View source for Nat Pendleton

{{short description|Olympic wrestler and actor (1895–1967)}}
{{for|the politician|Nathanael G. Pendleton}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Nat Pendleton
| image              = Nat Pendleton in The Great Ziegfeld trailer.jpg
| birth_name         = Nathaniel Greene Pendleton
| caption            = [[Film frame|Frame]] from [[Trailer (promotion)|trailer]] for ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'' (1936)
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1895|8|9}}
| birth_place        = [[Davenport, Iowa|Davenport]], [[Iowa]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{nowrap|{{Death date and age|mf=yes|1967|10|12|1895|8|9}}}}
| death_place        = [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], [[California]], U.S.
| years_active       = 1913&ndash;1956
| alma_mater         = [[Columbia University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| occupation         = Actor, wrestler
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Juanita Alfonzo|1920|1924}}
* Margaret E. Carse (m. 19??)<ref name="gocolumbialions/530127">{{cite web |title=NAT PENDLETON |url=https://gocolumbialions.com/news/2006/8/5/530127.aspx |website=Columbia University Athletics |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=en |date=5 August 2006}}</ref><ref name="legacyofwrestling/Obituaries">{{cite web |title=Professional Wrestling Obituaries |url=https://www.legacyofwrestling.com/Obituaries.html |website=legacyofwrestling.com |access-date=30 June 2023}}</ref>
}}
| relatives          = [[Steve Pendleton]] (brother)<br/> [[Edmund J. Pendleton]] (brother) <br/> [[Arthur V. Johnson]] (uncle)
}}
{{MedalTableTop|name=no}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[freestyle wrestling]]}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Wrestling at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]
{{MedalSilver|[[1920 Summer Olympics|1920 Antwerp]] | [[Wrestling at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Heavyweight]]}}
{{MedalBottom}}
[[File:The-Defense-Rests-1934.jpg|thumb|Nat Pendleton, [[Jean Arthur]], [[Jack Holt (actor)|Jack Holt]] in a 
[[promotional photo]] for the 1934 film, [[The Defense Rests]]]]

'''Nathaniel Greene Pendleton''' (August 9, 1895 &ndash; October 12, 1967) was an American [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] [[amateur wrestling|wrestler]], [[film]] actor, and stage performer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/60732 |title=Nat Pendleton |work=Olympedia |access-date=11 September 2021}}</ref> His younger brother, [[Edmund J. Pendleton]] (1899–1987), was a well-known music [[composer]] and choir master and organist for the [[American Church in Paris]].

==Early life==
Nat Pendleton was born as Nathaniel Greene Pendleton in 1895 in [[Davenport, Iowa]] to Adelaide Elizabeth (née Johnson) Pendleton (1873–1960) and Nathaniel Greene Pendleton (1861–1914), an attorney,<ref name="qctimes/native-pendleton">{{cite news |last1=Doxsie |first1=Don |title=Eye Openers: Q-C native Pendleton won silver a century ago |url=https://qctimes.com/sports/baseball/professional/mlb/eye-openers-q-c-native-pendleton-won-silver-a-century-ago/article_1a787c83-7bfb-592f-b25e-a599402f60e2.html |access-date=30 June 2023 |work=The Quad-City Times |date=20 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref> who was reportedly a descendant of American Revolutionary general [[Nathanael Greene]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Rainho|first1=Manny|title=This Month in Movie History|journal=Classic Images|date=August 2015|issue=482|pages=24–26}}</ref><ref name="LAT">"Nat Pendleton, Movie Character Actor, Dies", ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', October 13, 1967, section II, p. 8. [[ProQuest]] Historical Newspapers.</ref> By March 1899, the Pendletons had moved to [[Cincinnati]],<ref>[[Edmund J. Pendleton]]</ref> and then later to [[New York City|New York]]. Nat went to Brooklyn's [[Poly Prep]] High School.<ref name="newspapers/58329249">{{cite news |title=Joseph Dana Allen's resignation, headmaster of the Poly Prep |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58329249/ |access-date=30 June 2023 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=10 April 1925 |location=Brooklyn, New York |language=en}}</ref> Nat studied at [[Columbia University]], graduating in 1916.<ref name="gastongazette/34370695007">{{cite news |last1=Pickens |first1=Jessica |title=From wrestler to actor – Nat Pendleton carved out career as affable brute |url=https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2013/12/27/from-wrestler-to-actor-nat/34370695007/ |access-date=30 June 2023 |date=2013-12-27 |work=[[Gaston Gazette]] |publisher=[[Gannett]] |location=[[Gastonia, North Carolina]]}}</ref> Pendleton spoke four languages, received an economics degree, and, in 2006, was inducted into the Columbia wrestling hall of fame.<ref name="gastongazette/34370695007"/>

