Brendel, Mike


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PeplumParadise
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Brendel, Mike

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 13:18

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Mike Brendel in Joaquín Murrieta (1965)
Mike Brendel was a granite-faced, Hungarian-born, former wrestler who carved himself an acting career in small roles and bit parts, mostly in Spanish productions (including many Italian and international co-productions), from the early 50's until his death in 1969.

He was born Mihaly Orogovanyi in Erdőkürt, Hungary in 1910.

He became first the Hungarian, then European wrestling champion (400 wins, no defeats). He lived in America for awhile in the early 30's, originally fighting under his own name, then later adopting the stage name of Mike Brendel. He is known to have been wrestling in Britain and France during the mid-late 30's. The Wrestling Heritage website mentions that he may have served 4 years in a prisoner of war camp during WW2. At some point in the late 40's he made his home in Spain, wrestling there under the title "El Tigre Americano".

From the early 50's Mike started appearing in small roles in films, his battered looks and expressionless face making him perfectly suited to playing tough prisoners, gangsters or henchman (though he rarely did much physical stuntwork).

He died on August 18th 1969 in Madrid, Spain, aged 58 or 59.

Biographical information comes from a variety of wrestling websites combined with some research by the always-reliable Tom Betts from the Westerns All'Italiana! blog.

I have turned up a couple of undocumented appearances by Mike in historical productions so I think it is quite likely there could be more to be found.

Filmography

1953
  1. Vuelo 971 .... Plane passenger (credited)

    1954
  2. La danza de los deseos .... Policeman arresting prostitutes (uncredited)
  3. Malaga .... Tiger (credited)

    1955
  4. El guardián del paraíso .... Nightclub bouncer (credited)
  5. Los peces rojos .... Tavern customer (credited)
  6. Mr. Arkadin .... Man who calls for the goose (uncredited)

    1956
  7. Alexander the Great .... Witness at the killing of Philip's assassin (uncredited)

    1957
  8. ...Y eligió el infierno .... East German agent (uncredited)
  9. Los quince misterios del rosario (TV mini-series) - ep.: "La flagelacion" .... Barabbas (credited)

    1958
  10. La rivolta dei gladiatori .... Servant of Burkala (uncredited)

    1959
  11. El redentor .... Barabbas (uncredited - re-used footage)
  12. En las ruinas de Babilonia .... Turkish officer (uncredited)
  13. La vida alrededor .... Gangster (credited as "Mike Brendell")
  14. Marinai, donne e guai .... Pablito (credited as "Mike Randall")
  15. Solomon and Sheba .... Egyptian ally (uncredited)
  16. Un hecho violento .... Prisoner (credited)

    1960
  17. Robinson et le triporteur .... Plane passenger (credited?)
  18. The Boy Who Stole a Million .... Carlos I (credited)

    1961
  19. Il gladiatore invincibile .... Guard (uncredited)
  20. King of Kings .... Man in Herod's palace (uncredited)

    1963
  21. Cleopatra .... Roman soldier (uncredited)
  22. El llanero .... Carlos, the executioner (uncredited)
  23. Las hijas de Helena .... Boxer (credited)
  24. Objetivo: las estrellas .... role? (credited as "Miky Brendel")
  25. El valle de las espadas .... Prison guard (credited)

    1964
  26. Gunfighters of Casa Grande .... Barman (credited)
  27. I cento cavalieri .... Bandit (credited)
  28. I due violenti .... Amos (credited as "Mike Brendell")
  29. La muerte silba un blues .... Pulgarcito (credited)
  30. Rueda de sospechosos .... El Tigre's manager (credited)
  31. The Fall of the Roman Empire .... Man at Commodus's arrival in Rome (uncredited)

    1965
  32. Campanadas a medianoche .... Peter Bullcalf of the green (uncredited)
  33. La valle delle ombre rosse .... Chingachgook (credited)
  34. Marc Mato, agente S. 077 .... Henchman (uncredited)
  35. Joaquín Murrieta .... Buck Winters (credited)
  36. Solo contro tutti .... Gunman (uncredited)

    1966
  37. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum .... Gladiator (uncredited)
  38. Kid Rodelo .... Turnkey (credited)
  39. Tabú .... Yawata henchman (uncredited)

    1967
  40. Agente speciale L.K. .... Henchman (uncredited)
  41. La casa de las mil muñecas .... Nightclub doorman (uncredited)
  42. La isla de la muerte .... Baldi / Baldi's brother (credited)
  43. Run Like a Thief .... Turk (credited)

    1968
  44. Krakatoa: East of Java .... Prisoner (credited)
  45. No somos de piedra .... The colonel (credited as "Mike Brendell")
  46. Operación Mata Hari .... Condemned prisoner (credited)

    1969
  47. 99 donne .... Boatman (uncredited)
  48. Marquis de Sade: Justine .... Pierre (credited)
  49. No importa morir .... Mark (uncredited)
  50. Tempo di Charleston - Chicago 1929 .... Gangster (uncredited)
  51. The Castle of Fu Manchu .... Pacha henchman (uncredited)
  52. Viva América: La vera storia di Frank Mannata .... Nightclub waiter (uncredited)

More Mike!
There are a few additional titles for Mike, mostly Spanish productions, where I have been unable to find images or credits, so if anybody has any of these please fill in the gaps
  • Horas de pánico (1957) - IMDb
  • El rayo desintegrador (1966) - IMDb
  • Eroe vagabondo (1966) - IMDb
Screenshot 2020-07-25 at 16.44.14 copy.jpg
Mike as wrestling champion
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 18/01/2024, 20:34, edited 52 times in total.

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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 13:21

Vuelo 971 (1953) credited, playing himself as Plane passenger
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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 13:49

La vida alrededor (1959) credited as "Mike Brendell", as Gangster
La vida alrededor (1959) - Película clásica completa48.jpg
La vida alrededor (1959) - Película clásica completa49.jpg
La vida alrededor (1959) - Película clásica completa52.jpg
La vida alrededor (1959) - Película clásica completa53.jpg
La vida alrededor (1959) - Película clásica completa.jpg
Images upgraded somewhat
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 19/07/2023, 22:49, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 13:52

Solomon and Sheba (1959) as Egyptian ally, whose provinces include the port of Melish.
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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 13:54

Un hecho violento (1959) credited, as Prisoner, the ex-boxer
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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 13:59

The Boy Who Stole a Million (1960) credited, as Carlos I
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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 14:02

The Castilian aka El valle de las espadas (1963) credited, as Prison guard
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El Valle de las Espadas (1963)3.jpg
Credit added, role amended
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 27/02/2023, 11:34, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 14:03

Cleopatra (1963) as Roman soldier
brendel.jpg
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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 14:06

Gunfighters of Casa Grande (Los pistoleros de Casa Grande) (1964) credited, as Barman
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Re: Mike Brendel

Post by PeplumParadise » 25/07/2020, 14:09

I cento cavalieri (1964) credited in Spanish prints but hardly seen, as Bandit
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Images upgraded, credit added
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 07/12/2022, 10:00, edited 3 times in total.

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