Ricardo Montalbán
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino, KSG
(icon; montalˈβan; November 25, 1920 – January 14, 2009) was a Mexican radio, television, theatre and film actor. He had a career spanning six decades (motion pictures from 1943 to 2006) and many notable roles. During the mid-1970s, Montalbán was notable as the spokesman in automobile advertisements for the Chrysler Cordoba
, in which he famously extolled the "soft Corinthian leather
" used for its interior. He also advertised the Chrysler New Yorker
. From 1977 to 1984, he became famous as Mr. Roarke the main star in the television series Fantasy Island
. He played Khan Noonien Singh
in both the 1967 episode "Space Seed" of the first season of the original Star Trek series
, and the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
. He won an Emmy Award
in 1978 for his role in the miniseries
How the West Was Won
and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild
in 1993. Into his 80s, he continued to perform, often providing voices for animated films and commercials, and appearing in several Spy Kids
films as "Grandfather Valentin".
, but grew up in the city of Torreón
, the son of two Castilian Spanish
emigres, Ricarda Merino and Jenaro Montalbán, a store manager. He was born with Arteriovenous malformation
(AVM) in his spine and raised as Roman Catholic. Montalbán had a sister, Carmen, and two brothers, Pedro and Carlos Montalbán
, an actor. As a teenager, Ricardo moved to Los Angeles
to live with Carlos Montalban. This duo moved to New York City
in 1940, and Ricardo earned a minor role in the play, Her Cardboard Lover.
film jukeboxes. Montalbán appeared in many of the New York–produced Soundies as an extra or as a member of a singing chorus (usually billed as Men and Maids of Melody). Ricardo Montalbán's first starring film was He's a Latin from Staten Island (1941), in which the young Latin (billed simply as "Ricardo") played the title role of a guitar-strumming gigolo, accompanied by an offscreen vocal by Gus Van.
Late in 1941, Montalbán learned that his mother was dying, so he returned to Mexico. There, he acted in a dozen Spanish-language films and became a star in his homeland.
Montalbán recalled that when he arrived in Hollywood in 1943, studios wanted to change his name to Ricky Martin. He frequently portrayed Asian characters – mostly of Japanese background, as in Sayonara
and the Hawaii Five-O
episode "Samurai". His first leading role was in the 1949 film Border Incident
with actor George Murphy
. He was the first Hispanic actor to appear on the front cover of Life magazine on November 21, 1949. During the 1950s and 1960s, he was one of only a handful of actively working Hispanic actors.
Many of his early roles were in Westerns in which he played character parts, usually as an "Indian" or as a "Latin Lover". In 1950, he was cast against type, playing a Cape Cod
police officer in the film Mystery Street
. In 1957, he played Nakamura in the Oscar-winning film Sayonara
.
From 1957 to 1959, he starred in the Broadway musical
Jamaica
, singing several light-hearted calypso
numbers opposite Lena Horne
.
Montalbán starred in radio, such as the internationally syndicated program "Lobo del Mar" (Seawolf), in which he was cast as the captain of a vessel which became part of some adventure at each port it visited. This 30-minute weekly show aired in many Spanish-speaking countries until the early 1970s. In 1972, Montalban co-founded the Screen Actors Guild
Ethnic Minority Committee with actors Carmen Zapata
, Henry Darrow
and Edith Diaz
.
In 1975, he was chosen as the television spokesman for the new Chrysler Cordoba
. The car became a successful model, and over the following several years, was heavily advertised; his mellifluous delivery of a line praising the "soft Corinthian leather
" upholstery of the car's interior, often misquoted as "fine" or "rich Corinthian leather", became famous and was much parodied
, and Montalbán subsequently became a favorite subject of impersonators. Eugene Levy
, for example, frequently impersonated him on SCTV
. (In deference to American habits, he deliberately misstressed the car's name on the second syllable.) In 1986, he was featured in a magazine advertisement for the new Chrysler New Yorker
.
