Monty Banks

Biography

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".

Known For

Film Director

Falling in Love

The Boy

Play Safe

Antonio Lopez

Blood and Sand

Convict

Tonight's the Night - Pass It On

The Tow Gusher, a 'He Vamp'

The Grocery Clerk

(archive footage)

Ça, c'est du cinéma

Man with Dog (uncredited)

The Garage

Derby Day

Monty

Pay or Move

The Boy

The Covered Schooner

The Groom

Wedding Bells

Harry Blump, the Window Washer (uncredited)

The Church Mouse

Monty Banks, the Stranger

Africa F.O.B.

Orban

Olympic Honeymoon

Soldier

A Scrap of Paper

Himself

Elstree Story

Jack Elliot & Jacques, Patricia's Butler (as Mario Bianchi)

The Purple Mask

A Rival

Don't Park Here

Monty

Chasing Choo Choos

The Boy

Flying Luck

Farmhand

Love

Adolph Brilliantino

Brilliantine the Bull Fighter

Monty, the Office Force

Oils Well!

Hot Sands

Chef

For the Love of Mike

Shipyard Sally

Cold Hearts and Hot Flames

Count Up / Mac Aroni

Nearly Married

Montague Banking

Queen of Hearts

Always Late

Six A.M.

Self (archive footage)

Days of Thrills and Laughter

Taxi Driver (uncredited)

You Made Me Love You

French Salesman

A Blind Pig

Monty Milde

Atta Boy

One Night Only

A Husband

A Bedroom Scandal

The Jealous Husband

Where Is My Wife?

Chauffeur

Heads We Go

Caruso

The Girl in Possession

Sherlock McNutt

Coppers and Scents

Unnamed

Her First False Hare

The Boy

A Flivver Wedding

The boy

Fresh Air

The Dry Cleaner Delivery Wagon Driver

Cleaned and Dry

The Watchful Waiter

Love's Handicap

The Jailbird

Squirrel Food

The Encyclopedia Salesman

Paging Love

Monty

A Wild Goose Chase

Home Cooking

Monty

The Compulsory Husband

Max Ammon

Week-End Wives

Dandy

Atlantic

Monty Adams

Adam's Apple

Monty Brooks

A Perfect Gentleman

Tony

So You Won't Talk

Doctor

Man of the Moment

Monty

The Golf Bug

The Taxi Driver

Taxi Please

Harold Hatband (Son) as Frenchie Bianchi

The Belles of Liberty

Monty Milde

Horse Shoes

The Boy

Keep Smiling

Giuseppe

A Bell for Adano

Leon Dathis

Too Much Johnson

Camping Out

The Sheriff

Mr. Newlywed

In and Out

Did She Do Wrong?

Leave It to Me

Dinning Customer

The Head Waiter