22 MODERN VINTAGE MAGAZINE - ISSUE 4
through the Hall´s and was later threatened with expulsion from Shattuck Military Academy. Instead, he chose to leave. After some time working as a ditch digger, he began studying at the Actor´s Studio. where he was very vocal about the ailings of some of his superiors Brando was thrown off his first stage production for bad
“NEVER CONFUSE THE SIZE OF YOUR PAYCHECK WITH THE SIZE OF YOUR TALENT.” behaviour, but found success in other local plays before making his break into Broadway. In 1944 he was awarded the accolade of ´Most Promising Star´.
MARLON BRANDO WAS BORN IN APRIL 1924. ROCK AND ROLL BEFORE ANYBODY KNEW WHAT ROCK AND ROLL WAS, HE IS WIDELY CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL ACTORS OF THE 20 THE CENTURY.
His real rise to stardom came in 1951, with his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire. Brando´s leap to the big screen came with the film adaptation of the play, for which he would receive an Academy Award Nomination for best actor. He would win the award for Best Actor in a leading role for three consecutive years.
Director Martin Scorsese considered his talent a benchmark for all other actors, commenting:
“HE IS THE MARK. THERE’S ´BEFORE BRANDO´AND ÁFTER BRANDO´. The youngest of three children, Marlon was born in Illinois. His mother, Dorothy was an unconventional lady: she smoked, drove a car and wore trousers, which was unusual for women at the time. A former actress, it may have been she who introduced Brando to his love of the arts. Although Brando ‘s talent was evident from an early age, his behavior threatened to end his career even before it had begun. He was expelled from High School, for riding his motorcycle
“ACTING IS THE EXPRESSION OF A NEUROTIC IMPULSE. IT'S A BUM'S LIFE. QUITTING ACTING, THAT'S THE SIGN OF MATURITY.” Brando used his own Triumph Thunderbird 6T motorcycle for his part in The Wild One, which caused a stir amongst the bike’s importers, as they feared what the film would do for their reputation.