Monty Banks
Monty Banks was a short, stocky but somehow debonair Italian-born comic actor, later also writer and director. In the US from 1914, he first appeared on stage in musical comedy and cabaret. By 1917 he was working as a dancer in New York's Dominguez Cafe. After this he turned to films, acting and doing stunt work at Keystone, Universal and for Al Christie. Changing his name from Mario Bianchi to Monty Banks may have been prompted by Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle as a passing reference to his playing '"montebanks". By 1919 Banks had moved to Vitagraph to play a villain in The Grocery Clerk (1919), foil to star comic Larry Semon. Banks first came to the fore in his own right as star of the "Welcome Comedies" made by Warner Brothers. He spent the early 1920s at Fox and Grand Asher, graduating to writing and directing two-reel comedies with himself as the star. Most noteworthy entries in regard to inventive sight gags and Mack Sennett--style madcap plots are Pay or Move (1924) and The Golf Bug (1924). The success of this series prompted Banks to create an independent production company, the Monty Banks Pictures Corporation, in conjunction with writer/director Howard Estabrook. He made several feature-length films for Pathe, including Play Safe (1927)) (generally considered his best work), which featured a climactic runaway train sequence. This style of fast-action slapstick made it inevitable that Banks suffered more than his fair share of injuries, especially since he continued to do many of his own stunts. From the late 1920s Banks worked in England and made several appearances in sound films. However, his accent proved to be something of an obstacle. He therefore decided, after 1930, to concentrate on directing and producing. He helmed four features starring the popular entertainer Gracie Fields, who became his second wife in 1940. In 1935 he directed a well-received George Formby comedy, No Limit (1935), about the TT motorcycle races on the Isle of Man, which were shot on location there. With the outbreak of World War II Banks--being an Italian citizen--would have faced internment in England as an enemy alien. He therefore deemed it necessary to flee to Canada, and from there to the neutral United States. He eventually obtained American citizenship, for which he had applied years earlier, but had forgotten to submit the necessary paperwork. Back in Hollywood he ended up at 20th Century-Fox, directing Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in Great Guns (1941), arguably one of their lesser efforts. Banks died of a heart attack during a trip through Italy in January 1950, aged just 52. Sadly, the majority of his one- and two-reelers are now considered lost films. As a result, his status as a leading comic of the silent screen may have somewhat diminished--except, perhaps, in his home town of Cesena, where a foundation was established in his honor (the "Aula Didattica Monty Banks"), offering students "practical courses on experimental aspects of video production".
Blood and Sand
as Antonio LopezBullfighter Juan Gallardo falls for socialite Dona Sol, turning from the faithful Carmen who...
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Six A.M.
as uncreditedAfter drinking all night, Monty and his friend try to get home, but it turns out to be not easy....
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The Garage
as Man with Dog (uncredited)Roscoe and Buster operate a combination garage and fire station. In the first half they destroy...
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A Bell for Adano
as GiuseppeMajor Joppolo and his men are assigned to restore order to the war-torn Italian town of Adano....
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Days of Thrills and Laughter
as Self (archive footage)An appreciative, uncritical look at silent film comedies and thrillers from early in the century...
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Atlantic
as DandyA heavily fictionalized version of the RMS Titanic story.
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Don't Park Here
as A RivalNot one but two of Charlie Chaplin impersonators, Harry Mann and Monty Banks, a film directed by...
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The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
as (archive footage)Laurel is a Scottish reporter suspected of being a spy by police detective James Finlayson....
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Chasing Choo Choos
as MontyVirginia Craig will become super-wealthy and gain sole control of her factory, unless...
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Love
as Farmhand"Fatty", a poor good hearted farm boy is deeply in love with Winifred, a farmer's daughter. A...
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Shipyard Sally
as uncreditedA lancashire singer buys a pub in Clydebank and hits money troubles when the shipbyards are...
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Man of the Moment
as DoctorLove blossoms after a young man rescues a pretty girl who attempted to drown herself.
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You Made Me Love You
as Taxi DriverA rich American businessman in London makes believe he's lost all his money so that his daughter...
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Too Much Johnson
as Leon DathisAugustus Billings has a domineering mother-in-law, and to get away from both her and his wife,...
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A Perfect Gentleman
as Monty BrooksMonty Banks gets involved in tracking down a stolen fortune, his adventures culminating in a...
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The Church Mouse
as Window WasherWhen a meek secretary goes to work for her new boss, she becomes a sophisticated lady.
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Queen of Hearts
as Montague BankingA woman prevents a popular stage performer getting arrested for drunk driving, though has to...
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Flying Luck
as The BoyA naive young man joins the Army in order to become a pilot.
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Camping Out
as uncreditedCamping Out is a 1919 American short comedy film directed by and starring Fatty Arbuckle. Fatty...
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Brilliantine the Bull Fighter
as Adolph BrilliantinoBrilliantino the Bullfighter (originally titled Flood and Sand) is one of the first spoofs of...
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Heads We Go
as ChauffeurA model inherits a great deal of money and pretends to be a movie star.
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Adam's Apple
as Monty AdamsAn American on his honeymoon in Paris, organises the kidnapping of his interfering mother-in-law.
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Horse Shoes
as Monty MildeA Monty Banks comedy that includes the 'Undressing in the Upper Berth' routine
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Leave It to Me
as uncreditedThe owner of a professional help agency poses as a poet at a wealthy patron's ball and prevents...
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Always Late
as uncreditedMonty is chronically late. He comes to work late and loses his job, and then manages to miss his...
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Oils Well!
as Monty, the Office ForceSet in the oil-soaked country of “Chilitina”—shot on location in San Diego’s Balboa Park—Oils...
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The Compulsory Husband
as MontyA recently engaged girl invites her parents to meet her fiance. They learn that he also loves...
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Nearly Married
as Count Up / Mac AroniMonty Banks comedy produced by Warners.
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A Blind Pig
as French SalesmanA French perfume salesman is mistaken for a bootlegger. Partially missing two-reeler with 11...
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The Grocery Clerk
as The Tow Gusher, a 'He Vamp'Big Ben has the largest store in the town of New Ralgia. His chief clerk is in love with the...
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Keep Smiling
as The BoyThe Boy, involved in a maritime disaster as a child, suffers from hydrophobia. He invents a life...
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The Sheriff
as uncreditedRoscoe Arbuckle plays a Douglas Fairbanks fan who becomes a rotund version of his hero. As "The...
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Play Safe
as The BoyA gang of bad guys menace a feller's gal. She hides in a freight car and a misstep sends the...
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So You Won't Talk
as TonyThe owner of a small Italian restaurant in central London is left a million pound inheritance,...
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Tonight's the Night - Pass It On
as ConvictSlapstick comedy in which luckless slate club treasurer Bill Smithers is sent to prison for...
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The Purple Mask
as Jack ElliotCunard turns into The Queen of the Apaches, an outlaw who steals from the rich to gives to the...
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The Belles of Liberty
as SonMonty Banks plays a paramour who starts all sort of silly highjinks with Eva Novak and Carolyne...
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Where Is My Wife?
as The Jealous HusbandLovable buffoon Monty Banks tries to relax, but ultimately spends his day worrying about who is...
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