Age old question.

[Boolean Julian]

Falathrim

Breedin Orcs with Men just gives you an Uruk-hai.

Hmm. I'm not sure that's true. I'm fairly certain that breeding Orcs with Men producces something called Half-Orcs. The Uruk-Hai were created by Sauron, I think at the beginning of tthe Second Age, although I don't know how.
I'm not sure about any of thatm though.
(I decided to ignore the fact that everyone is totally off topic now) mrgreen
EDIT: just checked the Encyclopedia of Arda
Uruk Hai:The great soldier-Orcs that first appeared in the late Third Age; they were larger and stronger than their forebears, and could withstand the light of the Sun.
Half-Orcs: Creatures bred from Orcs and Men by the Wizard Saruman in his stronghold at Isengard. Like Sauron's Uruk-hai, they could withstand sunlight. The more Man-like of them, of perhaps a slightly different breed, were known as Goblin-men.
Doesn't say anything about how Uruk-Hai were created, but at least it clarifies terms. Seems I was wrong about Uruks being first created in the Second Age. Also, it seems to me highly unlikely that Gothmog was a Half-Orc, since, according to EoA, they were created by Saruman during the War of the Ring, and there's no way Gothmog is thaat young.
I'd been a bit confused by Gandalf's line in the movies (can't remember if it's in the books): "Saruman has crossed orcs with Goblin Men". However, looking at the EoA entry for Half-Orcs, I think this is almost certainly a mistake, and doesn't come from Tolkien.  

[Eruresto]

I was under the impression that he was one of the first Uruk-Hai, but I think that he could have been an Easterling or Harad captain, because there had to be some officers from those two groups at the battle of Pelennor Fields, considering the parts those two armies played in the battle and the Siege of Gondor.  

[Serni]

Melian

I always assumed he was an Orc. Just bigger and a little smarter than your average Orc.

3nodding  

[Ithilvalan]

Nice little detour in the middle about stereotypes...would add something about stereotypes about Chinese or just Asian Americans, but feels necessity to comment.

The first time I read the Return of the King, I think I accidentally overlooked Gothmog. So when I saw the script for the movie, it was after I read the Silmarillion and both BoLT, so firmly imbedded in my mind was Gothmog lord of Balrogs...

I would have imagined a lieutenant couldn't have made that rank without being special in some way. We are never told that orcs are dumb, but it doesn't seem like they'd be the most intelligent creatures, either. So basically, I think that Gothmog must have been at least partially human, not that humans are all intelligent... xp  

[GreyRauken]

Falathrim

I always pictured him as a Black Numenorean.

Ditto. He reminded me of the Mouth, who was also a Black Numenorean.  

[Eruresto]

I pictured him as a Black Numenorean, or as an Uruk-Hai. But it could be conceivable that he was a Easterling.  

[Feathoron]

Zach McClure

I'd always thought he was an old Orc, like one that Melkor made kind of old.

Ditto. 3nodding  

[Rudhe]

Normally you would think due to the "survival of the fittest" concept, He would be really large and fierce.....and need to stand out, so yeah probably a hybrid of some sort, and definitely have to be more intelligent than the average orc.

Btw, what do you mean by an old orc? They kinda look ageless to me.....since they have been made in the mockery of elves.....plus the grime and tattoos, scars, tattered pieces of skin would cover up any wrinkles.  

[Eudor16]

Well I support Robert Foster, so I think Gothmog was the 2nd Nazgul so he took control of the fight and lost it  

[The_Ginatron]

I think I just assumed he was an orc who had a really high rank.  

[Rudhe]

Eudor16

Well I support Robert Foster, so I think Gothmog was the 2nd Nazgul so he took control of the fight and lost it

I have heard that Robert Foster book is an unreliable canon source. Anyone read the books that knows?

@Ginatron, I think in the movie that's how they portrayed Gothmog. Although, I think I might have missed him in the books. Time to reread me thinks.  

[the master of frogs]

This is Gothmog in the movies.

 

[Galad Aglaron]

My sisters and I call him the Misshapen Potato Face. rofl  

[Tears of the Siren]

Misshapen potato face? That's more flattering than what my friend and I called him.