Lee Marvin Biography

He later quit high school to join the Marine Corps during the Second World War and was wounded in battle in the South Pacific. He was discharged from the military and then served as a plumber’s apprentice.

Marvin made his Broadway debut in a production of 'Billy Budd' in 1951, landing his first film role the same year, in 'You’re in the Navy Now'. The film’s director, Henry Hathaway, hired him again for 'The Diplomatic Courier' in 1942

In 1952, Marvin landed the lead role in 'Eight Iron Men', directed by Stanley Kramer, and starred in Fritz Lang’s 'The Big Heat' in 1953.

He became known as a screen villain in films such as 'Bad Day at Black Rock', and appeared opposite Marlon Brando in 'The Wild One', in 1954.

After some notable B-movies, such as 'I Died a Thousand Times', Marvin moved to television, starring in the police series 'M Squad'.

He returned to film in the 1961 John Wayne film, 'The Comancheros', and starred with him again in the John Ford classic, 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'.

After branching into comedy with Kramer’s 1965 'Ship of Fools', he won an Oscar for his performance in Western pastiche, 'Cat Ballou'.

1967 proved his year for stardom, with the release of 'The Dirty Dozen', one of the year’s biggest hits. 'Point Blank' was similarly massive, as was the Clint Eastwood musical comedy, 'Paint Your Wagon'. At that point, 'Paint Your Wagon' was one of the most expensive movies ever made.

Starring with Paul Newman in 1972’s 'Pocket Money', Marvin constantly considered retirement, and even turned down the lead in 'Deliverance'. After bad reviews for 1976 films, he shrunk from public view.

Marvin's last big role was given to him by Samuel Fuller for The Big Red One (1980). His remaining films were Death Hunt (1981), Gorky Park (1983), Dog Day (1984), The Dirty Dozen: The Next Mission (1985), with his final appearance being in The Delta Force (1986).

A long-term romantic relationship with Michelle Triola led, after their breakup, to a highly publicised lawsuit in which Triola asked for a substantial portion of Marvin's assets. Her case failed in its main pursuit, but did establish a legal precedent for the rights of unmarried co-habitors, the so-called "palimony" law.

Marvin died in 1987 of a heart attack in Tucson, Arizona, at the age of 63, and is interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.