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Lee Marvin

Lee Marvin

Actor · Died August 29, 1987, aged 63 · New York City, New York, USA

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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 19, 1924
Died
August 29, 1987 (aged 63)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
63 on MovieCove · 101 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 12% in 30 days

What are Lee Marvin's films like?

Across their 52 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Western4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Western movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
37%
Bonds
16%
Society
12%
Survival
12%
Self
11%
Power
10%
Ideas
3%
Justice19 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival9 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 52 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 14 · Dark 26

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 27 · Stylized 22 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 23 · Intense 23

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 18 · Shifting 28 · Whiplash 6

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 38 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 16 · Even-paced 34 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 34 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 15 · Affecting 25 · Heavy 12

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 36 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 8

Roles they play

48 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 15 of 48 analyzed roles.

Shadow
15 of 48
Hero
14 of 48
Trickster
6 of 48
Mentor
5 of 48
Ally
4 of 48
Shapeshifter
2 of 48
Threshold guardian
1 of 48
Herald
1 of 48
Show the 48 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
43
Melancholic
24
Thrilling
15
Dread
9
Contemplative
9
Other
37

How their films linger

Bittersweet20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet27
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous11

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Lee Marvin's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 29 of their 63 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lee Marvin's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

101 credits, 63 with a MovieCove page; 30 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films(2014)

    as Col. Nick Alexander (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Big Red One: The Reconstruction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as The Sergeant

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller(2002)

    as The Sergeant (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Delta Force(1986)

    as Colonel Nick Alexander

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission(1985)

    as Maj. John Reisman

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Dog Day(1984)

    as Jimmy Cobb

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Gorky Park(1983)

    as Jack Osborne

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Canicule (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Death Hunt(1981)

    as RCMP Sgt. Edgar Millen

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Big Red One(1980)

    as The Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Avalanche Express(1979)

    as Harry Wargrave

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Bad Men of the West(1974)

    as Kalig Talbot

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday(1976)

    as Sam Longwood

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Shout at the Devil(1976)

    as Colonel Flynn O'Flynn

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Klansman(1974)

    as Sheriff Track Bascomb

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Spikes Gang(1974)

    as Harry Spikes

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Iceman Cometh(1973)

    as Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Emperor of the North(1973)

    as A No. 1

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Prime Cut(1972)

    as Nick Devlin

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Pocket Money(1972)

    as Leonard

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Monte Walsh(1970)

    as Monte Walsh

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • It Couldn't Be Done (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator

  • Paint Your Wagon(1969)

    as Ben Rumson

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Hell in the Pacific(1968)

    as American Pilot

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Sergeant Ryker(1968)

    as Sgt. Paul Ryker

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Autumn and Cardboard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Narrator

  • Point Blank(1967)

    as Walker

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Dirty Dozen(1967)

    as Maj. John Reisman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Our Time In Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Narrator

  • The Professionals(1966)

    as Fardan

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Ship of Fools(1965)

    as Tenny

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Cat Ballou(1965)

    as Kid Shelleen / Tim Strawn

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Killers(1964)

    as Charlie Strom

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Kraft Suspense Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sgt. Paul Ryker

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Nick Karajanian

  • The Great Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Misok Bedrozian

  • Donovan's Reef(1963)

    as Thomas "Boats" Gilhooley

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Losers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Dave Blassingame

  • Combat!(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Sgt. Turk

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Martin Kalig

  • The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance(1962)

    as Liberty Valance

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Comancheros(1961)

    as Crow

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Investigators (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Nostradamus

  • Ben Casey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dr. Kildare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Buddy Bishop · as Dr. Paul Probeck

  • The Dick Powell Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Finn

  • The DuPont Show of the Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Juan de Nuñez

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as John Ryan · as Woody Biggs

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Barbara Stanwyck Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Jud Hollister

  • Checkmate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Lee Tabor

  • The Untouchables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Mike Brannon · as Nick Acropolis · as Victor Rait / Howard Carson

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Conny Miller · as Steel Kelly

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Kane

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Missouri Traveler(1958)

    as Tobias Brown

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Raintree County(1957)

    as Orville 'Flash' Perkins

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • M Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 117 episodes · as Detective Lt. Frank Ballinger

  • Wagon Train(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Jose Morales · as Jud Benedict

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • The Rack(1956)

    as Capt. John R. Miller

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Attack(1956)

    as Clyde Bartlett

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Pillars of the Sky(1956)

    as Sgt. Lloyd Carracart

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • 7 Men from Now(1956)

    as Bill Masters

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Shack Out on 101(1955)

    as Slob / Mr. Gregory

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • I Died a Thousand Times(1955)

    as Babe Kossuck

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Pete Kelly's Blues(1955)

    as Al Gannaway

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • A Life in the Balance(1955)

    as The Killer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Not as a Stranger(1955)

    as Brundage

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Violent Saturday(1955)

    as Dill

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Bad Day at Black Rock(1955)

    as Hector David

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Climax! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as 'Little Man' Brush · as Capt. Cavallero · as Mannon Tate

  • Studio 57 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Raid(1954)

    as Lt. Keating

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Caine Mutiny(1954)

    Technical Supervisor · as Meatball

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Gorilla at Large(1954)

    as Shaughnessy--Policeman

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Wild One(1953)

    as Chino

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Motorola Television Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Big Heat(1953)

    as Vince Stone

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Gun Fury(1953)

    as Blinky

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as John Temple

  • The Stranger Wore a Gun(1953)

    as Dan Kurth

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Revlon Mirror Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Red Johnson

  • The Glory Brigade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Cpl. Bowman

  • Seminole(1953)

    as Sgt. Magruder

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Down Among the Sheltering Palms(1952)

    as Pvt. Snively (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Art Temple · as Captain Morrissey · as Clerk · as Dick Giles · as Joe Kittridge · as Sid Benton

  • Eight Iron Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Sgt. Joe Mooney

  • Hangman's Knot(1952)

    as Rolph Bainter

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Biff Baker U.S.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 5 episodes · as Captain Hollis Michler · as Michler / Captain Hollis

  • The Duel at Silver Creek(1952)

    as Tinhorn Burgess

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • We're Not Married!(1952)

    as Pinky (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Diplomatic Courier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Military Policeman at Trieste (uncredited)

  • Dragnet(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Henry Ross · as James Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Patterson · as Russ Anderson

  • Teresa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as G.I. (uncredited)

  • You're in the Navy Now(1951)

    as Radio Man

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Treasury Men in Action (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cameo Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Big Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Suspense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 1 episode · as Barrow

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Teale

  • Kraft Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Show 1 episode · as Milo Bogardus

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 101 titles from 1947 to 2014; peak year 1968.

Biggest box office

The Delta Force (1986)

$18M worldwide

Highest rated

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Point Blank (1967)

Film career

19472014

Peak 1968 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 32 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting101 of 101: 100 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thOther crew1 of 101: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1940s4 · acting1950s47 · 47 acting · 1 crew1960s28 · acting1970s12 · acting1980s7 · acting2000s2 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 35% of 46 roles
5257677277

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Lee Marvin's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 57; across their 52 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Reach · how many have seen their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 52

Midcredits score across 63 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up23
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

40 of their 63 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser40
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Bad Men of the West (1974)

63rd percentile spread · 55% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Midcredits 99th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 50 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Lee Marvin's work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles35–69 · median 53 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles3–48 · median 23 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles7–45 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles32–53 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles14–61 · median 45 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Lee Marvin work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lee Marvin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ernest Borgnine shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles