Brando RIP

[techweenie]

'The greatest actor of his generation' has died.

Whatever you thought of him as a man, he was -- especially in the first 30 years of his career -- an amazing actor.

I'm expecting a lot of tributes, and dusting off old movies. Although probably everyone here knows "The Wild One" it's interesting to see him sing & dance in "Guys and Dolls." And if you haven't seen the recut "Apocalypse Now Redux" it's worth seeking it out.

Sometimes actors stay around long enough to embarrass themselves, and to some extent, Brando did. One wonders what an 80-year-old James Dean would have been like...

[osidak]

Might have to watch the Godfather this weekend.

RIP Mr Brando and I guess he makes three.

Reagan, Charles, Brando

[RickM]

When did this happen? I don't see a report anywhere.

[techweenie]

Well, good old "37.8% reliable" Drudge Report was my initial source.

Now the news is that maybe it was just a false alarm.

I lived across the street from the guy for 18 years, and there were plenty of rumors of deaths there -- from maids supposedly floating dead in the pool to other reports of Brando's demise.

[Overpaid Slacker]

The guy evidently owed $20 million to creditors and was living like a pauper; sounds like he picked an opportune time to cross over.

JP

[techweenie]

He was always pretty cheap, although he owned a prime piece of property and a small island, I doubt if his estate is worth $20 million.

Anyway, I'm waiting for some kind of confirmation. I'm glad I'm not living up there at the moment -- I can guarantee that there are 5 to 7 news helicopters circling... and 50-60 uplink trucks alongside the street.

---------------

Edit: nothing on the local news. Looks like maybe another Drudge mis-call. He reported Brando's death at least one other time already.

[Overpaid Slacker]

Drudge might've picked it up from here . It's been up on Fark for a while.

JP

[techweenie]

CBS has confirmed it.

:-(

[RickM]

Foxnews too... http://www.foxnews.com/

Too bad. I like him in the day.

[Superman]

True his early acting career was amazing. On The Waterfront will probably always be one of my favorites. There could not possibly ever have been a more perfect typecast than him in that role.

[techweenie]

Best line from The Wild One:

'what are you rebelling against?'

Brando: 'whattaya got?'

[dd74]

He'll be sorely missed. What a great actor! One of the greatest!

Whenever one hears "I could have been a contender," or "I'm gonna' make him an offer he can't refuse..." they have to think about Brando.



He was also quite tortured. He actually hated being an actor...

[RickM]

A great actor he was.
IMO, the Godfather role wasn't one of his best. An unforgettable performance but way too Hollywood. Perhaps not his doing.

Originally posted by dd74

He was also quite tortured. He actually hated being an actor...

Reminds me of another one of my favorites, Robet Mitchum. He viewed acting as just another job.

[speeder]

I don't think that he hated being an actor, he just hated all of the BS surrounding it. I think that he enjoyed most of his life and I am sad to see him go. He was a giant, larger than life in the acting world and I was a huge fan.

I have never done it before, but I am tempted to bring flowers to his gate right now, before it turns into a circus.

I have some good Brando stories that I will share later, have to go to work now. Anyone who cares should read his autobiography, it's actually quite good IMO.

[dd74]

Originally posted by RickM


Reminds me of another one of my favorites, Robet Mitchum. He viewed acting just another job.

And Mitchum was tortured too.

You know, living out here all my life, I've seen and met quite a few stars. Big stars. And the older they get and the longer they've been in the business, the more bitter they become.
My advice is if anyone wants to get in this industry, talk to an old hand at this, and let them counsel you on what to expect. I'm certain "disappointment," "burnout," and many other words of the like will come from their mouths.

The two big name actors that come to mind who have kept their heads on straight are Paul Newman and Robert Redford, both who ironically enough, don't even live in L.A. That says something right there...

As an aside, Brando once said something to the tune of: "acting is a great job while you're trying to figure out what you want to do."

Sage words IMHO.

[dd74]

Originally posted by speeder
I don't think that he hated being an actor, he just hated all of the BS surrounding it. I think that he enjoyed most of his life and I am sad to see him go. He was a giant, larger than life in the acting world and I was a huge fan.

He hated being a film actor. He always wanted to return to the stage - where like so many, it is true acting.

People say he peaked on "Streetcar," which ironically enough was a stage play first. Conversely, in "Apocalypse Now," he didn't even know his lines. His opening dialogue was almost ad hoc. That doesn't tell me he enjoyed the craft.

And no, I don't think he enjoyed most of his life. Look at what his son put him through. He couldn't stay married. I once went to his house, and it was quite a wreck. He had wild dogs running around inside the gates. They attacked my car!

By late, the man was eating a gallon of ice cream a day. He must've weighed over 400 pounds when he died. That doesn't tell me one is enjoying their life, unless of course they're Liz Taylor.

[speeder]

Well, it was a strange life........, but certainly nobody told him what to do. He was sort of like Tabs, but w/ a lot more $$ and a unique talent.

[techweenie]

DD: "I once went to his house, and it was quite a wreck. He had wild dogs running around inside the gates. They attacked my car!"

One of his dogs ended up hanging out at my place. The collar tag had his neighbor's number [the famous 'Helena' for locals] on it. Apparently, one of her duties as a renter was to mind his dog. The Fed Ex guy told me he had run over another one of Brando's dogs making a delivery. They definitely ran wild. In 18 years living across the street, I spoke to him once. Not friendly at all.

Once I overheard an amazing conversation when some young bimbo tourist from the Midwest arrived at his gate and buzzed his intercom. She seemed unsurprised that he answered and very surprised that he didn't invite her in to talk about his movies. He tried to tell her he just wanted some privacy and quiet. She would have none of that. It ended in yelling, wih her saying 'I'll never watch any of your movies again!' I could hear Brando reply 'well, I think that would be a very good idea.'

Most of the action at that gate was Nicholson-related.

[singpilot]

After my confidentiality agreement ends with Warner Brothers (in 2011) I will write a book about flying for Warner Brothers for 9 years in the 80's. Most of the action was Nicholson-related. Haha, liked that line, but it is true. The NYC crowd got the G-rated Michael Jackson story the other night.

Brando's trips to the South Pacific were legendary. We always liked flying him and his many children / relatives back and forth.

I'll dig out some of his movies for the weekend too.

[GettinHeadStuds]

" I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my
dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a
straight razor, and surviving. "

- Col. Kurtz, Apocalypse Now

Didn't know his lines? Who gives a schit! He literally turned himself into a loony for this movie. One of my top three favorites.