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