Native of Omaha, Nebraska. His mother once gave stage lessons to Henry Fonda, another Nebraska native.
One of the innovators of the Method acting technique in American film.
Originally considered too young at 23 to play Stanley Kowalski in the Broadway version of "A Streetcar Named Desire", and the producers of the show tried to get 34-year-old Burt Lancaster, newly a huge star in movies thanks to The Killers (1946). When Lancaster was unable to get permission from the film studio, Brando was given the part and became an overnight sensation.
Owned a private island off the Pacific coast, the Polynesian atoll known as Tetiaroa, from 1966 until his death in 2004.
Paramount studio brass wanted him to appear as Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby (1974), but he wanted $4 million, an unheard-of salary at the time.
Posthomously received the 'Stella Adler' Award for Lifetime Achievement, presented by his friend and neighbor Warren Beatty to his son Miko C. Brando.
Ranked #12 in Entertainment Weekly's "Top 100 Entertainers" of all time (2000).
Ranked #13 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list (Oct. 1997).
Received more money for his short appearance as Jor-El in Superman (1978) than Christopher Reeve did in the title role. Brando later sued for a percentage of the film's profits.
Received top billing in nearly every film he appeared in, even if not cast in the lead role.
Rode his own Triumph 6T Thunderbird, registration #63632, in The Wild One (1953).
Said that the only reason he continued to make movies was in order to raise the money to produce what he said would be the "definitive" film about Native Americans. The film was never made.
Shortly before his death in 2004, he gave EA Games permission to use his voice for its video game The Godfather (2006) (VG).
Shortly before his death, his doctors had told him that the only way to prolong his life would be to insert tubes carrying oxygen into his lungs. He refused permission, preferring to die naturally.
Signed on to appear in director Sidney Lumet's adaptation of the play Child's Play (1972) as schoolteacher Joseph Dobbs, but backed out just before principal photography was to begin when he realized James Mason had the better part as his schoolteacher rival. According to Bob Thomas' "Brando: Portrait of the Artist as a Rebel", Brando quit the production when he realized his flagging career would soon be revitalized by the The Godfather (1972). A last-minute replacement, Robert Preston was signed to take over the role, and though a fine actor, he bombed in the performance due to over-projection of his voice (Preston had been playing mainly in the theater in the previous decade). Brando subsequently was sued by producer David Merrick. Ironically, both Brando and Mason were rivals for the part of Viktor Komarovsky in Doctor Zhivago (1965). Both were offered the role by David Lean, and both turned it down.
Son of Marlon Brando Sr.
Studied at the Dramatic Workshop at the New School for Social Research in New York City.
Studied modern dance with Katherine Dunham in New York in the early 1940s and briefly considered becoming a dancer.
Subject of the song "I'm Stuck in a Condo with Mr. Marlon Brando" by The Dickies.
Supported John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election.