==Wrestling career==
Pendleton began his [[collegiate wrestling|wrestling]] career at [[Columbia University]], and served as captain of the school's wrestling team.<ref name="LAT"/> He was twice [[Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association]] (EIWA) champion in 1914 and 1915. Chosen to compete on the United States wrestling team at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] in [[Antwerp]], [[Belgium]], Pendleton lost only one match during the competition and was awarded a [[silver medal]].<ref name="sports-reference">{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pe/nat-pendleton-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418122429/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pe/nat-pendleton-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Nat Pendleton |access-date=2013-09-01 |work=sports-reference.com}}</ref> Some controversy continues to surround that outcome. Both Pendleton's Olympic coach, George Pinneo, and his teammate, Fred Meyer, insisted that he won his final match and should have been awarded the gold medal. Pinneo later recalled that loss as the "most unpopular of many unsatisfactory decisions," and Meyer stated, "Pendleton was the winner of that contest, no ifs or buts."<ref>{{Cite book|title=Pendleton: The Amazing Story of Columbia's Wrestling Olympian and Star of Hollywood|last=Chapman|first=Mike|pages=30}}</ref> 

Returning to the US he became a professional wrestler and teamed up with promoter [[Jack Curley]]. Curley was aggressively promoting Pendleton and issued a series of haughty challenges, among them boasting that Pendleton could beat [[Ed "Strangler" Lewis]] and any other wrestler on the same night. [[John Pesek]] was enlisted to face Pendleton, and in a legitimate contest held on January 25, 1923, Pesek defeated and injured Pendleton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2006/05/25/pendletons-unparalleled-route-olympics-pros-hollywood/|title = Pendleton's unparalleled route: Olympics, pros, Hollywood|date = 25 May 2006}}</ref><ref name="smumcounty/nat-pendleton">{{cite web |title=Know Your Character Actor – Nat Pendleton |url=https://smumcounty.com/2016/05/21/know-your-character-actor-nat-pendleton/ |website=Smum County |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=en |date=21 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="scientificwrestling/Pesek-Pendleton">{{cite web |last1=Hewitt |first1=Mark |title=BEFORE MMA #3 - The Zenith of Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling - Tigerman John Pesek versus Nat Pendleton |url=https://www.scientificwrestling.com/public/BEFORE-MMA-3-The-Zenith-of-CatchAsCatchCan-Wrestling-Tigerman-John-Pesek-versus-Nat-Pendleton.cfm |website=Scientific Wrestling |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=en |date=2 December 2019}}</ref> Pendleton continued to wrestle professionally into the 1930s.

==Stage career==
*''Naughty Cinderella'' (Nov 09, 1925 - Feb 20, 1926) as ''"K. O." Bill Smith''<ref name="ibdb/68521"/>
*''The Grey Fox'' (Oct 22, 1928 - Jan 05, 1929) as ''Don Michelotto''<ref name="ibdb/68521"/>
*''My Girl Friday'' (Feb 12, 1929 - Sep 1929) as ''Marcel the Great''<ref name="ibdb/68521">{{cite web |title=Nat Pendleton |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/nat-pendleton-68521 |website=IBDB |access-date=30 June 2023}}</ref>

==Film career==
Pendleton began appearing in Hollywood films in uncredited parts and minor roles by the mid-1920s. Pendleton was cast in at least 94 [[short film]]s and [[Feature film|features]], most often being [[Typecasting (acting)|typecast]] in supporting roles, usually as "befuddled good guys" or as slow-witted thugs, gangsters, and policemen.<ref name="LAT"/> He appeared in the 1932 comedy ''[[Horse Feathers]]'' starring the [[Marx Brothers]], performing in that film as one of two [[college football]] players who kidnap [[Harpo Marx|Harpo]] and [[Chico Marx|Chico]]. In the 1936 production ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'', he portrays the [[Strongman (circus)|circus strongman]] [[Eugen Sandow]], a role that brought him the best reviews of his career.

