Gordon Mitchell: Difference between revisions

 

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{{About||the jazz musician|Whitey Mitchell|the rugby player|Gordon Mitchell (rugby union)}}

{{About||the jazz musician|Whitey Mitchell|the rugby player|Gordon Mitchell (rugby union)}}

{{infobox person

{{infobox person

| image = Gordon Mitchell.gif

| image = Gordon Mitchell.gif

| birth_name = Charles Allen Pendleton

| birth_name = Charles Allen Pendleton

| birth_date = {{birth date|1923|07|29}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|1923|07|29}}

| birth_place = [[Denver]], Colorado, US

| birth_place = [[Denver]], Colorado, US

| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|09|20|1923|07|29}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|09|20|1923|07|29}}

| death_place = [[Marina Del Rey, California]], US

| death_place = [[Marina Del Rey, California]], US

| alma_mater = [[University of Southern California]]

| alma_mater = [[UniversityofSouthernCalifornia]]

| occupation = [[Film actor]], [[bodybuilder]]

| occupation = [[Film actor]][[bodybuilder]]

}}

}}

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Following a return enlistment for the [[Korean War]], he found film extra work in movies such as ”[[Prisoner of War (1954 film)|Prisoner of War]]”, ”[[The Man with the Golden Arm]]” and [[Cecil B. DeMille]]’s ”[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]”, where he and his friend [[Joe Gold]] dragged [[Charlton Heston]]’s [[Moses]] to Pharaoh [[Yul Brynner]]. [[Mae West]] chose him to appear in her nightclub act as part of her “buffed all-male chorus line”.<ref name=LAT/>

Following a return enlistment for the [[Korean War]], he found film extra work in movies such as ”[[Prisoner of War (1954 film)|Prisoner of War]]”, ”[[The Man with the Golden Arm]]” and [[Cecil B. DeMille]]’s ”[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]”, where he and his friend [[Joe Gold]] dragged [[Charlton Heston]]’s [[Moses]] to Pharaoh [[Yul Brynner]]. [[Mae West]] chose him to appear in her nightclub act as part of her “buffed all-male chorus line”.<ref name=LAT/>

He was one of the American bodybuilder-actors who migrated to [[Italy]] in the wake of [[Steve Reeves]]’ success in the 1958 film ”[[Hercules (1958 film)|Hercules]]” after he sent a photo to an Italian producer who signed him on a contract. Prior to going to Italy, he saw a [[clairvoyant]] who asked him if he had ever been known by the name of Gordon Mitchell.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tyler |first=Dick |editor-last=Draper |editor-first=Dave |title=West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Age |page=266 |year=2004 |publisher=On Target Publications |isbn=9781931046299 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DE3miqmrHXMC}}</ref> He replied no, but on arrival in Rome, Mitchell was given his new name.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cinema-nocturna.com/gordon_mitchell_interview_prt_1.htm |work=Cinema Nocturna website |title=An Interview with Gordon Mitchell |date=12 August 2012 |access-date=10 April 2019 |first=Devin |last=Kelly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104152645/http://www.cinema-nocturna.com/gordon_mitchell_interview_prt_1.htm |archive-date=4 January 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He found work first in [[sword and sandal]] films such as ”Sinbad”, ”[[Seven Slaves Against the World]]”, ”[[Treasure of the Petrified Forest]]” (1965), then in [[Spaghetti Western]]s such as ”[[Beyond the Law (1968 Italian film)|Beyond the Law]]” and ”[[Savage Guns (1971 film)|Savage Guns]]”. Mitchell also appeared in ”[[Fellini Satyricon]]” (1969), directed by [[Federico Fellini]].

He was one of the American bodybuilder-actors who migrated to [[Italy]] in the wake of [[Steve Reeves]]’ success in the 1958 film ”[[Hercules (1958 film)|Hercules]]” after he sent a photo to an Italian producer who signed him on a contract. Prior to going to Italy, he saw a [[clairvoyant]] who asked him if he had ever been known by the name of Gordon Mitchell.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tyler |first=Dick |editor-last=Draper |editor-first=Dave |title=West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Age |page=266 |year=2004 |publisher=On Target Publications |isbn=9781931046299 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DE3miqmrHXMC}}</ref> He replied no, but on arrival in Rome, Mitchell was given his new name.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cinema-nocturna.com/gordon_mitchell_interview_prt_1.htm |work=Cinema Nocturna website |title=An Interview with Gordon Mitchell |date=12 August 2012 |access-date=10 April 2019 |first=Devin |last=Kelly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104152645/http://www.cinema-nocturna.com/gordon_mitchell_interview_prt_1.htm |archive-date=4 January 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He found work first in [[sword and sandal]] films such as ”Sinbad”, ”[[Seven Slaves Against the World]]”, ”[[Treasure of the Petrified Forest]]” (1965), then in [[Spaghetti Western]]s such as ”[[Beyond the Law (1968 Italian film)|Beyond the Law]]” and ”[[Savage Guns (1971 film)|Savage Guns]]”. Mitchell also appeared in ”[[Fellini Satyricon]]” (1969), directed by [[Federico Fellini]].

