Marlon Brando was one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. He was considered an icon of and the heartthrob of generations of women across the globe. He was a faithful and passionate performer known for his outstanding and versatile acting skills. Additionally, Brando was involved in various civil rights and Native American movements. His reputation as a “Bad Boy” developed throughout his career due to his overindulgence, excessive womanizing, and public outbursts. Nothing, however, could dim the audience’s fondness for this charming and attractive star.
Acting career
Marlon Brando did not have a happy childhood; his parents were both alcoholics and eventually separated. He appeared on Broadway for the first time in 1944 in ‘I Remember Mama.’ In 1947, Brando was acclaimed for his portrayal of the arrogant and cruel Stanley Kowalski in the play “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Following his success on the stage, Brando turned to film. He made his film debut with ‘Ken’ in the movie ‘The Men’ in 1950. The following year, he reprised his role as Stanley Kowalski in the film adaptation of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’ He received critical acclaim for it. He was nominated for his first Academy Award for his role in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)’.
In the late 1960s, Brando’s career began to decline. Over the years, he had been criticized and had not appeared in a box office hit for quite some time. His performance as ‘Vito Corleone” in the movie ‘The Godfather’ was a turning point of his career, and he re-established him as one of the most influential stars in Hollywood. He won many awards and nominations for the movie. The following year, Brando starred in the highly controversial but critically praised ‘Last Tango in Paris’, a performance that embarrassed him, according to his autobiography. Brando and his pal Jack Nicholson co-starred in The Missouri Breaks in 1976. The film also brought Brando and director Arthur Penn back together. In the next two decades, he starred in many super hit movies. Throughout his career, which spans over six decades, Brando starred in forty movies, seven-stage appearances, and recorded voice tracks for the character Mrs. Sour in the unreleased animated film ‘Big Bug Man.’
Personal life
Brando had a highly controversial personal life. He was known for womanizing and was involved with multiple women, fathering numerous children from several of them. He was married numerous times. Brando was the father to at least 11 children, three of whom were adopted.
Marlon Brando was married three times. In 1957, he married actress Anna Kashfi, and the marriage lasted for two years. In 1960, he married Mexican-American actress Movita Castaneda. They had two children, and the marriage did not last. The third woman he married was Tarita Teriipaia, a French actress, whom he married in 1962. And it was the longest marriage, and it lasted for ten years. Brando had numerous relationships with other women. Three more children were born as a result of his long-term relationship with his housekeeper Maria Christina Ruiz.
Marlon Brando’s death
In his final years, Brando had a troubled family life, and he became obese. He weighed over 300 pounds (140 kg) in the 1990s. Brando also had Type 2 Diabetes and lung cancer. As a result of diabetes, his eyesight was also adversely affected.
Marlon Brando died of respiratory failure from pulmonary fibrosis with congestive heart failure on July 1, 2004, at 80. He was cremated, and his ashes were put in with those of his good friend Wally Cox and another longtime friend, Sam Gilman.
Below are some beautiful photos of young Marlon Brando from his early life and career.
