Mike Mazurki Movies and Career Information

Mike Mazurki (December 25, 1907 – December 9, 1990) was an Austrian-born 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 as Mikhail Mazurkevych in Tarnopol, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (now Ternopil, Ukraine). He migrated with his family to the United States at the age of six, living in Cohoes, New York, a city just outside of Albany, in old mill housing on Olmstead Street with his mother. He later 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 his acting career. His slurred speech was reportedly due