Bull Montana

Bull Montana

Born: May 15, 1887
Died: January 24, 1950
in Voghera, Lombardy, Italy
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.

Movies for Bull Montana...

Spaceship to the Unknown
Title: Spaceship to the Unknown
Character: Monkey-Man (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: January 1, 1966
Type: Movie
A heavy condensation of the original serial compresses the original thirteen episodes into an efficient 97 minute feature. Disaster seems imminent when scientists discover that the planet Mongo is about to crash into Earth. Luckily, heroic young Flash Gordon is on hand to lead an investigative mission into outer space and onto the speedily approaching planet. There, he and his best girl, Dale, who is along for the ride, learn that Ming, the devious ruler of Mongo, has purposely put the planet on a collision course with Earth, and only Flash can stop him.
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Big City
Title: Big City
Character: Bull Montana
Released: September 3, 1937
Type: Movie
Anna and Joe are newly married, playful and deeply in love. Joe is scraping by as cab driver in New York City during a period of corruption, mob control and violence between cab companies.
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Never Too Late
Title: Never Too Late
Character: Monte, an escaped convict
Released: November 27, 1935
Type: Movie
A young man gets mixed up with a stolen necklace and a gang of ruthless jewel thieves.
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Palooka from Paducah
Title: Palooka from Paducah
Character: Bullfrog Kraus
Released: January 11, 1935
Type: Movie
A hillbilly family, hard-hit by the end of Prohibition, decide to set the biggest brother up as a professional wrestler.
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Tiger Rose
Title: Tiger Rose
Character: Joe
Released: December 21, 1929
Type: Movie
A mountie pursues a man wanted for murder.
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Glorifying the American Girl
Title: Glorifying the American Girl
Character: Customer Requesting "Baby Face" (uncredited)
Released: December 7, 1929
Type: Movie
A young woman, who wants to be in the Follies, is making ends meet by working at a department store's sheet music department, where she sings the latest hits. She is accompanied on piano by her childhood boyfriend, who is in love with her, despite her single-minded interest in her career. When a vaudeville performer asks her to join him as his new partner, she sees it as an opportunity to make her dream come true. Upon arriving in New York City, our heroine finds out that her new partner is only interested in sleeping with her and makes this a condition of making her a star. Soon, however, she is discovered by a representative of Ziegfeld.
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Loud Soup
Title: Loud Soup
Character: Convict
Released: March 16, 1929
Type: Movie
Loud Soup is a comedy short
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How to Handle Women
Title: How to Handle Women
Character: The Turk
Released: October 14, 1928
Type: Movie
When Leonard Higgins, a cartoonist, meets Prince Hendryx, ruler of the small nation of Vulgaria, he offers to help save the country by advertising the nonexistent crop, the peanut.
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The Fight Pest
Title: The Fight Pest
Released: May 12, 1928
Type: Movie
The Fight Pest is a silent movie short.
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Good Morning, Judge
Title: Good Morning, Judge
Character: First Crook
Released: April 29, 1928
Type: Movie
Freddie, a rich young idler, meets Julia Harrington, a wealthy social service worker who runs a haven for reformed criminals. By telling her he is a hardened criminal, he is allowed to stay at the mission.
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Limousine Love
Title: Limousine Love
Character: The Chauffer
Released: April 13, 1928
Type: Movie
On the way to his wedding the bride groom finds a nude, married woman in his car
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The Sting of Stings
Title: The Sting of Stings
Character: Bull Montana
Released: September 3, 1927
Type: Movie
Charley and Edna are feeling very pleased with themselves and their new car. They decide to share their good fortune and offer to take six underprivileged children out for a fun day at the carnival. Unfortunately, the children come from Juvenile Hall, and each one is more trouble than the last.
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Many Scrappy Returns
Title: Many Scrappy Returns
Character: Zozo's Husband
Released: January 9, 1927
Type: Movie
Many Scrappy Returns
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On the Front Page
Title: On the Front Page
Character: Private Secretary
Released: November 28, 1926
Type: Movie
After being beaten to a story of scandal involving Countess Polasky, James W. Hornby assigns his son 24 hours to find an even more scandalous story about the countess. After spending the night in the wrong street looking for the wrong countess, he comes up with a plan: the butler will be seen in a comprimising situation with the countess, and then photographed. The countess, who is sick of reporters, has other ideas... Written by Paul L
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The Son of the Sheik
Title: The Son of the Sheik
Character: Mountebank
Released: September 5, 1926
Type: Movie
Ahmed, son of Diana and Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan, falls in love with Yasmin, a dancing girl who fronts her father's gang of mountebanks. She and Ahmed meet secretly until one night when her father and the gang capture the son of the sheik, torture him, and hold him for ransom.
