Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Bomber Kulkovich , Henry 'Bomber' Kulkovich , Henry Kulkowich , Henry 'Bomber' Kulky

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, USa

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 27

TV Involvements: 8


Most Famous Work

Biography

Henry Kulky (born Henry Kulakowich; August 11, 1911 – February 12, 1965) was an American actor and professional wrestler from Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, probably best remembered as Chief Petty Officer Curly Jones from season 1 of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Kulky began boxing in his teenage years. After six bouts, he stopped boxing when he was offered a position training wrestlers at St. Matthew's Lyceum in his native Hastings-on-Hudson. Stanislaus Zbyszko convinced Kulky to compete professionally in 1939. Moving to Argentina, Kulky competed throughout South America under the ring name Bomber Kulkavich. The number of matches in which he competed is uncertain; one claim states that he won 172 of 175 matches. Kulky, however, claims that he won nearly all of 7,000 matches. While in South America, he is also said to have won the continent's judo crown. Like most wrestlers who turned to acting in the 1950s he owed his big break to Mike Mazurki. The two appeared in several parts in the 1940s and 1950s, with Mazurki's agent getting him a part in Call Northside 777. Because of his rather tough guy image, Kulky became typecast as military men, thugs, gangsters, bartenders, wrestlers and other "strong guys" who were at times quite friendly and lovable characters contrasting strongly with the tough guy image. From 1953 to 1958, he played Otto Schmidlap in the television series The Life of Riley. In the series, Kulky portrayed a co-worker of series character Chester Riley, a wing riveter at an aircraft plant. In 1952 he appeared in an episode (#11) of Adventures of Superman, as a wrestler working for a crooked promoter. In 1954 he appeared in an episode (#141) of The Lone Ranger. From 1959 to 1962, Kulky was cast in the recurring role as Chief Max Bronsky in forty-six episodes of Jackie Cooper's CBS military sitcom-drama television series Hennesey. The role was close to Kulky's heart because during World War II, he was a boatswain's mate in the United States Navy. Kulky's last role was as Chief Curley Jones in the television series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He died on February 12, 1965, in Oceanside, California, of a heart attack suffered while he was studying a script.

Most Famous Work

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Average
8

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

(1964) Curley Jones
Bonanza
Average
8

Bonanza

(1959) Bearcat Sampson
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
Average
8

Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color

(1954) Father with Nine Kids (uncredited)
Cavalcade of America
Average
4

Cavalcade of America

(1952) Ernie
The Texan
Average
6

The Texan

(1958) Joe
The Thin Man
Average
8

The Thin Man

(1957) Sandy - Henchman
A Star Is Born
Average
7

A Star Is Born

(1954) Cuddles (uncredited)
Mighty Joe Young
Average
6

Mighty Joe Young

(1949) Strong Man (uncredited)

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
1964 N/A
Curley Jones
1963 N/A
1962 N/A
1960 N/A
Logger
1959 N/A
Bearcat Sampson
Chief Petty Officer York
1958 Joe
1957 Calvin (uncredited)
N/A
Tom Culdane
Sandy - Henchman
Bartender Matt
1956 Pinto
Guy
N/A
Sergeant Bonebreaker
1955 Man in Bar (uncredited)
Taylor
Prisoner (uncredited)
N/A
Bouncer
Gino
Brakeman (uncredited)
1954 Father with Nine Kids (uncredited)
Matty
Cuddles (uncredited)
Paul (Spy Henchman)
Harry
Maurice
N/A
Mr. Dee (uncredited)
McCrossin (uncredited)
Schmidt
1953 Stroogo (uncredited)
Sgt. 'Smitty' Smitkowsky
First Sergeant Jones
Dutch Pfeifer
Feeney's Big Goon (uncredited)
Otto
Otto Schmidlap
1952 Mike the Mauler
Fish Truck Driver
Ernie
Crusher (uncredited)
Sgt. Bonebreaker
Dawson (uncredited)
1951 Vogl (uncredited)
Trainer (uncredited)
George Thompson
Gorilla / Prisoner (uncredited)
Wizard, Wrestler
N/A
N/A
1950 Steve (uncredited)
Bartender
'Bomber' Kulkowich (as Henry Kulkowich)
1949 Bomber Kulkovich - Wrestler
Strong Man (uncredited)
Vredak
1948 Russian Sergeant (uncredited)
First Bartender (uncredited)
Giant Chinese Man (uncredited)
1947 Tremendo
Year Character Movie/Tv

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