
Gordon Mitchell
Born July 29, 1923 · 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.
Notable Appearances
Movies
TV Shows
More Movies

Around the World in 80 Days

Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot

The Enemy Below

The Man with the Golden Arm

The Young Lions

The Spirit of St. Louis

Satyricon

Reflections in a Golden Eye

Umbrella Coup

Bikini Drive-In

Endgame

Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados

Beyond the Law

I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death

Adios Compañeros

Seven Times Seven

The Doctor Prefers Sailors

Angel's Leap

The Crazy Westerners

The Crucified Girls of San Ramon

The Fighting Fist of Shanghai Joe

White Fire

Slaughter Day

Achtung! The Desert Tigers

The Fury of Achilles

The French Sex Murders

Atlas Against the Cyclops

Dead Men Don't Make Shadows

Lisa with the Blue Eyes

The Yellow Panther

Coffin Full of Dollars

The Revenge of the Gladiators

The Killer Likes Candy

Star Pilot

Caesar Against the Pirates

Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks

Ora X Pattuglia Suicida

The Giant of Metropolis

Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co

Invasion 1700

Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End

Io non spezzo... rompo

The Centurion

Brennus, Enemy of Rome

Day of Judgment

My Darling Slave

Frankenstein '80

The Commissioner

The Mines of Kilimanjaro

Fenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen

She

Hercules and the Princess of Troy

Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau

Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado

Dead for a Dollar

Three Bullets for Ringo

Kerim, Son of the Sheik

Operation Orient

Vulcan, Son of Giove

Three Men on Fire

His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria

Seven Slaves Against the World

Holocaust II

SFX Retaliator

If All Goes Well We Are Ruined

The Sewer Rats

Kill or Be Killed

Lady Morgan's Vengeance

Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak

Kopfschuß

The Tiger From the River Kwai

È mezzanotte... butta giù il cadavere

Strategy for a Mission of Death

Four for All

An Enraged New World

Cobra Mission

Down with Your Hands... You Scum!

Savage Guns

Anything for a Friend

Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten

The Stone Forest

The Household

Seven Savage Men

From the Archives of the Criminal Police

Commando Invasion

Secret Force

Cry of Death

Death on the Run

Overdose

John the Bastard

Cross of the Seven Jewels

Anasının Gözü

Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion

Thompson 1880

Faida

Blood Delirium

Finders Killers

A Gunman Called Dakota

Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West

Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens

Trois filles dans le vent

Let's Go And Kill Sartana

Special Squad Shoots on Sight

Little Godfather from Hong Kong

The Iron Hand of the Mafia

Fever of 40!

Porno erotico western

Oil

White Fang and the Kid

Rush

The Man from Chicago

The Wings of War

Tre nel mille

Born to Kill

The Skin Under the Claws

His Colt, Himself, His Revenge

Erik the Viking

I'll Die for Vengeance

Fists, Dollars and Spinach

My Name Is Texas Bill

Malevolence

L'Estate

The Slayers

All on the Red

Curse of the Red Butterfly

Treasure of the Lost Desert

Cheers... Cyanide!

Diamond Connection