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The Skyrocket
Title: The Skyrocket
Character: Film Comedian
Released: February 14, 1926
Type: Movie
In the prologue Sharon Kimm and Mickey Reid are childhood friends in a tenement neighborhood but are separated when Sharon is placed in an orphanage. In the story we see Sharon as a young Hollywood star whose quick rise to fame leaves her self-centered, superficial, and a spendthrift. Ironically, the film that skyrocketed her to fame was written by Mickey. But her success is brief; and when it comes crashing to earth, Mickey is there to pick up the pieces.
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The Uneasy Three
Title: The Uneasy Three
Released: November 15, 1925
Type: Movie
Often hysterical spoof of Tod Browning's THE UNHOLY THREE (and several others of his crime movies) has Charley Chase playing the mastermind of a dimwitted trio of thieves who plan on stealing a priceless jewel.
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No Father to Guide Him
Title: No Father to Guide Him
Character: Wanted Kidnapper in Photo (uncredited)
Released: September 5, 1925
Type: Movie
Charley's battle-axe mother-in-law breaks up his marriage and tries to separate him from his son. Charlie abducts the boy for a father-son outing to the beach. The mother-in-law pursues and comedy ensues.
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The Lost World
Title: The Lost World
Character: Ape Man
Released: February 2, 1925
Type: Movie
The first film adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel about a land where prehistoric creatures still roam.
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Dick Turpin
Title: Dick Turpin
Character: Bully Boy
Released: February 1, 1925
Type: Movie
In eighteenth century England, gentleman highwayman Dick Turpin overcomes many difficulties to rescue his sweetheart from a terrible marriage.
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Laughing at Danger
Title: Laughing at Danger
Character: Killer Murphy
Released: November 23, 1924
Type: Movie
A young fellow, down in the dumps after a belle breaks his heart, believes his father is setting up staged escapades and dangers in an attempt to get him out of his rut. His father isn't, and the dangers-- a cadre of hoods, car chases, a death ray-- are real!
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Hello, 'Frisco
Title: Hello, 'Frisco
Character: Bull Montana
Released: September 28, 1924
Type: Movie
A comedy short directed by character Slim Summerville.
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The Fire Patrol
Title: The Fire Patrol
Character: Fireman
Released: August 14, 1924
Type: Movie
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Painted People
Title: Painted People
Character: Ed Decker
Released: January 28, 1924
Type: Movie
A 1924 film directed by Clarence G. Badger.
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Held to Answer
Title: Held to Answer
Character: 'Red' Lizard
Released: November 22, 1923
Type: Movie
John Hampstead gives up his career as an actor and his actress sweetheart, Marian Dounay, to become a minister in a western town. Marian appears, and failing to win him back she tries to ruin his reputation. Hampstead is accused of stealing some jewelry though actually he is protecting the scapegrace brother of his current sweetheart, Bessie.
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Hollywood
Title: Hollywood
Character: Bull Montana
Released: August 19, 1923
Type: Movie
Angela comes to Hollywood with only two things: Her dream to become a movie star, and Grandpa. She leaves an Aunt, a brother, Grandma, and her longtime boyfriend back in Centerville. Despite seeing major movie stars around every corner, and knocking on every casting office door in town, at the end of her first day she is still unemployed. To her horror, when she arrives back at their hotel, she finds that Grandpa has been cast in a movie by William DeMille and quickly becomes a star during the ensuing weeks. Her family, worried that Angela and Grandpa are getting into trouble, come to Hollywood to drag them back home. In short order Aunt, Grandma, brother, boyfriend and even the parrot become superstars, but Angela is still unemployed...
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The Three Must-Get-Theres
Title: The Three Must-Get-Theres
Character: Li'l Cardinal Richie-Loo
Released: August 22, 1922
Type: Movie
In this movie, Max Linder parodies the famous novel "The Three Musketeers".
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The Timber Queen
Title: The Timber Queen
Released: July 16, 1922
Type: Movie
The Timber Queen follows Ruth Rowland as the inheritor of a wealthy timber business who tries to stay independent of a cruel man who wants to marry her and steal her wealth. The UCLA Film and Television Archive has preserved episodes one, four, eight and nine, and distributor Harpodeon has preserved episode twelve.
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Gay and Devilish
Title: Gay and Devilish
Character: Tony
Released: May 14, 1922
Type: Movie
Doris May plays Fanchon Browne, a poor girl about to enter into a marriage of convenience with wealthy old Peter Armitage (Otis Harlan). When she falls in love with Armitage's handsome nephew Peter (Cullen Landis), Fanchon is in quite a quandary.
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The Foolish Age
Title: The Foolish Age
Character: Bubbs
Released: October 16, 1921
Type: Movie
After graduating from college, rich girl Margery Carr decides to do some good in the world. Much to the chagrin of her father, she decides to open an office to help derelicts. For her secretary, she picks an ex-gangster named Bubbs out of the throng.
