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Lee Marvin, (February 19, 1924 - August 29, 1987)
was an United States|American film actor.

==Early life==
Born in New York City, New York, Marvin attended
St. Leo Preparatory College in Saint Leo,
Florida|Saint Leo, Florida (now known as Saint Leo
University.) He left school to join the U.S. 5th
Marine Division, fought and was wounded during
WWII in the bitter Battle of Saipan, and was sent
home with a medical discharge and a rank of
Private First Class|PFC.  He then established an
amateur off-Broadway acting career in New York
City before moving to Hollywood in 1950.

==Popular actor==
He quickly became a popular figure in supporting
roles, initially always playing some kind of
"heavy". His debut was in You're in the Navy Now
(1951), but he also appeared in Don Siegel's Duel
at Silver Creek (1952), being unpleasant to Gloria
Grahame in The Big Heat (1953), as well as
archetypal baddies in Hangman's Knot (1952), Eight
Iron Men (1952), The Wild One (1953) opposite
Marlon Brando, Seminole (1953), Gun Fury (1953),
and Bad Day at Black Rock (1954) among others.


His roles improved (e.g. Attack! (1956), The
Missouri Traveller (1958)) but it took over a
hundred episodes as Chicago police lieutenant
Frank Ballinger in the successful 1957-60
television series M Squad to give him enough clout
to star. He had solid roles in The Comancheros
(1961), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
and Donovan's Reef (1963). Aided by director Don
Siegel he starred in the groundbreaking The
Killers (1964 film)|The Killers (1964) playing an
organised, no-nonsense, efficient, businesslike
professional assassin whose character was copied
to a great degree by Samuel L. Jackson in the 1994
Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction.

Lee Marvin won the 1965 Academy Award for Best
Actor for his comedic performance in the offbeat
western Cat Ballou. Following roles in The
Professionals (1966) and The Dirty Dozen (1967) he
reprised his role as a businesslike assassin in
the influential John Boorman film Point Blank
(film)|Point Blank (1967). Another Boorman film,
the commercial flop Hell in the Pacific came the
following year, co-starring famed Japanese actor
Toshiro Mifune. He had a hit song with "I Was Born
Under a Wandering Star" from the western musical
Paint Your Wagon (1969).

==Later life==
He generally starred in 'easier' films in the
1970s and 1980s, down-playing the clarity and
cruelty of his earlier roles. His 1970s films were
Monte Walsh (1970), Prime Cut (1972), Pocket Money
(1972), Emperor of the North Pole (1973), The
Spikes Gang (1974), The Klansman (1974), Shout at
the Devil (movie) (1976), The Great Scout (1976),
Cathouse Thursday (1976), Avalanche Express
(1978). His 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).

In 1973, Marvin was sued by long-time girlfriend
Michelle Triola, who, though the couple never
married, sought financial compensation similar to
alimony. Though Marvin ultimately prevailed after
an eight-year battle, the case is regarded as a
landmark palimony ruling.
http://www.angelfire.com/or2/classicstars/lee.html

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

==Trivia==

* The myth about Lee Marvin fighting alongside Bob
Keeshan (alias Captain Kangaroo) at the Battle of
Iwo Jima is not true.

* Another myth about a brother who was a major
general in US Army Intelligence is not true.  Some
say there was a fellow involved with remote
viewing who looks like Marvin, however.

* A book regarding the films of Lee Marvin, Lee
Marvin: His Films and Career was written by Robert
J. Lentz in 1999.  This book details all the films
and also the television roles of Marvin.  It does
not delve into his personal life.

* Jim Jarmusch is the founder of a secret society
The Sons of Lee Marvin whose members reportedly
include Tom Waits and John Lurie.

==External link==
*imdb name|id=0001511|name= Lee Marvin