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Henry Kulky
Henry Kulky
	Kulky in The Life of Riley (1954)
Born	Henry Kulakowich; August 11, 1911; Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, U.S.
Died	February 12, 1965 (aged 53); Oceanside, California, U.S.
Resting place	Evergreen Cemetery (Oakland, California)
Other names	Bomber Kulkovich; Henry "Bomber" Kulkovich; Henry Kulkowich; Henry "Bomber" Kulky
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1947–1965

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.

Career

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.^[1]

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.^[1]

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.^[1]

Because of his tough guy image, Kulky became typecast as military men, thugs, gangsters, bartenders, wrestlers, and other "strong guys" who were at times friendly and lovable. From 1953 to 1958, he played Otto Schmidlap in the television series The Life of Riley.^[2] 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.

Death

Kulky died on February 12, 1965, in Oceanside, California, of a heart attack suffered while he was studying a script. He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery (Oakland, California).^[3]

Selected filmography

A Likely Story (1947) - Tremendo
Northwest Outpost (1947) - Peasant (uncredited)
Alias a Gentleman (1948) - Moving Man (scenes deleted)
Call Northside 777 (1948) - First Bartender (uncredited)
To the Ends of the Earth (1948) - Giant Chinese Man (uncredited)
A Foreign Affair (1948) - Russian Soldier at Marketplace (uncredited)
Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949) - Vredak (uncredited)
State Department: File 649 (1949) - Mongolian Sergeant (uncredited)
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) - Acrobat (uncredited)
Mighty Joe Young (1949) - Strongman (uncredited)
The Red Danube (1949) - Russian Officer at Camp 12 Deportation (uncredited)
Alias the Champ (1949) - Bomber Kulkovich
Bandits of El Dorado (1949) - Bartender Spade (uncredited)
Bodyhold (1949) - Mike Kalumbo
Wabash Avenue (1950) - Joe Barton
Jiggs and Maggie Out West (1950) - 'Bomber' Kulkowich
Kill the Umpire (1950) - Baseball Fan (uncredited)
Love That Brute (1950) - Mug (uncredited)
South Sea Sinner (1950) - Bartender
A Snitch in Time (1950, Short) - Steve (uncredited)
Charlie's Haunt (1950)
Force of Arms (1951) - Sgt. Reiser (uncredited)
The Guy Who Came Back (1951) - Wizard, Wrestler
You Never Can Tell (1951) - Gorilla - Wrestler / Prisoner (uncredited)
Love Nest (1951) - George Thompson
The Kid from Amarillo (1951) - Zeno
Fixed Bayonets! (1951) - Vogl (uncredited)
Red Skies of Montana (1952) - Dawson (uncredited)
Gobs and Gals (1952) - Boris
Red Planet Mars (1952) - Military Guard (uncredited)
The World in His Arms (1952) - Peter, Russian Servant
Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1952) - First Sergeant Jones
What Price Glory (1952) - Company Cook (uncredited)
Because You're Mine (1952) - Sergeant (uncredited)
My Wife's Best Friend (1952) - Pug (uncredited)
No Holds Barred (1952) - Mike the Mauler
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1952-1955, TV Series) - King / Referee
Rogue's March (1953) - Russian Fisherman-Spy (uncredited)
Target Hong Kong (1953) - Dutch Pfeifer
Confidentially Connie (1953) - Meckle - the Butcher (uncredited)
The Glory Brigade (1953) - Sgt. 'Smitty' Smitkowsky
Powder River (1953) - Bartender
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953) - Stroogo (uncredited)
The Charge at Feather River (1953) - Pvt. Smiley
Clipped Wings (1953) - Sgt. Broski (uncredited)
A Lion Is in the Streets (1953) - Polli's Butler (uncredited)
The Abbott and Costello Show (1953, TV Series) - Mulligan
The Life of Riley (1953-1958, TV Series) - Otto Schmidlap / Feeney's Big Goon
Yukon Vengeance (1954) - Schmidt
Hell and High Water (1954) - Gunner McCrossin (uncredited)
New Faces (1954) - Mr. Dee (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954) - Maurice - Sailor (uncredited)
Fireman Save My Child (1954) - Harry
Tobor the Great (1954) - Paul - Spy-Henchman
The Human Jungle (1954) - Matty
A Star Is Born (1954) - Cuddles (uncredited)
The Steel Cage (1954) - George, Convict (segment "The Chef")
Prince of Players (1955) - Bartender (uncredited)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955) - Brakeman (uncredited)
New York Confidential (1955) - Gino
Love Me or Leave Me (1955) - Bouncer (uncredited)
Finger Man (1955) - Louie (uncredited)
Francis in the Navy (1955) - Auction Bidder (uncredited)
To Hell and Back (1955) - Sgt. Stack (uncredited)
It's Always Fair Weather (1955) - Drunk in Bar (uncredited)
Jail Busters (1955) - Marty (uncredited)
The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) - Prisoner (uncredited)
Illegal (1955) - Taylor
I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955) - Barfly (uncredited)
It's a Dog's Life (1955) - Grainger (uncredited)
The Girl Can't Help It (1956) - Iceman (uncredited)
All Mine to Give (1957) - Drunk (uncredited)
Sierra Stranger (1957) - Bartender Matt
Bombers B-52 (1957) - Calvin (uncredited)
Up Periscope (1959) - Chief Petty Officer York
Compulsion (1959) - Tough Waiter (uncredited)
The Gunfight at Dodge City (1959) - Charlie the Bartender (uncredited)
Guns of the Timberland (1960) - Logger
New Comedy Showcase (1960, TV series) - Townsperson
Pete and Gladys (1962, TV Series) - Charlie Fox
All Fall Down (1962) - Sailor (uncredited)
Hennesey (1960–1962, TV Series) - Chief Max Bronsky
Going My Way (1963, TV Series) - Mr. Rice
A Global Affair (1964) - Charlie - Newsstand Proprietor (uncredited)
Bonanza (1964, TV Series) - Bearcat Sampson (Episode: "Old Sheba")
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964–1965, TV Series) - Chief Curley Jones (final appearance)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Oliver, Greg (October 27, 2007). "From the mat to the Bottom of the Sea". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Kulky Bio
^ Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Location 11241). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition