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George Montgomery
1916-2000
Updated 3/19/2008 with more films available on DVD.
biography
Born George Montgomery Letz in Montana in 1916, George Montgomery attended the University of Montana and indulged in boxing before making his way to Hollywood in 1935. That same year, he made his first film appearance in The Singing Vagabond, a Republic western starring Gene Autry. Throughout the late 1930s, he took bit roles and did a lot of stuntwork in a number of Republic westerns, billed as 'George Letz.' In 1939, he signed with 20th Century Fox and shortened his name to George Montgomery. Fox featured Montgomery in dramas (such as Star Dust and Young People) as well as westerns (including The Cisco Kid and the Lady and The Cowboy and the Blonde). He also starred in musicals, such as Orchestra Wives (1942; with Ann Rutherford) and Coney Island (1943; with Betty Grable). Military service during World War II interrupted his career, and while in the service, he married singer Dinah Shore in 1943. After returning from the war, Montgomery found himself back in 'B' westerns, rather than the 'A' pictures he'd been making at Fox before the war.
LEFT: With wife Dinah Shore in the 1940s. CENTER and RIGHT: Studio promotional photos from the 1940s and 1950s
the films of george montgomery
Accent on Love (1941)
From thte 20th Century Fox drama Accent on Love with Osa Massen
Cadet Girl (1941)
With Carole Landis in Cadet Girl
The Girl From Manhattan (1948)
As Reverend Tom Walker in the drama The Girl From Manhattan
Belle Star's Daughter (1948)
From Belle Star's Daughter
Gun Belt (1953)
Montgomery roughs up Tab Hunter in Gun Belt
The Pathfinder (1953)
From The Pathfinder, which also features Helena Carter in one of her last films before retiring from the screen
Black Patch (1957)
Scenes from Black Patch
Gun Duel in Durango (1957)
With Ann Robinson in Gun Duel in Durango
Last of the Badmen (1957)
George Montgomery mixes it up with Douglas Kennedy in Last of the Badmen
Street of Sinners (1957)
Poster from Street of Sinners
Man from God's Country (1958)
From the Allied Artists western Man from God's Country
Watusi (1959)
Images from Watusi. The right photo includes Finnish beauty Taina Elg
Samar (1962)
Montgomery as Dr. Saunders in Samar, with
Nico Minardos and Ziva Rodann. This film was also written and directed by George Montgomery
Hallucination Generation (1966)
Montgomery as the sleazy drug dealer Eric in the campy exploitation flick Hallucination Generation
Hostile Guns (1967)
Strangers at Sunrise (1969)
With Deana Martin, daughter of Dean Martin, in a scene from the film
later years
With his career at 20th Century Fox going nowhere fast, George Montgomery headed over to Columbia, where he starred in many features in the 1950s. Also, he contracted with Columbia to build sets and props for the studio. Eventually, Montgomery became as well known for his furniture building and architectural talents as he was for his acting. Additionally, in the early 1960s, he went behind the camera to write, produce, and direct some of the films he starred in, including The Steel Claw (1961), Samar (1962; with Gilbert Roland), and Satan's Harvest (1970; with Tippi Hedren), among others.
Dinah Shore and George Montgomery divorced in 1962, after two children and nearly 20 years together. In the 1970s, Montgomery's screen appearances became few and far between, as he settled into a life of semi-retirement while watching over his business interests. Shore passed away in 1994 at the age of 76 after a bout with cancer. Montgomery passed away in 2000 at the age of 84.
George Montgomery Action Adventure Collection [DVD] DVD
An outstanding adventure collection starring George Montgomery begins with "Samar" (1962), in which Montgomery and Gilbert Roland appear as two officials so appalled by the cruelties of their Philippine prison system that they lead the inmates to revolt and freedom. Ziva Rodann, Joan O'Brien also star. Next, Montgomery's unique war drama "Guerillas in Pink Lace" (1964) focuses on a group of showgirls stranded in the Philippines in 1941 at the height of the Japanese invasion. The women show off their military prowess after Montgomery helps train them to become top-notch fighters. With Joan Shawlee, Valerie Varda. Next, the two-fisted "Satan's Harvest" (1970) stars Montgomery as an American gumshoe who discovers that the estate he has inherited is being controlled by a group of ruthless dope-smugglers. Tippi Hedren, Matt Monro co-star. Two-disc set also includes "The Steel Claw." 6 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English; biographies; theatrical trailers; trivia.
