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Bull Montana

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
58

Gender
Male

Birthday
May 15, 1887 (139 years old)

Place of Birth
Voghera, Lombardy, Italy

Bull Montana

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lewis Montagna (born Luigi Montagna, May 16, 1887 – January 24, 1950), better known as Bull Montana, was an Italian-American professional wrestler and actor.

Montagna was born on May 16, 1887 in Voghera, Italy and came to the United States as a child.

He became a professional wrestler under the name of Bull Montana. He gravitated to films in 1917, appearing first in several of the vehicles of his close pal Douglas Fairbanks. In 1919 he appeared as a gruesome villain in Maurice Tourneur's masterpiece Victory alongside Lon Chaney. Numbered among his many friends was Abe "The Newsboy" Hollandersky, boxer, wrestler, and movie extra, who claimed Montagna offered to help him finance his 1930 autobiography.

In the early 1920s Montana, as he was known, often wrestled with his friend Jack Dempsey prior to some of Dempsey's larger fights to help entertain the press and spectators.

Montagna was usually cast as a thug, henchman or something not quite sympathetic, and sometimes not quite human (he was the apelike cave dweller in 1925's The Lost World opposite Wallace Beery as Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger). Tempering his on-screen brutishness with humor, Montana starred in his own series of two-reel comedies in the early 1920s, spoofing everyone from Robin Hood (Rob 'Em Good) to the Corsican Brothers (The Two Twins). He appeared in two Buster Keaton films including a role as a professional wrestler in the film Palooka from Paducah. He continued playing movie bits into the 1940s, notably as one of Buster Crabbe's antagonists in the 1936 series Flash Gordon. Like many mashed-face musclemen of the movies, Bull Montana is reputed to have been as gentle as a lamb in real life.

Known For

Acting

1966Spaceship to the Unknownas Monkey-Man (archive footage) (uncredited)
1937Big Cityas Bull Montana
1936Flash Gordonas Monkey Man
1935Never Too Lateas Monte, an escaped convict
1935Palooka from Paducahas Bullfrog Kraus
1929Tiger Roseas Joe
1929Glorifying the American Girlas Customer Requesting "Baby Face" (uncredited)
1929Loud Soupas Convict
1928How to Handle Womenas The Turk
1928The Fight Pestas
1928Good Morning, Judgeas First Crook
1928Limousine Loveas The Chauffer
1927The Sting of Stingsas Bull Montana
1927Many Scrappy Returnsas Zozo's Husband
1926On the Front Pageas Private Secretary
1926The Son of the Sheikas Mountebank
1926The Skyrocketas Film Comedian
1926Vanishing Millionsas The Gorilla
1925The Uneasy Threeas
1925The Bashful Buccaneeras Second Mate
1925No Father to Guide Himas Wanted Kidnapper in Photo (uncredited)
1925The Lost Worldas Ape Man
1925Dick Turpinas Bully Boy
1924Laughing at Dangeras Killer Murphy
1924Hello, 'Friscoas Bull Montana
1924The Fire Patrolas Fireman
1924Painted Peopleas Ed Decker
1923Held to Answeras 'Red' Lizard
1923Jealous Husbandsas Portland Kid
1923Hollywoodas Bull Montana
1922The Three Must-Get-Theresas Li'l Cardinal Richie-Loo
1922The Timber Queenas
1922Gay and Devilishas Tony
1921The Foolish Ageas Bubbs
1921Crazy to Marryas Dago Red (a crook)
1921One Wild Weekas Red Mike
1921Hard Luckas Virginia's Husband
1920Hearts Are Trumpsas Jake
1920Go and Get Itas The Gorilla
1920The Adventures of Daredevil Jackas
1920What Women Loveas Jose
1920Treasure Islandas Morgan
1919When the Clouds Roll Byas The Nightmare
1919Victoryas Pedro
1919His Majesty, the Americanas Undetermined Role
1919Easy to Make Moneyas Charles 'Kid' Miller
1919Cowardice Courtas Flash Morton
1919Brass Buttonsas Jake the Priest
1919The Unpardonable Sinas The Brute
1919In for Thirty Daysas 'Hot Stove' Kelly
1918Fair Enoughas 'Happy' Flanigan
1918Johanna Enlistsas Brakeman (uncredited)
1918He Comes Up Smilingas Baron Bean
1918The Border Legionas Red Pierce
1917Snap Judgmentas Bull Montana
1917Down to Earthas Wild Man
1917Wild and Woollyas Bartender (Uncredited)
1917In Again, Out Againas Quenton Auburn - The Burglar

Production

1990Venere Paura...Original Music Composer