Milton Reid

Milton Rutherford Reid (29 April 1917 – c. 1987) was a British-Indian actor and professional wrestler. He was born in India, the son of a Scottish-born Customs and Excise inspector and an Indian woman. He wrestled in England under the name of The Mighty Chang. (a name later used on British TV by another wrestler, Brian "Crusher" Mason.)

Film career

As an actor, Reid was known for playing thugs, henchmen and brutes, typified by his role as Yen in the film '' Ferry to Hong Kong'' (1959) that starred Curd Jürgens and Orson Welles. He played the big pirate in '' Swiss Family Robinson'' (1960) and had a memorable role as the mute Mulatto in the Hammer film '' Captain Clegg'' (1962). Reid appeared in three James Bond films: as Dr. No's Guard in '' Dr. No'' (1962), as a temple guard in '' Casino Royale'' (1967), and as Sandor, Roger Moore's opponent in a rooftop fight in '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977). Reid also appeared as a henchman in the 1967 Bulldog Drummond film ''Deadlier Than the Male'' and as Eye Patch in the 1977 Bond spoof '' No. 1 of the Secret Service''.

Reid attempted to secure the role of Oddjob in '' Goldfinger'' (1964). He challenged fellow professional wrestler Harold "Tosh Togo" Sakata to a wrestling match; the outcome of which would determine who would get the role. As Reid had already appeared in ''Dr. No'', the producers decided to go with Sakata, and the wrestling match did not take place, though Reid's later Bond character of Sandor was Oddjob-esque.

He appeared briefly as a circus strongman in ''The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus'', which was filmed in 1968 but delayed for release until 1996. In the early 1970s he appeared as a bodyguard in a TV commercial for St Bruno pipe tobacco, a role which he reprised in a spoof advert for "Butch" tobacco in '' Kitten Kong'', an episode of the BBC series ''The Goodies''. Reid also appeared in a handful of cult horror movies including '' Dr. Phibes Rises Again'' and '' Terror'', fantasy/adventure films such as '' The People That Time Forgot'' and '' Arabian Adventure'', and several British sex films such as '' Come Play with Me'' and ''Adventures of a Private Eye''. Additionally Reid accepted non-sexual roles in a couple of hardcore porn films including ''Arabian Knights'', shot in London in 1979 and released by Color Climax.

Reid appeared in over 53 films and television programmes from 1953 to 1979. He travelled back to India where his mother and sister resided. Reid supposedly died of a heart attack in 1987, his son was still receiving written correspondence from him in 1986. His death is something of a mystery due to the conflicting dates of death and also because he died in relative obscurity in India.

The year of Reid's death 1987, wrestler Brian Allan Mason alias "Crusher" Mason (1945-2000) used the Mighty Chang name on ITV. Mason also appeared as Mighty Chang for S4C's '' Reslo'' wrestling show. https://wrestlingheritage.co.uk/crusher-mason/

Filmography

* '' Undercover Girl'' (1958) – Mac, thug with beard
*''The Camp on Blood Island'' (1958) – Japanese Executioner (uncredited)
*'' Blood of the Vampire'' (1958) – Executioner
*'' Ferry to Hong Kong'' (1959) – Yen, Sing-Up's Partner
*'' Swiss Family Robinson'' (1960) – Big Pirate
*''The Terror of the Tongs'' (1961) – Guardian (uncredited)
*'' Visa to Canton'' (1961) – Bodyguard
*'' The Wonders of Aladdin'' (1961) – Omar
*'' Captain Clegg'' (1962) – Mulatto
*'' Dr. No'' (1962) – Dr.No's Guard (uncredited)
*''Panic'' (1963) – Dan
*'' 55 Days at Peking'' (1963) – Boxer (uncredited)
*'' The Ten Gladiators'' (1963) – Baldhead Wrestler
*'' A Stitch in Time'' (1963) – The Mighty Chang in Photograph (uncredited)
*'' Desperate Mission'' (1965) – To-go
*''Deadlier Than the Male'' (1967) – Chang
*'' Casino Royale'' (1967) – Temple Guard (uncredited)
*'' Berserk!'' (1967) – Strong Man
*'' The Mini-Affair'' (1968) – Fisherman
*'' Great Catherine'' (1968) – Henchman (uncredited)
*'' The Assassination Bureau'' (1969) – Elevator victim Leonardi (uncredited)
*'' Target: Harry'' (1969) – Kemal
*'' The Best House in London'' (1969) – Henchman (uncredited)
*''Rekvijem'' (1970) – Officer
*'' The Nameless Knight'' (1970) – Dev (uncredited)
*'' The Blood on Satan's Claw'' (1971) – Dog Handler (uncredited)
*'' Carry on Henry'' (1971) – Executioner (uncredited)
*'' The Horsemen'' (1971) – Aqqul (uncredited)
*'' Au Pair Girls'' (1972) – The Guard
*'' Dr. Phibes Rises Again'' (1972) – Manservant – Cheng
*'' The Return of the Pink Panther'' (1975) – Japanese Restaurant Owner
*''Adventures of a Private Eye'' (1978) – Bodyguard
*'' Come Play with Me'' (1977) – Tough
*'' The People That Time Forgot'' (1977) – Sabbala
*'' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977) – Sandor
*'' No. 1 of the Secret Service'' (1977) – Eye Patch
*'' Terror'' (1978) – Club Bouncer
*'' What's Up Superdoc!'' (1978) – Louie
*'' Confessions from the David Galaxy Affair'' (1979) – Eddie
*'' Arabian Adventure'' (1979) – Jinnee
*''Queen of the Blues'' (1979) – Ricky
*''Arabian Knights'' (1979) – Servant
*''Westcountry Tales'' (1981) – The Monster
*'' Kala Dhanda Goray Log'' (1986) – (final film role)

References

Further reading

''Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema'' by Simon Sheridan (fourth edition) (Titan Publishing, London) (2011)

External links

MILTON REID "The Mighty Chang"
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reid, Milton
Indian people of Scottish descent
1917 births
1987 deaths
British actors
British male professional wrestlers
Indian male professional wrestlers