Gordon Mitchell
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 29, 1923
- Died
- September 20, 2003
- Birthplace
- 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.
Filmography
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
The Alien Within 1990
as Dan Thorn
Overdose 1989
as Costa
Blood Delirium 1988
as Hermann
Faida 1988
Actor
SFX Retaliator 1988
as Morgan
Cross of the Seven Jewels 1987
as Black Mass Leader
Commando Invasion 1987
Actor
Three Men on Fire 1986
as Dr. Andrew Milhench
Cobra Mission 1986
as Col. Mortimer
The Mines of Kilimanjaro 1986
as Rolf
White Fire 1984
as Olaf
She 1984
as Hector
If All Goes Well We Are Ruined 1983
as Jack Volpetti
Endgame 1983
as Col. Morgan
Rush 1983
as Yor
The Commissioner 1983
as (uncredited)
Secret Force 1983
Actor
The Yellow Panther 1982
as killer
Curse of the Red Butterfly 1982
as Brado
Diamond Connection 1982
as Abdul Pascha
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 II 1980
as Felix Oppenheimer
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados 1980
as Robert
The Iron Hand of the Mafia 1980
as Don Nicola
Fever of 40! 1980
as Mr. Temple
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
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
Actor
The Household 1974
as General Von Werner
Little Godfather from Hong Kong 1974
Actor
The Sewer Rats 1974
as Gordon
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks 1974
as Igor
The Fighting Fist 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 Crucified Girls of San Ramon 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
Actor
Io non spezzo... rompo 1971
as Joe il Rosso
Treasure of the Lost Desert 1971
Actor
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
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
Satyricon 1969
as Il predone
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida 1969
Actor
The Wings of War 1969
Actor
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
Fenomenal 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 Bandit Leader
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
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)
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 80 Days 1956
as Extra (uncredited)
The Man with the Golden Arm 1955
Actor
Credits from TMDB.