Actor Marlon Brando dies at 80 from lung failure

Natalie Branach
Published: Tuesday, July 6, 2004

Marlon Brando was believed by many to be a man in a class of his own who sparked passion and emotion into the hearts of many of those who sat in darkened theaters to watch his work.

At the age of 80, Brando died on July 1 at the UCLA Medical Center from lung failure, according to a UCLA press release issued on July 2.

Known for such powerful films as “A Street Cart Named Desire” and “On the Water Front”, Brando brought new meaning to the field of acting.

In perhaps one of his most poignant roles, “The Godfather” immortalized Brando as a tough no-holds-bar Mafia boss.

Brando’s character in “The Godfather” instantly became iconic due to the variety of subtle mannerisms he employed.

“I was shocked and deeply saddened at the loss of the greatest acting genius of our time. What will we do without Marlon in this world?’’ said his ‘‘Godfather’’ co-star Al Pacino, one of the generation of stars influenced by Brando’s work.

Many considered Brando to be a hybrid between the smooth sophistication of heroic actors such as Cary Grant and Henry Fonda, and the emotionally starved anti-heroes of actors such as Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman.

‘‘He influenced more young actors of my generation than any actor,’’ longtime friend and ‘‘Godfather’’ co-star James Caan said Friday. ‘‘Anyone who denies this never understood what it was all about.’’

Brando influenced the lives of many including UCLA English professor Larry Grobel, who spent 10 days with Brando on his island in Tahiti and describes his experiences in his book, “Conversations with Brando,” which he may use in a seminar in the fall called “The Art of the Interview.”

Grobel reflects on Brando’s life and death on his Web site.

“He was a man who claimed to disdain his profession, and yet he never sold himself out; he never appeared in a commercial, he never went on television to promote a product ... Of the hundreds of people I have interviewed in my career, I have never met anyone like Marlon Brando,” Grobel writes.

Many believe that one of Brando’s most important contributions was his refusal to conform.

‘‘I am myself,’’ he once said, ‘‘and if I have to hit my head against a brick wall to remain true to myself, I will do it.”

With reports from Bruin wire services.