Talk:Lee Marvin

Godspeed monologue
I think there's a problem here - Godspeed You! Black Emperor's mentioned album was released in 1996. There's a copy-and-paste article (a copy of which is used as the reference) about the monologue that states the film was being worked on "for five years," which would place the inception of the film at 1991 - after Lee Marvin died. If you listen to the track, it actually only remotely sounds like Marvin.

I love Lee Marvin, and I love that song, so as much as I want it to be him, I just don't think it is. The reference provided is pretty weak, anyway. If no one objects, I'll remove the info. --Identityshift (talk) 04:29, 25 January 2008 (UTC)

Ancestry
Biography Magazine and some internet sources indicate Marvin was a descendant of both George Washington and Robert E. Lee. I found another source adding Thomas Jefferson as an ancestor.

Birth date
This article, the IMDb and Marvin's grave marker in Arlington National Cemetery (a military facility) all give February 19, 1924 as the date of his birth. This would have him turning eighteen about ten weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the US into World War II. However, he admitted in his later years that he was under age when he enlisted (I particularly remember an appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson), something that would have not happened if he was so close to his eighteenth birthday when the Japs bombed Pearl. Therefore, "1924" is the false year of birth he gave the Marines when he signed up (a lot of underage boys served in that war). Anybody have any citable documentation as to his real birth date? --Ted Watson (talk) 05:01, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

You can join the Marines, Army, or Navy at 16 with parental permission.70.176.118.196 (talk) 05:20, 15 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Maybe in WW2, but not since then. 155.213.224.59 (talk) 19:08, 11 September 2014 (UTC)

Wrong, you could in 1975.65.129.247.35 (talk) 20:34, 27 December 2016 (UTC) Ref: Almost joined Navy in 1975, learned of this from recruiter.
 * In th 1970s you could join at 17 with parental permission. Not sure about what the rule is in 2021. 70.161.8.90 (talk) 15:03, 14 November 2021 (UTC)

April 17 edits
I've reverted the entire edit of late April 17, 2009, due to newly-placed information that conflicts with citations that were left in place, for spelling, capitalization, and grammatical errors, and for uncited claims that verge on POV. Addressing each of these issues would go a long way toward making the actual information acceptable. Until then, it's not. Monkeyzpop (talk) 07:40, 18 April 2009 (UTC)

Iwo Jima?
I read Marvin was a Marine Pvt. at Iwo Jima. It would explain the gritty realism in his military roles; "The Dirty Dozen", "Delta Force", "The Professionals". I also read Bob Keesham ("Captain Kangaroo") was at Iwo Jima.70.162.46.94 (talk) 02:43, 11 September 2011 (UTC)
 * I don't know whether he was at Iwo or not but he was a Marine who was shot in the buttocks during a battle. He said, "I'm hit!" and one of the others said, "Shut up, we're all hit!" Upsmiler (talk) 03:48, 11 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Reading the article and its citations will reveal that neither Marvin nor Keeshan was at Iwo Jima. Marvin was wounded and invalided home prior to the Iwo Jima battle & Keeshan never served overseas. Monkeyzpop (talk) 10:23, 11 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Yes, I actually knew that but I'd forgotten that it was also in the article. I don't know why this rumor about Captain Kangaroo battling in WW2 remains so pervasive for so many decades.  Must have something to do with the uniform. At least the tale doesn't involve him serving with the Australians.  Upsmiler (talk) 16:17, 11 September 2011 (UTC)

Snopes is hardly any serious, credible reference source. Isn't it just a husband and wife team with a few opinions? Anybody can say they can check rumors, then set up their web site. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.44.238.77 (talk) 02:46, 1 January 2016 (UTC)

Drunk?
I read Marvin got drunk a lot. His then wife, Michele Triola (sp?) flew to Oregon during the filming of "Paint Your Wagon" to check up on him and see he wasn't having a drunken affair. (He didn't but Clint Eastwood did, with the leading lady, Jean Seaburg. Seaburg's husband flew over from Europe and challenged Eastwood to a duel--Eastwood backed-down.) This was in a book I believe was called "Movie Turkeys" or something, about films that went way over-budget and didn't break even.

I also read Marvin got drunk in his hotel room in Las Vegas while acting in "The Professionals". He took fellow actor Woody Strohe's bow and arrow and shot the hitch-hiking cowboy sign, "Cowboy Pete", breaking it! (The studio apologized and paid for repairs.)70.176.118.196 (talk) 05:18, 15 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Marvin's alcoholism was beyond legendary and enabled him to fit in so perfectly with John Wayne and John Ford. Ford, like Spencer Tracy, was a bathtub alcoholic who'd rent a hotel room, get a case of liquor, and sit drinking all weekend in the bathtub to make cleaning up the resulting effluences easier.  Henry Fonda said, "Wayne could outdrink any man" and Wayne apparently never needed to camp out in the bathtub.  There is something really interesting, though, if you ever run across it; I've seen it on youtube but can't find it there right now.  Wayne was interviewed on location by Merv Griffin only, unknown to Griffin, Wayne was so blackout drunk that he asked the next day, after having filmed it, when Griffin was going to arrive for the interview! Upsmiler (talk) 03:55, 11 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Please note the above discussion is in violation of WP:NOT. As stated at the top of the Talk page, "This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Lee Marvin article.  This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject."  Thank you. Monkeyzpop (talk) 10:23, 11 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Oops. Of course you're right, Monkeyzpop.  Upsmiler (talk) 16:08, 11 September 2011 (UTC)

Marvin's character and occasionally out-there conduct were quite notable, though. "One night film star Lee Marvin went to dinner at a beachside restaurant overlooking the Pacific in Santa Monica. Among those with him was the English director of two of Marvin's movies, John Boorman.

