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Leavitt, Frank Simmons: Difference between revisions

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|nativity=United States
|birth_place=New York City
|birth_place=New York City
|death_place=Norcross, Georgia
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Frank Simmons Leavitt was born on 30 June 1891 in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Exceptionally large from childhood, he enlisted in the Army before World War I—early age records are cloudy—and served multiple hitches under Gen. John J. Pershing, including Mexican-border duty and combat in France.
Frank Simmons Leavitt was born on 30 June 1891 in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, the son of John McKenney Leavitt and Henrietta N. (Decker) Leavitt. Exceptionally large and strong from childhood, he lied about his age to join the U.S. Army at about fourteen—early age records are cloudy—and served multiple hitches under Gen. John J. Pershing, including duty on the Mexican border and combat in France during World War I. He began wrestling in 1914 as "Soldier Leavitt."


After the war he played college and professional football, then became a celebrated professional wrestler, first as Soldier Leavitt and later as Man Mountain Dean, and also worked in films and stunts. In World War II he returned to uniform as a first sergeant and hand-to-hand combat instructor at Camp Ritchie. Ritchie Boys remembered the shorn, 320-pound celebrity teaching close combat and American slang before overseas deployment.
After the war Leavitt played guard and center for the New York Brickley Giants of the National Football League in 1921, but he concentrated on professional wrestling, performing as "Hell's Kitchen Bill-Bill," a name suggested by Damon Runyon, and later as "Stone Mountain." After an injury he joined the Miami Beach police in 1925 and the next year became a Miami traffic officer, a fixture at East Flagler Street and 2nd Avenue whom the city sent on summer publicity tours; there he met his wife and manager, Doris Dean Cooper. He was dismissed from the force in 1930 for visiting Al Capone's home on Palm Island. In 1932, at his wife's suggestion, he became "Man Mountain Dean," a bearded, 300-pound-plus figure who wrestled 504 professional bouts for fees of up to $1,500. A tour of Germany led to work as Charles Laughton's stunt double in ''The Private Life of Henry VIII'', the first of thirteen films, five of them playing himself, among them the 1938 Joe E. Brown comedy ''The Gladiator''. He briefly ran for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1938 and retired from the ring in 1940 to a farm near Norcross, Georgia.


He died on 29 May 1953.
In World War II Leavitt returned to the Army despite his age and served as first sergeant of the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, where he taught hand-to-hand combat. Ritchie Boys remembered the shorn, 320-pound celebrity teaching close combat and American slang before overseas deployment. On a December 1944 broadcast of the radio program ''It Pays to Be Ignorant'' he gave his weight as 280 pounds. He retired as a master sergeant and afterward studied journalism at the University of Georgia.
 
Leavitt died of a heart attack at his home in Norcross, Georgia, on 29 May 1953, aged 61, and was buried in Marietta National Cemetery under a military marker bearing his birth name and the birth year 1889, probably the date he gave when he first enlisted.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 30 June 1891 — Born in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.
* 30 June 1891 — Born in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.
* 1914 — Began wrestling as "Soldier Leavitt."
* 1920s–1930s — Football; professional wrestling as Man Mountain Dean; film work.
* 1920s–1930s — Football; professional wrestling as Man Mountain Dean; film work.
* 29 May 1953 — Died.
* 1921 — Played for the New York Brickley Giants (NFL).
* 1925 — 1930 Police officer in Miami Beach and Miami.
* 1932 — Adopted the ring name Man Mountain Dean.
* 1940 — Retired from wrestling to a farm near Norcross, Georgia.
* 29 May 1953 — Died in Norcross, Georgia; buried in Marietta National Cemetery.
* Pre–World War I / WWI — Multiple Army enlistments under Pershing; France.
* Pre–World War I / WWI — Multiple Army enlistments under Pershing; France.
* WWII — First sergeant / hand-to-hand instructor, Camp Ritchie.
* WWII — First sergeant / hand-to-hand instructor, Camp Ritchie.