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Crazy to Marry
Title: Crazy to Marry
Character: Dago Red (a crook)
Released: August 28, 1921
Type: Movie
A doctor who believes he can cure criminals takes on a big challenge.
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Hard Luck
Title: Hard Luck
Character: Virginia's Husband
Released: March 14, 1921
Type: Movie
A down on his luck young man makes several attempts at committing suicide but fails them too. He then finds himself becoming more confident through a series of petty adventures, to such an extent that this becomes his undoing.
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Go and Get It
Title: Go and Get It
Character: The Gorilla
Released: July 18, 1920
Type: Movie
Wrestling legend Bull Montana plays a murderous gorilla with a human brain transplant who is tracked by a feisty newspaper reporter.
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The Adventures of Daredevil Jack
Title: The Adventures of Daredevil Jack
Released: June 30, 1920
Type: Movie
Heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey stars in this 15 chapter action serial, of which portions of reels 1, 2, and 4 survive. In the serial he plays the star fullback of his college's football team who gets drawn into an adventure when he stops to rescue a young woman from some thugs on a country road. It includes a gag featuring an exploding football. The rest of the cast includes Lon Chaney, Edgar Kennedy, Bull Montana, Josie Sedgwick and Herschel Mayall.
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Treasure Island
Title: Treasure Island
Character: Morgan
Released: January 2, 1920
Type: Movie
Young Jim Hawkins is caught up with the pirate Long John Silver in search of the buried treasure of the buccaneer Captain Flint, in this adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.
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When the Clouds Roll By
Title: When the Clouds Roll By
Character: The Nightmare
Released: December 28, 1919
Type: Movie
Daniel Boone Brown is a pleasure-seeking playboy carousing around New York City without a care in the world -- that is, until he becomes the unwitting subject of a series of experiments at the hands of a sadistic psychiatrist. Through various means of control, the mad scientist drives Daniel to think he's losing his mind, but ultimately introduces him to the lovely Lucette.
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Victory
Title: Victory
Character: Pedro
Released: December 7, 1919
Type: Movie
Adaptation of Joseph Conrad novel about lust and violence on a South Seas Island.
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His Majesty, the American
Title: His Majesty, the American
Character: Undetermined Role
Released: September 1, 1919
Type: Movie
A European prince is raised in America without knowing his true identity; he spends his time thrill-seeking, but his country needs him when a revolt threatens the crown.
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Brass Buttons
Title: Brass Buttons
Character: Jake the Priest
Released: April 6, 1919
Type: Movie
Kingston Hollister admires Bernice Cleveland from afar. He asks Officer Callahan, the policeman on the beat, about her and mistakenly believes she is a lady's maid. So the wealthy Hollister disguises himself as the cop so he can meet her.
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The Unpardonable Sin
Title: The Unpardonable Sin
Character: The Brute
Released: April 1, 1919
Type: Movie
Based on the Rupert Hughes novel, this film concerns the German atrocities committed in Belgium at the beginning of the Great War.
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Johanna Enlists
Title: Johanna Enlists
Character: Brakeman (uncredited)
Released: September 14, 1918
Type: Movie
A young girl, stifling on her father's backwoods farm, is reinvigorated by the arrival of an army regiment, come to train in the area.
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He Comes Up Smiling
Title: He Comes Up Smiling
Character: Baron Bean
Released: September 9, 1918
Type: Movie
Jerry Martin quits his dull job as a bank clerk and falls in with a band of hobos. He takes on the guise of Bachelor, the "king of the market," and finds himself pursued by dangerous men who are after the real Bachelor. *Only fragments are known to exist. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010.
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The Border Legion
Title: The Border Legion
Character: Red Pierce
Released: July 28, 1918
Type: Movie
Cowhand Jim Cleve is wrongly accused of murder and rescued by Jack Kells, leader of a band of Idaho outlaws known as the Border Legion. But when the Legion takes Joan Randall prisoner and leaves Cleve to guard her, he realizes that he cannot remain part of an outlaw band and decides to rescue Joan.
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Down to Earth
Title: Down to Earth
Character: Wild Man
Released: August 16, 1917
Type: Movie
A healthy outdoors-type follows the girl he loves to a resort for wealthy hypochondriacs. In order to prove to her and the other patients that their "illnesses" are all in their minds, he hatches a scheme to take them on a boat ride, then get them stranded in the wilderness, where he can show them that they can live without their pills, doctors and "cures".
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Wild and Woolly
Title: Wild and Woolly
Character: Bartender (Uncredited)
Released: June 24, 1917
Type: Movie
A rich Easterner who has always wanted to live in "the Wild West" plans to move to a Western town. Unknown to him, the town's "wild" days are long gone and it is an orderly and civilized place now. The townsmen, not wanting to lose a rich potential resident, contrive to make over the town to suit the young man's fantasy.