Peter Mamakos (December 14, 1918 – April 27, 2008) was an American film and television

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

Early life

Mamakos was of Greek descent. Mamakos' father owned Pilgrim restaurants in New England. Mamakos was sent to California to scout locations for restaurants, but he liked Hollywood so much that he decided to stay, declining his father's offers of $50,000 in cash and a $250,000 nightclub of his own if he returned to Boston. He told a reporter, "I feel right at home in Hollywood. A hot kitchen and a hot sound stage are alike -- you're surrounded by hams in both."

Career

Peter Mamakos was perhaps best known for playing Greek, Indian, Hispanic, French, Italian and Middle Eastern villains from the 1940s through the 1990s.

Film

Mamakos was in eight movies in his first seven months in Hollywood. Mamakos appeared in ''

Trail of the Yukon ''Trail of the Yukon'' is a 1949 American Northern film directed by William Beaudine and starring Kirby Grant, Suzanne Dalbert and Bill Edwards. It was based on a novel by James Oliver Curwood about a North-West Mounted Police officer and his ...

'' (1949), in which he and other supporting players offered what a ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' review called "stock performances".

Television

He had a recurring role as Jean Lafitte on the ABC western ''

The Adventures of Jim Bowie ''The Adventures of Jim Bowie'' is an American Western television series that aired on ABC from 1956 to 1958. Its setting was the 1830s-era Louisiana Territory. The series was an adaptation of the book ''Tempered Blade'', by Monte Barrett. Synop ...

''. He also appeared as a Lionian Henchman in ''

Tarzan and the Slave Girl ''Tarzan and the Slave Girl'' is a 1950 American adventure film directed by Lee Sholem and starring Lex Barker as Tarzan, Vanessa Brown as Jane, and Robert Alda as big game hunter Neil. The plot involves a lost civilization in Africa, a strange ...

'' (1950) starring

Lex Barker Alexander Crichlow Barker Jr. (May 8, 1919 – May 11, 1973), known as Lex Barker, was an American actor. He was known for playing Tarzan for RKO Pictures between 1949 and 1953, and portraying leading characters from Karl May's novels, notably a ...

. Mamakos made three guest appearances on ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' from 1962 to 1966, including the role of murderer Nick Paolo in the 1962 episode, "The Case of the Stand-in Sister", Juan Carlos Ramirez in the 1964 episode, "The Case of a Place Called Midnight" and murder victim Olaf Deering in the 1966 episode, "The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise". He also appeared in 1966 in episodes 41 and 42 of '' Batman''. He appeared in several episodes of the TV show ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

''. Mamakos is also remembered as Happy J. King, the

Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big ci ...

crime boss who engaged a European criminal scientist to invent "synthetic kryptonite". Kidnapping

Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning journalist for ...

and Jimmy Olsen, King came closer than any other criminal in ridding the Earth of Superman (

George Reeves George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series '' Adventures of Superman'' (1952–1958). His death at age 45 from a g ...

). This event was recounted in "The Defeat of Superman", the sixth episode of the second season of '' The Adventures of Superman'' which first aired on October 24, 1953. He co-starred on ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'' in 1970 as a Cherokee chief in episode 18 "A Run for the Money".

Personal life

Mamakos was married and had a daughter who was born in 1955 and a son born in 1957.

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mamakos, Peter 1918 births 2008 deaths American people of Greek descent American male film actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors