Montie Montana (born Owen Harlen Mickel; June 21, 1910 – May 20, 1998), was a rodeo trick rider, actor, stuntman and cowboy inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1994.He was born in Wolf Point, Montana. He was a perennial participant in the Tournament of Roses Parade until his death in 1998. TV viewers know him from more than 60 appearances, waving to the crowd from his silver saddle. He can be seen as a contestant on the 7th May 1959 TV broadcast of You Bet Your Life, along with his horse Rex.Mr. Montana would go to elementary schools and perform with Rex. He was at Camellia Avenue Elementary School in North Hollywood, CA in 1959, and he would talk about the rubber horseshoes Rex would be fitted with so Rex would not slip on the asphalt playground while Montie was riding Rex. He performed rope tricks on and off of Rex, and would pass out photos of him and Rex to the students at the end of his show. He was very generous with his time.In 1996, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.
Son Monte Montana Jr. (born 1935) continues a dynasty started by his father--actor, stuntman, trick rider and roper and rodeo performer. The younger Montana is one of the people responsible for preserving and promoting western arena arts.
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Rodeo entertainer & rodeo trick roper.
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Inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame of the Rodeo Historical Society (a support group of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum) in 1989.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Arizona Bushwhackers
1968
Stage Driver
The Young Rounders
1966
Cheyenne Autumn
1964
Trooper (uncredited)
Hud
1963
Cowboy (uncredited)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
Cowboy on Pinto Pony (uncredited)
Alcoa Premiere
1962
TV Series
The 3rd Hand
Pony Express
1960
TV Series
Stage Driver
The Rifleman
1958-1960
TV Series
Stage Driver / Cowboy
Frontier Doctor
1959
TV Series
26 Men
1959
TV Series
Montie Montana
The Boy from Oklahoma
1954
Roper (uncredited)
The Story of Will Rogers
1952
Trick Roping Double for Will Rogers Jr. (uncredited)
Down Dakota Way
1949
Sheriff Holbrook
Man from Frisco
1944
Montana (uncredited)
Take It Big
1944
Show Performer (uncredited)
Riders of the Deadline
1943
Private Calhoun
Sittin' Pretty
1941
Short
Trick Rider and Roper
The Kid from Texas
1939
Trick Rider (uncredited)
Melody Trail
1935
Rodeo Rider (uncredited)
Border Vengeance
1935
Montie Montana, Trick Rider (uncredited)
The Circle of Death
1935
Little Buffalo, alias Jim Little
Stand Up and Cheer!
1934
Rope Spinner (uncredited)
The Saddle Buster
1932
Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Stunts
Title
Year
Status
Character
Cheyenne Autumn
1964
stunts - uncredited
Stoney Burke
1962
TV Series stunts
Wide Country
1962
TV Series stunts
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
stunts - uncredited
Two Rode Together
1961
stunts - uncredited
The Sheriff of Cochise
1957
TV Series riding double - 1 episode
A Star Is Born
1954
stunts - uncredited
The Story of Will Rogers
1952
stunt coordinator - uncredited / stunt double: Will Rogers Jr. - uncredited
The Kid from Texas
1939
stunt double: Dennis O'Keefe polo riding - uncredited
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Forty Days of Musa Dagh
1982
wrangler
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Wildest West Show of the Stars
1986
TV Movie
Himself
The John Davidson Show
1982
TV Series
Himself
Here's Hollywood
1962
TV Series
Himself
You Bet Your Life
1959
TV Series
Himself - Cowboy Actor
Screen Snapshots: Out West in Hollywood
1953
Documentary short
Himself (uncredited)
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Goes Western
1951
Documentary short
Himself
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Rodeo
1949
Documentary short
Himself
Screen Snapshots: Seeing Hollywood
1940
Documentary short
Rodeo Trick Rider
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Cowboy Stars
1955
Documentary short
Himself
Rhythm of the Saddle
1938
Rodeo Trick Rider (uncredited)
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1992
Golden Boot
Golden Boot Awards
Known for movies
The Circle of Death (1935) as Little Buffalo, alias Jim Little
$12 Million
