Born Marlon Brando Jr. on April 3, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska, the young Brando reportedly suffered a troubled childhood being the son of alcoholic parents. Yet the young boy, nicknamed Bud, went on to be widely regarded as one of the greatest actors ever to appear on screen.
Expelled from many schools, Brando eventually left his home town of Illinois for New York City. He studied with Stellar Adler who taught the revolutionary techniques of the Stanislavsky System (later developed and known as method acting). His success came when he delivered a groundbreaking performance in Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire.
Many other actors have been measured by, and indeed, have measured themselves by the benchmark of Brando’s performances. The young James Dean has been reported to have had an idealistic and somewhat obsessive relationship with Brando, although reports do not link the pair as true friends.
Brando appeared in over forty productions, amongst them, A Street Car Named Desire, On the Waterfront, The Godfather, and the musical production Guys and Dolls. Brando was awarded an Oscar in 1955 for his performance in On The Waterfront.
Brando’s private life has become almost as famous as his performances. His reputation as an actor became troubled as some people in the industry found him difficult to work with. His son was sentenced to prison for manslaughter of his half sister’s boyfriend in 1990. Later the same sister, Brando’s daughter Cheyenne, committed suicide.
Brando was married three times, and the official number of his children is not known, although reports point to eleven. Brando has admitted to having had homosexual affairs in his life, something he claims to be unashamed of. Alleged affairs have involved Rock Hudson and Cary Grant, as well as sex siren Marilyn Monroe.
Amongst the controversy, Brando also displays an idealistic and sensitive side to his nature, showing concern for political and moral issues. He famously won his second Oscar in 1973 for his performance in The Godfather (1973), but did not attend the ceremony, instead Sacheen Littlefeather (dressed as a Native Indian, but in fact an actress) collected it on his behalf, making a speech on behalf of Brando to show his frustration of Hollywood’s discrimination against Native American Indians. After the assassination of Martin Luther King Brando echoed Luther King’s visions stating “we are either going to learn to live together like brothers, or die separately like fools”.
Films starring Marlon Brando
Superman II (2006) (V) .... Jor-El
The Score (2001)
Free Money (1998)
The Brave (1997)
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
Don Juan DeMarco (1995)
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992)
The Freshman (1990)
A Dry White Season (1989)
The Formula (1980)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Superman (1978)
The Missouri Breaks (1976)
Ultimo tango a Parigi (1972)
The Godfather (1972)
The Nightcomers (1972)
Queimada (1969)
The Night of the Following Day (1968)
Candy (1968)
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)
Woman Times Seven (1967) (uncredited)
A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)
The Appaloosa (1966)
The Chase (1966)
Morituri (1965)
Bedtime Story (1964)
The Ugly American (1963)
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
The Fugitive Kind (1959)
The Young Lions (1958)
Sayonara (1957)
The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)
Guys and Dolls (1955/I)
Desirée (1954)
On the Waterfront (1954)
The Wild One (1953)
Julius Caesar (1953)
Viva Zapata! (1952)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
The Men (1950)