Pendleton appeared again as a circus strongman in the Marx Brothers' 1939 feature ''[[At the Circus]]''. He can be seen as well in recurring roles in two MGM film series from the 1930s and 1940s. He played Joe Wayman, the ambulance driver, in MGM's ''[[Young Dr. Kildare|Dr. Kildare]]'' series and in its [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] series ''[[Calling Dr. Gillespie|Dr. Gillespie]]''. He also portrayed New York police lieutenant John Guild in ''[[The Thin Man (film)|The Thin Man]]'' series. His final screen appearances were in the 1947 releases ''[[Scared to Death (1947 film)|Scared to Death]]'' with [[Bela Lugosi]] and ''[[Buck Privates Come Home]]'' starring [[Abbott and Costello]].

Although Pendleton's professional career outside the wrestling ring was predominantly devoted to film work, he also performed in some stage productions, including in the [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] plays ''Naughty Cinderella'' in 1925 and ''The Gray Fox'' in 1928.<ref name="LAT"/>

==Personal life ==
Pioneer actor and director of the early American silent film era, [[Arthur V. Johnson]], was his uncle. His siblings include: [[Steve Pendleton|Steve]] (1908–1984), an American film and television actor,<ref name="slamwrestling/pendletons-route">{{cite web |title=Pendleton's unparalleled route: Olympics, pros, Hollywood |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2006/05/25/pendletons-unparalleled-route-olympics-pros-hollywood/ |website=Slam Wrestling |date=25 May 2006 |access-date=30 June 2023}}</ref> and [[Edmund J. Pendleton|Edmund]] (1899–1987), a well-known music [[composer]] and choir master and organist for the [[American Church in Paris]].

On the 1920 census, he was working as a sports manager, living in Manhattan, with his Puerto Rican wife, Juanita Alfonzo (age 22), and Ramon Alfonso (age 13), his wife's brother.<ref name="classicmoviehub/nat-pendleton">{{cite web |title=Nat Pendleton |url=https://www.classicmoviehub.com/facts-and-trivia/star/nat-pendleton/ |website=Classic Movie Hub |access-date=30 June 2023}}</ref>

Pendleton died in a [[San Diego, California]] hospital in 1967 after suffering a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]].<ref name="LAT"/><ref name="nytimes/1967/10/13/nat-pendleton">{{cite news |title=NAT PENDLETON, MOVIE ACTOR, 72; Portrayer of Simpletons in Many Films Is Dead |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1967/10/13/archives/nat-pendleton-movie-actor-72-portrayer-of-simpletons-in-many-films.html |access-date=30 June 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=13 October 1967}}</ref> He was survived by his second wife, Margaret Evelyn "Barbara" Carse.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Greg |date=May 25, 2006 |title=Pendleton's unparalleled route: Olympics, pros, Hollywood |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2006/05/25/pendletons-unparalleled-route-olympics-pros-hollywood/ |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=Slam Wrestling |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Pendleton is a member of several [[List of halls and walks of fame|halls of fame]]: the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nwhof.org/blog/dg-inductees/nat-pendleton/|title=National Wrestling Hall of Fame}}</ref> the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in Cresco, Iowa,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://iowawrestlinghalloffame.com/inductees/nat-pendleton.html|title=Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame}}</ref> and the Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gocolumbialions.com/news/2006/8/5/530127.aspx|title=Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame|date=5 August 2006 }}</ref> He is the subject of a biography by Mike Chapman, which was published in 2015''.