"Godfather" Marlon Brando dies at 80

Marlon Brando, the Hollywood legendary actor who is renowned for his role in "The Godfather," has died at the age of 80, his attorney announced on July 2.

Brando died at an undisclosed Los Angeles hospital Thursday, attorney David Seeley said. The cause of death was being withheld, Seeley said, noting the actor "was a very private man."

"His family is gathering from all over the world and will be making arrangements following his last will and testament," Seeley said. Details about those plans weren't disclosed. Seeley said arrangements would be private.

Brando was acclaimed as the greatest actor of his generation, the unforgettable embodiment of the brutish Stanley Kowalski of "A Streetcar Named Desire," the mixed up Terry Malloy of "On the Waterfront" and the wily Don Corleone of "The Godfather."

Brando was a two-time winner of the Academy Award who influenced some of the best actors of the generation that followed, among them Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson.

His image was a studio's nightmare. Millions of words were written about his weight, his many romances and three marriages, his tireless support of the American Indians and other causes, his battles with film producers and directors, his refuge on a Tahitian isle.

His most famous act of rebellion was his refusal in 1973 to accept the best actor Oscar for "The Godfather." Instead, he sent a woman to read a diatribe about Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans.

Brando's private life turned tragic years later with his son's conviction for killing the boyfriend of his half sister, Cheyenne Brando, in 1990. Five years later, Cheyenne committed suicide.

Still, the undying spotlight never made him conform. "I am myself," he once declared, "and if I have to hit my head against a brick wall to remain true to myself, I will do it."

Source: Xinhua