Elliott Harcourt Montgomery (born November 3, 1961), known as Lee Montgomery, is a United States-based Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as a lonely little boy who befriends a pack of killer rats in the film ''
Ben
Ben is frequently used as a shortened version of the given names Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett or Benson, and is also a given name in its own right.
Ben (in he, בֶּן, ''son of'') forms part of Hebrew surnames, e.g. Abraham ben Abraham ( he, × ...
'' (1972) and as
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 1 ...
's hunky dance partner, Jeff Malene, in ''
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a song written, recorded and performed by American musician Robert Hazard, who released it as a Single (music), single in 1979. It is best known for the version of American singer Cyndi Lauper, who covered the s ...
'' (1985).
Hollywood
Brother of actresses Belinda Montgomery and Tannis G. Montgomery, and the son of actor Cecil Montgomery, Lee began his career as a model before venturing into the acting business. He made his debut in the Disney film ''
The Million Dollar Duck
''The Million Dollar Duck'' (also titled as ''$1,000,000 Duck'') is a 1971 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions based on the goose that lays golden eggs scenario. It was directed by Vincent McEveety, and stars Dean Jones, Sa ...
'' in 1971, before landing a starring role in ''
Ben
Ben is frequently used as a shortened version of the given names Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett or Benson, and is also a given name in its own right.
Ben (in he, בֶּן, ''son of'') forms part of Hebrew surnames, e.g. Abraham ben Abraham ( he, × ...
'' (1972), the sequel to '' Willard'' (1971). He played Billy Baker in ''
Baker's Hawk
''Baker's Hawk'' is a 1976 American Western film directed by Lyman D. Dayton and starring Clint Walker, Burl Ives, Diane Baker, Lee H. Montgomery and Alan Young. It is based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Jack Bickham.Pete 'n' Tillie
''Pete 'n' Tillie'' is a 1972 American comedy-drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. Its advertising tagline was: "Honeymoon's over. It's time to get married."
Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein was nominate ...
'' (1972). He made appearances on television series such as ''
The Mod Squad
''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as ...
'', ''
Columbo
''Columbo'' () is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originally aired on NBC f ...
Adam-12
''Adam-12'' is an American television police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the stre ...
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Moor ...
''. He acted in the infamous incest-themed film called '' The Savage Is Loose'' (1974), and in the cult horror film '' Burnt Offerings'' (1976).
In the 1980s, Montgomery made more cameo appearances in television shows such as '' CHiPs'', '' Family Ties'', ''
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
'', and he made a transition to adult roles in films such as '' Split Image'' (1982), '' Night Shadows'' (aka Mutant) (1984) and '' Into the Fire'' (1988). One of his best known later roles was as Phil Grenville in '' The Midnight Hour'' (1985). He also played Jeff Malene in the teen comedy ''
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a song written, recorded and performed by American musician Robert Hazard, who released it as a Single (music), single in 1979. It is best known for the version of American singer Cyndi Lauper, who covered the s ...
'' (1985), where he engages in a notable dance scene with co-star
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 1 ...
Since dropping out of the limelight, Montgomery pursued other interests, such as music related projects. He composed the
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
for the film ''Trigon: The Legend of Pelgidium'' (2000). Montgomery completely disappeared from public view for more than 20 years. At least part of that time, he was working for a marketing firm. Montgomery resurfaced around 2012, appearing at Monster-Mania Con 25 in 2016 and other horror-themed conventions, signing photos and posing for pictures with fans.
A new on-camera interview with Montgomery is featured on the 2015 re-issue DVD and Blu-ray of ''Burnt Offerings''. In it, he discusses the making of the film, as well as other experiences during his time as an actor. , Montgomery is working as a full-time professional real estate agent in Solvang, California.
Selected filmography
*1971: ''
The Million Dollar Duck
''The Million Dollar Duck'' (also titled as ''$1,000,000 Duck'') is a 1971 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions based on the goose that lays golden eggs scenario. It was directed by Vincent McEveety, and stars Dean Jones, Sa ...
'' .... James "Jimmy" Dooley (first film role)
*1972: ''
Pete 'n' Tillie
''Pete 'n' Tillie'' is a 1972 American comedy-drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. Its advertising tagline was: "Honeymoon's over. It's time to get married."
Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein was nominate ...
''.......Robbie Seltzer
*1972: ''
Ben
Ben is frequently used as a shortened version of the given names Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett or Benson, and is also a given name in its own right.
Ben (in he, בֶּן, ''son of'') forms part of Hebrew surnames, e.g. Abraham ben Abraham ( he, × ...
Adam-12
''Adam-12'' is an American television police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the stre ...
Baker's Hawk
''Baker's Hawk'' is a 1976 American Western film directed by Lyman D. Dayton and starring Clint Walker, Burl Ives, Diane Baker, Lee H. Montgomery and Alan Young. It is based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Jack Bickham.Dead of Night'' (TV movie) .... Bobby
*1978: '' True Grit: A Further Adventure'' (TV movie) .... Daniel Sumner
*1982: ''
The Six of Us
''The Six of Us'' is a 1982 television film directed by Edward Parone and starring Gail Strickland and Marco St. John. It eventually served as a pilot film for the short-lived television series '' The Family Tree''. The 1983 series was recast (ex ...
'' (TV movie) .... Sam Benjamin
*1982: '' Split Image'' .... Walter
*1983: ''
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
'' (TV series) .... Eric Stevens
*1984: ''
Mutant
In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
'' .... Mike Cameron
*1985: ''
Prime Risk
''Prime Risk'' is a 1985 thriller film directed by Michael Farkas and starring Lee Montgomery and Toni Hudson.
Plot summary
A female engineer, with the assistance of her pilot-wannabe male friend, discovers a way to rip off automated teller mac ...
'' .... Michael Fox
*1985: ''
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a song written, recorded and performed by American musician Robert Hazard, who released it as a Single (music), single in 1979. It is best known for the version of American singer Cyndi Lauper, who covered the s ...
'' .... Jeff Malene
*1985: '' The Midnight Hour'' (TV movie) .... Phil Grenville
*1988: '' Into the Fire'' .... Wade Burnett (final film role).
References
Bibliography
* Holmstrom, John. ''The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995''. Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p. 336-337.