Gordon Mitchell

Gordon Mitchell

Biography: 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.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: July 29, 1923

Deathday: September 20, 2003

Popularity:

4.552

Known For

Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks

1974-02-19

Frankenstein '80
Frankenstein '80

1972-12-12

Reflections in a Golden Eye
Reflections in a Golden Eye

1967-10-13

The Doctor Prefers Sailors
The Doctor Prefers Sailors

1981-12-01

Finders Killers
Finders Killers

1971-03-27

Fever of 40!
Fever of 40!

1980-01-01

The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe
The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe

1973-12-28

The Giant of Metropolis
The Giant of Metropolis

1961-10-25

Beyond the Law
Beyond the Law

1968-04-10

Cross of the Seven Jewels
Cross of the Seven Jewels

1987-04-30

Endgame
Endgame

1983-11-05

The Mines of Kilimanjaro
The Mines of Kilimanjaro

1986-07-31

Umbrella Coup
Umbrella Coup

1980-10-08

Fists, Dollars and Spinach
Fists, Dollars and Spinach

1978-01-01

Treasure of the Lost Desert
Treasure of the Lost Desert

1971-01-01

I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death

1969-11-20

The Crazy Westerners
The Crazy Westerners

1967-08-11

She
She

1984-05-15

Cobra Mission
Cobra Mission

1986-07-31

Star Pilot
Star Pilot

1966-10-01

The Fury of Achilles
The Fury of Achilles

1962-09-23

The Yellow Panther
The Yellow Panther

1982-11-19

Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens

1964-12-18

Special Squad Shoots on Sight
Special Squad Shoots on Sight

1976-04-01

The Big Bust-Out
The Big Bust-Out

1972-05-25

Atlas Against the Cyclops
Atlas Against the Cyclops

1961-03-29

White Fire
White Fire

1984-07-05

Three Bullets for Ringo
Three Bullets for Ringo

1966-03-16

Dead for a Dollar
Dead for a Dollar

1968-08-17

SFX Retaliator
SFX Retaliator

1988-02-01

Angel's Leap
Angel's Leap

1971-09-21

Savage Guns
Savage Guns

1971-11-25

Adios Compañeros
Adios Compañeros

1971-04-17

Day of Judgment
Day of Judgment

1971-09-09

Coffin Full of Dollars
Coffin Full of Dollars

1971-04-01

My Name Is Texas Bill
My Name Is Texas Bill

1972-05-27

His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria

1971-11-26

Io non spezzo... rompo
Io non spezzo... rompo

1971-01-21

John the Bastard
John the Bastard

1967-11-16

Born to Kill
Born to Kill

1967-06-15

A Gunman Called Dakota
A Gunman Called Dakota

1972-03-05

Let's Go And Kill Sartana
Let's Go And Kill Sartana

1971-09-06

Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West

1973-10-17

Thompson 1880
Thompson 1880

1966-10-13

Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End

1970-11-14

Seven Times Seven
Seven Times Seven

1968-04-25

Blood Delirium
Blood Delirium

1988-08-08

Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado

1972-11-12

Anything for a Friend
Anything for a Friend

1973-02-18

The Tiger From the River Kwai
The Tiger From the River Kwai

1975-09-23

White Fang and the Kid
White Fang and the Kid

1978-12-15

Vulcan, Son of Giove
Vulcan, Son of Giove

1962-03-16

From the Archives of the Criminal Police
From the Archives of the Criminal Police

1973-12-18

Seven Savage Men
Seven Savage Men

1975-03-29

His Colt, Himself, His Revenge
His Colt, Himself, His Revenge

1973-12-19

Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
Down with Your Hands... You Scum!

