Ivan Linow | |
---|---|
Born | Jānis Linaus November 21, 1888 |
Died | November 21, 1940 | (aged 52)
Occupation(s) | Wrestler, actor |
Years active | 1918–1935 |
Ivan Linow (born Jānis Linaus; November 21, 1888 – November 11, 1940), also known as Jack Linow, was a Latvian-born American wrestler, who became a character actor in American films during the silent and early sound film eras.
Born in Latvia on November 21, 1888, [1] Linow began wrestling in the United States in 1918. Between 1918 and 1933, he participated in 92 matches, with a record of 38 wins and 23 losses. [2] Linow's monikers in the ring were "the Cossack" and the "Russian Man-Eater". [3] During his wrestling career, he faced other notable wrestlers of that era, such as Joe Stecher and Ed Lewis. [4]
Using his popularity as a wrestler, Linow entered the film industry during the 1920s, his first film being Cappy Ricks (1921). [5] In his fifteen-year acting career, he appeared in over forty films in supporting and bit parts. [6] [7] While appearing in films, Linow continued his wrestling career. In his final match in July 1931, under the pseudonym Jack Leon, he defeated Young Sandow. [4] [8] Linow retired from films two years later, in 1935; his final film was The Black Room, starring Boris Karloff. [9] On November 21, 1940, while in London, Linow died of a heart attack. [10]