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mike-chapman.com/mike-writes-biography-of-wrestler-actor-nat-pendleton|title=Mike Chapman's website}}</ref><ref name="gocolumbialions/210665921">{{cite web |title=Wrestling Hosts Harvard on Friday Night |url=https://gocolumbialions.com/news/2016/1/27/210665921.aspx |website=Columbia University Athletics |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=en |date=27 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="goodreads/49831110">{{cite web |title=Pendleton: Columbia's Wrestling Hero and Hollywood Star by Mike Chapman |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49831110-pendleton |website=Goodreads |access-date=30 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630151315/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49831110-pendleton |archive-date=30 June 2023}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Director
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1913 || ''[[The Battle of Gettysburg (1913 film)|The Battle of Gettysburg]]'' || || [[Thomas H. Ince]] || Unconfirmed
|-
| 1924 || ''[[The Hoosier Schoolmaster (1924 film)|The Hoosier Schoolmaster]]'' || Bud Means || [[Oliver L. Sellers]] || 
|-
| 1924 || ''[[Monsieur Beaucaire (1924 film)|Monsieur Beaucaire]]'' || Barber || Sidney Olcott || uncredited
|-
| 1926 || ''[[Let's Get Married (1926 film)|Let's Get Married]]'' || Jimmy || [[Gregory La Cava]] || 
|-
| 1929 || ''[[The Laughing Lady (1929 film)|The Laughing Lady]]'' || James Dugan || [[Victor Schertzinger]] || 
|-
| 1930 || ''[[The Big Pond]]'' || Pat O'Day || [[Hobart Henley]] || 
|-
| 1930 || ''[[La grande mare]]'' || Pat O'Day || [[Hobart Henley]] || 
|-
| 1930 || ''[[The Last of the Duanes (1930 film)|The Last of the Duanes]]'' || Bossamer || [[Alfred L. Werker]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1930 || ''[[The Sea Wolf (1930 film)|The Sea Wolf]]'' || Smoke || [[Alfred Santell]] || 
|-
| 1931 || ''[[Seas Beneath]]'' || 'Butch' Wagner || [[John Ford]] || uncredited<ref name="oscars/p15759coll22/4">{{cite web |title=p15759coll22_4 |url=https://digitalcollections.oscars.org/digital/api/collection/p15759coll22/id/4/download |website=digitalcollections.oscars.org |access-date=30 June 2023 |date=1931-01-29}}</ref>
|-
| 1931 || ''[[Fair Warning (1931 film)|Fair Warning]]'' || Purvis || [[Alfred L. Werker]] || 
|-
| 1931 || ''[[Mr. Lemon of Orange]]'' || Gangster || || Uncredited
|-
| 1931 || ''[[The Star Witness]]'' || Big Jack || [[William A. Wellman]] || 
|-
| 1931 || ''[[The Spirit of Notre Dame]]'' || Assistant coach || [[Russell Mack]] || 
|-
| 1931 || ''[[The Ruling Voice]]'' || Board Member || [[Rowland V. Lee]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1931 || ''[[Blonde Crazy]]'' || aka Pete || [[Roy Del Ruth]] || 
|-
| 1931 || ''[[The Secret Witness]]'' || Gunner (Bodyguard) || [[Thornton Freeland]] || 
|-
| 1931 || ''[[The Star Witness]]'' || Gunner (Bodyguard) || [[William A. Wellman]] || 
|-
| 1931 || ''[[Manhattan Parade]]'' || Lady Godiva's Husband || [[Lloyd Bacon]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1931 || ''The Pottsville Palooka'' || Spike Mulligan || || Short
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Taxi!]]'' || Truck Driver Bull Martin || [[Roy Del Ruth]] || uncredited
|-
| 1932 || ''[[The Beast of the City]]'' || Abe Gorman || [[Charles Brabin]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1932 || ''[[A Fool's Advice]]'' || Naughty Boy || [[Ralph Ceder]] || 
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Hell Fire Austin]]'' || Bouncer || Forrest Sheldon || 
|-
| 1932 || ''[[The Big Timer]]'' || Kid Melrose || [[Edward Buzzell]] || uncredited
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Play Girl (1932 film)|Play Girl]]'' || Dance Hall Plumber || [[Ray Enright]] || Scenes deleted
