Marc Lawrence

Marc Lawrence was an American character actor known for his roles in underworld and gangster roles. In 1930, he became friends with fellow young actor John Garfield. Both performed in several plays before Lawrence signed a film contract with Columbia Pictures in 1931. Garfield began his film career in 1938. Lawrence's distinctive pock-marked appearance, brooding demeanor, and New York street accent made him well-suited for heavy roles, and he portrayed numerous gangsters and mob bosses over the next six decades. Later in his career, Lawrence faced scrutiny for his political affiliations. When questioned by the House Un-American Activities Committee, he admitted to having once been a member of the Communist Party and named Sterling Hayden, Lionel Stander, Anne Revere, Larry Parks, Karen Morley, and Jeff Corey as fellow Communists. As a result, he was blacklisted and moved to Europe to continue his film career. After the blacklist was lifted, he returned to the United States and resumed his work as a familiar and skilled actor in gangland roles. He appeared as a gangster in two James Bond films: 1971's *Diamonds Are Forever* with Sean Connery and 1974's *The Man with the Golden Gun* with Roger Moore. He also played a henchman opposite Laurence Olivier in *Marathon Man* (1976) and a stereotypical Miami mob boss alongside Jerry Reed and Dom DeLuise in the comedy *Hot Stuff* (1979).