Hands Across The Border (1944)/Billy The Kid Returns [DVD](1938) DVD
Roy Rogers shoots, sings and slugs as he helps a pretty rancher avenge her paw's death and rides Trigger in a race to save her stables. Ruth Terry, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Onslow Stevens co-star. Then, an early starring role for Roy Rogers casts him as the famed frontier gunslinger, now reformed and ready to clean up lawless Lincoln County. Smiley Burnette, Lynne Roberts co-star. 108 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; scene access.
Frontier Pony Express [VHS](1939) VHS
Roy Rogers in a rousing story about a Confederate plot to eliminate Union troops by way of the Pony Express. With Mary Hart, Raymond Hatton. 54 min.
Rough Riders' Round-Up [DVD](1939) DVD
Fresh from the Spanish-American War, Roy Rogers and pals Raymond Hatton and Eddie Acuff join the Border Patrol. But when Acuff is gunned down by a notorious outlaw, Rogers and Hatton track down the killer and find him working an gold smuggling operation. Lots of action in this early Rogers oater; with Mary Hart (Lynne Roberts), William Pawley. 54 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono. Plays All Regions.
The Arizona Kid [DVD](1939) DVD
Roy Rogers is the Kid in this action-filled Civil War Western. His mission is to round up a band of renegade soldiers working for the Confederacy. Co-stars "Gabby" Hayes. 62 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; biographies; featurette.
In Old Caliente [DVD](1939) DVD
An immigrant family is falsely accused of robbing a gold shipment, and it's up to ranchhand Roy Rogers to bring the guilty party to justice. Sagebrush saga also stars Katherine DeMille, Mary Hart and "Gabby" Hayes, who joins Roy in singing the classic duet "We're Not Comin' Out Tonight." 53 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo. Plays All Regions.
Gene Autry Collection: South Of The Border [DVD](1939) DVD
There's no funny billboards or giant sombrero towers here, but you do get plenty of action, as government agents Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette head down Mexico way to stop German agents from fomenting a revolution (and yes, this was a good two years before America entered World War II). With June Storey, Lupita Tovar, Duncan Renaldo. 70 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; featurette.
Legends Of The West, Vol. 5 [DVD] DVD
Thirty-one classic Westerns are included in this eight-disc set that features eight volumes of "The Great American Western" series. Includes "In Old Cheyenne," "The Arizona Kid," "Ridin' Down the Canyon," "Idaho," "Sheriff of Sage Valley," "Western Cyclone," "Shoot Out at Big Sag," "California," "Hit the Saddle," "Sagebrush Trail," "Yukon Flight," "The Pinto Bandit," "Jesse James' Women," "Lightning Strikes West," "Young Buffalo Bill," "Git Along Little Dogies," "The Kansan," "Hi-Yo Silver," "Sing, Cowboy, Sing," "The Slowest Gun in the West," "Dawn on the Great Divide," "The Gay Amigo," "Colorado Sundown," "The Cowboy and the Senorita," "Man of the Frontier," "The Marshal of Cedar Rock," "West of Pinto Basin," "The Mystery of the Hooded Horseman," "Phantom Thunderbolt," "Robin Hood of the Pecos," and "Wild Horse." Also includes "Chain Lightning," an episode of "The Cisco Kid" television series. 31 1/3 hrs. total.
