Henry Kulky
Acting • Born 1911-08-11 – Died 1965-02-12
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.
Filmography
78 credits
Call Northside 777
Movie • 1948
First Bartender (uncredited)
Alias the Champ
Movie • 1949
Bomber Kulkovich - Wrestler
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.
Movie • 1953
Stroogo (uncredited)
New York Confidential
Movie • 1955
Gino
The Human Jungle
Movie • 1954
Matty
Fireman Save My Child
Movie • 1954
Harry
Tobor the Great
Movie • 1954
Paul (Spy Henchman)
Mighty Joe Young
Movie • 1949
Strong Man (uncredited)
Illegal
Movie • 1955
Taylor
Fixed Bayonets!
Movie • 1951
Vogl (uncredited)
Target Hong Kong
Movie • 1953
Dutch Pfeifer
No Holds Barred
Movie • 1952
Mike the Mauler
To the Ends of the Earth
Movie • 1948
Giant Chinese Man (uncredited)
Guns of the Timberland
Movie • 1960
Logger
You Never Can Tell
Movie • 1951
Gorilla / Prisoner (uncredited)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
Movie • 1955
Brakeman (uncredited)
Tarzan's Magic Fountain
Movie • 1949
Vredak
A Foreign Affair
Movie • 1948
Russian Sergeant (uncredited)
Sierra Stranger
Movie • 1957
Bartender Matt
The Guy Who Came Back
Movie • 1951
Wizard, Wrestler
Love Nest
Movie • 1951
George Thompson
Down Among the Sheltering Palms
Movie • 1953
First Sergeant Jones
A Star Is Born
Movie • 1954
Cuddles (uncredited)
Aim, Fire, Scoot
Movie • 1952
Sgt. Bonebreaker
Army Daze
Movie • 1956
Sergeant Bonebreaker
Red Skies of Montana
Movie • 1952
Dawson (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
Movie • 1954
Maurice
It's Always Fair Weather
Movie • 1955
Drunk in Bar (uncredited)
Hell and High Water
Movie • 1954
McCrossin (uncredited)
A Likely Story
Movie • 1947
Tremendo
Jiggs and Maggie Out West
Movie • 1950
'Bomber' Kulkowich (as Henry Kulkowich)
I'll Cry Tomorrow
Movie • 1955
Man in Bar (uncredited)
A Snitch in Time
Movie • 1950
Steve (uncredited)
Yukon Vengeance
Movie • 1954
Schmidt
Bombers B-52
Movie • 1957
Calvin (uncredited)
The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing
Movie • 1955
Prisoner (uncredited)
New Faces
Movie • 1954
Mr. Dee (uncredited)
Up Periscope
Movie • 1959
Chief Petty Officer York
The Glory Brigade
Movie • 1953
Sgt. 'Smitty' Smitkowsky
Love Me or Leave Me
Movie • 1955
Bouncer
South Sea Sinner
Movie • 1950
Bartender
The Red Danube
Movie • 1949
Russian Officer at Camp 12 Deportation
The World in His Arms
Movie • 1952
Peter, Russian Servant
A Global Affair
Movie • 1964
Charlie - Newsstand Proprietor (uncredited)
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
Movie • 1954
Maurice - Sailor (uncredited)
The Life Of Riley
TV • 1953
Feeney's Big Goon (uncredited)
The Thin Man
TV • 1957
Tom Culdane
The Thin Man
TV • 1957
Sandy - Henchman
Going My Way
TV • 1962
Hennesey
TV • 1959
Chief Max Bronsky
The Thin Man
TV • 1957
Adventures of Superman
TV • 1952
Crusher (uncredited)
Pete and Gladys
TV • 1960
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
TV • 1956
Grindl
TV • 1963
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
TV • 1951
Navy Log
TV • 1955
Racket Squad
TV • 1951
Cavalcade of America
TV • 1952
Ernie
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Bearcat Sampson
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
TV • 1964
Curley Jones
The Texan
TV • 1958
Joe
Hey, Jeannie!
TV • 1956
Guy
The Life Of Riley
TV • 1953
Otto Schmidlap
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
TV • 1952
Fish Truck Driver
U.S. Marshall
TV • 1956
Pinto
The Life Of Riley
TV • 1953
Otto Schmidlapp
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Self/Sgt. Flannagan
I Love Lucy
TV • 1951
Trainer (uncredited)
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Father with Nine Kids (uncredited)
The Life Of Riley
TV • 1953
Otto
Public Defender
TV • 1954
Murphy
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Jerry
The Abbott and Costello Show
TV • 1952
Mulligan
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
TV • 1964
Chief Curley Jones
The Life Of Riley
TV • 1953
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
TV • 1951
Referee (uncredited)
Maverick
TV • 1957
Bartender (uncredited)