Gordon Mitchell

Overview

Known for
Acting
Gender
Other
Birthday
Jul 29, 1923 (101 years old)
Death date
Sep 20, 2003

Gordon Mitchell

Known For

Malevolence
2h 7m
Movie 2004

Malevolence

Antonio owes the Robaldo family a hundred G's, Gray wants revenge on the street gang who mugged him, Jimmy's escaped from prison, and his brother/accomplice David has many serious mental conditions. Detective Brickley is hot on their trail willing to stop them with any means necessary, while a pair of rogue psychiatrists track them to discover the roots of David's condition. It isn't long before the paths of these characters cross with violent and tragic consequences. The result is a shocking and disturbing portrait of human nature at its worst that can only be summed up in one word: Malevolence.

Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
Movie 2000

Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co

The Alien Within
1h 20m
Movie 1990

The Alien Within

After having a feud with director Kenneth J. Hall, producer Fred Olen Ray hired Ted Newsom to shoot brand new footage (on video) to weave in with scenes from Hall's film Evil Spawn (1987).

Overdose
1h 28m
Movie 1989

Overdose

Karen, a beautiful air hostess, is implied by her fiance in international drug trafficking: drugged herself, she lets persuade to convey ten kilos of heroin from North Africa to Spain. Having narrowly escaped the police, she catches her boyfriend with another woman. Desperate and angry, she takes the drug to the sea and finds refuge with Patrick, a Spanish-American living in a castle. However, traffickers will make every effort to find her...

I promessi sposi
1h 30m
TV Show 1989

I promessi sposi

Set between 1629 and 1631. Renzo Tramaglino and Lucia Mondella are Lombard peasants forced to separate and endure a thousand vicissitudes because of the bullying of the squire Don Rodrigo. However, during their journey they will find various people willing to help them, from Friar Cristoforo to the Innominato, from Federigo Borromeo to Donna Prassede.

Commando Invasion
1h 25m
Movie 1987

Commando Invasion

The leader of a group of American commandos has 5 days to kidnap a VC General to prove his innocence after all his men are killed in an abortive raid.

Three Men on Fire
1h 26m
Movie 1986

Three Men on Fire

A Cameroonese police officer (Alphonse Beni) and a CIA agent (Richard Harrison) try to prevent the Pope from being assassinated by Italian terrorists during his African tour.

The Mines of Kilimanjaro
1h 35m
Movie 1986

The Mines of Kilimanjaro

A World War II-era college student must journey to Africa both to find his missing archaeology professor and search for the treasured mines of Kilimanjaro. He is followed by natives as well as scheming Chinese and Nazis

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.

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