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