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.
Acted in
Malevolence
2004
as Don Fabrizio De Martino
An Enraged New World
2002
as General Murchison
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
2000
as Self
Bikini Drive-In
1995
as Goliath
The Alien Within
1990
as Dan Thorn
Overdose
1989
as Costa
I promessi sposi
1989
as Don Gonzalo
Blood Delirium
1988
as Hermann
SFX Retaliator
1988
as Morgan
Cross of the Seven Jewels
1987
as Black Mass Leader
Commando Invasion
1987
Three Men on Fire
1986
The Mines of Kilimanjaro
1986
as Rolf
Cobra Mission
1986
as Col. Mortimer
White Fire
1984
as Olaf
She
1984
as Hector
Se tutto va bene siamo rovinati
1983
as Jack Volpetti
Endgame
1983
as Col. Morgan
Rush
1983
as Yor
Secret Force
1983
Marco Polo
1982
as Capitano Arnolfo
The Yellow Panther
1982
as killer
Diamond Connection
1982
as Abdul Pascha
Curse of the Red Butterfly
1982
as Brado
The Doctor Prefers Sailors
1981
as killer russo
Kopfschuß
1981
as Maserati
Trois filles dans le vent
1981
as Gordon Mitchell
Umbrella Coup
1980
as Moskovitz, le tueur à gages
Holocaust 2
1980
as Felix Oppenheimer
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
1980
as Robert
Fever of 40!
1980
as Mr. Temple
The Iron Hand of the Mafia
1980
as Don Nicola
Porno erotico western
1979
as (as Charles Pendleton)
Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
1979
as Pretorius
Strategy for a Mission of Death
1979
as Paul
A Very Special Woman
1979
as Gordon
Santa Lucia
1979
as Amerikaner
White Fang and the Kid
1978
as Morgan
Operation Orient
1978
as Haine
Fists, Dollars and Spinach
1978
as Frank Stilo
The Slayers
1977
as Pablo
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
1977
as Gooming
Oil
1977
as Joe
Achtung! The Desert Tigers
1977
as Kommandant von Stolzen
Special Squad Shoots on Sight
1976
as David
Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
1975
as Renato Proietti
The Tiger From the River Kwai
1975
as Jack Mason
The Man from Chicago
1975
as Mike
The Skin Under the Claws
1975
as Professor Helmut
Seven Savage Men
1975
as Cooper
Four for All
1975
as Margherito
Anasının Gözü
1975
The Household
1974
as General Von Werner
Little Godfather from Hong Kong
1974
The Sewer Rats
1974
as Gordon
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
1974
as Igor
The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe
1973
as Burying Sam
His Colt, Himself, His Revenge
1973
as Martin
From the Archives of the Criminal Police
1973
as Peter Wilcox
Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
1973
as Mike
My Darling Slave
1973
as Von Thirac
Anything for a Friend
1973
as Miller
Frankenstein '80
1972
as Dr. Otto Frankenstein
Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
1972
as Jonathan Duke
The French Sex Murders
1972
as Man in nightclub
My Name Is Texas Bill
1972
as Martin
The Big Bust-Out
1972
as El Kadir
A Gunman Called Dakota
1972
as Dakota
Slaughter Day
1972
as Gordon
His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
1971
as Ray Potter
Savage Guns
1971
as Gordon Mitchell
Angel's Leap
1971
as Henry Di Fusco
Day of Judgment
1971
as Deputy
Let's Go And Kill Sartana
1971
as Greg "The Crazy Person"
Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
1971
as Buck/Butch Bradley
Adios Compañeros
1971
as Ironhead
Coffin Full of Dollars
1971
as John Hamilton
Finders Killers
1971
as Chris Forest
Tre nel mille
1971
Io non spezzo... rompo
1971
as Joe il Rosso
Treasure of the Lost Desert
1971
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
1970
as Roger Murdock
Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
1970
as Black Burt Keller / Burt Kelly
The Arizona Kid
1970
as Coyote
Lisa with the Blue Eyes
1969
as Football player
I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
1969
as Degueyo
Fellini Satyricon
1969
as Il predone
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida
1969
The Wings of War
1969
Cry of Death
1968
as Donkey / Morgan Pitt
Dead for a Dollar
1968
as Roy Fulton
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
1968
as Alfredo
All on the Red
1968
as Erikson
Seven Times Seven
1968
as Big Ben
The Killer Likes Candy
1968
as Toni
Beyond the Law
1968
as Burton
Cheers... Cyanide!
1968
as Al Rubino
I'll Die for Vengeance
1968
as Clayton
Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
1968
as Gregory Falco
John the Bastard
1967
as Danite
Reflections in a Golden Eye
1967
as Stables Sergeant
Death on the Run
1967
as The Albanian
The Crazy Westerners
1967
as Häuptling Sitzender Büffel
Born to Kill
1967
as Rod Gordon
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
1967
as Ringo
È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere
1966
as Van Himst
L'Estate
1966
as Self
Kill or Be Killed
1966
as Baltimore Joe/Ringo
Thompson 1880
1966
as Glenn Sheppard
Star Pilot
1966
as Murdu
Three Bullets for Ringo
1966
as Frank
Lady Morgan's Vengeance
1965
as Roger
Erik the Viking
1965
as Sven
I Spy
1965
The Stone Forest
1965
as Hunding
Hercules and the Princess of Troy
1965
as Pirate Captain
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
1964
as Omar
The Revenge of the Gladiators
1964
as Arminio
Seven Slaves Against the World
1964
as Balisten
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
1963
as Brenno
The Fury of Achilles
1962
as Achilles
Invasion 1700
1962
as Ulrich
Kerim, Son of the Sheik
1962
as Yussuf
Caesar Against the Pirates
1962
as Hamar
Vulcan, Son of Giove
1962
as Pluto
The Giant of Metropolis
1961
as Obro
The Centurion
1961
as General Metellus
Atlas Against the Cyclops
1961
as Maciste
Spartacus
1960
as Gladiator (uncredited)
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Soldier
Rio Bravo
1959
as Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited)
The Young Lions
1958
as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Enemy Below
1957
as German Sailor
The Spirit of St. Louis
1957
as (uncredited)
Around the World in Eighty Days
1956
as Extra (uncredited)
The Man with the Golden Arm
1955