MIKE MAZURKI
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Date of birth
25 December 1907
Tarnopol, Galicia, Austria-Hungary [now Ternopil, Ukraine]
Date of death
9 December 1990
Glendale, California, USA.
Sometimes Credited As:
Michael Mazurki
Birth name
Michail Mazuruski
Height
6' 6" (1.98 m)
Spouse
Sylvia Weinblatt (1968 - 9 December 1990) (his death)
Jeanette Briggs (1943 - 1950) (divorced) 2 daughters
? (? - ?) (divorced)
Trivia
Contrary to his image as a brawny, not very smart tough guy, Mazurki graduated at the top of his class from Manhattan College, class of 1930, with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Wrestler turned actor in tough guy roles.
Best remembered as the lumbering, intense yet soft-hearted Moose Malloy in the classic 1945 film-noir adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel 'Farewell, My Lovely', called 'Murder, My Sweet' in the US (while retaining the novel's title overseas).
American actor, with ukrainian origin
Father of actress Michelle Mazurki.
In 1936 he played minor league football with the Wessington Passiac (NJ) Red Devils. The Red Devils were a member of the American Football Association.
Mini Biography
With an intimidating face like craggy granite, and his towering 6' 5" solid, frame Mike Mazurki (born Mikhail Mazurski) was one of the cinema's first serial thugs and he specialised in playing strong arm men, gangsters and bullies for over fifty years on screen. Nearly always portrayed as a low brow thug, in real life Mazurski was highly intelligent, very well read and a witty conversationist. He was also an accomplished sportsman with his ventures in American football and wrestling. He first appeared onscreen in uncredited roles in films such as Gentleman Jim (1942) and About Face (1942), however his daunting, bruiser looks were soon noticed and he became phenomenally busy in the 1940s appearing in nearly 50 movies during the decade including his well remembered performance as ex-con "Moose Malloy" in the film noir thriller Murder, My Sweet (1944), and as the gruesome "Splitface" in Dick Tracy (1945).
He continued his menacing onscreen presence throughout the 1950s & 1960s, often showing he could also be quite adept at deadpan comedy roles in films including Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945), _It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)_ , Donovan's Reef (1963) and Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, The (1967)_ . Demand for his talents slowed down in the late 1970s and most of the 1980s, as younger villains came to the fore, however he still turned up in support roles and was still acting at the age of 83 when he passed away in December, 1990.
IMDb mini-biography by firehouse44
Mini Biography-2
from Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia:
This massively built, craggy-featured ex-wrestler was both ideally cast and remarkably effective as the dull-witted thug Moose Malloy ("I want you should find my Velma") in the classic 1944 whodunit, Murder, My Sweet It was the high point of his lengthy (if somewhat one-note) acting career. Mazurki often played dumbbell hoods, but he also inherited Victor McLaglen's place in John Ford's stock company, and appeared in many costume dramas and swashbucklers as well. He had enough of a sense of humor to kid his own toughguy image in many feature-film and TV appearances, including a 1986 Rod Stewart music video.
Copyright © 1994 Leonard Maltin, used by arrangement with Signet, a division of Penguin Putnam, Inc.
Filmography
Actor
1. Mob Boss (1990) (V) .... Don Taglianeti
2. Dick Tracy (1990) .... Old Man at Hotel
3. Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) .... Dutch (segment "Reckless Youth")
... aka Cheeseburger Film Sandwich
4. Doin' Time (1985) .... Bruno
5. "Fantasy Island"
- Love Island/The Sisters (1983) TV Episode .... Ugh
6. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1981) (TV) .... Logan
7. Alligator (1980) (as Michael Mazurki) .... Gatekeeper
8. Gas Pump Girls (1979) .... Moiv
9. "Charlie's Angels"
- Mother Angel (1978) TV Episode .... Robbins
10. The One Man Jury (1978) .... Handler
... aka Dead on Arrival
11. The Magic of Lassie (1978) .... Apollo
12. Mad Bull (1977) (TV) .... Tidy
... aka The Agressor (UK)
13. Incredible Rocky Mountain Race (1977) (TV) .... Crazy Horse
14. "Switch"
- Three for the Money (1977) TV Episode
15. Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) .... Studio guard
16. Challenge to Be Free (1975) .... Trapper
17. The Wild McCullochs (1975) .... Randall
... aka McCullochs
18. The Centerfold Girls (1974)
... aka Girl Hunter (Europe: English title: video box title)
19. "Kung Fu"
- Superstition (1973) TV Episode .... Hannibal
20. "Gunsmoke"
