Mike Brendel

[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).

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 (credited) .... Plane passenger
   
   1954
2. Malaga (credited) .... Tiger
   
   1959
3. La vida alrededor (credited as Mike Brendell) .... Gangster
4. Marinai, donne e guai (credited as Mike Randall) .... Pablito
5. Solomon and Sheba (uncredited) .... Egyptian ally
6. Un hecho violento (credited) .... Prisoner
   
   1960
7. Robinson et le triporteur (credited?) .... Plane passenger
8. The Boy Who Stole a Million (credited) .... Carlos I
   
   1961
9. Il gladiatore invincibile (uncredited) .... Guard
   
   1963
10. Cleopatra (uncredited) .... Roman soldier
11. El llanero (credited?) .... Role?
12. The Castilian (uncredited) .... Nobleman
    
    1964
13. Gunfighters of Casa Grande (credited) .... Barman
14. I cento cavalieri (uncredited) .... Prisoner
15. I due violenti (credited as Mike Brendell) .... Amos
16. La muerte silba un blues (credited) .... Pulgarcito
17. Rueda de sospechosos (credited) .... El Tigre's manager
    
    1965
18. La valle delle ombre rosse (credited?) .... Chingachgook
19. Marc Mato, agente S. 077 (uncredited) .... Henchman
20. Joaquín Murrieta (credited) .... Buck Winters
21. Solo contro tutti (uncredited) .... Gunman
    
    1966
22. Kid Rodelo (credited) .... Turnkey
    
    1967
23. Agente speciale L.K. (uncredited) .... Henchman
24. La casa de las mil muñecas (uncredited) .... Nightclub doorman
25. La isla de la muerte (credited) .... Baldi / Baldi's brother
26. Run Like a Thief (credited) .... Turk
    
    1968
27. Krakatoa: East of Java (credited) .... Prisoner
28. Operación Mata Hari (credited) .... Condemned prisoner
    
    1969
29. 99 donne (uncredited) .... Boatman
30. Il castello di Fu Manchu (uncredited) .... Pacha henchman
31. Justine ovvero le disavventure della virtù (credited) .... Pierre
32. Tempo di Charleston - Chicago 1929 (uncredited) .... Gangster
33. Viva América: La vera storia di Frank Mannata (uncredited) .... Nightclub waiter

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

• La danza de los deseos (1954) IMDb as Policeman
• El guardián del paraíso (1955) IMDb
• Los peces rojos (1955) IMDb as Tavern customer
• Horas de pánico (1957) IMDb
• Los misterios del Rosario (1957) from Christoffer Slotte, as Barabbas
• ...Y eligió el infierno (1957) IMDb
• En las ruinas de Babilonia (Der Löwe von Babylon) (1957) Karl May website, as Turkish officer
• King of Kings (1961) from Christoffer Slotte
• Objetivo: las estrellas (1963) IMDb
• Las hijas de Helena (1963) IMDb
• El rayo desintegrador (1966) IMDb
• La vergine di Samoa (Tabú) (1966) IMDb as Yawata's henchman
• Eroe vagabondo (1966) IMDb
• No somos de piedra (1968) 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

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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) as Prisoner