1971-08-21

Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows

1970-11-27

Achtung! The Desert Tigers
Achtung! The Desert Tigers

1977-01-15

Strategy for a Mission of Death
Strategy for a Mission of Death

1979-06-26

Kerim, Son of the Sheik
Kerim, Son of the Sheik

1962-06-29

Caesar Against the Pirates
Caesar Against the Pirates

1962-04-23

The Household
The Household

1974-10-04

Anasının Gözü
Anasının Gözü

1975-01-01

The Man with the Golden Arm
The Man with the Golden Arm

1955-12-26

Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen

1968-03-04

Rush
Rush

1983-10-28

Death on the Run
Death on the Run

1967-10-09

Little Godfather from Hong Kong
Little Godfather from Hong Kong

1974-06-28

Fellini Satyricon
Fellini Satyricon

1969-09-18

Kill or Be Killed
Kill or Be Killed

1966-11-01

Invasion 1700
Invasion 1700

1962-07-14

Overdose
Overdose

1989-12-08

The Killer Likes Candy
The Killer Likes Candy

1968-04-12

Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten

1968-07-25

Lady Morgan's Vengeance
Lady Morgan's Vengeance

1965-12-16

Four for All
Four for All

1975-01-31

The Arizona Kid
The Arizona Kid

1970-09-05

Tre nel mille
Tre nel mille

1971-03-06

Diamond Connection
Diamond Connection

1982-01-01

Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion

1975-10-02

The Iron Hand of the Mafia
The Iron Hand of the Mafia

1980-01-01

Seven Slaves Against the World
Seven Slaves Against the World

1964-08-28

The Revenge of the Gladiators
The Revenge of the Gladiators

1964-09-24

Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak

1967-06-07

Erik the Viking
Erik the Viking

1965-09-24

The Centurion
The Centurion

1961-10-20

The Stone Forest
The Stone Forest

1965-06-13

Operation Orient
Operation Orient

1978-04-25

Bikini Drive-In
Bikini Drive-In

1995-04-08

Brennus, Enemy of Rome
Brennus, Enemy of Rome

1963-12-23

Spartacus
Spartacus

1960-10-13

The Young Lions
The Young Lions

1958-04-02

My Darling Slave
My Darling Slave

1973-10-04

Rio Bravo
Rio Bravo

1959-03-18

The Wings of War
The Wings of War

1969-01-01

Hercules and the Princess of Troy
Hercules and the Princess of Troy

1965-03-08

Commando Invasion
Commando Invasion

1987-01-01

The Spirit of St. Louis
The Spirit of St. Louis

1957-04-01

The Alien Within
The Alien Within

1990-01-01

The Skin Under the Claws
The Skin Under the Claws

1975-05-10

Curse of the Red Butterfly
Curse of the Red Butterfly

1982-01-01

Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados

1980-02-01

The French Sex Murders
The French Sex Murders

1972-06-15

Cheers... Cyanide!
Cheers... Cyanide!

1968-04-04

Around the World in Eighty Days
Around the World in Eighty Days

1956-10-17

All on the Red
All on the Red

1968-05-25

A Very Special Woman
A Very Special Woman

1979-04-01

Kopfschuß
Kopfschuß

1981-10-31

Three Men on Fire
Three Men on Fire

1986-11-04

An Enraged New World
An Enraged New World

2002-03-28

Malevolence
Malevolence

2004-06-18

Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co

2000-01-01

Se tutto va bene siamo rovinati
Se tutto va bene siamo rovinati

1983-12-29

The Sewer Rats
The Sewer Rats

1974-06-05

Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau

1977-05-13

Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia

1979-01-01

Oil
Oil

1977-02-28

Trois filles dans le vent
Trois filles dans le vent

1981-03-11

Lisa with the Blue Eyes
Lisa with the Blue Eyes

1969-12-23

Porno erotico western
Porno erotico western

1979-09-12

Slaughter Day
Slaughter Day

1972-01-01

Secret Force
Secret Force

1983-01-01

Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot

1979-08-31

I'll Die for Vengeance
I'll Die for Vengeance

1968-03-10

Cry of Death
Cry of Death

1968-11-21

È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere
È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere

1966-12-23

The Slayers
The Slayers

1977-09-09

The Man from Chicago
The Man from Chicago

1975-07-10

Ora X Pattuglia Suicida
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida

1969-07-20

Holocaust II
Holocaust II

1980-04-10

L'Estate
L'Estate

1966-11-17

The Enemy Below
The Enemy Below

1957-12-25

}