Orchestra Wives [DVD](1942) DVD
Vibrant tale of a newly-married Big Band trumpeteer whose marriage is considered a bad bet by the other band members and wives because of the schemes of a sultry lead singer. Glenn Miller and his Band, George Montgomery, Ann Rutherford, Cesar Romero, Lynn Bari, and Jackie Gleason star. Songs include "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo," "At Last," "Serenade in Blue." 97 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentary; photo gallery; theatrical trailer.
Roxie Hart [DVD](1942) DVD
The broad and breezy Roaring '20s comedy that was later transformed into the musical "Chicago" stars Ginger Rogers in the title role of brash dance hall girl Roxie, who confesses to a murder committed by her no-good husband in the hope of giving her show career a boost. Adolphe Menjou shines as Rogers' slick attorney; with George Montgomery, George Chandler, Phil Silvers. 74 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English.
The Steel Claw [DVD](1961) DVD
George Montgomery wrote, directed and stars in this WWII story of a one-handed officer who, while waiting for his retirement from the military, stages one last strike, leading Filipino forces against Japanese troops. With Charito Luna. 96 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono. Plays All Regions.
The Steel Claw [VHS](1961) VHS
George Montgomery wrote, directed and stars in this WWII story of a one-handed officer who, while waiting for his retirement from the military, stages one last strike, leading Filipino forces against Japanese troops. With Charito Luna. 96 min.
Guerrillas In Pink Lace [VHS](1964) VHS
George Montgomery's unique war drama focuses on a group of showgirls stranded in the Philippines in 1941 at the height of the Japanese invasion. The women show off their military prowess after Montgomery helps train them to become top-notch fighters. With Joan Shawlee, Valerie Varda. 96 min.
From Hell To Borneo [VHS](1964) VHS
George Montgomery stars as a hard-bitten soldier of fortune ready to defend his private island with hard fists and hot lead against gangsters and plunderers. 90 min.
Battle Of The Bulge [DVD](1965) DVD
Spectacular battle sequences and an all-star cast highlight this WWII epic that chronicles one of the war's most crucial conflicts. Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, and Robert Ryan are Allied soldiers facing a German Panzer attack in the Ardennes led by tank commander Robert Shaw. With Dana Andrews, George Montgomery, James MacArthur. 170 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; featurettes; theatrical trailer.
Henry Fonda: The Signature Collection [DVD] DVD
Four-disc set includes "Mister Roberts," "The Wrong Man," "Advise and Consent," and "Battle of the Bulge."
Satan's Harvest [VHS](1969) VHS
Two-fisted tale stars George Montgomery as an American gumshoe who discovers that the estate he has inherited is being controlled by a group of ruthless dope-smugglers. Tippi Hedren also stars. 104 min.
filmography
Wild Wind (1986)
The Daredevil (1972) with Terry Moore
Satan's Harvest (1970) with Tippi Hedren
Strangers at Sunrise (1969) with Deana Martin
Bomb at 10:10 (1967)
Hostile Guns (1967) with Yvonne De Carlo, Tab Hunter, John Russell, Brian Donlevy, James Craig, and Richard Arlen
Warkill (1967) with Tom Drake
Hell of Borneo (1966) with Rita Moreno
Hallucination Generation (1966)
Outlaw of Red River (1965) with Raf Baldassarre
Battle of the Bulge (1965) with Henry Fonda, Ty Hardin, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan, Dana Andrews, Pier Angeli, and Charles Bronson
Guerillas in Pink Lace (1964)
Samar (1962) with Gilbert Roland and Ziva Rodann
The Steel Claw (1961)
King of the Wild Stallions (1959)
