Gordon Mitchell
Acting • Born 1923-07-29 – Died 2003-09-20
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.
Filmography
138 credits
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
Movie • 1974
Igor
Frankenstein '80
Movie • 1972
Dr. Otto Frankenstein
Reflections in a Golden Eye
Movie • 1967
Stables Sergeant
The Doctor Prefers Sailors
Movie • 1981
killer russo
Finders Killers
Movie • 1971
Chris Forest
Fever of 40!
Movie • 1980
Mr. Temple
The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe
Movie • 1973
Burying Sam
The Giant of Metropolis
Movie • 1961
Obro
Beyond the Law
Movie • 1968
Burton
Cross of the Seven Jewels
Movie • 1987
Black Mass Leader
Endgame
Movie • 1983
Col. Morgan
The Mines of Kilimanjaro
Movie • 1986
Rolf
Umbrella Coup
Movie • 1980
Moskovitz, le tueur à gages
Fists, Dollars and Spinach
Movie • 1978
Frank Stilo
Treasure of the Lost Desert
Movie • 1971
I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
Movie • 1969
Degueyo
The Crazy Westerners
Movie • 1967
Häuptling Sitzender Büffel
She
Movie • 1984
Hector
Cobra Mission
Movie • 1986
Col. Mortimer
Star Pilot
Movie • 1966
Murdu
The Fury of Achilles
Movie • 1962
Achilles
The Yellow Panther
Movie • 1982
killer
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
Movie • 1964
Omar
Special Squad Shoots on Sight
Movie • 1976
David
The Crucified Girls of San Ramon
Movie • 1972
El Kadir
Atlas Against the Cyclops
Movie • 1961
Maciste
White Fire
Movie • 1984
Olaf
Three Bullets for Ringo
Movie • 1966
Frank
Dead for a Dollar
Movie • 1968
Roy Fulton
SFX Retaliator
Movie • 1988
Morgan
Angel's Leap
Movie • 1971
Henry Di Fusco
Day of Judgment
Movie • 1971
Deputy
Savage Guns
Movie • 1971
Gordon Mitchell
Adios Compañeros
Movie • 1971
Ironhead
Coffin Full of Dollars
Movie • 1971
John Hamilton
My Name Is Texas Bill
Movie • 1972
Martin
His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
Movie • 1971
Ray Potter
Io non spezzo... rompo
Movie • 1971
Joe il Rosso
Born to Kill
Movie • 1967
Rod Gordon
John the Bastard
Movie • 1967
Danite
Let's Go And Kill Sartana
Movie • 1971
Greg "The Crazy Person"
A Gunman Called Dakota
Movie • 1972
Dakota
Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
Movie • 1973
Mike
Thompson 1880
Movie • 1966
Glenn Sheppard
Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
Movie • 1970
Black Burt Keller / Burt Kelly
Seven Times Seven
Movie • 1968
Big Ben
Blood Delirium
Movie • 1988
Hermann
Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
Movie • 1972
Jonathan Duke
Anything for a Friend
Movie • 1973
Miller
The Tiger From the River Kwai
Movie • 1975
Jack Mason
White Fang and the Kid
Movie • 1978
Morgan
Vulcan, Son of Giove
Movie • 1962
Pluto
From the Archives of the Criminal Police
Movie • 1973
Peter Wilcox
Seven Savage Men
Movie • 1975
Cooper
His Colt, Himself, His Revenge
Movie • 1973
Martin
Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
Movie • 1971
Buck/Butch Bradley
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
Movie • 1970
Roger Murdock
Achtung! The Desert Tigers
Movie • 1977
Kommandant von Stolzen
Strategy for a Mission of Death
Movie • 1979
Paul
Kerim, Son of the Sheik
Movie • 1962
Yussuf
Caesar Against the Pirates
Movie • 1962
Hamar
The Household
Movie • 1974
General Von Werner
Anasının Gözü
Movie • 1975
The Man with the Golden Arm
Movie • 1955
Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
Movie • 1968
