John Marley

American actor

Born: October 17, 1907 · Died: May 22, 1984

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Who was John Marley?

John Marley (born Mortimer Leon Marlieb; October 17, 1907 – May 22, 1984) was an American actor and theatre director. Marley was born in Harlem in New York City to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. He dropped out of the City College of New York, turning to a career in acting. He was also known to film audiences for his role as Jack Woltz—the defiant film mogul who awakens to find the severed head of his prized thoroughbred horse in his bed—in The Godfather (1972). He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II. Marley was a prolific actor, appearing in nearly 250 films and television series during a career spanning over 45 years. He had roles in TV series that included The Web, Peter Gunn, Johnny Staccato, Bourbon Street Beat, Perry Mason, Rawhide, The Untouchables, Sea Hunt, 77 Sunset Strip, The Lloyd Bridges Show, Dr.

Historical significance

He won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 29th Venice International Film Festival for his performance in John Cassavetes' Faces (1968), and was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in Love Story (1970).

Sources and further reading

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MLA

“John Marley.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/john-marley/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

APA

John Marley. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/john-marley/

Chicago

“John Marley.” thisDay. Accessed October 20, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/john-marley/.

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