Gordon Mitchell
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.
Fotos
Películas (133)
Malevolence
2004 · Don Fabrizio De Martino
An Enraged New World
2002 · General Murchison
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
2000 · Self
Bikini Drive-In
1995 · Goliath
The Alien Within
1990 · Dan Thorn
Overdose
1989 · Costa
Blood Delirium
1988 · Hermann
Faida
1988
SFX Retaliator
1988 · Morgan
Cross of the Seven Jewels
1987 · Black Mass Leader
Commando Invasion
1987
Three Men on Fire
1986 · Dr. Andrew Milhench
The Mines of Kilimanjaro
1986 · Rolf
Cobra Mission
1986 · Col. Mortimer
White Fire
1984 · Olaf
She
1984 · Hector
If All Goes Well We Are Ruined
1983 · Jack Volpetti
Endgame
1983 · Col. Morgan
Rush
1983 · Yor
The Commissioner
1983 · (uncredited)
Secret Force
1983
The Yellow Panther
1982 · killer
Diamond Connection
1982 · Abdul Pascha
Curse of the Red Butterfly
1982 · Brado
The Doctor Prefers Sailors
1981 · killer russo
Kopfschuß
1981 · Maserati
Trois filles dans le vent
1981 · Gordon Mitchell
Umbrella Coup
1980 · Moskovitz, le tueur à gages
Holocaust II
1980 · Felix Oppenheimer
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
1980 · Robert
Fever of 40!
1980 · Mr. Temple
The Iron Hand of the Mafia
1980 · Don Nicola
Porno erotico western
1979 · (as Charles Pendleton)
Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
1979 · Pretorius
Strategy for a Mission of Death
1979 · Paul
Santa Lucia
1979 · Amerikaner
White Fang and the Kid
1978 · Morgan
Operation Orient
1978 · Haine
Fists, Dollars and Spinach
1978 · Frank Stilo
The Slayers
1977 · Pablo
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
1977 · Gooming
Oil
1977 · Joe
Achtung! The Desert Tigers
1977 · Kommandant von Stolzen
Special Squad Shoots on Sight
1976 · David
Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
1975 · Renato Proietti
The Tiger From the River Kwai
1975 · Jack Mason
The Man from Chicago
1975 · Mike
The Skin Under the Claws
1975 · Professor Helmut
Seven Savage Men
1975 · Cooper
Four for All
1975 · Margherito
Anasının Gözü
1975
The Household
1974 · General Von Werner
Little Godfather from Hong Kong
1974
The Sewer Rats
1974 · Gordon
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
1974 · Igor
The Fighting Fist of Shanghai Joe
1973 · Burying Sam
His Colt, Himself, His Revenge
1973 · Martin
From the Archives of the Criminal Police
1973 · Peter Wilcox
Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
1973 · Mike
My Darling Slave
1973 · Von Thirac
Anything for a Friend
1973 · Miller
Frankenstein '80
1972 · Dr. Otto Frankenstein
Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
1972 · Jonathan Duke
The French Sex Murders
1972 · Man in Nightclub
My Name Is Texas Bill
1972 · Martin
The Crucified Girls of San Ramon
1972 · El Kadir
A Gunman Called Dakota
1972 · Dakota
Slaughter Day
1972 · Gordon
His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
1971 · Ray Potter
Savage Guns
1971 · Gordon Mitchell
Angel's Leap
1971 · Henry Di Fusco
Day of Judgment
1971 · Deputy
Let's Go And Kill Sartana
1971 · Greg "The Crazy Person"
Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
1971 · Buck/Butch Bradley
Adios Compañeros
1971 · Ironhead
Coffin Full of Dollars
1971 · John Hamilton
Finders Killers
1971 · Chris Forest
Tre nel mille
1971
Io non spezzo... rompo
1971 · Joe il Rosso
Treasure of the Lost Desert
1971
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
1970 · Roger Murdock
Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
1970 · Black Burt Keller / Burt Kelly
The Arizona Kid
1970 · Coyote
Lisa with the Blue Eyes
1969 · Football player
I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
1969 · Degueyo
Satyricon
1969 · Il predone
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida
1969
The Wings of War
1969
Cry of Death
1968 · Donkey / Morgan Pitt
Dead for a Dollar
1968 · Roy Fulton
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
1968 · Alfredo
All on the Red
1968 · Erikson
Seven Times Seven
1968 · Big Ben
The Killer Likes Candy
1968 · Toni
Beyond the Law
1968 · Burton
Cheers... Cyanide!
1968 · Al Rubino
I'll Die for Vengeance
1968 · Clayton
Fenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
1968 · Gregory Falco
John the Bastard
1967 · Danite
Reflections in a Golden Eye
1967 · Stables Sergeant
Death on the Run
1967 · The Albanian
The Crazy Westerners
1967 · Bandit Leader
Born to Kill
1967 · Rod Gordon
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
1967 · Ringo
È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere
1966 · Van Himst
L'Estate
1966 · Self
Kill or Be Killed
1966 · Baltimore Joe/Ringo
Thompson 1880
1966 · Glenn Sheppard
Star Pilot
1966 · Murdu
Three Bullets for Ringo
1966 · Frank
Lady Morgan's Vengeance
1965 · Roger
Erik the Viking
1965 · Sven
The Stone Forest
1965 · Hunding
Hercules and the Princess of Troy
1965 · Pirate Captain
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
1964 · Omar
The Revenge of the Gladiators
1964 · Arminio
Seven Slaves Against the World
1964 · Balisten
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
1963 · Brenno
The Fury of Achilles
1962 · Achilles
Invasion 1700
1962 · Ulrich
Kerim, Son of the Sheik
1962 · Yussuf
Caesar Against the Pirates
1962 · Hamar
Vulcan, Son of Giove
1962 · Pluto
The Giant of Metropolis
1961 · Obro
The Centurion
1961 · General Metellus
Atlas Against the Cyclops
1961 · Maciste
Spartacus
1960 · Gladiator (uncredited)
Rio Bravo
1959 · Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited)
The Young Lions
1958 · Minor Role (uncredited)
The Enemy Below
1957 · German Sailor
The Spirit of St. Louis
1957 · (uncredited)
Around the World in 80 Days
1956 · Extra (uncredited)
The Man with the Golden Arm
1955