Gregory Falco
Rush
Movie • 1983
Yor
Death on the Run
Movie • 1967
The Albanian
Little Godfather from Hong Kong
Movie • 1974
Satyricon
Movie • 1969
Il predone
Kill or Be Killed
Movie • 1966
Baltimore Joe/Ringo
Invasion 1700
Movie • 1962
Ulrich
Overdose
Movie • 1989
Costa
The Killer Likes Candy
Movie • 1968
Toni
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
Movie • 1968
Alfredo
Lady Morgan's Vengeance
Movie • 1965
Roger
Four for All
Movie • 1975
Margherito
The Arizona Kid
Movie • 1970
Coyote
Tre nel mille
Movie • 1971
Diamond Connection
Movie • 1982
Abdul Pascha
Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
Movie • 1975
Renato Proietti
The Iron Hand of the Mafia
Movie • 1980
Don Nicola
Seven Slaves Against the World
Movie • 1964
Balisten
The Revenge of the Gladiators
Movie • 1964
Arminio
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
Movie • 1967
Ringo
Erik the Viking
Movie • 1965
Sven
The Centurion
Movie • 1961
General Metellus
The Stone Forest
Movie • 1965
Hunding
Operation Orient
Movie • 1978
Haine
Bikini Drive-In
Movie • 1995
Goliath
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
Movie • 1963
Brenno
Spartacus
Movie • 1960
Gladiator (uncredited)
The Young Lions
Movie • 1958
Minor Role (uncredited)
My Darling Slave
Movie • 1973
Von Thirac
Rio Bravo
Movie • 1959
Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited)
The Wings of War
Movie • 1969
Hercules and the Princess of Troy
Movie • 1965
Pirate Captain
Commando Invasion
Movie • 1987
The Spirit of St. Louis
Movie • 1957
(uncredited)
The Alien Within
Movie • 1990
Dan Thorn
The Skin Under the Claws
Movie • 1975
Professor Helmut
Curse of the Red Butterfly
Movie • 1982
Brado
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
Movie • 1980
Robert
The French Sex Murders
Movie • 1972
Man in Nightclub
Cheers... Cyanide!
Movie • 1968
Al Rubino
Around the World in 80 Days
Movie • 1956
Extra (uncredited)
All on the Red
Movie • 1968
Erikson
A Very Special Woman
Movie • 1979
Gordon
Kopfschuß
Movie • 1981
Maserati
An Enraged New World
Movie • 2002
General Murchison
Malevolence
Movie • 2004
Don Fabrizio De Martino
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
Movie • 2000
Self
If All Goes Well We Are Ruined
Movie • 1983
Jack Volpetti
The Sewer Rats
Movie • 1974
Gordon
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
Movie • 1977
Gooming
Santa Lucia
Movie • 1979
Amerikaner
Oil
Movie • 1977
Joe
Trois filles dans le vent
Movie • 1981
Gordon Mitchell
Lisa with the Blue Eyes
Movie • 1969
Football player
Porno erotico western
Movie • 1979
(as Charles Pendleton)
Slaughter Day
Movie • 1972
Gordon
Secret Force
Movie • 1983
Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
Movie • 1979
Pretorius
I'll Die for Vengeance
Movie • 1968
Clayton
Cry of Death
Movie • 1968
Donkey / Morgan Pitt
È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere
Movie • 1966
Van Himst
The Slayers
Movie • 1977
Pablo
The Man from Chicago
Movie • 1975
Mike
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida
Movie • 1969
Holocaust II
Movie • 1980
Felix Oppenheimer
L'Estate
Movie • 1966
Self
The Enemy Below
Movie • 1957
German Sailor
The Commissioner
Movie • 1983
(uncredited)
Faida
Movie • 1988
Three Men on Fire
Movie • 1986
Dr. Andrew Milhench
I Spy
TV • 1965
The Twilight Zone
TV • 1959
Soldier
I promessi sposi
TV • 1989
Don Gonzalo
Marco Polo
TV • 1982
Capitano Arnolfo