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Introduction
Born April 3, 1924, Marlon Brando, Academy Award winner actor, was known for being honest in his work and eccentric in his later life ("Marlon Brando"). Brando's talent at capturing humanity at its best and worst was what made him successful. But there was more to Brando than being a great actor; he inspired others and even received some patents for inventions. -
A Streetcar Named Desire
Brando starred in A Streetcar Named Desire and played an abusive husband. The image reflects the tension in the scene between Stanley and his wife's sister Blanche ("A Streetcar Named Desire"). In this role, Brando showed his skills as an actor and become very popular even though he played an unpopular character. Perhaps one reason for his popularity was his good looks, which were on display through the film. -
Cover of Life Magazine
Brando performed as Marc Antony in the 1953 film version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and was featured on the cover of Life Magazine (Bourke-White). Being on the cover of Life Magazing was a significant accomplishment for any actor during this time; being on the cover suggests that Brando's popularity was at an all-time high. -
Guys and Dolls
In 1955, Brando starred in the film version of Guys and Dolls, a Broadway musical. He played Sky Masterson, one of the notorious gamblers, and his character falls in love with Sarah (Jean Simmons). In an interview with the BBC, Brando discussed his experience filming the movie and singing the songs. Brando was not known as a singer, so audiences greatly anticipated this film and hearing Brando ("A Word From Marlon Brando on Guys and Dolls"). -
Academy Awards 1973
When Brando received the Academy Award for best actor in The Godfather, he did not actually accept the award himself. Here is Brando's accpetance speech for his Oscar for his role as best actor in The Godfather, a highly acclaimed and popular film ("Marlon Brando's Oscar Win). Receving an Oscar is a huge honor, but Brando used this honor as a means to share his concerns for human rights, showing how he stood firm in his beliefs. -
Apocalypse Now
Brando appeared in Apocalypse Now and played the role of a presumedly crazy man who lives in the Vietnamese jungle after abandoning the US Army. In this clip co-star Dennis Hopper describes what it was like working with Brando. Hopper's description reveals how Brando became odd in later years and difficult on set ("Dennis Hopper). -
Marlon Brando's Son Commits Murder
Later in life, Brando had fewer acting roles and seemed to be in retirement. However, his family experienced great tragedy when his son murdered his daughter's boyfriend. The scandal broke in major newspapers and magazines; however, Brando did not publicly comment on the crime. He did bail his son out of jail (Mitchell). The coverage of the crime clearly shows Brando's lasting fame, as despite being out of the public eye, this crime made headlines. -
Death
Brando died July 1, 2004. View the photo slideshow and verbal commentary from New York Times film critic A.O. Scott to hear one man's thoughts on what Brando did for the film industry. Although not everyone agrees on his acting abilities, Brando certainly made a significant impact on American culture and Hollywood.
