Mike Lane

Michael V. Lane (January 6, 1933 – June 1, 2015) was an American actor and professional wrestler. He is best known for his role as Toro Moreno in the 1956 film The Harder They Fall, a film noir based on the Primo Carnera boxing scandal.

Biography Lane's size (height 6'8" or 2.03 m, weight 275 lbs or 125 kg) led him to work in the King Bros. Circus boxing tent and wrestling tent. He also wrestled professionally under the name "Tarzan Mike" in 1952–1959. While filming The Harder They Fall, Lane was given dramatic and boxing lessons to appear as the giant Toro Moreno, an outclassed boxer based on Primo Carnera.

Lane made numerous television appearances including a role as a country bumpkin who gets talked into boxing by Bret Maverick (James Garner) and Dandy Jim Buckley (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) in an epic 1957 episode of Maverick entitled "Stampede." Lane also had a regular role as Frank N. Stein in Monster Squad (1976).

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1956 The Harder They Fall Toro Moreno 1957 Hell Canyon Outlaws Henchman Nels 1958 Frankenstein 1970 Hans Himmler / The Monster 1960 Who Was That Lady? Glinka 1961 Valley of the Dragons Anoka 1962 Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules Hercules 1967 The Way West Sioux Chief 1968 Stay Away, Joe Frank Hawk 1972 The New Centurions Lumberjack 1973 The No Mercy Man Big Jack 1973 A Name for Evil Fats 1975 Gone with the West Shark 1975 The Master Gunfighter Frewen 1976 Zebra Force Carmine Longo 1983 Stryker Kardis 1987 Code Name: Zebra Carmine Longo 1988 Grotesque Frank N. Stien Also producer 1991 Curse of the Crystal Eye Hashim 1994 Demon Keeper Asmodeus (The Demon)

Television Year Title Role Notes 1957 Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers Episode: "Test of a Titan" 1957 Cheyenne Chuck Welch Episode: "Decision at Gunsight" 1957–1958 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Patient 2 episodes 1957–1959 Maverick Horace Cusack / Noah Perkins 2 episodes 1958 Death Valley Days Big Bat Pourier Episode: "The Greatest Scout of All" 1958 The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok Chief Red Cloud Episode: "The Daughter of Casey O'Grady" 1958 Decision Episode: "Night of the Stranger" 1958 Sugarfoot John Allman Episode: "The Hunted" 1959 Steve Canyon Bartender Episode: "The Sergeant" 1959 The Rough Riders Carl Episode: "The Last Rebel" 1959 Man Without a Gun Episode: "The Giant" 1959 Have Gun – Will Travel Waller Season 3, Episode 9: "The Black Handkerchief" 1960 The Untouchables James Stenbeck Episode: "Syndicate Sanctuary" 1960 Hotel de Paree Jackson Episode: "Sundance and the Bare-Knuckled Fighters" 1960 The Man from Blackhawk Lembrick Episode: "The Hundred Thousand Dollar Policy" 1960 Bourbon Street Beat Monito Episode: "Green Hell" 1961 The Tab Hunter Show Carlos Episode: "Personal Appearance" 1964 The Outer Limits The Megasoid Episode: "The Duplicate Man" 1965 Branded Trask Episode: "Mightier Than the Sword" 1966–1969 Daniel Boone Bear Barnett / Ike 2 episodes 1967 Batman Daddy Longlegs 2 episodes 1967 Hondo Moon Dog Episode: "Hondo and the Superstition Massacre" 1968 The Monkees Frankenstein S2:E18, "Monstrous Monkee Mash" 1969 Love, American Style Roger Segment: "Love and the Positive Man" 1970 Get Smart Centurion Episode: "Smartacus" 1971 Mission: Impossible Lew Bates Episode: "The Connection" 1972 Adam-12 Art Moss Episode: "Citizens All" 1972 Gunsmoke Digby Episode: "Sarah" 1972 Ironside Nick Marcatti Episode: "Buddy, Can You Spare a Life?" 1972 The Sixth Sense Sam Fenwick Episode: "If I Should Die Before I Wake" 1973 Emergency! Tall Biker Episode: "Frequency" 1976 Gemini Man Guard Episode: "Pilot" 1976 Monster Squad Frank N. Stein 13 episodes 1976–1977 The Rockford Files Tony / Fred 2 episodes 1977 Kojak Curly Episode: "The Queen of Hearts Is Wild" 1977 Quincy, M.E. Rossi Episode: "A Question of Time" 1977 Starsky & Hutch Eddie Mayer Episode: "The Crying Child" 1982 Matt Houston Reject Episode: "X-22" 1982 Knight Rider Jerry Episode: "Forget Me Not" 1983 Simon & Simon Bodyguard #1 Episode: "Bail Out" 1986 Cold War Killers Foreman Television film