Peter Mamakos (December 14, 1918 – April 27, 2008) was an American film and television actor.
Early life Mamakos was of Greek descent. Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, he attended Somerville High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society, the Players Club (drama society), and the Boys Glee Club. Somerville Radiator, 1937
Mamakos' father owned Pilgrim restaurants in New England. Mamakos was sent to California to scout locations for restaurants, but he liked Hollywood so much that he decided to stay, declining his father's offers of $50,000 in cash and a $250,000 nightclub of his own if he returned to Boston. He told a reporter, "I feel right at home in Hollywood. A hot kitchen and a hot sound stage are alike – you're surrounded by hams in both." Career Peter Mamakos was perhaps best known for playing Greek, Indian, Hispanic, French, Italian, and Middle Eastern villains from the 1940s through the 1990s.
Film Mamakos was in eight movies in his first seven months in Hollywood. Mamakos appeared in Trail of the Yukon (1949), in which other supporting players and he offered what a Variety review called "stock performances".
Television He had a recurring role as Jean Lafitte on the ABC Western The Adventures of Jim Bowie. He also appeared as a Lionian Henchman in Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950) starring Lex Barker. Mamakos made three guest appearances on Perry Mason from 1962 to 1966, in the role of murderer Nick Paolo in the 1962 episode, "The Case of the Stand-in Sister", Juan Carlos Ramirez in the 1964 episode, "The Case of a Place Called Midnight", and murder victim Olaf Deering in the 1966 episode, "The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise". He also appeared in 1966 in episodes 41 and 42 of Batman. He appeared in several episodes of the TV show The Lone Ranger.
Mamakos is also remembered as Happy J. King, the Metropolis crime boss who engaged a European criminal scientist to invent "synthetic kryptonite". Kidnapping Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, King came closer than any other criminal in ridding the Earth of Superman (George Reeves). This event was recounted in "The Defeat of Superman", the sixth episode of the second season of The Adventures of Superman, which first aired on October 24, 1953. He co-starred on Daniel Boone in 1970 as a Cherokee chief in episode 18 "A Run for the Money".
Personal life Mamakos was married and had a daughter who was born in 1955 and a son born in 1957.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1949 Bride of Vengeance Ferrara's Crossbowman Uncredited1949 Tuna Clipper Capt. Manuel Pereira 1949 House of Strangers Bank Guard Uncredited1949 Trail of the Yukon Henchman Rand 1950 Malaya Henchman Uncredited1950 Cargo to Capetown Gomez Uncredited1950 Tarzan and the Slave Girl Lionian Henchman Uncredited1950 South Sea Sinner Man at Table Uncredited1950 Between Midnight and Dawn 'Cootie' Adams 1950 Kim Conspirator Uncredited1951 Flame of Stamboul Pierre Uncredited1951 Pier 23 Nick Garrison 1951 Sirocco Merchant Businessman Uncredited1951 China Corsair Juan (bartender) Uncredited1951 Silver Canyon Laughing Jack 1951 Mask of the Avenger Sergeant Uncredited1951 The Mark of the Renegade Pirate Uncredited1951 Comin' Round the Mountain Gangster in Night Club 1951 Let's Go Navy! Chief Nuramo Uncredited1951 The People Against O'Hara James Korvac Uncredited1952 Harem Girl Sarab 1952 Viva Zapata! Soldier Uncredited1952 Tarzan's Savage Fury Pilot Uncredited1952 Captain Pirate Coulevain's First Mate Uncredited1952 Horizons West Lt. Salazar Uncredited1952 The Prisoner of Zenda De Gautet - Conspirator Uncredited1953 City Beneath the Sea Captain Pedro Mendoza 1953 The Bandits of Corsica Diegas 1953 Fort Vengeance Broken Lance Uncredited1953 The Glory Brigade Col. Kallicles Uncredited1953 Forbidden Sam 1953 El Alaméin Cpl. Singh Das 1953 Private Eyes Chico 1954 The Miami Story Gangster Uncredited1954 Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl Pirate Uncredited1954 The Gambler from Natchez Etienne Uncredited1954 The Adventures of Hajji Baba Chief Executioner Uncredited1955 Pirates of Tripoli Keppa Uncredited1955 The Prodigal Guard Uncredited1955 A Bullet for Joey Ship Captain Uncredited1955 I Cover the Underworld Charlie Green 1955 The Marauders Ramos 1955 Ain't Misbehavin' Andy, Greek Fisherman 1955 The Twinkle in God's Eye Cruishank Uncredited1955 Desert Sands Pvt. Lucia Capella 1956 The Conqueror Bogurchi 1956 When Gangland Strikes Mr. Thorndyke Uncredited1956 Miracle in the Rain Headwaiter Uncredited1956 The Searchers Jerem Futterman Uncredited1956 Quincannon, Frontier Scout Blackfoot Sam 1956 The Best Things in Life Are Free Henchman Uncredited1956 The Ten Commandments Chief Driver 1957 Spook Chasers Snap Sizzolo 1957 My Gun Is Quick LaRoche – Smuggler Chief 1957 Looking for Danger Hassan 1957 The Crooked Circle Nick 1957 Sabu and the Magic Ring Mazufar 1958 Fort Bowie Sgt Kukas 1958 Merry Andrew Vittorio Gallini 1958 The Man Who Died Twice Deli Counterman Uncredited1959 The Rabbit Trap Truck Driver Uncredited1962 Terror at Black Falls Juan Avila 1963 Drums of Africa Chavera 1963 Island of Love Nick 1964 Taggart Cantina Owner Uncredited1965 Ship of Fools Religious Man Uncredited1967 Catalina Caper Borman 1968 The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Spirmonedes 1969 Justine Kawwass Uncredited1969 A Dream of Kings Falconis 1970 Triangle 1971 The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler Premier Mabulla 1974 For Pete's Sake Dominic 1977 The Other Side of Midnight Cocyannis 1980 The Man with Bogart's Face Spoony Singh
Television Year Title Role Notes1958 Gunsmoke Art Carp S3:E38, "Overland Express"1960 Rawhide Eddie S2:E14, "Incident of the Devil and his Due"1961 Rawhide Slade S3:E25, "Incident of the Running Man"1963 The Virginian Walzchek S1:E30 "The Final Hour"1969 Mannix Smith S3:E9 "The Nowhere Victim"
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