From the early 1970s onwards, he started to diversify into everything from [[horror film|horror]] (”[[Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks]]” – 1974), [[Nazi exploitation]] (”Achtung! The Desert Tigers!” -1977), [[sexploitation]] (”Porno-Erotic Western” – 1979), [[France|French]] criminal comedy (”[[The Umbrella Coup]]” – 1980), and [[post-apocalyptic]] films (”[[Endgame (1983 film)|Endgame]]” – 1983). He also appeared in the bizarre [[She (1982 film)|1982 Israeli adaptation]] of [[H. Rider Haggard]]’s ”[[She: A History of Adventure|She]]” as “Hector.” The film was directed by [[Avi Nesher]] and co-starred [[Sandahl Bergman]].

From the early 1970s onwards, he started to diversify into everything from [[horror film|horror]] (”[[Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks]]”), [[Nazi exploitation]] (”Achtung! The Desert Tigers!”), [[sexploitation]] (”Porno-Erotic Western”), [[France|French]] criminal comedy (”[[The Umbrella Coup]]”), and [[post-apocalyptic]] films (”[[Endgame (1983 film)|Endgame]]”). He also appeared in the bizarre [[She (1982 film)|1982 Israeli adaptation]] of [[H. Rider Haggard]]’s ”[[She: A History of Adventure|She]]” as “Hector.” The film was directed by [[Avi Nesher]] and co-starred [[Sandahl Bergman]].

Mitchell was close friends with fellow American expatriate actors [[Richard Harrison (actor)|Richard Harrison]], [[Mike Monty]] (he appeared in a number of films with both and shared an apartment with Monty in Italy during the 1960s),{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} and John P. Dulaney. Like Monty, Harrison and Dulaney, Mitchell acted in low-budget [[action films]] in the [[Philippines]] during the 1980s, having roles in ”Commando Invasion” and ”SFX Retaliator” for director [[John Gale (director)|John Gale]].

Mitchell was close friends with fellow American expatriate actors [[Richard Harrison (actor)|Richard Harrison]], [[Mike Monty]] (he appeared in a number of films with both and shared an apartment with Monty in Italy during the 1960s),{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} and John P. Dulaney. Like Monty, Harrison and Dulaney, Mitchell acted in low-budget [[action films]] in the [[Philippines]] during the 1980s, having roles in ”Commando Invasion” and ”SFX Retaliator” for director [[John Gale (director)|John Gale]].

American actor and bodybuilder (1923–2003)

Gordon Mitchell (born Charles Allen Pendleton; July 29, 1923 – September 20, 2003) was an American actor and bodybuilder, known for his starring roles in Italian sword-and-sandal and Spaghetti Western films.^[1]

Charles Allen Pendleton was born in Denver, Colorado, and began working out in his Denver neighborhood to deal with his tough companions.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army in the Battle of the Bulge where he was taken prisoner of war. He later obtained a degree at the University of Southern California under the G.I. Bill. He became a high school teacher and guidance counselor in Los Angeles,^[1] where due to his physique he was given classes containing many delinquent students.^[2]

Following a return enlistment for the Korean War, he found film extra work in movies such as Prisoner of War, The Man with the Golden Arm and Cecil B. DeMille‘s The Ten Commandments, where he and his friend Joe Gold dragged Charlton Heston‘s Moses to Pharaoh Yul Brynner. Mae West chose him to appear in her nightclub act as part of her “buffed all-male chorus line”.^[1]

He was one of the American bodybuilder-actors who migrated to Italy in the wake of Steve Reeves‘ success in the 1958 film Hercules after he sent a photo to an Italian producer who signed him on a contract. Prior to going to Italy, he saw a clairvoyant who asked him if he had ever been known by the name of Gordon Mitchell.^[3] He replied no, but on arrival in Rome, Mitchell was given his new name.^[4] He found work first in sword and sandal films such as Sinbad, Seven Slaves Against the World, Treasure of the Petrified Forest (1965), then in Spaghetti Westerns such as Beyond the Law and Savage Guns. Mitchell also appeared in Fellini Satyricon (1969), directed by Federico Fellini.

From the early 1970s onwards, he started to diversify into everything from horror (Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks), Nazi exploitation (Achtung! The Desert Tigers!), sexploitation (Porno-Erotic Western), French criminal comedy (The Umbrella Coup), and post-apocalyptic films (Endgame). He also appeared in the bizarre 1982 Israeli adaptation of H. Rider Haggard‘s She as “Hector.” The film was directed by Avi Nesher and co-starred Sandahl Bergman.

Mitchell was close friends with fellow American expatriate actors Richard Harrison, Mike Monty (he appeared in a number of films with both and shared an apartment with Monty in Italy during the 1960s),^{[citation needed]} and John P. Dulaney. Like Monty, Harrison and Dulaney, Mitchell acted in low-budget action films in the Philippines during the 1980s, having roles in Commando Invasion and SFX Retaliator for director John Gale.

He returned to the United States in the late 1980s and largely retired from acting, becoming the chief operating officer of World Gym in Marina Del Rey, California. He kept making occasional film appearances until his death.

Mitchell died on September 20, 2003, at age 80, from an apparent heart attack.^[1]