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26th Dec '12 1:39:43 AM justanid

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[[quoteright:292:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brando.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:292:Truly the epitome of manliness.]]

->''"Followers of the Bran-Dao believe that you don't gotta be running your mouth to prove how macho you are. Just gotta be confident and put your all into what you do, and people will fill in the rest themselves. We believe if you live your life right, you reach a state of Nirv'''man'''a where the whole universe is in [[http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/323 complete recognition of your masculinity."]]''
-->-- '''[[AwesomeMcCoolName Commander Badass]]''', ''ManlyGuysDoingManlyThings''

Marlon Brando (1924-2004) was a legendary American method actor who broke out in the early [[TheFifties 1950s]], appearing in two Elia Kazan films, ''AStreetcarNamedDesire'' and ''OnTheWaterfront'', as well as less arty projects such as ''Film/TheWildOne'' and the screen adaptation of ''GuysAndDolls''. He later created and forever owned the role of Don Vito Corleone in ''Film/TheGodfather'', as well as performed notable cameo roles in several high-profile films, including Jor-El in ''Film/{{Superman}}'' and Kurtz in ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.

Brando eventually became regarded as something of a joke for his exorbitant demands and primadonna behavior on film sets, which put many directors at odds with him. He eventually went into a self-imposed seclusion, from which he emerged only to appear in films far below his demonstrated talent.

He was voted in the UK's Empire Magazine in 1997 as one of the five greatest living actors. He passed away in 2004.
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!!Tropes associated with Brando and his characters include:
* BadassBiker: Possible UrExample in ''Film/TheWildOne''.
* [[BadassGay Badass Bisexual]]
* BigEater: Even before his weight gain, he was known for his insatiable appetite.
* BillingDisplacement: Brando was given top billing in both ''Film/ApocalypseNow'' and ''Film/{{Superman}}'' despite having comparatively small roles in both (less than 10 minutes in the former, in fact).
* BiTheWay
* BrilliantButLazy: Al Pacino said that he would work his ass off in acting only to come short of what Brando could do in his sleep. The man was also famous for refusing to memorize lines and often had cue cards on set or just improvised.
** Case in point: ''Superman''. He was only there for the money, read his lines off cue cards (refusing to learn them) and had a fairly small role. And it is one of the best performances in the film.
*** Ultimate example; see WagTheDirector.
* DoingItForTheArt: Claimed he only made films to fund a sadly never made project about Native Americans.
* EstrogenBrigadeBait
* HeyItsThatVoice: Unarguably one of the most recognisable voices in film history. You'd know it even if You have never seen his work.
* HiddenDepths: His activism for the Civil Rights Movement and Native American rights. He also studied with a voice teacher and did his own singing in ''GuysAndDolls''. He's not mind-blowing, but he more than holds his own against his co-star, ''FrankSinatra''.
* ICouldaBeenAContender: TropeNamer via ''OnTheWaterfront''.
* InsufferableGenius: One of the greatest actors to have ever walked the Earth...but he was also self-absorbed and narcissistic at the same time.
* {{Jerkass}}
** JerkWithAHeartOfGold: For all his faults, he was also a big supporter of Civil rights and Native Americans.
* LargeHam
* MoneyDearBoy: Most of his movies from the mid-70s on. He demanded, and got, $3.7 million up front and 12% of the box office for ''Film/{{Superman}}''. He also demanded to work no more than a week and a half and had cue cards on set so he wouldn't have to memorize his lines. And he was ''worth every penny.''
* OlderThanTheyLook: For much of his life. Much makeup had to be applied to him in ''The Godfather'' though he was only six years younger than Vito Corleone. In ''Superman'', he certainly doesn't look like He's nearly thirty years older than Christopher Reeve.
* OneBookAuthor: His directorial debut ''One-Eyed Jacks''.
* OneSceneWonder: In ''Apocalypse Now'' and ''Superman''.
* OohMeAccentsSlipping: ''The Missouri Breaks'', where his WildWest hit man character lapses in and out of a stereotypical ''Irish'' accent.
* SueDonym: Became a ham radio enthusiast after settling in Tahiti. He's listed as "Martin Brandeaux" in the FCC records.
* TroubledButCute: Many of his early roles.
* WagTheDirector: After his dual roles in ''[[Film/TheGodfather Godfather]]'' and ''LastTangoInParis'' in 1972, Brando became a real challenge for any director, constantly improvising and arguing on set. On of the more infamous cases was ''One Eyed Jacks'', were his gerrymandering of the script lead to StanleyKubrick being fired as director and Brando taking his place.
** Brando's behaviour on the set of ''Film/ApocalypseNow'' is infamous because of his interactions with FrancisFordCoppola, who specifically asked for Brando to play Kurtz. He gave his requirements in advance; read the script, read JosephConrad's ''HeartOfDarkness''(the film's source material), work out and bulk up because Kurtz was an AuthorityEqualsAsskicking warlord. Brando demanded a million dollars. In advance. Then [[TheyJustDidntCare showed up on the last week of filming over a dozen pounds overweight and drunk as a fish having never read any of the material.]] When Coppola tried to get Brando off the film, he threatened to quit (and keep his $1 million advance) if he wasn't allowed to ad-lib his own lines and have his [[OneSceneWonder One Scene]] filmed in silhouettes/shadows - one long CloseUpOnHead. 
*** And I'll be damned if those shadows and ad-libs didn't ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9oBiD7-kAM make]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD0rU6-7sKs the]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoodcDw6QuA movie]]''.
*** Of course, half the reason for the silhouettes was also because he turned up midway through the filming having gained a ton of weight. Many of his character's standing shots after that had to be filmed with a body double.
**** In his final theatrical film (''TheScore''), he could not get along at all with Frank Oz and constantly referred to him as "[[TheMuppets Miss Piggy]]".

!!Brando in fiction

!!WebComics
* Marlon Brando is a godlike figure in ''ManlyGuysDoingManlyThings''. Literally. CommanderBadass worships him. And do ''not'' compare him to ChuckNorris.

!!WesternAnimation
* Mentok the Mindtaker's backstory in ''HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'' parodied Superman's origin story. His father, Big L, was a parody of Marlon Brando. But later life Marlon Brando.
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10th Nov '12 11:24:52 AM Abodos

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5th Nov '12 2:14:51 PM foxley

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8th Oct '12 11:02:49 AM Kalaong

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