Lenny Montana
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.
Acting
Movie
The Godfather
as Luca Brasi
1972
Movie
The Jerk
as Con Man
1979
TV
Magnum, P.I.
as Marquis' Bodyguard
1980
Movie
The Big Brawl
as John
1980
TV
Kojak
as McCoy
1973
Movie
Evilspeak
as Jake
1981
TV
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
as Luca Brasi (uncredited)
1977
Movie
Fingers
as Luchino
1978
Movie
...All the Marbles
as Jerome
1981
Movie
Seven
as The Kahuna
1979
Movie
Defiance
as Whacko
1980
Movie
Change of Habit
as Grocer (uncredited)
1969
Movie
Pandemonium
as Coach
1982
Movie
Blood Song
as Skipper
1982
Movie
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
as Luca Brasi (uncredited)
2016
TV
Search
1972
Movie
They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way
as Brick
1978
Movie
Strike Force
as Italian Dockworker
1975
Movie
Matilda
as Hood #1
1978
Movie
Below the Belt
as The Geek
1980
Movie
Contract on Cherry Street
as Phil Lombardi
1977
Movie
The Funny Face of the Godfather
as Saro
1973
Movie
Patty
as The Racketeer
1976
Movie
Halloween Monster Bash
as Skipper (archive footage)
1991