Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando Jr. was a larger-than-life figure who left an unparalleled mark on the world of film and beyond. From his iconic performances in films like A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, and The Godfather, to his tireless advocacy for civil rights and Native American movements, Brando was truly a one-of-a-kind talent and humanitarian. The son of Marlon Brando, Sr., an artist, and Dorothy Pennebaker, a saleswoman, Marlon Brando Jr. was born April 3, 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska. After studying the Stanislavski system of acting with Stella Adler in the 1940s, Brando rocketed to fame when he reprised the role of Stanley Kowalski in the 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire, for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination. Brando went on to receive two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and three British Academy Film Awards throughout his career, which spanned six decades. His portrayal of the rebellious motorcycle gang leader Johnny Strabler in The Wild One and his performance as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront both remain iconic images in the world of cinema and beyond. Brando's career wasn't without its share of lows; indeed, the 1960s saw his commercial and critical success falter, leading to a series of notable box-office flops and a nine-year hiatus from film. But Brando's luck changed when he agreed to a screen test for Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather in 1972. He got the part, and subsequently won his second Academy Award and Golden Globe Award in a performance critics consider among his greatest. His success didn't stop there; Brando's portrayal of Vito Corleone in The Godfather was one of the most commercially successful films of all time, and his Oscar-nominated performance in Last Tango in Paris (1972) reestablished him in the ranks of top box-office stars. Marlon Brando has been widely recognized for his incredible professional achievements and humanitarian endeavors. He was ranked by the American Film Institute as the fourth-greatest movie star among male movie stars whose screen debuts occurred in or before 1950. He was one of only six actors named in 1999 by Time magazine in its list of the 100 Most Important People of the Century, and was designated "Actor of the Century" by Time. And let's not forget the Guinness Book of World Records, which named him the highest paid actor of all time for his paycheck of $3.7 million for 13 days' work on Superman. It's no wonder Brando was often quoted as saying, "I'm the luckiest guy in the world." Of course, we'd be remiss not to mention the time Brando showed up to the Oscars in a teepee, dressed in full Native American regalia. When asked why, he deadpanned, "It's just my way of protesting. I haven't figured out what I'm protesting yet, but I'm sure something will come to me." It's this kind of wit, charisma, and effortless cool that set Brando apart and earned him the title of one of the most influential actors of the 20th century.