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Girl Crazy (1932 film)|Girl Crazy]]'' || Motorcycle Cop || [[William A. Seiter]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1932 || ''[[State's Attorney (1932 film)|State's Attorney]]'' || the Boxer || [[George Archainbaud]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Attorney for the Defense]]'' || Mugg || [[Irving Cummings]] || 
|-
| 1932 || ''[[The Tenderfoot (film)|The Tenderfoot]]'' || Joe (Jealous Husband) || [[Ray Enright]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1932 || ''By Whose Hand?'' || Delmar || || 
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Horse Feathers]]'' || Darwin football player MacHardie || [[Norman Z. McLeod]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Exposure (1932 film)|Exposure]]'' || Maniac Killer || || 
|-
| 1932 || ''[[The Night Club Lady]]'' || Mike McDougal || [[Irving Cummings]] || 
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Deception (1932 film)|Deception]]'' || Bucky O'Neill || [[Lewis Seiler]] || Story by Nat Pendleton;<ref name="tcmdb/72696"/><ref name="catalog.afi/8439">{{cite web|title=Deception: Detail View|url=<!-- http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=8439 https://web.archive.org/web/20210418021915/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/8439 -->https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/8439|website=AFI Catalog of Feature films|publisher=AFI|accessdate=July 26, 2015}}</ref> script by Harold Tarshis<ref name="tcmdb/72696">{{TCMDb title|id= 72696|title=Deception}}<!-- https://web.archive.org/web/20210717092643/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/72696/deception/#credits --></ref><ref name="catalog.afi/8439"/>
|-
| 1932 || ''[[The Sign of the Cross (1932 film)|The Sign of the Cross]]'' || Strabo || [[Cecil B. DeMille]] || 
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Flesh (1932 film)|Flesh]]'' || Wrestler || [[John Ford]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Whistling in the Dark (1933 film)|Whistling in the Dark]]'' || Joe Salvatore || [[Charles Reisner]] || 
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Parachute Jumper]]'' || Motorcycle Policeman || [[Alfred E. Green]] || uncredited
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Goldie Gets Along]]'' || Motorcycle Officer Cassidy || [[Malcolm St. Clair (filmmaker)|Malcolm St. Clair]] || 
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Child of Manhattan (film)|Child of Manhattan]]'' || Spyrene || [[Edward Buzzell]] || 
|-
| 1933 || ''[[The White Sister (1933 film)|The White Sister]]'' || Corporal Cessano || [[Victor Fleming]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Infernal Machine (film)|Infernal Machine]]'' || French Thug || [[Marcel Varnel]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1933 || ''[[The Nuisance (1933 film)|The Nuisance]]'' || Aloysius P. McCarthy || [[Jack Conway (filmmaker)|Jack Conway]] || uncredited
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Baby Face (film)|Baby Face]]'' || Stolvich (Laborer) || [[Alfred E. Green]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Lady for a Day]]'' || Shakespeare || [[Frank Capra]] || 
|-
| 1933 || ''[[Penthouse (film)|Penthouse]]'' || Tony Gazotti || [[W. S. Van Dyke]] || 
|-
| 1933 || ''[[I'm No Angel]]'' || Harry (Acrobat) || [[Wesley Ruggles]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1933 || ''[[The Chief (film)|The Chief]]'' || Big Mike, a Henchman || [[Charles Reisner]] || 
|-
