| American actor Date of Birth: 19.02.1924 Country: USA |
Lee Marvin was born in 1924 in New York City. His father, Lamont Waltman Marvin, was an advertising executive, and his mother, Courtenay Washington Davidge, was a fashion writer and beauty expert. From a young age, Lee learned to play the violin and spent his weekends hunting. He was expelled from several schools for his bad behavior, except for a Catholic college in St. Leo, Florida. However, he eventually dropped out and joined the United States Marine Corps, where he became a sniper. During World War II, Marvin was injured in the Battle of Saipan, while most of his comrades were killed. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his military service.
After being wounded, Marvin was commissioned and his combat service ended. After the war, he found work as a stagehand in a small theater in New York City. One day, he had to replace a sick actor, which unexpectedly launched his acting career. In 1950, he moved to Hollywood, where he quickly found work. He excelled in war films, using his firsthand knowledge of war to help create authentic war atmospheres and assist with costume selection. In 1951, he made his acting debut in the war film "You're in the Navy Now" and soon appeared in multiple films, including westerns like "The Duel at Silver Creek" and "Hangman's Knot". In 1964, he starred in the highly successful crime thriller "The Killers", which solidified his stardom.
In the 1960s, Marvin achieved even greater success, particularly in western films directed by John Ford. He starred in "The Comancheros", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", and "Donovan's Reef". In 1965, he won an Oscar for Best Actor for his role in the musical western "Cat Ballou". Throughout the 1960s, he continued to take on significant leading roles in films such as "Ship of Fools" and "The Dirty Dozen".
In the 1970s, Marvin appeared in films like "Pocket Money" and "The Spikes Gang". His career began to wind down in the 1980s, with his last notable role being in the war film "The Big Red One" in 1980. He made his final on-screen appearance in the 1986 film "The Delta Force". Overall, Marvin appeared in approximately 110 films during his career.
Marvin was married twice and had six children. His first wife was Betty Ebeling, whom he was married to from 1951 to 1967. He later married Pamela Feeley. In 1971, he became involved in a highly publicized scandal with actress Michelle Triola, who demanded alimony from him. Marvin eventually won the case and avoided paying alimony.
Lee Marvin passed away in 1986 at the age of 63 due to a heart attack on August 29th.