Background
Banks was born Mario Bianchi in Cesena, Italy.
Banks was born Mario Bianchi in Cesena, Italy.
In 1914, Bianchi emigrated to the United States. By 1918, he was an actor in Hollywood with the Arbuckle Company, performing in over 35 silent short comedies by the early 1920s, and then, in such feature-length action comedy-thrillers as Play Safe (1927). A large excerpt from this movie is included in Robert Youngson"s compilation film Days of Thrills and Laughter (1961).
With the arrival of sound films, Banks"s strong Italian accent forced him to phase out his acting career in favor of working as a gagman and director
He directed Laurel and Hardy in their film Great Guns, under the name "Montague Banks". He held dual Italian and United States. citizenship.
He died on a train outside Arona, Italy, of a heart attack, aged 52. lieutenant is "an initiative promoted by the Comune, the course is open to boys and provides the opportunity to create videos".