Mike Mazurki (December 25, 1907 or 1909 – December 9, 1990) was an American actor and professional wrestler who appeared in over 100 movies. His towering 6' 5" presence and intimidating face usually got him roles playing tough guys, thugs, strong men, and gangsters.
Mazurki was born Mikhail Mazurwski in Tarnopol, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (now Ternopil, Ukraine). He migrated to the United States at the age of six, and graduated from Manhattan Coll...
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Mike Mazurki (December 25, 1907 or 1909 – December 9, 1990) was an American actor and professional wrestler who appeared in over 100 movies. His towering 6' 5" presence and intimidating face usually got him roles playing tough guys, thugs, strong men, and gangsters.
Mazurki was born Mikhail Mazurwski in Tarnopol, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (now Ternopil, Ukraine). He migrated to the United States at the age of six, and graduated from Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He became a professional athlete in three sports, primarily wrestling, but also football and basketball.
He was discovered by Josef von Sternberg and given a bit part in his film The Shanghai Gesture (1941). This led to a long film and television career. Possibly his most memorable role was that of slow-witted thug Moose Malloy in the 1944 film noir Murder, My Sweet, opposite Dick Powell. He also played a wrestler called "The Strangler" in Night and the City (1950). In fact, he continued to wrestle during...
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