Gordon Mitchell
Known for Acting · 138 credits
- Born
- 1923-07-29
- Died
- 2003-09-20
- Place of birth
- Denver, Colorado, USA
- Also known as
- Charles Allen Pendleton · Charles Pendleton · Чарльз Аллен Пенделтон
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.
Known For
TV Shows (4)
Movies (134)
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Extra (uncredited)
Spartacus
1960
as Gladiator (uncredited)
Rio Bravo
1959
as Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited)
Slaughter Day
1972
as Gordon
The Man from Chicago
1975
as Mike
Operation Orient
1978
as Haine
The Enemy Below
1957
as German Sailor
Emmanuelle: Queen of Sados
1980
as Robert
The Man with the Golden Arm
1955
Bikini Drive-In
1995
as Goliath
The Young Lions
1958
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Kino kolossal - Herkules, Maciste & Co
2000
as Self
Satyricon
1969
as Il predone
Kopfschuß
1981
as Maserati
Umbrella Coup
1980
as Moskovitz, le tueur à gages
SFX Retaliator
1988
as Morgan
Adios Compañeros
1971
as Ironhead
Reflections in a Golden Eye
1967
as Stables Sergeant
The Spirit of St. Louis
1957
as (uncredited)
Overdose
1989
as Costa
Santa Lucia
1979
as Amerikaner
Anasının Gözü
1975
Coffin Full of Dollars
1971
as John Hamilton
Let's Go And Kill Sartana
1971
as Greg "The Crazy Person"
Beyond the Law
1968
as Burton
Seven Savage Men
1975
as Cooper
The Commissioner
1983
as (uncredited)
White Fire
1984
as Olaf
I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death
1969
as Degueyo
The Fury of Achilles
1962
as Achilles
Little Godfather from Hong Kong
1974
She
1984
as Hector
Frankenstein '80
1972
as Dr. Otto Frankenstein
The Crazy Westerners
1967
as Bandit Leader
Atlas Against the Cyclops
1961
as Maciste
My Name Is Texas Bill
1972
as Martin
Ora X Pattuglia Suicida
1969
Angel's Leap
1971
as Henry Di Fusco
Secret Force
1983
Django and Sartana Are Coming... It's the End
1970
as Black Burt Keller / Burt Kelly
Kill or Be Killed
1966
as Baltimore Joe/Ringo
An Enraged New World
2002
as General Murchison
The Alien Within
1990
as Dan Thorn
Dr. Jekyll Likes Them Hot
1979
as Pretorius
Invasion 1700
1962
as Ulrich
Star Pilot
1966
as Murdu
The French Sex Murders
1972
as Man in Nightclub
The Yellow Panther
1982
as killer
All on the Red
1968
as Erikson
Caesar Against the Pirates
1962
as Hamar
Endgame
1983
as Col. Morgan
The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe
1973
as Burying Sam
Radhapura – Endstation der Verdammten
1968
as Alfredo
Oil
1977
as Joe
Cobra Mission
1986
as Col. Mortimer
Three Bullets for Ringo
1966
as Frank
Seven Times Seven
1968
as Big Ben
Achtung! The Desert Tigers
1977
as Kommandant von Stolzen
Lady Morgan's Vengeance
1965
as Roger
Thompson 1880
1966
as Glenn Sheppard
Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks
1974
as Igor
Io non spezzo... rompo
1971
as Joe il Rosso
The Crucified Girls of San Ramon
1972
as El Kadir
Once Upon a Time in the Wild, Wild West
1973
as Mike
Natascha - Todesgrüsse aus Moskau
1977
as Gooming
From the Archives of the Criminal Police
1973
as Peter Wilcox
The Giant of Metropolis
1961
as Obro
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens
1964
as Omar
Malevolence
2004
as Don Fabrizio De Martino
Lisa with the Blue Eyes
1969
as Football player
The Household
1974
as General Von Werner
The Revenge of the Gladiators
1964
as Arminio
Blood Delirium
1988
as Hermann
Kerim, Son of the Sheik
1962
as Yussuf
Finders Killers
1971
as Chris Forest
Anything for a Friend
1973
as Miller
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
1963
as Brenno
The Doctor Prefers Sailors
1981
as killer russo
Day of Judgment
1971
as Deputy
My Darling Slave
1973
as Von Thirac
A Gunman Called Dakota
1972
as Dakota
Commando Invasion
1987
Dead for a Dollar
1968
as Roy Fulton
Vulcan, Son of Giove
1962
as Pluto
Hercules and the Princess of Troy
1965
as Pirate Captain
Holocaust II
1980
as Felix Oppenheimer
Faida
1988
Rush
1983
as Yor
Savage Guns
1971
as Gordon Mitchell
Strategy for a Mission of Death
1979
as Paul
Death on the Run
1967
as The Albanian
Tutto Totò - Totò Ciak
1967
as Ringo
The Stone Forest
1965
as Hunding
Porno erotico western
1979
as (as Charles Pendleton)
Cry of Death
1968
as Donkey / Morgan Pitt
The Mines of Kilimanjaro
1986
as Rolf
The Centurion
1961
as General Metellus
Two .38 Magnums for a City of Carrion
1975
as Renato Proietti
The Sewer Rats
1974
as Gordon
Fenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen
1968
as Gregory Falco
Down with Your Hands... You Scum!
1971
as Buck/Butch Bradley
Special Squad Shoots on Sight
1976
as David
The Killer Likes Candy
1968
as Toni
I'll Die for Vengeance
1968
as Clayton
The Arizona Kid
1970
as Coyote
The Tiger From the River Kwai
1975
as Jack Mason
If All Goes Well We Are Ruined
1983
as Jack Volpetti
Go Away! Trinity Has Arrived in Eldorado
1972
as Jonathan Duke
Erik the Viking
1965
as Sven
Trois filles dans le vent
1981
as Gordon Mitchell
Treasure of the Lost Desert
1971
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows
1970
as Roger Murdock
Born to Kill
1967
as Rod Gordon
His Name Was Pot, but They Called Him Allegria
1971
as Ray Potter
Seven Slaves Against the World
1964
as Balisten
Cheers... Cyanide!
1968
as Al Rubino
Diamond Connection
1982
as Abdul Pascha
Cross of the Seven Jewels
1987
as Black Mass Leader
Three Men on Fire
1986
as Dr. Andrew Milhench
The Skin Under the Claws
1975
as Professor Helmut
About Gordon Mitchell
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", "T… With 138 credits spanning from 1955 to 2004, Gordon Mitchell has appeared in 134 films and 4 TV shows.
Fans searching for Gordon Mitchell movies, Gordon Mitchell filmography, or the latest projects starring Gordon Mitchell can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Gordon Mitchell Movies
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) — as Extra (uncredited)
- Spartacus (1960) — as Gladiator (uncredited)
- Rio Bravo (1959) — as Bar Cowboy Watching Fistfight (uncredited)
- Slaughter Day (1972) — as Gordon
- The Man from Chicago (1975) — as Mike
Where to Watch Gordon Mitchell Films
Most Gordon Mitchell movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Gordon Mitchell, check our movies catalogue and browse page.