Brando, Marlon

US actor. One of the great exponents of method acting, he had a powerful presence on both stage and screen, and was one of the most influential actors of his generation. He won Best Actor Academy Awards for On the Waterfront (1954) and The Godfather (1972), although he declined the second award to protest against Hollywood's portrayal of American Indians. Brando directed one film, the psychological Western One Eyed Jacks (1961).

Brando was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and began his career in New York City. He made his Broadway debut in I Remember Mama (1944) and achieved fame in the play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), dazzling critics and changing the way the play was perceived. His subsequent films include The Men (1950), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), and The Wild One (1954). In 1959 he formed Pennebar Productions to make One Eyed Jacks. Later films include Last Tango in Paris (1973), Apocalypse Now (1979), The Freshman (1990), Don Juan DeMarco (1995), and The Score (2001). His influence has been evident in the work of more recent actors, including Robert De Niro.