Lee Marvin
ActingAbout Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive voice and premature white hair, Marvin initially appeared in supporting roles, mostly villains, soldiers, and other hardboiled characters. A prominent television role was that of Detective Lieutenant Frank Ballinger in the crime series M Squad (1957–1960). Marvin is best remembered for his lead roles as "tough guy" characters such as Charlie Strom in The Killers (1964), Rico Fardan in The Professionals (1966), Major John Reisman in The Dirty Dozen, Walker in Point Blank (both 1967), and the Sergeant in The Big Red One (1980). One of Marvin's more notable movie projects was Cat Ballou (1965), a comedy Western in which he played dual roles. For portraying both gunfighter Kid Shelleen and criminal Tim Strawn, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, along with a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, an NBR Award, and the Silver Bear for Best Actor.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Lee Marvin reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Lee Marvin's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 58% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Lee Marvin remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in The Big Red One: The Reconstruction, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Lee Marvin Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Lee Marvin's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Lee Marvin.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2014 | Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films | Col. Nick Alexander (archive footage) (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2006 | Armed and Deadly: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen' | Self (archive footage) | Average | Similar → |
| 2006 | Operation Dirty Dozen | Self | Average | Similar → |
| 2005 | The Big Red One: The Reconstruction | The Sergeant | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1986 | The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission | Maj. John Reisman | Average | Similar → |
| 1983 | Gorky Park | Jack Osborne | Average | Similar → |
| 1981 | Death Hunt | RCMP Sgt. Edgar Millen | Hit | Similar → |
| 1980 | The Big Red One | The Sergeant | Hit | Similar → |
| 1976 | Shout at the Devil | Colonel Flynn O'Flynn | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | The Spikes Gang | Harry Spikes | Hit | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Iceman Cometh | Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | Emperor of the North | A No. 1 | Hit | Similar → |
| 1972 | Prime Cut | Nick Devlin | Average | Similar → |
| 1970 | Monte Walsh | Monte Walsh | Average | Similar → |
| 1969 | Paint Your Wagon | Ben Rumson | Average | Similar → |
| 1968 | Hell in the Pacific | American Pilot | Hit | Similar → |
| 1968 | Sergeant Ryker | Sgt. Paul Ryker | Average | Similar → |
| 1967 | Point Blank | Walker | Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Dirty Dozen | Maj. John Reisman | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Rock | Self (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1966 | The Professionals | Fardan | Hit | Similar → |
| 1965 | Ship of Fools | Tenny | Hit | Similar → |
| 1965 | Cat Ballou | Kid Shelleen / Tim Strawn | Average | Similar → |
| 1964 | The Killers | Charlie Strom | Hit | Similar → |
| 1963 | Donovan's Reef | Thomas "Boats" Gilhooley | Average | Similar → |
| 1962 | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance | Liberty Valance | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1961 | The Comancheros | Crow | Hit | Similar → |
| 1958 | The Missouri Traveler | Tobias Brown | Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | Raintree County | Orville 'Flash' Perkins | Average | Similar → |
| 1956 | The Rack | Capt. John R. Miller | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Attack | Clyde Bartlett | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Seven Men from Now | Bill Masters | Hit | Similar → |
| 1955 | Shack Out on 101 | Slob / Mr. Gregory | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | I Died a Thousand Times | Babe Kossuck | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | Pete Kelly's Blues | Al Gannaway | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | Not as a Stranger | Brundage | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | Violent Saturday | Dill, Bank Robber | Hit | Similar → |
| 1955 | Bad Day at Black Rock | Hector David | Hit | Similar → |
| 1954 | The Raid | Lt. Keating | Hit | Similar → |
| 1954 | The Caine Mutiny | Meatball | Hit | Similar → |
| 1953 | The Wild One | Chino | Hit | Similar → |
| 1953 | The Big Heat | Vince Stone | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1953 | Gun Fury | Blinky | Average | Similar → |
| 1952 | Eight Iron Men | Sgt. Joe Mooney | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | Hangman's Knot | Rolph Bainter | Average | Similar → |
| 1952 | The Duel at Silver Creek | Tinhorn Burgess | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | We're Not Married! | Pinky (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1952 | Diplomatic Courier | Military Policeman at Trieste (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
Lee Marvin - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Lee Marvin?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Lee Marvin is "The Big Red One: The Reconstruction" with a rating of 8.4/10.
How many movies has Lee Marvin acted in?
Lee Marvin has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Lee Marvin?
Other notable films include "The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", and "The Big Heat".