Watusi (1959) with Taina Elg, David Farrar, and Rex Ingram
Badman's Country (1958) with Neville Brand, Buster Crabbe, and Karin Booth
Toughest Gun in Tombstone (1958) with Jim Davis
Man from God's Country (1958) with Phillip Terry
Black Patch (1957) with Diane Brewster and Sebastian Cabot
Pawnee (1957) with Bill Williams and Dabbs Greer
Street of Sinners (1957) with Geraldine Brooks
Gun Duel in Durango (1957) with Ann Robinson, Steve Brodie, Don 'Red' Barry, and Denver Pyle
Last of the Badmen (1957) with Keith Larsen, James Best, Douglas Kennedy, Willis Bouchey, and Michael Ansara
Canyon River (1956) with Peter Graves, Marcia Henderson, and Alan Hale
Huk! (1956) with Mona Freeman
Robber's Roost (1955) with Bruce Bennett, William Hopper, Richard Boone, Peter Graves, and Warren Stevens
Seminole Uprising (1955) with Karin Booth
Masterson of Kansas (1954) with Nancy Gates
The Lone Gun (1954) with Dorothy Malone, Frank Faylen, and Neville Brand
The Battle of Rogue River (1954) with Richard Denning and Martha Hyer
Fort Ti (1953)
Gun Belt (1953) Tab Hunter, Jack Elam, Douglas Kennedy, and Willis Bouchey
Jack McCall Desperado (1953) with Angela Stevens and Douglas Kennedy
The Pathfinder (1953) with Helena Carter, Jay Silverheels, and Elena Verdugo
Indian Uprising (1952) with Carl Benton Reid
Cripple Creek (1952) with Karin Booth, Jerome Courtland, Richard Egan, and Don Porter
The Sword of Monte Cristo (1951) with Acquanetta, William Conrad, Rita Corday, Steve Brodie, and Lillian Bronson
The Texas Rangers (1951) with Gale Storm, Jerome Courtland, Noah Beery Jr., Douglas Kennedy, and Jock Mahoney
Dakota Lil (1950) with Marie Windsor, Rod Cameron, and Lillian Bronson
The Iroquois Trail (1950) with Brenda Marshall, Glenn Langan, Monte Blue, Sheldon Leonard, and Dan O'Herlihy
Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) with Ellen Drew, Philip Reed, Noah Beery Jr., and Kenne Duncan
Belle Starr's Daughter (1948) with Ruth Roman and Rod Cameron
The Girl from Manhattan (1948) with Dorothy Lamour, Charles Laughton, Hugh Herbert, and William Frawley
Lulu Belle (1948) with Dorothy Lamour, Albert Dekker, Otto Kruger, and Glenda Farrell
The Brasher Doubloon (1947) with Nancy Guild and Conrad Janis
Three Little Girls in Blue (1946) with June Haver, Vivian Blaine, Celeste Holm, and Vera-Ellen
Bomber's Moon (1943) with Annabella and Kent Taylor
Coney Island (1943) with Betty Grable and Cesar Romero
China Girl (1942) with Gene Tierney and Lynn Bari
Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) with Maureen O'Hara
Roxie Hart (1942) with Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Phil Silvers, William Frawley, Spring Byington, and Morris Ankrum
Orchestra Wives (1942) with Lynn Bari, Glenn Miller, and Ann Rutherford
Accent on Love (1941) with Osa Massen, J. Carrol Naish, Cobina Wright, and Minerva Urecal
Cadet Girl (1941) with Carole Landis
The Riders of the Purple Sage (1941) with Kane Richmond
The Last of the Duanes (1941) with Eve Arden
The Cowboy and the Blonde (1941) with Mary Beth Hughes, Alan Mowbray, Minerva Urecal, and Fuzzy Knight
Charter Pilot (1940) with Lloyd Nolan, Lynn Bari, and Arleen Whelan
Jennie (1940) with William Henry
Star Dust (1940) with John Payne and Linda Darnell
Young People (1940) with Shirley Temple, Jack Oakie, Charlotte Greenwood, and Arleen Whelan
Hi-Yo Silver (1940) with Bruce Bennett
The Cisco Kid and the Lady (1939) with Cesar Romero and Marjorie Weaver
The Lone Ranger (1938) with Bruce Bennett
Springtime in the Rockies (1937) with Gene Autry
TELEVISION
Cimarron City, 1958-1959 TV series. Montgomery was both star and narrator for this hour-long NBC western
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This page premiered June 26, 2001.
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