Hey, gang,
I wanted to recommend a new biography on the life of the iconic film actor Lee Marvin, entitled "Lee Marvin: Point Blank," by Dwayne Epstein. In the book, Mr. Epstein chronicles Mr. Marvin's early life (including his distinguished military service as a 20-year-old U.S. Marine during World War II in the Pacific) and Mr. Marvin's extensive television and film career. Usually a tough guy in films, Mr. Marvin ironically won Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his performance as the uproariously funny gunslinger "Kid Shellen" in "Cat Ballou," along with the beautiful and (still at that time) rather "low-keyed" Jane Fonda.
In 1970, Mr. Marvin starred as an aging cowboy in a film entitled "Monte Walsh," along with Jack Palance, the perpetually sexy Jeanne Moreau, and also with "Dark Shadows" alumnus Mitchell Ryan, who portrayed Shorty Austin, one of Monte Walsh's fellow cowboys, who eventually turns outlaw.
According to author Dwayne Epstein, Lee Marvin and Mitchell Ryan became good friends during the filming of "Monte Walsh." Apparently, they remained good friends, and were known to "occasionally kick back a few together," right up until Mr. Marvin's untimely death at the age of 63 in 1987. The author points out that Mr. Ryan secured the role of Shorty Austin in "Monte Walsh" on the favorable impression he had made on the film's producers, who had seen him perform on stage on Broadway in New York several years before (and, I guess, during the same time he had also portrayed Burke Devlin on "Dark Shadows").
If you liked Lee Marvin as an actor, and would also like to read about something Mitchell Ryan's post-"Dark Shadows" career, I think that you'll enjoy reading this excellent biography.
Bob
