Lenny Montana

Person

Lenny Montana

Acting March 13, 1926

Brooklyn, New York, USA

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 rol…

IMDb

Known for

Popular titles

The Godfather

The Godfather

8.7 1972 Movie
Magnum, P.I.

Magnum, P.I.

7.3 1980 TV Show
The Jerk

The Jerk

6.9 1979 Movie
Kojak

Kojak

7.3 1973 TV Show
The Big Brawl

The Big Brawl

5.9 1980 Movie
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television

Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television

8.6 1977 TV Show
Evilspeak

Evilspeak

5.3 1981 Movie
...All the Marbles

...All the Marbles

6.1 1981 Movie
Fingers

Fingers

6.2 1978 Movie
Seven

Seven

5.8 1979 Movie
Change of Habit

Change of Habit

5.4 1969 Movie
Defiance

Defiance

6.4 1980 Movie

Biography

A closer look

Read full biography

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.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

  1. 2016
    The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959

    Movie Luca Brasi (uncredited)

  2. 1991
    Halloween Monster Bash

    Movie Skipper (archive footage)

  3. 1982
    Blood Song

    Movie Skipper

  4. 1982
    Pandemonium

    Movie Coach

  5. 1981
    Evilspeak

    Movie Jake

  6. 1981
    ...All the Marbles

    Movie Jerome

  7. 1980
    Magnum, P.I.

    TV show Marquis' Bodyguard

  8. 1980
    Below the Belt

    Movie The Geek

  9. 1980
    The Big Brawl

    Movie John

  10. 1980
    Defiance

    Movie Whacko

  11. 1979
    The Jerk

    Movie Con Man

  12. 1979
    Seven

    Movie The Kahuna

  13. 1978
    They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way

    Movie Brick

  14. 1978
    Matilda

    Movie Hood #1

  15. 1978
    Fingers

    Movie Luchino

  16. 1977
    Contract on Cherry Street

    Movie Phil Lombardi

More credits
  1. 1977
    Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television

    TV show Luca Brasi (uncredited)

  2. 1976
    Patty

    Movie The Racketeer

  3. 1975
    Strike Force

    Movie Italian Dockworker

  4. 1973
    Kojak

    TV show McCoy

  5. 1973
    The Funny Face of the Godfather

    Movie Saro

  6. 1972
    Search

    TV show

  7. 1972
    The Godfather

    Movie Luca Brasi

  8. 1969
    Change of Habit

    Movie Grocer (uncredited)