Montalbán's best-known television role was that of Mr. Roarke in the television series Fantasy Island
, which he played from 1978 until 1984. For a while, the series was one of the most popular on television, and his character as well as that of his sidekick, Tattoo (played by Hervé Villechaize
), became pop icons. Another of his well-known roles was that of Khan Noonien Singh
in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
, in which he reprised a role that he had originated in the 1967 episode of Star Trek
titled "Space Seed". There were some questions initially as to whether Montalbán had had prosthetic muscles applied to his chest during filming of Star Trek II to make him appear more muscular; director Nicholas Meyer
replied that even in his sixties Montalbán had a vigorous training regimin, was "one strong cookie" and that his real chest was seen on film; Khan's costume was specifically designed to display Montalbán's physique. Critic Christopher Null
called Khan the "greatest role of Montalbán's career".
When Montalbán guest starred in the Family Guy
episode "McStroke
" as the genetically engineered cow, he made several references to his role as Khan (such as using the quote "...including... my beloved wife").
Montalbán appeared in many diverse films including The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! as well as two films from both the Planet of the Apes
and Spy Kids
series. In addition, he appeared in various musicals, such as 1966's The Singing Nun
, also starring Debbie Reynolds
. Over the course of his long career, he played lead roles or guest-starred in dozens of television series.
Prior to his death in January 2009, Montalbán recorded the voice for a guest character in an episode of the animated TV series American Dad!
, in which main character Roger becomes the dictator of a South American country. According to executive producer Mike Barker, it was his last role.
, Montalbán was thrown from his horse, knocked unconscious, and trampled by another horse which aggrevated his AVM and resulted in a painful back injury that never healed. The pain increased as he aged, and in 1993, Montalbán underwent 9½ hours of spinal surgery which left him paralysed below the waist and using a wheelchair. Despite constant pain, the actor persevered; he performed and provided voices for animated films and supported his Nosotros foundation. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez
created the role "Grandfather" specifically for Montalbán in his Spy Kids film series, including a jet-propelled wheelchair.
, Polly Ann Young
, and movie and television star Loretta Young
, who nicknamed her "Georgie". After sixty-three years of marriage, she died at the age of 83, on November 13, 2007, from undisclosed causes, predeceasing her husband by fourteen months.
Montalbán was a practicing Roman Catholic and once had said that his religion was the "most important thing" in his life. In 1998, Pope John Paul II
made him a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
(KSG), the highest honor a Roman Catholic lay person can receive from the Church. He recorded a Public Service Announcement
, celebrating America's generosity and hospitality to him as a foreign-born actor, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Although he spent most of his life in the United States, he remained a citizen of Mexico and never applied for American citizenship.
Montalbán's autobiography, Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds, was published in January 1980 by Doubleday.
established the Nosotros ("We") Foundation in 1970 to advocate for Latinos in the movie and television industry. He served as its first president and was quoted as saying:
The foundation created the Golden Eagle Awards, an annual awards show that highlights Latino actors. The awards are presented in conjunction with the Nosotros American Latino Film Festival (NALFF), held at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood.
. The process from agreement to opening took over four years. The facility in Hollywood was officially renamed the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in a May 11, 2004 ceremony. The event was attended by numerous celebrities, including Ed Begley, Jr.
, representing the Screen Actors Guild
(SAG); Valerie Harper
, Loni Anderson
, Hector Elizondo
and Robert Goulet
.
When Montalbán rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair, he repeated "the five stages of the actor" that he famously stated in several interviews and public speeches:
He then jokingly added two more stages:
Montalbán then spoke about the goal of the Nosotros organization:
. He is buried next to his wife in Culver City's Holy Cross Cemetery
.
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(icon; montalˈβan; November 25, 1920 – January 14, 2009) was a Mexican radio, television, theatre and film actor. He had a career spanning six decades (motion pictures from 1943 to 2006) and many notable roles. During the mid-1970s, Montalbán was notable as the spokesman in automobile advertisements for the Chrysler Cordoba
Chrysler Cordoba
The Chrysler Cordoba was an intermediate personal luxury coupe sold by Chrysler Corporation in North America from 1975-1983. It was the company's first model produced specifically for the personal luxury market and the first Chrysler-branded vehicle that was less than full-size.-History:In the...
, in which he famously extolled the "soft Corinthian leather
Corinthian leather
Corinthian leather is a term coined by the advertising agency Bozell to describe the upholstery used in certain Chrysler luxury vehicles beginning in 1974. Although the term suggests that the product has a relationship to or origination from Corinth, there is no relationship; the term is a...
