Marc Lawrence

Biography

Marc Lawrence (New York, 1909 – Palm Springs, California, 2005) was an American character actor who spent more than six decades playing gangsters and underworld figures. Some references give 1910 as his birth year, and his death is usually dated to late November 2005. Born Max Goldsmith, he became instantly recognizable thanks to his pock-marked face and his New York street accent.

The son of a Polish Jewish mother and a Russian Jewish father, he studied at the City College of New York and performed in amateur theatre. In 1930 he won a scholarship to Eva Le Gallienne's repertory company, where he befriended John Garfield. His film debut is generally dated to 1933, though some sources point to 1931. He soon became a regular presence in B pictures and major studio releases, often uncredited, usually as a heavy or a henchman.

In 1951 he appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee and admitted he had been a Communist Party member in the late 1930s. He was placed on the Hollywood blacklist and spent six years in Europe, mostly in Italy, where he made many films and played Diomedes in Robert Wise's Helen of Troy (1956). When the blacklist eased, he returned to the United States and resumed his career as a hoodlum, first in guest spots on television and then in films.

In the 1970s he played gangsters in two James Bond films, opposite Sean Connery and Roger Moore, and in Marathon Man (1976), opposite Laurence Olivier. He also directed a few projects and appeared in Star Trek episodes. His autobiography, Long Time No See, appeared in 1991, and his last film role was in Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). He is remembered today as one of the most recognizable faces of the gangster film.

Key films

• Diamonds Are Forever (1971): a gangster working for the villains of James Bond, opposite Sean Connery.
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974): another Bond henchman, this time with Roger Moore.
• Marathon Man (1976): a henchman to Laurence Olivier's character in the spy thriller.
• Helen of Troy (1956): the role of Diomedes in Robert Wise's production, shot in Italy.
• From Dusk till Dawn (1996): the elderly motel owner in the Robert Rodriguez film.
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003): his final film role, as an Acme Corporation vice president.