Lenny Montana

Tall and solidly built, this Italian-American professional wrestler turned actor was born Lenny Passaforo in Brooklyn, New York, and is best remembered for his first on-screen role as the not too bright but ever loyal bodyguard Luca Brasi in The Godfather (1972). Montana didn't get a lot of screen time before being eliminated by the henchmen of opposing gangster Al Lettieri with a garrote and a knife; however, he caught the eye of casting agents and over the next ten years racked up roles in 16 movies. Usually cast as "muscle for hire", he was equally good at playing the intimidating thug or a buffoonish hoodlum, such as in Battle Creek Brawl (1980) and The Jerk (1979). His last film appearance was in the B-thriller Blood Song (1982), which he also co-wrote. He died in May 1992 of a heart attack while in Italy.

Acted Movies

...All the Marbles (1981)

Director: Robert Aldrich

Writers: Mel Frohman,

Cast: Burt Young, Claudette Nevins, John Hancock, Laurene Landon, Lenny Montana, Peter Falk, Richard Jaeckel, Tracy Reed, Ursaline Bryant, Vicki Frederick,

The Big Brawl (1980)

Director: Robert Clouse

Writers: Robert Clouse,

Cast: Chao-Li Chi, David Sheiner, H.B. Haggerty, Jackie Chan, José Ferrer, Kristine DeBell, Lenny Montana, Mako, Ron Max, Rosalind Chao,