Gordon Mitchell

Gordon Mitchell (80)

1923-07-29 - 2003-09-20 | Denver, Colorado, USA

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.

On Movies

  • Malevolence
  • An Enraged New World
  • Bikini Drive-In
  • The Alien Within
  • Overdose
  • Blood Delirium
  • SFX Retaliator
  • Cross of the Seven Jewels
  • Commando Invasion
  • Three Men on Fire
  • The Mines of Kilimanjaro
  • Cobra Mission
  • White Fire
  • She
  • Endgame
  • Rush
  • Secret Force
  • The Yellow Panther
  • Diamond Connection
  • Curse of the Red Butterfly
  • The Doctor Prefers Sailors
  • Kopfschuß
  • Trois filles dans le vent
  • Umbrella Coup
  • Holocaust II
  • Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
  • Fever of 40!
  • The Iron Hand of the Mafia
  • Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
  • Strategy for a Mission of Death
  • A Very Special Woman
  • White Fang and the Kid
  • Operation Orient
  • Fists, Dollars and Spinach
  • The Slayers
  • Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
  • Oil
  • Achtung! The Desert Tigers
  • Special Squad Shoots on Sight
  • Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
  • The Tiger From the River Kwai
  • The Man from Chicago
  • The Skin Under the Claws
  • Seven Savage Men
  • Four for All
  • The Household
  • Little Godfather from Hong Kong
  • The Sewer Rats
  • Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
  • The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe
  • His Colt, Himself, His Revenge
  • From the Archives of the Criminal Police
  • Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
  • My Darling Slave
  • Anything for a Friend
  • Frankenstein '80
  • Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
  • The French Sex Murders
  • My Name Is Texas Bill
  • The Big Bust-Out
  • A Gunman Called Dakota
  • Slaughter Day
  • His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
  • Savage Guns
  • Angel's Leap
  • Day of Judgment
  • Let's Go And Kill Sartana
  • Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
  • Adios Compañeros
  • Coffin Full of Dollars
  • Finders Killers
  • Tre nel mille
  • Io non spezzo... rompo
  • Treasure of the Lost Desert
  • Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
  • Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
  • The Arizona Kid
  • Lisa with the Blue Eyes
  • I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
  • Fellini Satyricon
  • The Wings of War
  • Cry of Death
  • Dead for a Dollar
  • Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
  • All on the Red
  • Seven Times Seven
  • The Killer Likes Candy
  • Beyond the Law
  • Cheers... Cyanide!
  • I'll Die for Vengeance
  • Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
  • John the Bastard
  • Reflections in a Golden Eye
  • Death on the Run
  • The Crazy Westerners
  • Born to Kill
  • Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
  • L'Estate
  • Kill or Be Killed
  • Thompson 1880
  • Star Pilot
  • Three Bullets for Ringo
  • Lady Morgan's Vengeance
  • Erik the Viking
  • The Stone Forest
  • Hercules and the Princess of Troy
  • Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
  • The Revenge of the Gladiators
  • Seven Slaves Against the World
  • Brennus, Enemy of Rome
  • The Fury of Achilles
  • Invasion 1700
  • Kerim, Son of the Sheik
  • Caesar Against the Pirates
  • Vulcan, Son of Giove
  • The Giant of Metropolis
  • The Centurion
  • Atlas Against the Cyclops
  • Spartacus
  • Rio Bravo
  • The Young Lions
  • The Enemy Below
  • The Spirit of St. Louis
  • Around the World in Eighty Days
  • The Man with the Golden Arm

On Series

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