Brendel, Mike

[PeplumParadise]

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 he 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).

As wrestling champion

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

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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)
   
   1959
10. Der Löwe von Babylon (En las ruinas de Babilonia) .... Turkish officer (uncredited)
11. La vida alrededor .... Gangster (credited as "Mike Brendell")
12. Marinai, donne e guai .... Pablito (credited as "Mike Randall")
13. Solomon and Sheba .... Egyptian ally (uncredited)
14. Un hecho violento .... Prisoner (credited)
    
    1960
15. Robinson et le triporteur .... Plane passenger (credited?)
16. The Boy Who Stole a Million .... Carlos I (credited)
    
    1961
17. Il gladiatore invincibile .... Guard (uncredited)
18. King of Kings .... Man in Herod's palace (uncredited)
    
    1963
19. Cleopatra .... Roman soldier (uncredited)
20. El llanero .... Carlos, the executioner (uncredited)
21. Las hijas de Helena .... Boxer (credited)
22. Objetivo: las estrellas .... role? (credited as "Miky Brendel")
23. The Castilian .... Nobleman (uncredited)
    
    1964
24. Gunfighters of Casa Grande .... Barman (credited)
25. I cento cavalieri .... Prisoner (credited)
26. I due violenti .... Amos (credited as Mike Brendell)
27. La muerte silba un blues .... Pulgarcito (credited)
28. Rueda de sospechosos .... El Tigre's manager (credited)
29. The Fall of the Roman Empire .... Man at Commodus's arrival in Rome (uncredited)
    
    1965
30. La valle delle ombre rosse .... Chingachgook (credited)
31. Marc Mato, agente S. 077 .... Henchman (uncredited)
32. Joaquín Murrieta .... Buck Winters (credited)
33. Solo contro tutti .... Gunman (uncredited)
    
    1966
34. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum .... Gladiator (uncredited)
35. Kid Rodelo .... Turnkey (credited)
36. La vergine di Samoa (Tabù) .... Yawata henchman (uncredited)
    
    1967
37. Agente speciale L.K. .... Henchman (uncredited)
38. La casa de las mil muñecas .... Nightclub doorman (uncredited)
39. La isla de la muerte .... Baldi / Baldi's brother (credited)
40. Run Like a Thief .... Turk (credited)
    
    1968
41. Krakatoa: East of Java .... Prisoner (credited)
42. No somos de piedra .... The colonel (credited as "Mike Brendell")
43. Operación Mata Hari .... Condemned prisoner (credited)
    
    1969
44. 99 donne .... Boatman (uncredited)
45. Justine ovvero le disavventure della virtù .... Pierre (credited)
46. Tempo di Charleston - Chicago 1929 .... Gangster (uncredited)
47. The Castle of Fu Manchu / Il castello di Fu Manchu .... Pacha henchman (uncredited)
48. Viva América: La vera storia di Frank Mannata .... Nightclub waiter (uncredited)

More Mike!

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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

[PeplumParadise]

Vuelo 971 (1953) credited, playing himself as Plane passenger

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La vida alrededor (1959) credited as Mike Brendell, as Gangster

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

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Un hecho violento (1959) credited, as Prisoner, the ex-boxer

[PeplumParadise]

The Boy Who Stole a Million (1960) credited, as Carlos I

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The Castilian (El valle de las espadas) (1963) as Nobleman

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Cleopatra (1963) as Roman soldier

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Gunfighters of Casa Grande (Los pistoleros de Casa Grande) (1964) credited, as Barman

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I cento cavalieri (1964) credited in Spanish prints but hardly seen, as Rebel prisoner

Images upgraded, credit added