Gordon Mitchell
Born
July 29, 1923
Died
September 20, 2003 (80 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
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.
Malevolence
Don Fabrizio De Martino
2004
An Enraged New World
General Murchison
2002
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
Self
2000
Bikini Drive-In
Goliath
1995
The Alien Within
Dan Thorn
1990
Overdose
Costa
1989
I promessi sposi
Don Gonzalo · (5 episodes)
1989
Blood Delirium
Hermann
1988
SFX Retaliator
Morgan
1988
Cross of the Seven Jewels
Black Mass Leader
1987
Commando Invasion
1987
Three Men on Fire
1986
The Mines of Kilimanjaro
Rolf
1986
Cobra Mission
Col. Mortimer
1986
White Fire
Olaf
1984
She
Hector
1984
If All Goes Well We Are Ruined
Jack Volpetti
1983
Endgame
Col. Morgan
1983
Rush
Yor
1983
The Commissioner
(uncredited)
1983
Secret Force
1983
Marco Polo
Capitano Arnolfo · (3 episodes)
1982
The Yellow Panther
killer
1982
Diamond Connection
Abdul Pascha
1982
Curse of the Red Butterfly
Brado
1982
The Doctor Prefers Sailors
killer russo
1981
Kopfschuß
Maserati
1981
Trois filles dans le vent
Gordon Mitchell
1981
Umbrella Coup
Moskovitz, le tueur à gages
1980
Holocaust II
Felix Oppenheimer
1980
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
Robert
1980
Fever of 40!
Mr. Temple
1980
The Iron Hand of the Mafia
Don Nicola
1980
Porno erotico western
(as Charles Pendleton)
1979
Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
Pretorius
1979
Strategy for a Mission of Death
Paul
1979
A Very Special Woman
Gordon
1979
Santa Lucia
Amerikaner
1979
White Fang and the Kid
Morgan
1978
Operation Orient
Haine
1978
Fists, Dollars and Spinach
Frank Stilo
1978
The Slayers
Pablo
1977
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
Gooming
1977
Oil
Joe
1977
Achtung! The Desert Tigers
Kommandant von Stolzen
1977
Special Squad Shoots on Sight
David
1976
Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
Renato Proietti
1975
The Tiger From the River Kwai
Jack Mason
1975
The Man from Chicago
Mike
1975
The Skin Under the Claws
Professor Helmut
1975
Seven Savage Men
Cooper
1975
Four for All
Margherito
1975
Anasının Gözü
1975
The Household
General Von Werner
1974
Little Godfather from Hong Kong
1974
The Sewer Rats
Gordon
1974
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
Igor
1974
The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe
Burying Sam
1973
His Colt, Himself, His Revenge
Martin
1973
From the Archives of the Criminal Police
Peter Wilcox
1973
Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
Mike
1973
My Darling Slave
Von Thirac
1973
Anything for a Friend
Miller
1973
Frankenstein '80
Dr. Otto Frankenstein
1972
Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
Jonathan Duke
1972
The French Sex Murders
Man in nightclub
1972
My Name Is Texas Bill
Martin
1972
The Crucified Girls of San Ramon
El Kadir
1972
A Gunman Called Dakota
Dakota
1972
Slaughter Day
Gordon
1972
His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
Ray Potter
1971
Savage Guns
Gordon Mitchell
1971
Angel's Leap
Henry Di Fusco
1971
Day of Judgment
Deputy
1971
Let's Go And Kill Sartana
Greg "The Crazy Person"
1971
Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
Buck/Butch Bradley
1971
Adios Compañeros
Ironhead
1971
Coffin Full of Dollars
John Hamilton
1971
Finders Killers
Chris Forest
1971
Tre nel mille
1971
Io non spezzo... rompo
Joe il Rosso
1971
Treasure of the Lost Desert
1971
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
Roger Murdock
1970
Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
Black Burt Keller / Burt Kelly
1970
The Arizona Kid
Coyote
1970
Lisa with the Blue Eyes
Football player
1969
I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
Degueyo
1969
Satyricon
Il predone
1969
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida
1969
The Wings of War
1969
Cry of Death
Donkey / Morgan Pitt
1968
Dead for a Dollar
Roy Fulton
1968
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
Alfredo
1968
All on the Red
Erikson
1968
Seven Times Seven
Big Ben
1968
The Killer Likes Candy
Toni
1968
Beyond the Law
Burton
1968
Cheers... Cyanide!
Al Rubino
1968
I'll Die for Vengeance
Clayton
1968
Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
Gregory Falco
1968
John the Bastard
Danite
1967
Reflections in a Golden Eye
Stables Sergeant
1967
Death on the Run
The Albanian
1967
The Crazy Westerners
Häuptling Sitzender Büffel
1967
Born to Kill
Rod Gordon
1967
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
Ringo
1967
È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere
Van Himst
1966
L'Estate
Self
1966
Kill or Be Killed
Baltimore Joe/Ringo
1966
Thompson 1880
Glenn Sheppard
1966
Star Pilot
Murdu
1966
Three Bullets for Ringo
Frank
1966
Lady Morgan's Vengeance
Roger
1965
Erik the Viking
Sven
1965
I Spy
(1 episode)
1965
The Stone Forest
Hunding
1965
Hercules and the Princess of Troy
Pirate Captain
1965
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
Omar
1964
The Revenge of the Gladiators
Arminio
1964
Seven Slaves Against the World
Balisten
1964
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
Brenno
1963
The Fury of Achilles
Achilles
1962
Invasion 1700
Ulrich
1962
Kerim, Son of the Sheik
Yussuf
1962
Caesar Against the Pirates
Hamar
1962
Vulcan, Son of Giove
Pluto
1962
The Giant of Metropolis
Obro
1961
The Centurion
General Metellus
1961
Atlas Against the Cyclops
Maciste
1961
Spartacus
Gladiator (uncredited)
1960
The Twilight Zone
Soldier · (1 episode)
1959
Rio Bravo
Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited)
1959
The Young Lions
Minor Role (uncredited)
1958
The Enemy Below
German Sailor
1957
The Spirit of St. Louis
(uncredited)
1957
Around the World in Eighty Days
Extra (uncredited)
1956
The Man with the Golden Arm
1955