George Montgomery | WatchedThis
George Montgomery
Acting
Biography
George Montgomery was boxing champion at the University of Montana, where he majored in architecture and interior design. Dropping out a year later, he decided to take up boxing more seriously, and moved to California, where he was coached by ex-heavyweight world champion James J. Jeffries. While in Hollywood, he came to the attention of the studios (not least, because he was an expert rider) and was hired as a stuntman in 1935. After doing this for four years, George was offered a contract at 20th Century Fox in 1939, but found himself largely confined to leads in B-westerns. He did not secure a part in anything even remotely like a prestige picture, until his co-starring role in Roxie Hart (1942), opposite Ginger Rogers. Next, in Orchestra Wives (1942), he played the perfunctory love interest for Ann Rutherford -- though both, inevitably, ended up playing second trombone to Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. In 1947, George got his first serious break, being cast as Raymond Chandler's private eye Philip Marlowe, in The Brasher Doubloon (1947). Reviewers, however, compared his performance unfavourably with that of Humphrey Bogart and found the film 'pallid' overall. So it was back to the saddle for George. Unable to shake his image as a cowboy actor, he starred in scores of films with titles like Belle Starr's Daughter (1948), Dakota Lil (1950), Jack McCall Desperado (1953) and Masterson of Kansas (1954) at Columbia, and for producer Edward Small at United Artists. When not cleaning up the Wild West with his six-shooter, he branched out into adventure films set in exotic locales (notably as Harry Quartermain in Watusi (1959)). During the 60's, he also wrote, directed and starred in several long-forgotten, low-budget wartime potboilers made in the Philippines. At the height of his popularity, George attracted as much publicity for his acting, as for his liaisons with glamorous stars, like Ginger Rogers, Hedy Lamarr (to whom he was briefly engaged) and singer Dinah Shore (whom he married in 1943). After his retirement from the film business, he devoted himself to his love of painting, furniture-making and sculpting bronze busts, including one of his close friend Ronald Reagan.
Filmography Movies
Acting
The Brasher Doubloon
Mrs. Elizabeth Bright Murdock hires Marlowe to find an old rare coin, the Brasher Doubloon, that belonged in her deceased husband's collection. Marlowe begins investigating, but quickly finds himself entangled in a series of unexplained murders.
Satan's Harvest
Cutter Murdock inherits an estate in Africa on which "Satan's Harvest" (heroin and marijuana) is grown. The thugs growing the drugs want him out of the way, so things get messy.
Battle of the Bulge
In the winter of 1944, the Allied Armies stand ready to invade Germany at the coming of a New Year. To prevent it, Hitler orders an all-out offensive to re-take French territory and capture the major port city of Antwerp.
Orchestra Wives
Connie Ward is in seventh heaven when Gene Morrison's band rolls into town. She is swept off her feet by trumpeter Bill Abbot. After marrying him, she joins the band's tour and learns about life as an orchestra wife, weathering the catty attacks of the other band wives.
The Sword of Monte Cristo
In 1858 France, Emperor Louis Napoleon sends Captain Renault of the Royal Dragoons, Minister La Roche and Major Nicolet to Normandy in search of the members of a group of rebels. A Masked Cavalier, the niece, Lady Christianne, of the Marquis De Montableau, announces at a secret meeting of the Normandy underground leaders that the fabled treasure of Monte Cristo was willed to her and she will use it to finance their cause. Her uncle, the only one who can decipher the symbols on the sword of Monte Cristo, the key to the treasure, derides her stand against the Emperor. La Roche takes possession of the sword and has the Marquis put into the dungeon. Christianne, as the Masked Cavalier, regains the sword from La Roche, but Captain Renault apprehends her and returns to sword to La Roche.
Davy Crockett, Indian Scout
It's 1848 and a wagon train with an Army escort is heading west through Indian territory, It's scout is Davy Crockett, nephew of his more famous namesake. There is spy amongst them informing the Indians. They survive the first Indian attack and then push on. They have a choice of two passes through the mountains. Learing of the pass to be defended by the Indians, they head for the other. But upon ariving, the Indians attack. Somehow they have been informed.
Springtime in the Rockies
Ranch owner Sandra, fresh from animal husbandry school, brings a flock of sheep into cattle country. The local ranchers don't like it, and ranch foreman Gene must deal with it.
The Daredevil
A top stock-car driver causes a death on the race track and finds his career in shambles. Desperate for money, he gets a job as a driver for a drug ring.
Coney Island
Set at the turn of the century, smooth talking con man Eddie Johnson weasels his way into a job at friend and rival Joe Rocco's Coney Island night spot. Eddie meets the club's star attraction (and Joe's love interest), Kate Farley, a brash singer with a penchant for flashy clothes. Eddie and Kate argue as he tries to soften her image. Eventually, Kate becomes the toast of Coney Island and the two fall in love. Joe then tries to sabotage their marriage plans.
China Girl
Two-fisted newsreel photographer Johnny Williams is stationed in Burma and China in the early stage of WW II. Captured by the Japanese, he escapes from a concentration camp with the aid of beautiful, enigmatic 'China Girl' Miss Young. The two arduously make their way back to friendly lines so that Johnny can deliver the vital military information he's managed to glean from his captors.
Production
Satan's Harvest
Cutter Murdock inherits an estate in Africa on which "Satan's Harvest" (heroin and marijuana) is grown. The thugs growing the drugs want him out of the way, so things get messy.
The Steel Claw
A Marine stationed in the Philippines loses a hand in an accident and is discharged from the Corps. When the Japanese invade the Philippines, he is called back into service to rescue a general held by Filipino guerrillas behind Japanese lines. Attaching a steel prosthetic in place of his missing hand, he and his men set out on the mission, which turns out to be not quite what he was told it was.
Hawk of the Wilderness
An expedition arrives on an uncharted jungle island to rescue the local natives, led by a jungle boy, from a volcano that is about to erupt.
Hell of Borneo
A wealthy mercenary lives in blissful solitude on his private island in the Philippines, until it's invaded by pirates, mobsters, and smugglers.
Samar
In 1870, in the Spanish Philippines, the commandant of an island penal colony, aided by an American doctor and local villagers, decides to relocate his coastal camp to a fertile valley inland but the arduous trek is fraught with dangers.
Samar
In 1870, in the Spanish Philippines, the commandant of an island penal colony, aided by an American doctor and local villagers, decides to relocate his coastal camp to a fertile valley inland but the arduous trek is fraught with dangers.
Hell of Borneo
A wealthy mercenary lives in blissful solitude on his private island in the Philippines, until it's invaded by pirates, mobsters, and smugglers.
The Purple Vigilantes
David Ross organizes the ranchers into a vigilante group to rid the town of outlaws. The plan succeeds but the trouble starts when some of the men form a new vigilante group and posing as the original one plunder for loot.
The Singing Vagabond
Tex rides to the rescue when badguys led by LaCrosse and Utah Joe kidnap Lettie.
Hallucination Generation
A juvenile is mad at his mom so he leaves his home in San Francisco to join a charismatic LSD guru's cult in Spain and turns on, tunes in, and drops out. He also gets involved in murder.
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