" used for its interior. He also advertised the Chrysler New Yorker
Chrysler New Yorker
The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile built by the Chrysler Corporation from 1939–1996, serving for several years as the brand's flagship model. A model named the "New York Special" first appeared in the 1930s...
. From 1977 to 1984, he became famous as Mr. Roarke the main star in the television series Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:...
. He played Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a villain in the fictional Star Trek universe. According to backstory given in the character's first appearance, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" , Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman tyrant who once controlled more...
in both the 1967 episode "Space Seed" of the first season of the original Star Trek series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
, and the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T...
. He won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 1978 for his role in the miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
How the West Was Won
How the West Was Won
How the West Was Won may refer to:* How the West Was Won * How the West Was Won * How the West Was Won * How the West Was Won * How the West Was Won...
and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
in 1993. Into his 80s, he continued to perform, often providing voices for animated films and commercials, and appearing in several Spy Kids
Spy Kids
The Spy Kids series is a series of family action adventure films written, produced and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The main plot follows the adventures of two Cortez children who become involved in their parents' espionage. The rest of their family are spies as well, including their estranged...
films as "Grandfather Valentin".
Early life
Montalbán was born in Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, but grew up in the city of Torreón
Torreón
Torreón is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. As of 2010, the city's population was 608,836 with 639,629 in the municipality. The metropolitan population, including Matamoros, Coahuila, and Gómez Palacio and Lerdo in adjacent Durango,...
, the son of two Castilian Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
emigres, Ricarda Merino and Jenaro Montalbán, a store manager. He was born with Arteriovenous malformation
Arteriovenous malformation
Arteriovenous malformation or AVM is an abnormal connection between veins and arteries, usually congenital. This pathology is widely known because of its occurrence in the central nervous system, but can appear in any location. An arteriovenous malformation is a vascular anomaly. It is a...
(AVM) in his spine and raised as Roman Catholic. Montalbán had a sister, Carmen, and two brothers, Pedro and Carlos Montalbán
Carlos Montalbán
Carlos Montalbán was a Mexican character actor.Montalbán was born in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, the son of Spanish immigrants Ricarda and Jenaro Montalbán, a store manager....
, an actor. As a teenager, Ricardo moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to live with Carlos Montalban. This duo moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1940, and Ricardo earned a minor role in the play, Her Cardboard Lover.
Career
In 1941, he appeared in his first motion pictures, three-minute musicals produced for the SoundiesSoundies
Soundies were an early version of the music video: three-minute musical films, produced in New York City, Chicago, and Hollywood between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences. The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was...
film jukeboxes. Montalbán appeared in many of the New York–produced Soundies as an extra or as a member of a singing chorus (usually billed as Men and Maids of Melody). Ricardo Montalbán's first starring film was He's a Latin from Staten Island (1941), in which the young Latin (billed simply as "Ricardo") played the title role of a guitar-strumming gigolo, accompanied by an offscreen vocal by Gus Van.
Late in 1941, Montalbán learned that his mother was dying, so he returned to Mexico. There, he acted in a dozen Spanish-language films and became a star in his homeland.
Montalbán recalled that when he arrived in Hollywood in 1943, studios wanted to change his name to Ricky Martin. He frequently portrayed Asian characters – mostly of Japanese background, as in Sayonara
Sayonara
Sayonara is a 1957 color American film starring Marlon Brando. It tells the story of an American Air Force flier who was an "ace" fighter pilot during the Korean War....
and the Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,...
episode "Samurai". His first leading role was in the 1949 film Border Incident
Border Incident
Border Incident is a film noir directed by Anthony Mann. The MGM film was written by John C. Higgins and George Zuckerman. The film was shot by cinematographer John Alton who used shadows and lighting effects to involve an audience despite the fact that the film was shot on a low budget...
with actor George Murphy
George Murphy
George Lloyd Murphy was an American dancer, actor, and politician.-Life and career:He was born in New Haven, Connecticut of Irish Catholic extraction, the son of Michael Charles "Mike" Murphy, athletic trainer and coach, and Nora Long. He was educated at Peddie School, Trinity-Pawling School, and...
. He was the first Hispanic actor to appear on the front cover of Life magazine on November 21, 1949. During the 1950s and 1960s, he was one of only a handful of actively working Hispanic actors.
