Image of Monty Banks

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".


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Born:
Jul 15, 1897 In Cesena, Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Movie/TV Credits:
45
First Appeared:
In the movie Cold Hearts and Hot Flames 1916-09-20
Latest Project:
Movie Days of Thrills and Laughter 1961-03-21
Known For
Poster of Shipyard Sally
Filmography
Movie Days of Thrills and Laughter Self (archive footage) 1961-03-21
Movie Elstree Story Himself 1952-01-01
Movie The Slappiest Days of Our Lives (archive footage) 1951-03-23
Movie A Bell for Adano Giuseppe 1945-06-21
Movie Blood and Sand Antonio Lopez 1941-05-30
Movie Olympic Honeymoon Orban 1940-06-21
Movie Shipyard Sally 1939-09-30
Movie Queen of Hearts Montague Banking 1936-10-04
Movie So You Won't Talk Tony 1935-03-01
Movie Man of the Moment Doctor 1935-09-01
Movie The Church Mouse Window Washer 1934-12-10
Movie Heads We Go Chauffeur 1933-07-28
Movie You Made Me Love You Taxi Driver (uncredited) 1933-10-01
Movie For the Love of Mike Chef 1932-12-01
Movie Tonight's the Night - Pass It On Convict 1931-12-26
Movie Week-End Wives Max Ammon 1929-05-14
Movie Atlantic Dandy 1929-11-15
Movie The Compulsory Husband Monty 1929-11-13
Movie A Perfect Gentleman Monty Brooks 1928-01-15
Movie Adam's Apple Monty Adams 1928-09-03
Movie Chasing Choo Choos Monty 1927-06-21
Movie Horse Shoes Monty Milde 1927-04-17
Movie Flying Luck The Boy 1927-12-04
Movie Keep Smiling The Boy 1925-09-06
Movie Africa F.O.B. Monty Banks, the Stranger 1925-09-15
Movie Wedding Bells The Groom 1924-03-16
Movie The Golf Bug Monty 1924-07-08
Movie Oils Well! Monty, the Office Force 1923-02-13
Movie The Covered Schooner The Boy 1923-09-29
Movie Brilliantine the Bull Fighter Adolph Brilliantino 1922-11-21
Movie A Bedroom Scandal A Husband 1921-01-15
Movie Where Is My Wife? The Jealous Husband 1921-01-15
Movie The Garage Man with Dog (uncredited) 1920-01-11
Movie Don't Park Here A Rival 1920-05-19
Movie Nearly Married Count Up / Mac Aroni 1920-12-11
Movie Camping Out 1919-01-05
Movie Love Farmhand 1919-03-01
Movie The Grocery Clerk The Tow Gusher, a 'He Vamp' 1919-12-01
Movie Too Much Johnson Leon Dathis 1919-12-01
Movie Did She Do Wrong? 1918-03-10
Movie The Belles of Liberty Harold Hatband (Son) as Frenchie Bianchi 1918-07-10
Movie The Sheriff 1918-11-24
Movie A Scrap of Paper Soldier 1918-10-13
Movie Cold Hearts and Hot Flames 1916-09-20
Movie The Purple Mask Jack Elliot & Jacques, Patricia's Butler (as Mario Bianchi) 1916-12-25