Acting · Brady, Montana, USA · Born August 29, 1916
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.
MovieRansom
1988
as Inspector Marks
TVChildren's Island
1985
as The President
MovieWild Wind
1985
as Major Nestorovic
MovieWhen the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
1979
as Self
TVDinah!
1974
as Self
TVThe Six Million Dollar Man
1974
as Christopher Bell / Garth
MovieThe Daredevil
1972
as Paul Tunney
TVAlias Smith and Jones
1971
TVThe Odd Couple
1970
as Griff
MovieSatan's Harvest
1970
as Cutter Murdock
MovieRide the Tiger
1970
MovieStrangers at Sunrise
1969
as Grant Merrick
MovieWarkill
1968
as Col. John Hannegan
MovieBomb at 10:10
1967
as Steve Corbett / Stiv Korbet
MovieHostile Guns
1967
as Gid McCool
MovieHallucination Generation
1966
as Eric
MovieBattle of the Bulge
1965
as Sgt. Duquesne
MovieDjango the Condemned
1965
as Pat O'Brien
MovieHell of Borneo
1964
as John Dirkson
MovieGuerillas in Pink Lace
1964
as Murphy
MovieSamar
1962
as Dr. John David Saunders
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MovieThe Steel Claw
1961
as Capt. John Larsen
MovieKing of the Wild Stallions
1959
as Randy Burke
MovieWatusi
1959
as Harry Quartermain
TVCimarron City
1958
as Mayor Matt Rockford
MovieBadman's Country
1958
as Pat Garrett
MovieThe Toughest Gun in Tombstone
1958
as Capt. Matt Sloane
MovieMan from God's Country
1958
as Dan Beattie
MovieBlack Patch
1957
as Clay Morgan
MoviePawnee
1957
as Paul 'Pale Arrow' Fletcher
MovieStreet of Sinners
1957
as John Dean
MovieGun Duel in Durango
1957
as Will Sabre
MovieLast of the Badmen
1957
as Dan Barton
TVThe Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956
as Self
MovieHuk!
1956
as Greg Dickson
MovieCanyon River
1956
as Steve Patrick
TVThe Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Cimarron City
MovieClaire
1956
as Dr. Stanley Wayne
MovieRobbers' Roost
1955
as Jim 'Tex' Wall
MovieSeminole Uprising
1955
as Cam Elliott
MovieMasterson of Kansas
1954
as Bat Masterson
MovieBattle of Rogue River
1954
as Maj. Frank Archer
MovieThe Lone Gun
1954
as Cruze
MovieGun Belt
1953
as Billy Ringo
MovieFort Ti
1953
as Capt. Jed Horn
MovieJack McCall, Desperado
1953
as Jack McCall
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
as Jim Corbett
MovieThe Pathfinder
1952
as Pathfinder
TVThis Is Your Life
1952
as Self
MovieCripple Creek
1952
as Bret Ivers / Iverson
MovieIndian Uprising
1952
as Capt. Chase McCloud
MovieThe Texas Rangers
1951
as Johnny Carver
MovieThe Sword of Monte Cristo
1951
as Captain Renault
MovieThe Iroquois Trail
1950
as Nat Cutler / Hawkeye
MovieDakota Lil
1950
as Tom Horn / Steve Garrett
TVWhat's My Line?
1950
as Self - Mystery Guest
MovieDavy Crockett, Indian Scout
1950
as Davy Crockett
MovieBelle Starr's Daughter
1948
as Marshal Tom Jackson
TVStudio One
1948
as Bakeland
MovieThe Girl from Manhattan
1948
as Rev. Tom Walker
MovieLulu Belle
1948
as George Davis
MovieThe Brasher Doubloon
1947
as Philip Marlowe
MovieThree Little Girls in Blue
1946
as Van Damm Smith
MovieTake It or Leave It
1944
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Troop Carrier Airplanes: Cockpit Procedure
1944
as Lt. Warren
MovieBomber's Moon
1943
as Capt. Jeffrey Dakin
MovieConey Island
1943
as Eddie Johnson
MovieChina Girl
1942
as Johnny Williams
MovieOrchestra Wives
1942
as Bill Abbot
MovieTen Gentlemen from West Point
1942
as Joe Dawson
MovieRoxie Hart
1942
as Homer Howard
MovieCadet Girl
1941
as Tex Mallory
MovieRiders of the Purple Sage
1941
as Lassiter
MovieLast of the Duanes
1941
as Buck Duane
MovieScreen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
1941
as Self
MovieAccent on Love
1941
as John Worth Hyndman
MovieThe Cowboy and the Blonde
1941
as Lank Garrett
MovieJennie
1940
as Franz Schermer
MovieCharter Pilot
1940
as Charlie Crane
MovieYoung People
1940
as Mike Shea
MovieHi-Yo Silver
1940
as Jim Clark
MovieStar Dust
1940
as Ronnie
MovieThe Cisco Kid and the Lady
1939
as Tommy Bates
MovieSouth of the Border
1939
as Bandit
MovieSaga of Death Valley
1939
as Henchman
MovieThe Arizona Kid
1939
as Soldier
MovieIn Old Monterey
1939
as Soldier
MovieWall Street Cowboy
1939
as Cowhand
MovieIn Old Caliente
1939
as Henchman
MovieS.O.S Tidal Wave
1939
MovieThe Night Riders
1939
as Mob Member
MovieFrontier Pony Express
1939
as Lieutenant Harris
MovieSouthward Ho!
1939
MovieRough Riders' Round-up
1939
as Patrolman Joe
MovieThe Mysterious Miss X
1939
as Policeman
MovieArmy Girl
1938
as Soldier
MovieThe Lone Ranger
1938
as Jim Clark
MovieSpringtime in the Rockies
1937
as Cowhand at Dance (uncredited)