Many of his early roles were in Westerns in which he played character parts, usually as an "Indian" or as a "Latin Lover". In 1950, he was cast against type, playing a Cape Cod
Barnstable, Massachusetts
Barnstable is a city, referred to as the Town of Barnstable, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County. Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. The town contains seven villages within its boundaries...
police officer in the film Mystery Street
Mystery Street
Mystery Street is a black-and-white film noir directed by John Sturges with cinematography by famed lensman John Alton. The film stars Ricardo Montalban, Bruce Bennett, and Elsa Lanchester....
. In 1957, he played Nakamura in the Oscar-winning film Sayonara
Sayonara
Sayonara is a 1957 color American film starring Marlon Brando. It tells the story of an American Air Force flier who was an "ace" fighter pilot during the Korean War....
.
From 1957 to 1959, he starred in the Broadway musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Jamaica
Jamaica (musical)
Jamaica is a musical with a book by Yip Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Harold Arlen. Harburg was blacklisted in Hollywood at the time of the writing of the musical...
, singing several light-hearted calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
numbers opposite Lena Horne
Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
.
Montalbán starred in radio, such as the internationally syndicated program "Lobo del Mar" (Seawolf), in which he was cast as the captain of a vessel which became part of some adventure at each port it visited. This 30-minute weekly show aired in many Spanish-speaking countries until the early 1970s. In 1972, Montalban co-founded the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
Ethnic Minority Committee with actors Carmen Zapata
Carmen Zapata
Carmen Margarita Zapata is an American actress. Zapata was born in New York City to a Mexican father and an Argentine mother. She has been in over one hundred movies and shows, including Batman: The Animated Series, Married... with Children, Sister Act, and she was Carmen Castillo in Santa Barbara...
, Henry Darrow
Henry Darrow
Henry Darrow is a prolific Puerto Rican-American character actor of stage and film. Darrow is probably best remembered for his role as Big John Cannon's teasing brother-in-law, and Buck Cannon's favorite ranch hand, and best friend, Manolito Montoya, in the 1960s television series The High...
and Edith Diaz
Edith Diaz
Edith Diaz was a Puerto Rican-born American actress. Diaz, known for roles in film, television and stage, co-founded the Screen Actors Guild's Ethnic Minorities Committee in 1972....
.
In 1975, he was chosen as the television spokesman for the new Chrysler Cordoba
Chrysler Cordoba
The Chrysler Cordoba was an intermediate personal luxury coupe sold by Chrysler Corporation in North America from 1975-1983. It was the company's first model produced specifically for the personal luxury market and the first Chrysler-branded vehicle that was less than full-size.-History:In the...
. The car became a successful model, and over the following several years, was heavily advertised; his mellifluous delivery of a line praising the "soft Corinthian leather
Corinthian leather
Corinthian leather is a term coined by the advertising agency Bozell to describe the upholstery used in certain Chrysler luxury vehicles beginning in 1974. Although the term suggests that the product has a relationship to or origination from Corinth, there is no relationship; the term is a...
" upholstery of the car's interior, often misquoted as "fine" or "rich Corinthian leather", became famous and was much parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
, and Montalbán subsequently became a favorite subject of impersonators. Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...
, for example, frequently impersonated him on SCTV
Second City Television
Second City Television is a Canadian television sketch comedy show offshoot from Toronto's The Second City troupe that ran between 1976 and 1984.- Premise :...
. (In deference to American habits, he deliberately misstressed the car's name on the second syllable.) In 1986, he was featured in a magazine advertisement for the new Chrysler New Yorker
Chrysler New Yorker
The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile built by the Chrysler Corporation from 1939–1996, serving for several years as the brand's flagship model. A model named the "New York Special" first appeared in the 1930s...
.
Montalbán's best-known television role was that of Mr. Roarke in the television series Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:...
, which he played from 1978 until 1984. For a while, the series was one of the most popular on television, and his character as well as that of his sidekick, Tattoo (played by Hervé Villechaize
Hervé Villechaize
Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize was a French actor who achieved worldwide recognition for his role as Mr. Roarke's assistant, Tattoo, in the television series Fantasy Island...
), became pop icons. Another of his well-known roles was that of Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a villain in the fictional Star Trek universe. According to backstory given in the character's first appearance, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" , Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman tyrant who once controlled more...
in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T...
