George Montgomery
Acting
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.
Known for
Acting99
movieRansom
1988
Inspector Marks
tvChildren's Island
1985
The President
movieWild Wind
1985
Major Nestorovic
tvDinah!
1974
Self
tvThe Six Million Dollar Man
1974
Christopher Bell / Garth
movieThe Daredevil
1972
Paul Tunney
tvThe Odd Couple
1970
Griff
movieSatan's Harvest
1970
Cutter Murdock
movieStrangers at Sunrise
1969
Grant Merrick
movieWarkill
1968
Col. John Hannegan
movieBomb at 10:10
1967
Steve Corbett / Stiv Korbet
movieHostile Guns
1967
Gid McCool
movieBattle of the Bulge
1965
Sgt. Duquesne
movieDjango the Condemned
1965
Pat O'Brien
movieHell of Borneo
1964
John Dirkson
movieSamar
1962
Dr. John David Saunders
movieThe Steel Claw
1961
Capt. John Larsen
movieKing of the Wild Stallions
1959
Randy Burke
movieWatusi
1959
Harry Quartermain
tvCimarron City
1958
Mayor Matt Rockford
movieBadman's Country
1958
Pat Garrett
movieThe Toughest Gun in Tombstone
1958
Capt. Matt Sloane
movieMan from God's Country
1958
Dan Beattie
movieBlack Patch
1957
Clay Morgan
moviePawnee
1957
Paul 'Pale Arrow' Fletcher
movieStreet of Sinners
1957
John Dean
movieGun Duel in Durango
1957
Will Sabre
movieLast of the Badmen
1957
Dan Barton
movieHuk!
1956
Greg Dickson
movieCanyon River
1956
Steve Patrick
tvThe Steve Allen Show
1956
Self - Cimarron City
movieClaire
1956
Dr. Stanley Wayne
movieRobbers' Roost
1955
Jim 'Tex' Wall
movieSeminole Uprising
1955
Cam Elliott
movieMasterson of Kansas
1954
Bat Masterson
movieBattle of Rogue River
1954
Maj. Frank Archer
movieGun Belt
1953
Billy Ringo
movieFort Ti
1953
Capt. Jed Horn
movieJack McCall, Desperado
1953
Jack McCall
tvGeneral Electric Theater
1953
Jim Corbett / Buchanan Smith
movieThe Pathfinder
1952
Pathfinder
movieCripple Creek
1952
Bret Ivers / Iverson
movieIndian Uprising
1952
Capt. Chase McCloud
movieThe Texas Rangers
1951
Johnny Carver
movieThe Sword of Monte Cristo
1951
Captain Renault
movieThe Iroquois Trail
1950
Nat Cutler / Hawkeye
movieDakota Lil
1950
Tom Horn / Steve Garrett
tvWhat's My Line?
1950
Self - Mystery Guest
movieDavy Crockett, Indian Scout
1950
Davy Crockett
movieBelle Starr's Daughter
1948
Marshal Tom Jackson
tvStudio One
1948
Bakeland
movieThe Girl from Manhattan
1948
Rev. Tom Walker
movieLulu Belle
1948
George Davis
movieThe Brasher Doubloon
1947
Philip Marlowe
movieThree Little Girls in Blue
1946
Van Damm Smith
movieTake It or Leave It
1944
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Troop Carrier Airplanes: Cockpit Procedure
1944
Lt. Warren
movieBomber's Moon
1943
Capt. Jeffrey Dakin
movieConey Island
1943
Eddie Johnson
movieChina Girl
1942
Johnny Williams
movieOrchestra Wives
1942
Bill Abbot
movieTen Gentlemen from West Point
1942
Joe Dawson
movieRoxie Hart
1942
Homer Howard
movieCadet Girl
1941
Tex Mallory
movieLast of the Duanes
1941
Buck Duane
movieAccent on Love
1941
John Worth Hyndman
movieThe Cowboy and the Blonde
1941
Lank Garrett
movieJennie
1940
Franz Schermer
movieCharter Pilot
1940
Charlie Crane
movieYoung People
1940
Mike Shea
movieHi-Yo Silver
1940
Jim Clark
movieStar Dust
1940
Ronnie
movieThe Cisco Kid and the Lady
1939
Tommy Bates
movieSaga of Death Valley
1939
Henchman
movieThe Arizona Kid
1939
Soldier
movieIn Old Monterey
1939
Soldier
movieWall Street Cowboy
1939
Cowhand
movieIn Old Caliente
1939
Henchman
movieThe Night Riders
1939
Mob Member
movieFrontier Pony Express
1939
Lieutenant Harris
movieRough Riders' Round-up
1939
Patrolman Joe
movieThe Mysterious Miss X
1939
Policeman
movieArmy Girl
1938
Soldier
movieThe Lone Ranger
1938
Jim Clark
movieSpringtime in the Rockies
1937
Cowhand at Dance (uncredited)
Directing5
movieSatan's Harvest
1970
Director
movieHell of Borneo
1964
Director
movieGuerillas in Pink Lace
1964
Director
movieSamar
1962
Director
movieThe Steel Claw
1961
Director
Crew4
movieHallucination Generation
1966
Special Effects
Writing4
movieSatan's Harvest
1970
Writer
movieHell of Borneo
1964
Screenplay
movieSamar
1962
Writer
movieThe Steel Claw
1961
Writer
Art1
movieStrange Affair
1944
Set Decoration
Production1
movieGuerillas in Pink Lace
1964
Producer