Nat Pendleton
Known for: Acting
Nathaniel Greene 'Nat' Pendleton was an American former Olympic wrestler turned actor. Two-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) champion (1914-1915) in the 175-lb. class at Columbia University, Pendleton graduated Class of 1916. He wrestled for the United States at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium, earning a silver medal, losing only one match due to a controversial point decision. After the Games he became a professional wrestler and was a big fan favorite, which led to Hollywood. In the 1920 census he was living in Manhattan with his first wife Juanita Alfonzo (age 22) and her brother Ramon Alfonso (age 13). He was working as a sports manager. Pendleton was usually cast as a circus strongman, brutish thug, dumb cop, or dense buffoon, but he had a college degree and in 1933 wrote the script for Deception (1932), in which he starred - not surprisingly - as a wrestler. Upon his death from a heart attack, his remains were interred at Cypress View Mausoleum and Crematory in San Diego, California. Nat Pendleton was inducted into the Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2006.
Filmography
Film
Baby Face
Stolvich - Laborer (uncredited)
1933
The George Gobel Show
Self
1954
Film
Blonde Crazy
Hank aka Pete
1931
Film
The Thin Man
Inspector Guild
1934
Film
It's a Wonderful World
Sergeant Fred Koretz
1939
Film
Buck Privates
Sgt. Michael Collins
1941
Film
The Sign of the Cross
Strabo
1932
Film
The Great Ziegfeld
Sandow
1936
Film
I'm No Angel
Harry (uncredited)
1933
Film
Flight Command
C.P.O. 'Spike' Knowles
1940
Film
Crazy House
Chef (uncredited)
1930
Film
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
2003
Film
Lady for a Day
Shakespeare
1933
Film
Swing Fever
'Killer' Kennedy
1943
Film
Another Thin Man
Lieutenant Guild
1939
Film
The Gay Bride
William T. 'Shoots' Magiz
1934
Film
Manhattan Melodrama
Spud
1934
Film
Northwest Passage
'Cap' Huff
1940
Film
Horse Feathers
MacHardie (uncredited)
1932
Film
The Big Parade of Comedy
William T. Magiz in 'The Gay Bride' (archive footage)
1964
Film
Fugitive Lovers
Legs Caffey
1934
Film
Buck Privates Come Home
Sgt. Michael Collins
1947
Film
On Borrowed Time
Mr. Grimes
1939
Film
Penthouse
Tony Gazotti
1933
Film
The Shopworn Angel
'Dice'
1938
Film
At the Circus
Goliath
1939
Film
The Beast of the City
Abe Gorman (uncredited)
1932
Film
New Moon
Bondsman
1940
Film
Death Valley
Jim Ward
1946
Film
Breakdowns of 1938
Joe (archive footage) (uncredited)
1938
Film
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Bill Raymond (archive footage)
1991
Film
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
Wayman
1940
Film
Under Cover of Night
Police Sgt. Lucks
1937
Film
The Night Club Lady
Mike McDougal
1932
Film
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
Wayman
1939
Film
The Defense Rests
Rocky
1934
Film
Times Square Lady
Mack
1935
Film
Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld
Self (archive footage)
1994
Film
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
Joe Weyman
1942
Film
Two in a Crowd
Flynn
1936
Film
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
Joe Wayman
1940
Film
Jail House Blues
Sonny McGann
1942
Film
Murder in the Fleet
'Spud' Burke
1935
Film
The Laughing Lady
James Dugan
1929
Film
Young Dr. Kildare
Joe Wayman
1938
Film
Calling Dr. Kildare
Joe Wayman
1939
Film
It's in the Air
Henry Potke
1935
Film
Reckless
Blossom
1935
Film
The Hoosier Schoolmaster
Bud Means
1924
Film
The Big Pond
Pat O'Day
1930
Film
Sing Me a Love Song
Rocky
1936
Film
The World of Abbott and Costello
Sergeant Michael Collins in Buck Privates (archive footage)
1965
Film
Phantom Raiders
'Gunboat' Jacklin
1940
Film
The Golden Fleecing
'Fatso' Werner
1940
Film
Parachute Jumper
Motorcycle Policeman (uncredited)
1933
Film
The Girl from Missouri
Life Guard
1934
Film
Life Begins in College
George Black
1937
Film
Flesh
Wrestler (uncredited)
1932
Film
The Cat's-Paw
Strozzi
1934
Film
College Coach
Petrowski
1933
Film
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
Joe Wayman
1940
Film
Death on the Diamond
John 'Truck' Hogan
1934
Film
The Garden Murder Case
Sergeant Ernest Heath
1936
Film
Taxi!
Bull Martin (uncredited)
1932
Film
Child of Manhattan
Spyrene - Dance Hall Bouncer
1933
Film
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case
Joe Weyman
1943
Film
Arsène Lupin Returns
Joe Doyle
1938
Film
The Chaser
Floppy Phil
1938
Film
Calm Yourself
Knuckles Benedict
1935
Film
The Spirit of Notre Dame
Assistant Coach
1931
Film
The Crowd Roars
'Pug' Walsh
1938
Film
Lazy River
Alfred 'Tiny' Smith
1934
Film
The Ghost Comes Home
Roscoe
1940
Film
Calling Dr. Gillespie
Joe Weyman
1942
Film
Fast Company
Paul Terison
1938
Film
The Star Witness
Big Jack
1931
Film
Trapped by Television
Rocky O'Neil
1936
Film
The Chief
Big Mike
1933
Film
Sing and Like It
T. Fenny Sylvester
1934
Film
Scared to Death
Bill 'Bull' Raymond
1947
Film
The Ruling Voice
Board Member (uncredited)
1931
Film
Baby Face Harrington
Rocky
1935
Film
The Nuisance
Aloysius P. McCarthy (uncredited)
1933
Film
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
Buddy Buttle
1939
Film
The Luckiest Girl in the World
Dugan
1936
Film
The Last of the Duanes
Bossamer
1930
Film
The Mad Doctor of Market Street
Red Hogan
1942
Film
Sworn Enemy
'Steamer' Krupp
1936
Film
Gangway
Smiles Hogan
1937
Film
The Secret Witness
Gunner - Bodyguard
1931
Film
By Whose Hand?
'Killer' Delmar
1932
Film
Fair Warning
Purvis
1931
Film
Manhattan Parade
Lady Godiva's Husband
1931
Film
Swing Your Lady
Joe Skopapolous
1938
Film
Here Comes the Band
'Piccolo Pete'
1935
Film
Seas Beneath
'Butch' Wagner (uncredited)
1931
Film
The Sea Wolf
Smoke
1930
Film
Attorney for the Defense
Mugg Malone
1932
Film
Straight Is the Way
Skippy
1934
Film
Top Sergeant Mulligan
Top Sgt. Herman Mulligan
1941
Film
A Fool's Advice
Kelly - Naughty Boy
1932
Film
6,000 Enemies
Socks Martin
1939
Film
The Tenderfoot
Joe (uncredited)
1932
Film
Whistling in the Dark
Joe
1933
Film
Let's Get Married
Jimmy
1926
Film
Song of the City
Benvenuto Romandi
1937
Film
The Big Timer
Kid Melrose (uncredited)
1932
Film
Goldie Gets Along
Motorcycle Officer Cassidy
1933
Film
Hell-Fire Austin
Bouncer
1932
Film
Exposure
Maniac Killer
1932
Deception
Bucky O'Neill
1932