, in which he reprised a role that he had originated in the 1967 episode of Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
titled "Space Seed". There were some questions initially as to whether Montalbán had had prosthetic muscles applied to his chest during filming of Star Trek II to make him appear more muscular; director Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer is an American screenwriter, producer, director and novelist, known best for his best-selling novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and for directing the films Time After Time, two of the Star Trek feature film series, and the 1983 television movie The Day After.Meyer graduated from...
replied that even in his sixties Montalbán had a vigorous training regimin, was "one strong cookie" and that his real chest was seen on film; Khan's costume was specifically designed to display Montalbán's physique. Critic Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Christopher Null is a film critic, columnist and former blogger for Yahoo! Tech, editor of Drinkhacker.com, and is the founder and editor in chief of Filmcritic.com.-Publications:...
called Khan the "greatest role of Montalbán's career".
When Montalbán guest starred in the Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "McStroke
McStroke
"McStroke" is the eighth episode of season six of the FOX animated series Family Guy, which originally aired on January 13, 2008. The title is a play on McDonald's terminology of putting "Mc" in front of common words...
" as the genetically engineered cow, he made several references to his role as Khan (such as using the quote "...including... my beloved wife").
Montalbán appeared in many diverse films including The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! as well as two films from both the Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
and Spy Kids
Spy Kids
The Spy Kids series is a series of family action adventure films written, produced and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The main plot follows the adventures of two Cortez children who become involved in their parents' espionage. The rest of their family are spies as well, including their estranged...
series. In addition, he appeared in various musicals, such as 1966's The Singing Nun
The Singing Nun
Jeanine Deckers , known in English as The Singing Nun, was a Belgian nun, and a member of the Dominican Fichermont Convent in Belgium. She became internationally famous in 1963 as Sœur Sourire when she scored a hit with the song "Dominique"...
, also starring Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
. Over the course of his long career, he played lead roles or guest-starred in dozens of television series.
Prior to his death in January 2009, Montalbán recorded the voice for a guest character in an episode of the animated TV series American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
, in which main character Roger becomes the dictator of a South American country. According to executive producer Mike Barker, it was his last role.
Injury
During the filming of the 1951 film, Across the Wide MissouriAcross the Wide Missouri (film)
Across the Wide Missouri is a 1951 American film based on historian Bernard DeVoto's book, Across the Wide Missouri. The film dramatizes an account of several fur traders and their interaction with the Native Americans....
, Montalbán was thrown from his horse, knocked unconscious, and trampled by another horse which aggrevated his AVM and resulted in a painful back injury that never healed. The pain increased as he aged, and in 1993, Montalbán underwent 9½ hours of spinal surgery which left him paralysed below the waist and using a wheelchair. Despite constant pain, the actor persevered; he performed and provided voices for animated films and supported his Nosotros foundation. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
created the role "Grandfather" specifically for Montalbán in his Spy Kids film series, including a jet-propelled wheelchair.
Personal life
He married Georgiana Young (née Georgiana Paula Belzer; September 10, 1924—November 13, 2007), who had a brief acting and modeling career, in 1944; they had four children: Laura, Mark, Anita and Victor. Georgiana was the half-sister of the actresses Sally BlaneSally Blane
Sally Blane was an American actress. Blane was the sister of actresses Polly Ann and Loretta Young, and half-sister to actress Georgiana Young, the wife of actor Ricardo Montalban...
, Polly Ann Young
Polly Ann Young
Polly Ann Young was an American film actress.Actresses Loretta Young and Sally Blane were her sisters, and, of the three, Polly Ann was the least successful. Between 1917 and 1941 she featured in 34 movies, some of them minor uncredited roles. Among her most notable movie roles, was as John...
, and movie and television star Loretta Young
Loretta Young
Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953...
, who nicknamed her "Georgie". After sixty-three years of marriage, she died at the age of 83, on November 13, 2007, from undisclosed causes, predeceasing her husband by fourteen months.
Montalbán was a practicing Roman Catholic and once had said that his religion was the "most important thing" in his life. In 1998, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
made him a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(KSG), the highest honor a Roman Catholic lay person can receive from the Church. He recorded a Public Service Announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
, celebrating America's generosity and hospitality to him as a foreign-born actor, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Although he spent most of his life in the United States, he remained a citizen of Mexico and never applied for American citizenship.
