Gordon Mitchell
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 29, 1923
- Died
- September 20, 2003 (aged 80)
- Birthplace
- Denver, Colorado, USA
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Malevolence
Movie · as Don Fabrizio De Martino
An Enraged New World
Movie · as General Murchison
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
Movie · as Self
Bikini Drive-In
Movie · as Goliath
The Alien Within
Movie · as Dan Thorn
Overdose
Movie · as Costa
I promessi sposi
TV · as Don Gonzalo · 5 eps
SFX Retaliator
Movie · as Morgan
Blood Delirium
Movie · as Hermann
Faida
Movie
Cross of the Seven Jewels
Movie · as Black Mass Leader
Commando Invasion
Movie
The Mines of Kilimanjaro
Movie · as Rolf
Cobra Mission
Movie · as Col. Mortimer
Three Men on Fire
Movie · as Dr. Andrew Milhench
She
Movie · as Hector
White Fire
Movie · as Olaf
Endgame
Movie · as Col. Morgan
Rush
Movie · as Yor
If All Goes Well We Are Ruined
Movie · as Jack Volpetti
Secret Force
Movie
The Commissioner
Movie · as (uncredited)
The Yellow Panther
Movie · as killer
Diamond Connection
Movie · as Abdul Pascha
Curse of the Red Butterfly
Movie · as Brado
Marco Polo
TV · as Capitano Arnolfo · 3 eps
The Doctor Prefers Sailors
Movie · as killer russo
Kopfschuß
Movie · as Maserati
Trois filles dans le vent
Movie · as Gordon Mitchell
Fever of 40!
Movie · as Mr. Temple
Umbrella Coup
Movie · as Moskovitz, le tueur à gages
The Iron Hand of the Mafia
Movie · as Don Nicola
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
Movie · as Robert
Holocaust II
Movie · as Felix Oppenheimer
Strategy for a Mission of Death
Movie · as Paul
A Very Special Woman
Movie · as Gordon
Santa Lucia
Movie · as Amerikaner
Porno erotico western
Movie · as (as Charles Pendleton)
Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
Movie · as Pretorius
Fists, Dollars and Spinach
Movie · as Frank Stilo
White Fang and the Kid
Movie · as Morgan
Operation Orient
Movie · as Haine
Achtung! The Desert Tigers
Movie · as Kommandant von Stolzen
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
Movie · as Gooming
Oil
Movie · as Joe
The Slayers
Movie · as Pablo
Special Squad Shoots on Sight
Movie · as David
The Tiger From the River Kwai
Movie · as Jack Mason
Seven Savage Men
Movie · as Cooper
Anasının Gözü
Movie
Four for All
Movie · as Margherito
Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
Movie · as Renato Proietti
The Skin Under the Claws
Movie · as Professor Helmut
The Man from Chicago
Movie · as Mike
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
Movie · as Igor
The Household
Movie · as General Von Werner
Little Godfather from Hong Kong
Movie
The Sewer Rats
Movie · as Gordon
The Fighting Fist of Shanghai Joe
Movie · as Burying Sam
Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
Movie · as Mike
Anything for a Friend
Movie · as Miller
From the Archives of the Criminal Police
Movie · as Peter Wilcox
His Colt, Himself, His Revenge
Movie · as Martin
My Darling Slave
Movie · as Von Thirac
Frankenstein '80
Movie · as Dr. Otto Frankenstein
The Crucified Girls of San Ramon
Movie · as El Kadir
My Name Is Texas Bill
Movie · as Martin
A Gunman Called Dakota
Movie · as Dakota
Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
Movie · as Jonathan Duke
The French Sex Murders
Movie · as Man in Nightclub
Slaughter Day
Movie · as Gordon
Finders Killers
Movie · as Chris Forest
Treasure of the Lost Desert
Movie
Angel's Leap
Movie · as Henry Di Fusco
Day of Judgment
Movie · as Deputy
Adios Compañeros
Movie · as Ironhead
Savage Guns
Movie · as Gordon Mitchell
Coffin Full of Dollars
Movie · as John Hamilton
His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
Movie · as Ray Potter
Io non spezzo... rompo
Movie · as Joe il Rosso
Let's Go And Kill Sartana
Movie · as Greg "The Crazy Person"
Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
Movie · as Buck/Butch Bradley
Tre nel mille
Movie
Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
Movie · as Black Burt Keller / Burt Kelly
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
Movie · as Roger Murdock
The Arizona Kid
Movie · as Coyote
I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
Movie · as Degueyo
Satyricon
Movie · as Il predone
The Wings of War
Movie
Lisa with the Blue Eyes
Movie · as Football player
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida
Movie
Beyond the Law
Movie · as Burton
Dead for a Dollar
Movie · as Roy Fulton
Seven Times Seven
Movie · as Big Ben
Fenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
Movie · as Gregory Falco
The Killer Likes Candy
Movie · as Toni
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
Movie · as Alfredo
Cheers... Cyanide!
Movie · as Al Rubino
All on the Red
Movie · as Erikson
I'll Die for Vengeance
Movie · as Clayton
Cry of Death
Movie · as Donkey / Morgan Pitt
Reflections in a Golden Eye
Movie · as Stables Sergeant
The Crazy Westerners
Movie · as Bandit Leader
Born to Kill
Movie · as Rod Gordon
John the Bastard
Movie · as Danite
Death on the Run
Movie · as The Albanian
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
Movie · as Ringo
Star Pilot
Movie · as Murdu
Three Bullets for Ringo
Movie · as Frank
Thompson 1880
Movie · as Glenn Sheppard
Kill or Be Killed
Movie · as Baltimore Joe/Ringo
È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere
Movie · as Van Himst
L'Estate
Movie · as Self
Lady Morgan's Vengeance
Movie · as Roger
Erik the Viking
Movie · as Sven
The Stone Forest
Movie · as Hunding
Hercules and the Princess of Troy
Movie · as Pirate Captain
I Spy
TV · 1 ep
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
Movie · as Omar
Seven Slaves Against the World
Movie · as Balisten
The Revenge of the Gladiators
Movie · as Arminio
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
Movie · as Brenno
The Fury of Achilles
Movie · as Achilles
Vulcan, Son of Giove
Movie · as Pluto
Kerim, Son of the Sheik
Movie · as Yussuf
Caesar Against the Pirates
Movie · as Hamar
Invasion 1700
Movie · as Ulrich
The Giant of Metropolis
Movie · as Obro
Atlas Against the Cyclops
Movie · as Maciste
The Centurion
Movie · as General Metellus
Spartacus
Movie · as Gladiator (uncredited)
Rio Bravo
Movie · as Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited)
The Twilight Zone
TV · as Soldier · 1 ep
The Young Lions
Movie · as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Spirit of St. Louis
Movie · as (uncredited)
The Enemy Below
Movie · as German Sailor
Around the World in 80 Days
Movie · as Extra (uncredited)
The Man with the Golden Arm
Movie