"For some reason Boorman said something to upset Marvin, and by the time they left the restaurant Marvin was hopelessly drunk and in a violent mood. So rather than risk a drunk driving the party the few miles up the coast to Marvin's Malibu home, Boorman snatched the car keys and sat in the driving seat.

"Marvin's response was to climb on to the roof of the car. Reasoning that the night air would soon sober Marvin up, Boorman eventually began to drive slowly back along the Pacific Coast Highway, with the film star still straddled on the top.

"Sure enough he was quickly spotted, and, with a howl of sirens and flashing lights, a police patrol ordered them to stop. 'Do you know you have Lee Marvin on your roof?' said the patrolman." https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/boorman-by-name-7436218.html Khamba Tendal (talk) 16:14, 7 May 2021 (UTC)

The Killers link is broken
Not sure how to fix it, but the Killers is a 1964 film http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killers_(1964_film) not the crappy band from the mid 2000s. Somebody needs to fix the link. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.76.123.45 (talk) 01:38, 4 August 2013 (UTC)

"Best know for..."
I just noticed that the lede states he is best known for M Squad. I realize that what someone is best known for is difficult to qualify, but I do question that choice. It may have been a hit at the time, but that show ran from '57-'60 and isn't exactly remembered by anyone, oh, I dunno, under 60. I think it would be more accurate to state he is best known for The Dirty Dozen or other later movies, or perhaps his persona, as a tough guy icon. I won't change it as I believe that sort of change requires a discussion but I did want to put it out there.  freshacconci  talk to me  15:07, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Lee Marvin on Hogan's Heroes???
I could swear that the radio voice of "Goldilocks" on one episode of Hogan's Heroes was Lee Marvin. Anyone know for sure?
 * IMDB doesn't show his name in relation to Hogan's Heroes (any episode). 155.213.224.59 (talk) 19:17, 11 September 2014 (UTC)

Conservative Films?
The text says "Despite starring in conservative films...", but I don't know of a conservative film he was in. Does someone think war movies and westerns = conservatism? It doesn't match any definition I know. On the other hand, there is a reference there two which I have no access. Does the reference say these films were conservative? If so, it should be stated that it's an author's opinion. 155.213.224.59 (talk) 19:11, 11 September 2014 (UTC)

Equally odd in the article is the gratuitous claim that Marvin was against the Vietnam War. Well, so were all of us who were in it. More to the point would have been a discussion of what, if anything, WW II veterans like Marvin did to welcome home or help Viet vets (answer: nothing).

contentious sentence
There was a sentence stating that Marvin lied during his trial. It had no source and the sentence after it linked very nicely to the sentence before it, so I simply removed it and the paragraph makes sense - with a proper source.Princetoniac (talk) 16:10, 24 August 2015 (UTC)

Omission
Lee Marvins 2 best films were Our Man Flint and In Like Flint. Why are these not listed?97.82.176.63 (talk) 09:08, 18 October 2016 (UTC)

Those starred James Coburn. Both stunk.65.129.247.35 (talk) 20:32, 27 December 2016 (UTC)

Lee Marvin's Brother Mark Marvin
Mark Marvin was brother to Lee Marvin. Mark was a producer of plays, I think 2 or 3. He commited suicide. He is referenced in Peter Cushing's Memoir book because Peter was in a play he produced.

External links modified
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Nightvale
Its a fictional town — Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.161.9.81 (talk) 20:32, 9 December 2018 (UTC)

No mention of military career in Marvin's infobox?
A lot of other actors and directors with military service have a section of the infobox dedicated to their military service. Why not Marvin? Yourlocallordandsavior (talk) 19:50, 25 May 2021 (UTC)

Florida
Since he grew up in NY, why was he doing all that hunting in FL? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.161.8.90 (talk) 11:40, 7 November 2021 (UTC)

Misplaced Modifier?
Art " He went into respiratory distress and was administered steroids to help his breathing. He had major intestinal ruptures as a result" Did steroids really cause the rupture? (AltheaCase (talk) 16:34, 21 June 2022 (UTC))


 * The NYT source states this about his death;
 * Lee Marvin, who rebelled against a sheltered childhood to build an image as the consummate tough guy in the movies and in real life, died of a heart attack Saturday at the Tucson Medical Center in Arizona. He was 63 years old.
 * Not sure where the connection to steroids come from, it certainly isn't in the NYT source. It could've played a part for sure, but we need a source for that. ZaniGiovanni (talk) 16:39, 21 June 2022 (UTC)

Official Military Personnel File for Lee Marvin
The above can be found at the link below. On page 11, it states that he achieved two bronze stars; one for Marshal Islands operations, the other for Marianas operations. Those are not listed in the article; (I don't know how to format that). There might be more stuff that could be added (?).

136.54.106.120 (talk) 20:28, 2 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Official Military Personnel File for Lee Marvin (p.11)