| 1933 || ''[[College Coach]]'' || Ladislaus Petrowski || [[William A. Wellman]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[Lazy River (film)|Lazy River]]'' || Legs Caffey || [[George B. Seitz]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[Fugitive Lovers]]'' || Alfred 'Tiny' Smith || [[Richard Boleslavsky]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[Sing and Like It]]'' || T. Fenny Sylvester || [[William A. Seiter]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[Manhattan Melodrama]]'' || Spud || [[George Cukor]] (uncredited) || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[The Thin Man (film)|The Thin Man]]'' || Lieutenant John Guild || [[W. S. Van Dyke]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[The Defense Rests]]'' || Rocky || [[Lambert Hillyer]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[The Cat's-Paw]]'' || Strozzi || [[Sam Taylor (director)|Sam Taylor]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[The Girl from Missouri]]'' || Lifeguard || [[Jack Conway (film-maker)|Jack Conway]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[Straight Is the Way]]'' || Skippy || [[Paul Sloane (director)|Paul Sloane]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[Death on the Diamond]]'' || Harry O'Toole || [[Edward Sedgwick]] || 
|-
| 1934 || ''[[The Gay Bride]]'' || William T. 'Shoots' Magiz || [[Jack Conway (filmmaker)|Jack Conway]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[Times Square Lady]]'' || Mack || [[George B. Seitz]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[Baby Face Harrington]]'' || Rocky || [[Raoul Walsh]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[Reckless (1935 film)|Reckless]]'' || Blossom || [[Victor Fleming]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[Murder in the Fleet]]'' || 'Spud' Burke || [[Edward Sedgwick]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[Calm Yourself]]'' || Knuckles Benedict || [[George B. Seitz]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[Here Comes the Band (film)|Here Comes the Band]]'' || 'Piccolo Pete' || [[Paul Sloane (director)|Paul Sloane]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[It's in the Air (1935 film)|It's in the Air]]'' || Henry Potke || [[Charles Reisner]] || 
|-
| 1935 || ''[[The Garden Murder Case (film)|The Garden Murder Case]]'' || Sergeant Heath || [[Edwin L. Marin]] || 
|-
| 1936 || ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'' || Sandow || [[Robert Z. Leonard]] || 
|-
| 1936 || ''[[Trapped by Television]]'' || Rocky O'Neil || [[Del Lord]] || 
|-
| 1936 || ''[[Sworn Enemy (film)|Sworn Enemy]]'' || 'Steamer' Krupp || [[Edwin L. Marin]] || 
|-
| 1936 || ''[[The Luckiest Girl in the World]]'' || Dugan || [[Edward Buzzell]] || 
|-
| 1936 || ''[[Two in a Crowd]]'' || Flynn || [[Alfred E. Green]] || 
|-
| 1936 || ''[[Sing Me a Love Song]]'' || Rocky || [[Ray Enright]] || 
|-
| 1937 || ''[[Under Cover of Night]]'' || Sergeant Lucks || [[George B. Seitz]] || 
|-
| 1937 || ''[[Song of the City]]'' || Benvenuto Romandi || [[Errol Taggart]] || 
|-
| 1937 || ''[[Gangway (film)|Gangway]]'' || Smiles Hogan || [[Sonnie Hale]] || 
|-
| 1937 || ''[[Life Begins in College]]'' || George Black aka Little Black Cloud || [[William A. Seiter]] || 
|-
| 1938 || ''[[Swing Your Lady]]'' || Joe Skopapolous || [[Ray Enright]] || 
|-
| 1938 || ''[[Arsène Lupin Returns]]'' || Joe Doyle || [[George Fitzmaurice]] || 
|-
| 1938 || ''[[Fast Company (1938 film)|Fast Company]]'' || Paul Terison || [[Edward Buzzell]] || 
|-
| 1938 || ''[[The Shopworn Angel]]'' || 'Dice' || [[H.C. Potter]] || 
|-
| 1938 || ''[[The Chaser (1938 film)|The Chaser]]'' || 'Floppy' Phil || [[Edwin L. Marin]] || 
|-
| 1938 || ''[[The Crowd Roars (1938 film)|The Crowd Roars]]'' || 'Pug' Walsh || [[Richard Thorpe]] || 
|-
| 1938 || ''[[Young Dr. Kildare]]'' || Joe Wayman || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[Burn 'Em Up O'Connor]]'' || Buddy Buttle || [[Edward Sedgwick]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[Calling Dr. Kildare]]'' || Wayman || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[It's a Wonderful World (1939 film)|It's a Wonderful World]]'' || Sergeant Fred Koretz || [[W. S. Van Dyke]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[6,000 Enemies]]'' || 'Socks' Martin || [[George B. Seitz]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[On Borrowed Time]]'' || Mr. Grimes || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[At the Circus]]'' || Goliath the Strongman || [[Edward Buzzell]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[Another Thin Man]]'' || Lieutenant John Guild || [[W. S. Van Dyke]] || 