... aka Gun Law (UK)
... aka Marshal Dillon (USA: rerun title)
- Trafton (1971) TV Episode .... Whale
21. "Mannix"
- Days Beyond Recall (1971) TV Episode .... Kony
22. "The Chicago Teddy Bears" (1971) TV Series .... Julie
23. "Disneyland"
... aka Disney's Wonderful World (USA: new title)
... aka The Disney Sunday Movie (USA: new title)
... aka The Magical World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka The Wonderful World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney Presents (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (USA: new title)
- The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin: Part 3 (1971) TV Episode .... Mountain Ox
- The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin: Part 2 (1971) TV Episode .... Mountain Ox
- The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin: Part 1 (1971) TV Episode .... Mountain Ox
- Davy Crockett Goes to Congress (1955) TV Episode .... Big Foot Mason
- Davy Crockett - Indian Fighter (1954) TV Episode .... Big Foot Mason
24. Which Way to the Front? (1970) (uncredited) .... Rocky
... aka Ja, ja, mein General! But Which Way to the Front? (UK)
25. "Adam-12"
- Log 144: Bank Robbery (1970) TV Episode .... Claude Terry
26. "Love, American Style"
- Love and the Boss' Ex/Love and the Gangster/Love and Mr. Nice Guy (1970) TV Episode .... (segment "Love and the Gangster")
27. "Bonanza"
... aka Ponderosa (USA: rerun title)
- Dead Wrong (1969) TV Episode .... Big Jack
- Stage Door Johnnies (1968) TV Episode .... Big Man
28. "Land of the Giants"
- Giants and All That Jazz (1969) TV Episode .... Loach
29. "The Beverly Hillbillies"
- The Great Tag-Team Match (1968) TV Episode .... The Boston Strong Girl's Father
30. "I Dream of Jeannie"
- Jeannie and the Bank Robbery (1967) TV Episode .... Girard
31. "Batman"
- The Wail of the Siren (1967) TV Episode .... Allegro
32. "Rango"
- Diamonds Look Better Around Your Neck Than a Rope (1967) TV Episode
33. The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967) .... Mountain Ox
34. "It's About Time" (1966) TV Series .... Clon (1966-67)
35. 7 Women (1966) .... Tunga Khan, Bandit Leader
36. "Gilligan's Island"
- The Friendly Physician (1966) TV Episode .... Igor
37. "The Loner"
- Pick Me Another Time to Die (1966) TV Episode .... Rule Vernon
38. "Daniel Boone"
- Gabriel (1966) TV Episode .... El Toro
39. "F Troop"
- Our Hero--What's His Name (1966) TV Episode .... Geronimo
40. "Laredo"
- Pride of the Rangers (1965) TV Episode .... Private Percy Flower
41. "Mister Ed"
- Ed the Counterspy (1965) TV Episode .... Beppol
42. Requiem for a Gunfighter (1965) .... Ivy Bliss
43. The Disorderly Orderly (1964) (uncredited) .... Moving Van Passenger
44. "The Munsters"
- Knock Wood, Here Comes Charlie (1964) TV Episode .... Leo Kraus
45. Cheyenne Autumn (1964) .... Sr. First Sergeant
... aka John Ford's Cheyenne Autumn (USA: complete title)
46. "Perry Mason"
- The Case of the Missing Button (1964) TV Episode .... Cully Barstow
- The Case of the Deadly Verdict (1963) TV Episode .... Arthur Jacks
47. "Wagon Train"
... aka Major Adams, Trail Master
- The Duncan McIvor Story (1964) TV Episode .... Lance Corp. Otto Moller
48. 4 for Texas (1963) .... Chad (Zack's bodyguard)
49. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) .... Miner
... aka It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (USA: promotional title)
50. Donovan's Reef (1963) .... Sergeant Monk Menkowicz
51. "The Dick Powell Show"
... aka The Dick Powell Theatre (new title)
- The Losers (1963) TV Episode .... Mr. Anston
52. Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962) .... Slave Captain
53. Zotz! (1962) .... Igor
54. "The Untouchables"
- Man in the Middle (1962) TV Episode .... Moose Tobin
- The Artichoke King (1959) TV Episode .... Frankie Marlowe
55. "Have Gun - Will Travel"
- Don't Shoot the Piano Player (1962) TV Episode .... Jo Jo
- Love's Young Dream (1960) TV Episode .... Power
- Ella West (1958) TV Episode .... Breed
56. Pocketful of Miracles (1961) .... Big Mike
57. The Errand Boy (1961) .... Blonde 'Movie Siren'
58. Swingin' Along (1961) .... Bookie
... aka Double Trouble
59. "Bachelor Father"
- Kelly, the Matchmaker (1960) TV Episode
60. The Facts of Life (1960) .... First Husband in Motel Room
61. "The Texan"
- The Accuser (1960) TV Episode
62. "Tightrope"
- The Long Odds (1960) TV Episode .... Jim Raskin
63. "M Squad"
- Decoy in White (1959) TV Episode .... Jose Rodriguez
64. Some Like It Hot (1959) .... Spats' henchman
65. Alias Jesse James (1959) (uncredited) .... Tough in Dirty Dog Saloon
66. The Buccaneer (1958)
67. The Man Who Died Twice (1958) .... Rak
68. "Official Detective"
- The Policeman's Gun (1958) TV Episode
69. Hell Ship Mutiny (1957) .... Ross, chief henchman
