5 Things You Never Knew About Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin, best known for his deep voice, trademark white hair and tough-guy persona was often typecast as playing a villain or anti-hero during his long career. Born on February 19, 1924, he scored roles in movies and television shows such as M Squad, The Killers, The Dirty Dozen and The Delta Force before he ultimately passed away on August 29, 1987. In honor of what would have been his 101st birthday this year, let’s learn some interesting facts about the actor:
1 His time in the Marines shaped his life and career
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Marvin served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, and fought in the invasions of 21 islands, including the brutal Battle of Saipan. During that battle, most of his unit was killed, and he was critically wounded. As a sniper, he was often sent in ahead of his platoon and dropped off in the dark in a small rubber boat to scout enemy positions. His injuries earned him a Purple Heart and 13 months of therapy. He later said that his first acting lessons came during the war because he was always learning to appear fearless in the face of overwhelming danger.
2 He was related to founding fathers
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Marvin had a unique lineage. He was a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson and, through other branches of his family tree, twice related to George Washington. His history was never something he boasted about, although he could have!
3 He hated one of his most popular films
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Despite becoming a Hollywood tough guy, Marvin wasn’t one to romanticize war. In fact, he despised The Dirty Dozen (1967), the film that cemented his successful career. He admitted he only took the role for the paycheck and felt the movie had little to do with the reality of combat. Instead, he preferred projects like The Big Red One (1980), which reflected his deep anti-war sentiments.
4 He only kept a few mementos from his career
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For someone with such an impressive career, Marvin wasn’t sentimental about trophies or keepsakes. Over the years, he held onto just four mementos: his Best Actor Oscar for Cat Ballou (1965), a citation from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), a Gold Record for his unexpected hit song “Wand’rin’ Star,” and the high-heeled shoe Vivien Leigh famously whacked him with during Ship of Fools (1965).
5 A surprising Gold Record song
That Gold Record, by the way, was as much a surprise to him as anyone else. His gravelly rendition of “Wand’rin’ Star” from the Paint Your Wagon (1969) soundtrack turned into an unlikely hit, selling over a million copies in 1969.
Now tell us, what is your favorite role of his?
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TV Westerns of the 50's & 60's
September 2021
’50s and ’60s TV Westerns roundup, celebrating the shows and stars of their golden age.
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