Lee Marvin was a film and television actor from the United States. Acclaimed for his bass voice and prematurely white hair, he is perhaps best remembered for his portrayals of hardboiled “tough guy” characters.
Early Life and Family
Lee Marvin was born in New York City on Feb. 19, 1924. His father, Lamont Waltman Marvin, was an advertising executive. His mother, Courtenay Washington, was a fashion writer. Marvin was a first cousin, four times removed, to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. He was also a descendant of President George Washington. Marvin moved around in his youth, attending various schools where he struggled to conform, sometimes getting expelled. He later graduated from St. Leo College Preparatory School in Florida. Marvin left school in 1942 to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He fought in the Pacific Theater and was wounded during the Battle of Saipan. Those injuries eventually resulted in his medical discharge.
Career Beginnings and Rise to Fame
Marvin came to acting after serving in the military. He worked as a plumber’s assistant when he stepped in for a sick actor at a local theater. This made him fall in love with acting. He relocated to Hollywood in 1950 and began with supporting roles, frequently as villains. His roles in “The Big Heat” (1953) and “The Wild One” (1953) came to prominence. From 1957 to 1960, Marvin played Det. Lt. Frank Ballinger in the TV show “M Squad.” This role highlighted his versatility and confirmed his tough-guy image.
Major Film Roles and Achievements
Meanwhile, Marvin’s career skyrocketed with two roles in the same film, “Cat Ballou” (1965), where he played gunfighter Kid Shelleen and criminal Tim Strawn. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this performance. He went on to mesmerize audiences with leading roles in “The Professionals” (1966) and “The Dirty Dozen” (1967). In “The Dirty Dozen,” Marvin plays Major John Reisman, who leads a band of convicts on a daring mission during World War II. In “Point Blank” (1967), his role further revealed the rare talent for complicated characters.
Personal Life and Relationships
He married Betty Ebeling in 1952; they had four children: a son, Christopher, and three daughters, Courtenay, Cynthia, and Claudia. The couple divorced in 1967. He subsequently married his childhood sweetheart, Pamela Feeley, in 1970. They stayed together until his death.
Marvin’s affair with Michelle Triola from 1965 to 1970 resulted in a landmark legal case. Triola sued him for support payments like those available to spouses and coined “palimony.” The court denied her claim in the end.
Net Worth and Financial Status
Marvin’s high point in his career earned him substantial salaries, up to one million dollars per film. Despite his earnings, he was also a big spender. At the time of his death, his inflation-adjusted net worth was approximately $12 million.
Legal Issues and Controversies
Marvin had a highly publicized legal battle over his relationship with Michelle Triola. Triola went after Marvin’s finances after they broke up, although they never married. The case brought the term “palimony” into the legal lexicon. In 1979, the court ordered Marvin to pay Triola $104,000 for “rehabilitation purposes.” But in 1981, the California Court of Appeal voided the award, ruling that there had been no contract between the two.
Health Issues and Death
Marvin was an extensive smoker and drinker, both factors leading to his deteriorating health. In December 1986, he was hospitalized for more than two weeks with a complication of coccidioidomycosis. He developed respiratory distress and required a colectomy. Marvin died of a heart attack on Aug. 29, 1987, at the age of 63. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
