Lee Marvin has become a cult classic actor for his portrayal of a gun-slinging twin in the film Cowboys and Indians. The film is a re-telling of the famous Western from the 1930s. As with most classics, it is a story about two families and their relationship, with the father and his son becoming enemies. It also explores other themes, such as friendship, as Marvin’s character becomes a friend to Robert Ryan’s character.
Character actor
Lee Marvin was born in New York City on February 19, 1924. He was the son of a middle-class, comfortable couple. His parents named him after General Robert E. Lee, who was a descendant of Thomas Jefferson.
At a young age, Lee Marvin started acting in local theater productions and Off-Broadway shows. After a few years, he was starring in his own Broadway shows.
During the ’50s, he was in several guest spots on television series. He also appeared in a few movies. But his career did not really take off until the ’70s. It was during this period that he was cast in some of the most memorable roles of his career.
During his early career, Lee was cast in a number of film noirs. Among his notable appearances were the noir classic The Big Heat, which he starred in with Fritz Lang. This film was a huge hit and earned him an Oscar for Best Actor.
Other films that made him a star included The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, a western with John Ford. Also, he starred in the John Boorman thriller Point Blank. Another film that won him an Oscar was Cat Ballou, a comedy western.
Marvin was a successful character actor. Having played tough and ruthless characters in his earlier films, he adapted to more heroic roles in the 1960s and ’70s. Some of his best roles include his portrayal of a no-nonsense military commander in the acclaimed war movie The Dirty Dozen.
In a career that spanned over 50 years, Lee Marvin was honored with numerous awards. Most notably, he won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Dual Role for his performance in Cat Ballou.
Cowboy hero
In his career, Lee Marvin has starred in numerous Westerns and war films. However, it was in one of the greatest films of all time, Hell in the Pacific, that Lee Marvin really made his mark.
Marvin’s performance was the biggest draw for audiences and critics alike. He won the National Board of Review’s Silver Medal for Best Performance by an Actor and the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Marvin was a natural in war dramas. He had a long list of roles in the genre, including: Lieut. Frank Ballinger in M Squad (1957-60); the bald and unreliable Sam Spade in Sam Spade, the Great Depression and the Greatest Game Ever Played (as Sam); the hard-bitten army sergeant in Seminole and the charming villain in Seven Men from Now.
As a director, he also had a hand in some of the greatest westerns of all time. He co-directed The Big One, The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance, and Cat Ballou. During the 1950s, Marvin made guest appearances on television shows like Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Combat!, and Dr. Kildare.
In the late 1960s, Marvin made a name for himself as a leading man. His performances in such classics as The Professionals, The Stranger Wore a Gun and Cat Ballou earned him the best actor award from the NBR, the Golden Globe, and the Oscar.
In addition to his work as a leading man, he was a talented supporting player as well. He starred with Jack Palance in the war movie Shack Out on 101, and he helped with the costumes, firearms, and infantry movement in the western The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance.
Gun-slinging twin
Lee Marvin was one of the most famous actors of his time. The gun-slinging twin of Lee Van Cleef, Marvin was known to be a talented performer in the world of tinseltown. He has appeared in numerous television shows and movies, some of which are memorable.
One of the best films he starred in was the aforementioned ‘The Dirty Dozen’. This was a wartime epic that was filmed in the UK. It was a big hit. Marvin’s performance earned him an Oscar.
There are several other films that rank high on the list of his notable performances. These include his turn as a drunken cowboy hero in ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’.
Another of Marvin’s notable performances was his role in ‘The Professionals’. His performance as a hapless military officer was more than enough to earn him an Academy Award.
‘Welcome to Night Vale’ was a film produced by Batjac Productions. The storyline was well written and the ensemble cast is more than able. But it is Lee Marvin that really stands out. With his signature swagger, Marvin is a character that makes the movie worth watching.
A few years later, he would go on to play a demented twisted dude in ‘Dog Day’. This is the type of role that Lee Marvin does best.
In the 1950’s, he had guest roles on television shows like ‘Studio One’ and ‘The Great Adventure’. As a result, he was exposed to the Hollywood industry at an early age. After his marriage to Pamela Feeley, he moved to Tucson and then back to his native Woodstock. During his teen years, Marvin attended boarding schools.
Father for the fourth time
Marvin Lee was a decorated combat veteran. He earned the Purple Heart during the invasion of Saipan. During World War II, he and Robert Ryan served in the Marine Corps. In 1968, they made “Hell in the Pacific,” a WWII allegory to the end of the war. They are also the only two members of the cast.
Before his career as an actor, Marvin worked as a plumber’s assistant. In 1952, he married Betty Ebeling. Their first child, Christopher, was born. A year later, the couple split up.
Marvin began working in television in 1950. He appeared in a few television shows before making his film debut in You’re in the Navy Now. His next movie was The Professionals.
He is a veteran of World War I and World War II. After he returned home, Marvin attended an acting school. He also performed in a few plays.
Marvin’s first marriage ended in divorce in 1967. He married again in 1988. His second wife was Jessica Kay (French) Lee. Together they have four children.
Marvin’s career as an actor has been marked by a number of memorable antagonisms. These antagonisms were characterized by testosterone-fueled bravado. Many of these antagonisms were drawn in richly drawn auteurist microcosms.
Marvin’s role in The Dirty Dozen opened up riskier career opportunities. While he was not a superstar at the time, he was nominated for an Oscar. As an actor, he became best known for his caricature roles.
He has been aging well. Despite his troubled beginnings, Marvin has overcome many hardships. His career has included a palimony case and extensive boozing.
He leaves behind six siblings, aunts and uncles, and cousins.
Friendship with Robert Ryan
Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin were close friends. Ryan was a liberal, political activist. He supported many causes, including the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. His wife, Jessica, was also active in the movement. They had three children.
Robert Ryan was born in Chicago. He graduated from Dartmouth College and later studied at the Max Reinhardt School of Theater in Hollywood. During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. It was there that he met his wife, Jessica.
During their married life, they actively protested the war, the Vietnam War, and the Civil Rights Movement. They moved to New York in the late fifties.
Ryan was a member of the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy. He participated in the civil rights struggles alongside Harry Belafonte.
After the war, he continued to work in the entertainment industry. Ryan was a very sensitive man. Several times he suffered from bouts of depression. But he was a thoughtful actor, bringing a level of authenticity to every role.
In the late fifties, more films were shot on location. This allowed Ryan to meet his wife, Jessica, and their children.
Ryan was a talented actor who portrayed malevolence and sensitivity on screen. Though he had a penchant for booze, his eyes could also be full of sorrow.
Aside from his career in movies, Ryan was an outspoken critic of the war. He narrated a 26-episode television documentary on World War One.
Ryan starred in many films, but his best known role was playing a hard-bitten American classics character. Other roles included Antony in the American Shakespeare Theatre and James M. Gavin in the all-star war film, The Longest Day.