Revision as of 03:38, 25 September 2026

Frank S. Leavitt
Frank S. Leavitt
Personal details
Birth nameMan Mountain Dean Frank Simmons Leavitt
Born30 June 1891
New York City
Died29 May 1953
Norcross, Georgia
NativityUnited States
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
RankFirst Sergeant
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


Frank S. Leavitt (30 June 1891 – 29 May 1953), known as Man Mountain Dean, was a professional wrestler and Camp Ritchie hand-to-hand combat instructor who trained Ritchie Boys before overseas deployment.

Biography

Frank Simmons Leavitt was born on 30 June 1891 in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, the son of John McKenney Leavitt and Henrietta N. (Decker) Leavitt. Exceptionally large and strong from childhood, he lied about his age to join the U.S. Army at about fourteen—early age records are cloudy—and served multiple hitches under Gen. John J. Pershing, including duty on the Mexican border and combat in France during World War I. He began wrestling in 1914 as "Soldier Leavitt."

After the war Leavitt played guard and center for the New York Brickley Giants of the National Football League in 1921, but he concentrated on professional wrestling, performing as "Hell's Kitchen Bill-Bill," a name suggested by Damon Runyon, and later as "Stone Mountain." After an injury he joined the Miami Beach police in 1925 and the next year became a Miami traffic officer, a fixture at East Flagler Street and 2nd Avenue whom the city sent on summer publicity tours; there he met his wife and manager, Doris Dean Cooper. He was dismissed from the force in 1930 for visiting Al Capone's home on Palm Island. In 1932, at his wife's suggestion, he became "Man Mountain Dean," a bearded, 300-pound-plus figure who wrestled 504 professional bouts for fees of up to $1,500. A tour of Germany led to work as Charles Laughton's stunt double in The Private Life of Henry VIII, the first of thirteen films, five of them playing himself, among them the 1938 Joe E. Brown comedy The Gladiator. He briefly ran for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1938 and retired from the ring in 1940 to a farm near Norcross, Georgia.

In World War II Leavitt returned to the Army despite his age and served as first sergeant of the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, where he taught hand-to-hand combat. Ritchie Boys remembered the shorn, 320-pound celebrity teaching close combat and American slang before overseas deployment. On a December 1944 broadcast of the radio program It Pays to Be Ignorant he gave his weight as 280 pounds. He retired as a master sergeant and afterward studied journalism at the University of Georgia.

Leavitt died of a heart attack at his home in Norcross, Georgia, on 29 May 1953, aged 61, and was buried in Marietta National Cemetery under a military marker bearing his birth name and the birth year 1889, probably the date he gave when he first enlisted.

Research notes

  • No ASN in Classes 1–31 roster import; page originates from Notable Ritchie Boys slides plus Sports Illustrated (June 2022) profile.

Gallery

Use the Upload for this soldier box below (log in required), or Special:Upload. Profile photos: check Use as profile photo.

Technical record

Field Imported value
row_source notable_slides_manual

Timeline

  • 30 June 1891 — Born in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.
  • 1914 — Began wrestling as "Soldier Leavitt."
  • 1920s–1930s — Football; professional wrestling as Man Mountain Dean; film work.
  • 1921 — Played for the New York Brickley Giants (NFL).
  • 1925 — 1930 Police officer in Miami Beach and Miami.
  • 1932 — Adopted the ring name Man Mountain Dean.
  • 1940 — Retired from wrestling to a farm near Norcross, Georgia.
  • 29 May 1953 — Died in Norcross, Georgia; buried in Marietta National Cemetery.
  • Pre–World War I / WWI — Multiple Army enlistments under Pershing; France.
  • WWII — First sergeant / hand-to-hand instructor, Camp Ritchie.

Sources

Retrieved from "https://ritchieboys.org/index.php?title=Leavitt,_Frank_Simmons&oldid=128090"