Montalbán's autobiography, Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds, was published in January 1980 by Doubleday.
Nosotros Foundation
The way he was asked to portray Mexicans disturbed him, so Montalbán, along with Richard Hernandez, Val de Vargas, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Carlos Rivas, Tony de Marco, and Henry DarrowHenry Darrow
Henry Darrow is a prolific Puerto Rican-American character actor of stage and film. Darrow is probably best remembered for his role as Big John Cannon's teasing brother-in-law, and Buck Cannon's favorite ranch hand, and best friend, Manolito Montoya, in the 1960s television series The High...
established the Nosotros ("We") Foundation in 1970 to advocate for Latinos in the movie and television industry. He served as its first president and was quoted as saying:
The foundation created the Golden Eagle Awards, an annual awards show that highlights Latino actors. The awards are presented in conjunction with the Nosotros American Latino Film Festival (NALFF), held at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood.
Ricardo Montalbán Theatre
The Nosotros Foundation and the Ricardo Montalbán Foundation agreed to purchase the Doolittle Theatre in 1999 from UCLAUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. The process from agreement to opening took over four years. The facility in Hollywood was officially renamed the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in a May 11, 2004 ceremony. The event was attended by numerous celebrities, including Ed Begley, Jr.
Ed Begley, Jr.
Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
, representing the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
(SAG); Valerie Harper
Valerie Harper
Valerie Harper is an American actress, known for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on the 1970s television show The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and for her starring roles on the sitcoms Rhoda and Valerie.-Early life and career:Harper was born at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, Rockland County,...
, Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson
Loni Kaye Anderson is an American actress who played the role of Jennifer Marlowe on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.- Early life :...
, Hector Elizondo
Hector Elizondo
Héctor Elizondo is an American actor. Elizondo's first major role was that of "God" in the play Steambath, for which he won an Obie Award...
and Robert Goulet
Robert Goulet
Robert Gerard Goulet was a Canadian American entertainer as a singer and actor. He played the role of Lancelot in the Broadway musical Camelot of 1960.-Early life:...
.
When Montalbán rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair, he repeated "the five stages of the actor" that he famously stated in several interviews and public speeches:
- Who is Ricardo Montalbán?
- Get me Ricardo Montalbán.
- Get me a Ricardo Montalbán type.
- Get me a young Ricardo Montalbán.
- Who is Ricardo Montalbán?
He then jokingly added two more stages:
- "Wait a minute—isn't that What's-his-name?", referring to his role in the Spy Kids movies
- "Who the hell is that?", believing that to be the reaction of people seeing his name on the theater marquee Contrary to his assertions, a young generation is somewhat familiar with him through his voice as Señor Senior, Sr. in five Kim PossibleKim PossibleKim Possible is an American animated television series about a teenage crime fighter who has the task of dealing with worldwide, family, and school issues every day. The show is action-oriented, but also has a light-hearted atmosphere and often lampoons the conventions and clichés of the...
television episodes from 2002–2007 and as the grandfather in the movies Spy Kids 2 and Spy Kids 3Spy Kids 3-D: Game OverSpy Kids 3-D: Game Over is a 2003 American action-adventure family film directed by Robert Rodriguez and the third film in the Spy Kids series. It was released in the United States on July 25, 2003. The film featured the return of many cast members from the past two films, although most were in...
.
Montalbán then spoke about the goal of the Nosotros organization:
Death
Montalbán died on January 14, 2009 at his home in the Greater Los Angeles Area, at age 88. According to his son-in-law Gilbert Smith, Montalbán died of "complications from advancing age". His cause of death was later revealed to be congestive heart failureCongestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
. He is buried next to his wife in Culver City's Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City
Holy Cross Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery at 5835 West Slauson Avenue in Culver City, California, operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles....
