
Vulcano, figlio di Giove Pluto 1962-03-17
Il gigante di Metropolis Obro 1961-10-25
Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi Maciste 1961-03-29
Il conquistatore di Corinto General Metellus 1961-10-20
Spartacus Gladiator (uncredited) 1960-10-13
Rio Bravo Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited) 1959-03-18
The Young Lions Minor Role (uncredited) 1958-04-02
The Spirit of St. Louis (uncredited) 1957-04-01
The Enemy Below German Sailor 1957-12-25
Around the World in Eighty Days Extra (uncredited) 1956-10-17
The Man with the Golden Arm 1955-12-26