70. Man in the Vault (1956) .... Louie, Prizefighter
71. "The Adventures of Jim Bowie"
- Outlaw Kingdom (1956) TV Episode .... Marcelle, the Butcher of Barbadoes
72. Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) (uncredited) .... Drunk in Hong Kong dive
73. Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956) (uncredited)
74. "My Friend Flicka"
- The Old Champ (1956) TV Episode
75. Comanche (1956) .... Flat Mouth
76. Kismet (1955) .... Chief Policeman
77. Blood Alley (1955) .... Big Han
... aka William A. Wellman's Blood Alley (USA: complete title)
78. New Orleans Uncensored (1955) .... Mike
... aka Riot on Pier 6 (USA)
79. New York Confidential (1955) .... Arnie Wendler
80. Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1954) .... Bigfoot Mason
... aka Episode 1: Davy Crockett - Indian Fighter (USA: TV title)
... aka Episode 2: Davy Crockett Goes to Congress (USA: TV title)
... aka Episode 3: Davy Crockett at the Alamo (USA: TV title)
81. The Egyptian (1954) (uncredited) .... Foreman, House of Death
82. The Light Touch (1952) .... Charles
83. My Favorite Spy (1951) .... Monkara
84. Ten Tall Men (1951) .... Roshko
85. Criminal Lawyer (1951) .... 'Moose' Hendricks
86. Pier 23 (1951) .... Ape Danowski
87. He's a Cockeyed Wonder (1950) .... 'Lunk' Boxwell
88. Dark City (1950) .... Sidney Winant
89. Night and the City (1950) .... The Strangler
90. Samson and Delilah (1949) .... Leader of Philistine Soldiers
91. Abandoned (1949) .... Hoppe
... aka Abandoned Woman
92. The Devil's Henchman (1949) .... Rhino
93. Rope of Sand (1949) .... Pierson (guard)
94. Come to the Stable (1949) .... Sam
95. Neptune's Daughter (1949) .... Mac Mozolla
96. Two Knights from Brooklyn (1949) (uncredited) .... Henchman Joe
97. The Noose Hangs High (1948) .... Chuck
98. Relentless (1948) .... Jake
99. I Walk Alone (1948) .... Dan (the doorman)
100. Nightmare Alley (1947) .... Bruno
101. Unconquered (1947) .... Dave Bone
102. Killer Dill (1947) .... Little Joe
103. Sinbad the Sailor (1947) .... Yusuf
104. The French Key (1946) .... Sam Cragg
105. Mysterious Intruder (1946) .... Harry Pontos
106. Live Wires (1946) .... Patsy 'Pat' Clark
107. Dakota (1945) .... Bigtree Collins
108. Dick Tracy (1945) .... Alexis 'Splitface' Banning
... aka Dick Tracy, Detective (USA: reissue title)
... aka Splitface (UK)
109. Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945) .... Larry, Actor playing Klondike Pete
... aka Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
110. The Spanish Main (1945) .... Erik Swaine
111. Nob Hill (1945) (uncredited) .... Rafferty's fighter
112. The Jury Goes Round 'n' Round (1945)
113. The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) .... Bass Player/Humphrey Rafferty
114. The Thin Man Goes Home (1945) (uncredited) .... First Man Outside Barber Shop
115. Murder, My Sweet (1944) .... Moose Malloy
... aka Farewell My Lovely (UK)
116. The Princess and the Pirate (1944) (uncredited) .... Pirate
117. The Missing Juror (1944) .... Cullie, Masseur
118. The Canterville Ghost (1944) .... Metropolus
119. Summer Storm (1944) (uncredited) .... Tall policeman bends over Petroff
120. Shine On Harvest Moon (1944) (uncredited) .... Bouncer
121. Whistling in Brooklyn (1943) (uncredited) .... Seaman Thug
122. Lost Angel (1943) (uncredited) .... Fighter
123. Henry Aldrich Haunts a House (1943) .... Shadow
... aka Henry Haunts a House (UK)
124. Swing Fever (1943) (uncredited) .... Wrestler
... aka Right About Face (USA)
125. Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) (uncredited) .... Olaf
126. Behind the Rising Sun (1943) (uncredited) .... Japanese Wrestler
127. Bomber's Moon (1943) (scenes deleted) .... Kurt
128. Prairie Chickens (1943) .... Henchman Charlie
129. Mission to Moscow (1943) (uncredited) .... Workman
130. Taxi, Mister (1943) .... Henchman Joe
131. It Ain't Hay (1943) (uncredited) .... Bouncer
... aka Money for Jam (UK)
132. Gentleman Jim (1942) (uncredited) .... Jake Kilrain
133. Dr. Renault's Secret (1942) (uncredited) .... Rogell
134. About Face (1942) (uncredited) .... Tough Sailor
135. That Other Woman (1942) (uncredited)
136. The Moon and Sixpence (1942) (uncredited) .... Tough Bill
137. The Shanghai Gesture (1941) .... The Coolie
138. Black Fury (1935) (uncredited) .... Security Force Applicant
139. Belle of the Nineties (1934)
Miscellaneous Crew
1. Night and the City (1950) (technical advisor: wrestling) (uncredited)
Himself
1. The Man with Bogart's Face (1980) .... Himself
... aka Sam Marlowe, Private Eye
2. "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In"
... aka Laugh-In
- Episode #5.11 (1971) TV Episode .... Himself - Guest Performer
Archive Footage
1. Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld (1994) (TV)