Lenny Montana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lenny Montana
Montana in 1955
Birth name	Leonardo Passafaro
Born	(1926-03-13)March 13, 1926 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	May 12, 1992(1992-05-12) (aged 66) Lindenhurst, New York, U.S.
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Lenny Montana Lenny Passaforo Len Crosby Len Montana Chief Chewacki The Zebra Kid
Billed height	6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Billed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Billed from	San Francisco, California
Debut	1953
Retired	1972

Lenny Montana (born Leonardo Passafaro; March 13, 1926 – May 12, 1992) was an American actor. He is best known for playing the tough character Luca Brasi in the famous movie The Godfather. Before becoming an actor, he was a successful professional wrestler. He also worked as a bodyguard.

Biography

Lenny Montana's Early Life and Wrestling Start

Lenny Montana was born Leonardo Passafaro in Brooklyn, New York, on March 13, 1926. He had an Italian-American background. He could speak both English and Italian fluently.

His wrestling career began in New Jersey in 1953. He wrestled using the name Zebra Kid. He was very tall, standing at 6 feet 6 inches. Montana quickly became successful in wrestling.

Wrestling Success and Championships

On April 4, 1953, he won the New Jersey Tag Team titles with his partner, Golden Terror. He then started wrestling in the Midwest. He won the NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship on October 1, 1953. He defeated Dave Sims in Kansas City. However, he lost this title later that year.

In 1956, Montana won the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship. He teamed up with Gene Kiniski. They beat Herb Freeman and Ray Gunkel in Dallas. During this time, he sometimes worked as a doorman to earn extra money.

Later Years in Wrestling

By the late 1950s, Montana was wrestling with the Carnival Circuit. This was a traveling show. In 1960, he met Eddie Sharkey, who was not yet famous. Montana and Sharkey became friends. Montana encouraged Sharkey to try professional wrestling. He also shared that wrestling matches had planned outcomes.

Later in 1960, Montana won the NWA Texas World Tag Team titles. He teamed with Joe Christie. Then, with Hard Boiled Haggerty, he won the AWA World Tag Team Championship. They defeated Stan Kowalski and Tiny Mills in Minneapolis.

Montana broke his leg during a match against Verne Gagne. After he recovered in 1961, he wrestled in Florida. He often won matches very quickly. He had a big rivalry with Eddie Graham. Their matches often sold out the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory. Montana defeated Eddie Graham for the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Georgia version) title on May 1, 1962.

On November 23, 1962, he won the NWA (Georgia) Southern Tag Team Titles. His partner was Gypsy Joe. Montana then formed a strong team with Tarzan Tyler. They won three titles together. They won the NWA International Tag Team Titles twice in 1963. They also won the NWA World Tag Team Championship in Georgia in October 1963.

Montana became interested in acting around 1964. He started wrestling less often. He went into semi-retirement. However, he still appeared in matches until his acting career truly began in the early 1970s.

Lenny Montana's Role in The Godfather

The movie The Godfather faced some challenges during filming. Groups like the Italian-American Civil Rights League had concerns about the movie. Producer Al Ruddy made an agreement with the league. This agreement helped the film's production move forward.

In 1971, Lenny Montana was working as a bodyguard for a senior figure. He met director Francis Ford Coppola and producer Al Ruddy. Montana was very tall and strong. They quickly chose him for the role of Luca Brasi. This was his first movie role.

Montana was very nervous about acting with the famous actor Marlon Brando. Director Coppola used this real nervousness in the movie. You can see Luca Brasi practicing his lines and fumbling them. Montana did not have much screen time. But his large size made him memorable. This led to more acting roles for him.

Film and TV Career

After The Godfather, Montana appeared in many movies and TV shows. One of his first roles was in the Italian comedy The Funny Face of the Godfather in 1973. He played the role of Saro.

He became known as a "character actor." This means he often played specific types of roles. He appeared in films like Patty (1976), Fingers (1978), and The Jerk (1979). He also acted with Jackie Chan in Battle Creek Brawl (1980).

Montana also appeared on television. He was in shows like Search (1973), Kojak (1978), and Magnum, P.I. (1982). He was usually cast as a tough guy or a strong character.

Retirement and Later Life

Lenny Montana stopped acting after the movie Blood Song (1982). He also helped write this film. He passed away on May 12, 1992. He was 66 years old and died from a heart attack.

In the 2022 TV series The Offer, Lenny Montana is played by actor Lou Ferrigno.

Filmography

Championships and Accomplishments

• American Wrestling Association
  • AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Hard Boiled Haggerty
• Central States Wrestling
  • NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Georgia Championship Wrestling
  • NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Georgia version) (1 time)
  • NWA International Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (2 times) – with Tarzan Tyler
  • NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) – with Gypsy Joe
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) – with Tarzan Tyler
• Southwest Sports, Inc.
  • NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Gene Kiniski
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) – with Joe Christie

See also

In Spanish: Lenny Montana para niños