Brendel, Mike

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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

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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)
8. Don Juan .... Man at the execution (uncredited)
9. La fierecilla domada .... Tavern customer (uncredited)
   
   1957
10. ...Y eligió el infierno .... East German agent (uncredited)
11. Los quince misterios del rosario (TV mini-series) - ep.: "La flagelacion" .... Barabbas (credited)
    
    1958
12. La rivolta dei gladiatori .... Servant of Burkala (uncredited)
    
    1959
13. El redentor .... Barabbas (uncredited - re-used footage)
14. En las ruinas de Babilonia .... Turkish officer (uncredited)
15. La vida alrededor .... Gangster (credited as "Mike Brendell")
16. Marinai, donne e guai .... Pablito (credited as "Mike Randall")
17. Solomon and Sheba .... Egyptian ally (uncredited)
18. Un hecho violento .... Prisoner (credited)
    
    1960
19. Robinson et le triporteur .... Plane passenger (credited?)
20. The Boy Who Stole a Million .... Carlos I (credited)
    
    1961
21. Il gladiatore invincibile .... Guard (uncredited)
22. King of Kings .... Man in Herod's palace (uncredited)
    
    1963
23. Cleopatra .... Roman soldier (uncredited)
24. El llanero .... Carlos, the executioner (uncredited)
25. Las hijas de Helena .... Boxer (credited)
26. Objetivo: las estrellas .... role? (credited as "Miky Brendel")
27. El valle de las espadas .... Prison guard (credited)
    
    1964
28. Gunfighters of Casa Grande .... Barman (credited)
29. I cento cavalieri .... Bandit (credited)
30. I due violenti .... Amos (credited as "Mike Brendell")
31. La muerte silba un blues .... Pulgarcito (credited)
32. Rueda de sospechosos .... El Tigre's manager (credited)
33. The Fall of the Roman Empire .... Man at Commodus's arrival in Rome (uncredited)
    
    1965
34. Campanadas a medianoche .... Peter Bullcalf of the green (uncredited)
35. La valle delle ombre rosse .... Chingachgook (credited)
36. Marc Mato, agente S. 077 .... Henchman (uncredited)
37. Joaquín Murrieta .... Buck Winters (credited)
38. Solo contro tutti .... Gunman (uncredited)
    
    1966
39. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum .... Gladiator (uncredited)
40. Kid Rodelo .... Turnkey (credited)
41. Tabú .... Yawata henchman (uncredited)
    
    1967
42. Agente speciale L.K. .... Henchman (uncredited)
43. La casa de las mil muñecas .... Nightclub doorman (uncredited)
44. La isla de la muerte .... Baldi / Baldi's brother (credited)
45. Run Like a Thief .... Turk (credited)
    
    1968
46. Krakatoa: East of Java .... Prisoner (credited)
47. No somos de piedra .... The colonel (credited as "Mike Brendell")
48. Operación Mata-Hari .... Condemned prisoner (credited)
    
    1969
49. 99 Women .... Boatman (uncredited)
50. Marquis de Sade: Justine .... Pierre (credited)
51. No importa morir .... Mark (uncredited)
52. Tempo di Charleston - Chicago 1929 .... Gangster (uncredited)
53. The Castle of Fu Manchu .... Pacha henchman (uncredited)
54. 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

Mike as wrestling champion

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

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

Images upgraded somewhat

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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

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

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The Castilian aka El valle de las espadas (1963) credited, as Prison guard

Credit added, role amended

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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 Bandit

Images upgraded, credit added