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.
Lee Marvin Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Lee Marvin reflects a strong mix of popular and critically appreciated roles. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Lee Marvin's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 68% of Lee Marvin's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Combat Leadership: The Ultimate Challenge, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Lee Marvin Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Lee Marvin's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Lee Marvin has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| 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 | Operation Dirty Dozen | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | The Big Red One: The Reconstruction | The Sergeant | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1986 | Combat Leadership: The Ultimate Challenge | Himself | 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 → |
| 1984 | Sam Fuller & the Big Red One | Self | Hit | 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 → |
| 1974 | The Spikes Gang | Harry Spikes | Hit | 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) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | Lionpower from MGM | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | Average | 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 | 7 Men from Now | Bill Masters | Hit | Similar → |
| 1955 | I Died a Thousand Times | Babe Kossuck | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | Pete Kelly's Blues | Al Gannaway | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | A Life in the Balance | The Killer | 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 | The Glory Brigade | Cpl. Bowman | Average | Similar → |
| 1953 | Down Among the Sheltering Palms | Pvt. Snively (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | Eight Iron Men | Sgt. Joe Mooney | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | Hangman's Knot | Rolph Bainter | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | The Duel at Silver Creek | Tinhorn Burgess | Hit | 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 "Combat Leadership: The Ultimate Challenge" with a rating of 9.0/10.
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 Big Red One: The Reconstruction", "The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn", and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance".