1897-07-14 ( 127 years old ) in Cesena, Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
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".
Movies
Days of Thrills and Laughter
1961-03-21
Elstree Story
1952-01-01
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
1951-03-23
A Bell for Adano
1945-06-21
Blood and Sand
1941-05-30
Olympic Honeymoon
1940-06-21
Shipyard Sally
1939-09-30
Queen of Hearts
1936-10-04
Man of the Moment
1935-09-01
So You Won't Talk
1935-03-01
The Church Mouse
1934-12-10
Falling in Love
1934-09-04
The Girl in Possession
1934-07-16
You Made Me Love You
1933-10-01
Heads We Go
1933-07-28
Leave It to Me
1933-04-01
For the Love of Mike
1932-12-01
Tonight's the Night - Pass It On
1931-12-26
Atlantic
1929-11-15
The Compulsory Husband
1929-11-13
Week-End Wives
1929-05-14
Adam's Apple
1928-09-03
A Perfect Gentleman
1928-01-15
Flying Luck
1927-12-04
Chasing Choo Choos
1927-06-21
Horse Shoes
1927-04-17
Play Safe
1927-01-30
Atta Boy
1926-10-10
Africa F.O.B.
1925-09-15
Keep Smiling
1925-09-06
Home Cooking
1924-07-15
The Golf Bug
1924-07-08
A Wild Goose Chase
1924-06-02
Pay or Move
1924-03-17
Wedding Bells
1924-03-16
Hot Sands
1924-02-29
Taxi Please
1923-11-30
The Covered Schooner
1923-09-29
Paging Love
1923-07-26
Love's Handicap
1923-05-18
Oils Well!
1923-02-13
Always Late
1923-01-01
Six A.M.
1923-01-01
Brilliantine the Bull Fighter
1922-11-21
Derby Day
1922-06-23
Cleaned and Dry
1921-11-01
Fresh Air
1921-10-01
In and Out
1921-07-17
A Bedroom Scandal
1921-01-15
Where Is My Wife?
1921-01-15
Nearly Married
1920-12-11
A Flivver Wedding
1920-09-01
Don't Park Here
1920-05-19
The Garage
1920-01-11
The Grocery Clerk
1919-12-01
Too Much Johnson
1919-12-01
One Night Only
1919-08-01
Her First False Hare
1919-05-01
Coppers and Scents
1919-04-01
Love
1919-03-01
Camping Out
1919-01-05
The Sheriff
1918-11-24
A Scrap of Paper
1918-10-13
The Belles of Liberty
1918-07-10
A Blind Pig
1918-06-12
Did She Do Wrong?
1918-03-10
The Purple Mask
1916-12-25
Cold Hearts and Hot Flames
1916-09-20
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