Marlon Brando was born on the 3rd of April 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska. While growing up his mother tried to get him interested in stage acting. He regularly started mimicking the mannerisms of people around him. He was expelled from a school for riding his motorcycle through the hallways and ended up in a military school where he showed great talent on stage. He also got into trouble on that school and although he was almost voted out of it, he decided himself to drop out. He worked several jobs and decided to join the army. After examination the army found he had troubles with his knee and would not take him. Brando then headed to New York and attended the American Theatre Wing Professional School and the Actors Studio. After this he was in several plays on Broadway. His first movie role was in 1950’s The Men and also acted in A Streetcar Named Desire, Viva Zapata!, Julius Caesar, On the Waterfront, The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Superman and many others (over 40 movies to his name). He is considered one of the greatest actors of the past century and was nominated for an Oscar 8 times. He won 2 of them for his roles in The Godfather and On the Waterfront. He died age 80 on July 1, 2004.
What’s your favorite Marlon Brando role?
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Nice one Nostra. There are so many great Brando performances to choose from but I’d have to say A Steetcar named Desire is my favourite from him.
Thanks Mark. I still have to say A Streetcar named Desire…has been on my to watch list for way too long.
Brando’s one of my favorite actors. I’d say his performance in The Godfather or On The Waterfront are his best, though my favorite movie with him in it is my all time fave Apocalypse Now. I will also defend his role as Kurtz in the film.
Doesn’t surprise me it is one of your favorites with the icon you are using 😉
All great movies and I liked his performances in all of those.
Thanks for taking the effort to make these image compilations; I know it takes a lot of time.
I’m proud to say I have actually watched all these films. A few years back I got on a Marlon Brando kick and watched all his films.
Am unsung film with a great performance is “Morituri”. The cinematography is excellent as well. “Missouri Breaks” is quite possibly the oddest Western ever made, but it is an interesting–in a good way–film. As for “Candy”, the worst movie ever made starring the most famous people. I challenge anyone to sit through the entire film. That being said, I own it and an original poster. Richard Burton was great it in.
Yeah, but they are fun doing as people do like them, so enough reason to keep preparing them 🙂
Impressive that you have watched them all. The movies you name are ones I have not seen yet.
Too hard to pick just one so I’ll pick them all except for The Brave.
Have not seen that one, but that’s a lot of movies you picked. You have seen all of them?
Gotta say that On the Waterfront is my favorite. After that, it’s Streetcar Named Desire and The Godfather.
Will have to see Streetcar soon, because that’s one of the (many) holes in earlier films.
Starred in Streetcar Named Desire — which he had previously done on stage — and which made him (rightfully) famous. Then On the Waterfront which is STILL one of the greatest films ever made — great script and extraordinary acting. Karl Malden and Marlon Brando worked together many times throughout their long careers.
Brando was arguably the greatest actor of his generation. He did a lot of crappy movies after the midpoint of his career for the same reason Orson Welles wound up in the same position: because he was extremely difficult to work with and was unable to follow any rules but his own. He had a tragic life and his children were very much part of the tragedy.
He is also MY personal pick for best actor ever. And when he was young? Sex on a stick.
Hahaha, so he could get your heartrate up when he was younger 🙂
He was a great actor indeed and it is a shame he had tragedy in his personal life…
I think his personal life is almost the definition of tragedy … and much of it self-made. But wow, he was hot!
I saw there was a documentary about him, interested to check that out now.
Really hard to pick just one, but I think my favorite Brando performance is in On the Waterfront.
Yeah, he was great in that one
I didn’t realize Brando is from Nebraska! I haven’t seen too many of his films. I think the most memorable roles I’ve seen are Godfather and Superman: The Movie 😀
Nice to hear you learned something from this one Ruth 😉
Unsurprisingly, I think I’ll go for On The Waterfront as his best role although The Godfather comes pretty close. Such an amazing actor, shame he went slightly mental!
Yeah, he was good in both movies. It’s a shame really…although he has left a great body of work.
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