|-
| 1939 || ''[[The Secret of Dr. Kildare]]'' || Joe Wayman || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[Northwest Passage (film)|Northwest Passage]]'' || 'Cap' Huff || [[King Vidor]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[The Ghost Comes Home]]'' || Roscoe || [[Wilhelm Thiele]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[Dr. Kildare's Strange Case]]'' || Joe Wayman, Ambulance Driver || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[Phantom Raiders]]'' || 'Gunboat' Jacklin || [[Jacques Tourneur]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[New Moon (1940 film)|New Moon]]'' || Bondsman || [[W. S. Van Dyke]] || Uncredited
|-
| 1940 || ''[[The Golden Fleecing (film)|The Golden Fleecing]]'' || 'Fatso' Werner || [[Leslie Fenton]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[Dr. Kildare Goes Home]]'' || Wayman || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[Dr. Kildare's Crisis]]'' || Joe Wayman || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1940 || ''[[Flight Command]]'' || CPO 'Spike' Knowles || [[Frank Borzage]] || 
|-
| 1941 || ''[[Buck Privates]]'' || Sgt. Michael Collins || [[Arthur Lubin]] || 
|-
| 1941 || ''[[Top Sergeant Mulligan (1941 film)|Top Sergeant Mulligan]]'' || Top Sgt. Herman Mulligan || [[Jean Yarbrough]] || 
|-
| 1942 || ''[[Jail House Blues (film)|Jail House Blues]]'' || Sonny McGann || [[Albert S. Rogell]] || 
|-
| 1942 || ''[[The Mad Doctor of Market Street]]'' || Red Hogan || [[Joseph H. Lewis]] || 
|-
| 1942 || ''[[Calling Dr. Gillespie]]'' || Joe Wayman || [[Harold S. Bucquet]] || 
|-
| 1942 || ''[[Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant]]'' || Joe Weyman || [[Willis Goldbeck]] || 
|-
| 1943 || ''[[Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case]]'' || Joe Wayman || [[Willis Goldbeck]] || 
|-
| 1943 || ''[[Swing Fever]]'' || 'Killer' Kennedy || [[Tim Whelan]] || 
|-
| 1946 || ''[[Death Valley (1946 film)|Death Valley]]'' || Jim Ward || [[Lew Landers]] || 
|-
| 1947 || ''[[Scared to Death (1947 film)|Scared to Death]]'' || Bill Raymond || [[Christy Cabanne]] || 
|-
| 1947 || ''[[Buck Privates Come Home]]'' || Sergeant Collins || [[Charles Barton (director)|Charles Barton]] || 
|-
| 1951-1959 || ''[[Schlitz Playhouse of Stars|Schlitz Playhouse]]'' || Otto "Bitsy" Lamb || [[Richard Whorf]] || TV series; final appearance
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IWD|D463A8386A8941C2A2A191578E2FBBD0}}
* {{Olympics.com|nat-pendleton}}
* {{Olympedia}}
*https://catalog.afi.com/Person/116239-Nat-Pendleton
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180614182039/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba2ae3dd1 ]
*https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/149954%7C116239/Nat-Pendleton
*https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio_by_name/nat-pendleton
*https://www.iowawrestlinghalloffame.com/inductee/nat-pendleton
*{{IBDB name}}
*{{IMDb name | id=0671738| name=Nat Pendleton}}
*{{Find a Grave|3662}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pendleton, Nat}}
[[Category:1895 births]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male bodybuilders]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Davenport, Iowa]]
[[Category:People associated with physical culture]]
[[Category:Wrestlers at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:American male sport wrestlers]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Male actors from Davenport, Iowa]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in wrestling]]
[[Category:Columbia Lions wrestlers]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]