Henry Kulky
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.
Filmography
A Global Affair
as Charlie - Newsstand Proprietor (uncredited)
A Global Affair
as Charlie - Newsstand Proprietor (uncredited)
Guns of the Timberland
as Logger
Guns of the Timberland
as Logger
Up Periscope
as Chief Petty Officer York
Up Periscope
as Chief Petty Officer York
Bombers B-52
as Calvin (uncredited)
Bombers B-52
as Calvin (uncredited)
Sierra Stranger
as Bartender Matt
Sierra Stranger
as Bartender Matt
Army Daze
as Sergeant Bonebreaker
Army Daze
as Sergeant Bonebreaker
I'll Cry Tomorrow
as Man in Bar (uncredited)
I'll Cry Tomorrow
as Man in Bar (uncredited)
Illegal
as Taylor
Illegal
as Taylor
The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing
as Prisoner (uncredited)
The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing
as Prisoner (uncredited)
It's Always Fair Weather
as Drunk in Bar (uncredited)
It's Always Fair Weather
as Drunk in Bar (uncredited)
Love Me or Leave Me
as Bouncer
Love Me or Leave Me
as Bouncer
New York Confidential
as Gino
New York Confidential
as Gino
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
as Brakeman (uncredited)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
as Brakeman (uncredited)
The Human Jungle
as Matty
The Human Jungle
as Matty
A Star Is Born
as Cuddles (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
as Cuddles (uncredited)
Tobor the Great
as Paul (Spy Henchman)
Tobor the Great
as Paul (Spy Henchman)
Fireman Save My Child
as Harry
Fireman Save My Child
as Harry
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
as Maurice - Sailor (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
as Maurice - Sailor (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
as Maurice - Sailor (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
as Maurice - Sailor (uncredited)
New Faces
as Mr. Dee (uncredited)
New Faces
as Mr. Dee (uncredited)
Hell and High Water
as McCrossin (uncredited)
Hell and High Water
as McCrossin (uncredited)
Yukon Vengeance
as Schmidt
Yukon Vengeance
as Schmidt
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.
as Stroogo (uncredited)
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.
as Stroogo (uncredited)
The Glory Brigade
as Sgt. 'Smitty' Smitkowsky
The Glory Brigade
as Sgt. 'Smitty' Smitkowsky
Down Among the Sheltering Palms
as First Sergeant Jones
Down Among the Sheltering Palms
as First Sergeant Jones
Target Hong Kong
as Dutch Pfeifer
Target Hong Kong
as Dutch Pfeifer
No Holds Barred
as Mike the Mauler
No Holds Barred
as Mike the Mauler
The World in His Arms
as Peter, Russian Servant
The World in His Arms
as Peter, Russian Servant
Aim, Fire, Scoot
as Sgt. Bonebreaker
Aim, Fire, Scoot
as Sgt. Bonebreaker
Red Skies of Montana
as Dawson (uncredited)
Red Skies of Montana
as Dawson (uncredited)
Fixed Bayonets!
as Vogl (uncredited)
Fixed Bayonets!
as Vogl (uncredited)
Love Nest
as George Thompson
Love Nest
as George Thompson
You Never Can Tell
as Gorilla / Prisoner (uncredited)
You Never Can Tell
as Gorilla / Prisoner (uncredited)
The Guy Who Came Back
as Wizard, Wrestler
The Guy Who Came Back
as Wizard, Wrestler
South Sea Sinner
as Bartender
South Sea Sinner
as Bartender
Jiggs and Maggie Out West
as 'Bomber' Kulkowich (as Henry Kulkowich)
Jiggs and Maggie Out West
as 'Bomber' Kulkowich (as Henry Kulkowich)
The Red Danube
as Russian Officer at Camp 12 Deportation
The Red Danube
as Russian Officer at Camp 12 Deportation
Mighty Joe Young
as Strong Man (uncredited)
Mighty Joe Young
as Strong Man (uncredited)
Tarzan's Magic Fountain
as Vredak
Tarzan's Magic Fountain
as Vredak
A Foreign Affair
as Russian Sergeant (uncredited)
A Foreign Affair
as Russian Sergeant (uncredited)
Call Northside 777
as First Bartender (uncredited)
Call Northside 777
as First Bartender (uncredited)
To the Ends of the Earth
as Giant Chinese Man (uncredited)
To the Ends of the Earth
as Giant Chinese Man (uncredited)
A Likely Story
as Tremendo
A Likely Story
as Tremendo