Mike Brendel in "Joaquín Murrieta" (1965) |
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 |
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
- Vuelo 971 .... Plane passenger (credited)
1954 - La danza de los deseos .... Policeman arresting prostitutes (uncredited)
- Malaga .... Tiger (credited)
1955 - El guardián del paraíso .... Nightclub bouncer (credited)
- Los peces rojos .... Tavern customer (credited)
- Mr. Arkadin .... Man who calls for the goose (uncredited)
1957 - ...Y eligió el infierno .... East German agent (uncredited)
- Los quince misterios del rosario (TV mini-series) - ep.: "La flagelacion" .... Barabbas (credited)
1959 - Der Löwe von Babylon (En las ruinas de Babilonia) .... Turkish officer (uncredited)
- La vida alrededor .... Gangster (credited as "Mike Brendell")
- Marinai, donne e guai .... Pablito (credited as "Mike Randall")
- Solomon and Sheba .... Egyptian ally (uncredited)
- Un hecho violento .... Prisoner (credited)
1960 - Robinson et le triporteur .... Plane passenger (credited?)
- The Boy Who Stole a Million .... Carlos I (credited)
1961 - Il gladiatore invincibile .... Guard (uncredited)
- King of Kings .... Man in Herod's palace (uncredited)
1963 - Cleopatra .... Roman soldier (uncredited)
- El llanero .... Carlos, the executioner (uncredited)
- Las hijas de Helena .... Boxer (credited)
- Objetivo: las estrellas .... role? (credited as "Miky Brendel")
- The Castilian .... Nobleman (uncredited)
1964 - Gunfighters of Casa Grande .... Barman (credited)
- I cento cavalieri .... Prisoner (credited)
- I due violenti .... Amos (credited as Mike Brendell)
- La muerte silba un blues .... Pulgarcito (credited)
- Rueda de sospechosos .... El Tigre's manager (credited)
- The Fall of the Roman Empire .... Man at Commodus's arrival in Rome (uncredited)
1965 - La valle delle ombre rosse .... Chingachgook (credited?)
- Marc Mato, agente S. 077 .... Henchman (uncredited)
- Joaquín Murrieta .... Buck Winters (credited)
- Solo contro tutti .... Gunman (uncredited)
1966 - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum .... Gladiator (uncredited)
- Kid Rodelo .... Turnkey (credited)
- La vergine di Samoa (Tabù) .... Yawata henchman (uncredited)
1967 - Agente speciale L.K. .... Henchman (uncredited)
- La casa de las mil muñecas .... Nightclub doorman (uncredited)
- La isla de la muerte .... Baldi / Baldi's brother (credited)
- Run Like a Thief .... Turk (credited)
1968 - Krakatoa: East of Java .... Prisoner (credited)
- No somos de piedra .... The colonel (credited as "Mike Brendell")
- Operación Mata Hari .... Condemned prisoner (credited)
1969 - 99 donne .... Boatman (uncredited)
- Il castello di Fu Manchu .... Pacha henchman (uncredited)
- Justine ovvero le disavventure della virtù .... Pierre (credited)
- Tempo di Charleston - Chicago 1929 .... Gangster (uncredited)
- Viva América: La vera storia di Frank Mannata .... Nightclub waiter (uncredited)
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