Unkempt, rough and tough looking members of the gang, or lynch mob, or vigilantes, or posse riders, or cow herders. They had minimal or no dialog, not much screen time, and were generally not listed in the film credits. Some would show up as a face in the crowd, portraying townspeople, barflies, deputies, wagon drivers, ranch hands, etc. We tend to recognize some of their faces, but have no clue as to their real names. |
Courtesy of Pamela Pitti Turner and the Pitti Family | Benjamin 'Bennie' Pete Pitti
Name variations: Benjamin/Benny/Bennie Petti, Petty, Pitti 1892-1955
62 year old Bennie Pitti passed away July 26, 1955 from a heart attack at his Culver City home.
Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has very limited information on Pitti and his film appearances. And over the years, some folks have confused him with Barney Beasley, another B western henchman. Go to: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0693385/ |
Courtesy of Pamela Pitti Turner and the Pitti Family Above - takin' a spin around the Warners lot are Bennie Pitti (rear seat) and Will Rogers Jr. during the filming of either THE STORY OF WILL ROGERS (Warners, 1952) or THE BOY FROM OKLAHOMA (Warners, 1954). |
The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), ProQuest obituaries, and California Death Index have information on Bennie Pitti and family:
Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website has a picture of the grave marker for Bennie Pitti - with the inscription "Beloved Trouper" - at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35821797/ben-pitti
The Los Angeles Times and Culver City Times newspapers have articles on the Pitti home in Culver City, California and circus owner Al G. Barnes ... and the Barnes article mentions "cowboy Ben Pitti, a former member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show who transfixed the crowd with his trick riding, roping and knife throwing.":
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-sep-29-me-then29-story.html
http://culvercitytimes.com/profiles/blogs/culver-city-architecture-pitti
Obituaries for actor and stuntman Carl Pitti (1916-2003):
https://napavalleyregister.com/news/actor-stuntman-western-tutor-carl-pitti-dies-at/article_77e398b3-4a25-5d5b-a198-56c6295b190d.html
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/obituary.aspx?n=carl-pitti&pid=1326319
The website on the Blair Hills Subdivision, Culver City, California has more about Will Rogers, Will Rogers' ranch and property, Bennie Pitti, son Carl, etc.: http://www.blairhills.org/history.htm
In an earlier version of this webpage, we tagged this performer as Pitti ... but he's not. We have a webpage on this unidentified guy - click HERE. Above - crop/blowup from a still from the 1934 John Wayne BLUE STEEL (Lone Star / Monogram, 1934). | Above - crop/blowup from a still from the Buster Crabbe BLAZING FRONTIER (PRC, 1943). |
Some folks have confused Petti with prolific henchman Barney Beasley. Here's Barney ... and there's a page on him in the Henchies section on the Old Corral. Above - Barney Beasley in a screen capture from Bob Steele's ALIAS JOHN LAW (Supreme, 1935). | (Courtesy of Carol Murray and her "Jack Hendricks Photo Album") Beasley in Tom Tyler's THE LARAMIE KID (Reliable, 1935). |