.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1941 | Soundies Soundies Soundies were an early version of the music video: three-minute musical films, produced in New York City, Chicago, and Hollywood between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences. The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was... musical shorts |
Chorus member and crowd extra | appeared in at least two dozen titles |
| 1943 | Santa | Jarameño | |
| 1944 | La Fuga | Teniente | |
| 1947 | Fiesta Fiesta (1947 film) Fiesta was an American Technicolor musical-drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1947, starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalbán, Mary Astor and Cyd Charisse. The film was directed by Richard Thorpe and written by George Bruce and Lester Cole... |
Mario Morales | |
| 1948 | On an Island with You On an Island with You On an Island with You is a 1948 musical romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe. It stars Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalbán, Cyd Charisse and Kathryn Beaumont.... |
Ricardo Montez | |
| The Kissing Bandit | Fiesta Specialty Dancer | ||
| 1949 | Neptune's Daughter Neptune's Daughter (1949 film) Neptune's Daughter is a 1949 musical romantic comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Esther Williams, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalbán, Betty Garrett, Keenan Wynn, Xavier Cugat and Mel Blanc... |
José O'Rourke | |
| Border Incident Border Incident Border Incident is a film noir directed by Anthony Mann. The MGM film was written by John C. Higgins and George Zuckerman. The film was shot by cinematographer John Alton who used shadows and lighting effects to involve an audience despite the fact that the film was shot on a low budget... |
Pablo Rodriguez | ||
| Battleground | Rodriguez | ||
| 1950 | Mystery Street Mystery Street Mystery Street is a black-and-white film noir directed by John Sturges with cinematography by famed lensman John Alton. The film stars Ricardo Montalban, Bruce Bennett, and Elsa Lanchester.... |
Lieutenant Peter Morales | Alternative title: Murder at Harvard |
| Two Weeks With Love Two Weeks with Love Two Weeks with Love is a 1950 romantic musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Roy Rowland, based on story by John Larkin who co-wrote the screenplay with Dorothy Kingsley.Set in the early 1900s, the film focuses on the Robinson family... |
Demi Armendez | ||
| Right Cross Right Cross Right Cross is a 1950 drama film directed by John Sturges, written by Armand Deutsch and starring June Allyson, Ricardo Montalban, Dick Powell, Lionel Barrymore, and Marilyn Monroe.-Cast:*June Allyson ... Pat O'Malley... |
Johnny Monterez | ||
| 1951 | Across the Wide Missouri Across the Wide Missouri (film) Across the Wide Missouri is a 1951 American film based on historian Bernard DeVoto's book, Across the Wide Missouri. The film dramatizes an account of several fur traders and their interaction with the Native Americans.... |
Ironshirt (Blackfoot war chief) | |
| Mark of the Renegade | Marcos Zappa | ||
| 1952 | My Man and I | Chu Chu Ramirez | |
| 1953 | Latin Lovers | Roberto Santos | |
| 1954 | The Saracen Blade | Pietro Donati | |
| 1955 | A Life in the Balance | Antonio Gómez | |
| 1956 | Three for Jamie Dawn | George Lorenz | |
| 1957 | Sayonara Sayonara Sayonara is a 1957 color American film starring Marlon Brando. It tells the story of an American Air Force flier who was an "ace" fighter pilot during the Korean War.... |
Nakamura | |
| 1960 | Let No Man Write My Epitaph | Louie Ramponi | |
| 1962 | Ernest Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man is a 1962 drama film directed by Martin Ritt based on the Nick Adams stories by Ernest Hemingway, and featuring Richard Beymer as Adams.-Cast:*Richard Beymer as Nick Adams*Diane Baker as Carolyn... |
Major Padula | |
| The Reluctant Saint The Reluctant Saint The Reluctant Saint is a 1962 film which tells a somewhat fictionalized version of the story of Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th Century Italian saint. It stars Maximilian Schell as Joseph, as well as Ricardo Montalban, Lea Padovani, Akim Tamiroff, and Harold Goldblatt... |
Father Raspi | ||
| 1963 | Love Is a Ball Love Is a Ball Love Is a Ball is a 1963 romantic comedy film starring Glenn Ford and Hope Lange. It is based on the book The Grand Duke and Mr. Pimm by Lindsay Hardy.-Plot:... |
Duke Gaspard Ducluzeau | Alternative title: All This and Money Too |
| 1964 | Cheyenne Autumn Cheyenne Autumn Cheyenne Autumn is a 1964 western starring Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, James Stewart, and Edward G. Robinson. Regarded as an epic film it tells the story of a factual event, the Northern Cheyenne Exodus of 1878-9, although it is told in 'Hollywood style' using a great degree of artistic license... |
Little Wolf | |
| 1965 | The Money Trap The Money Trap The Money Trap is a 1965 drama film starring Glenn Ford , Elke Sommer and Rita Hayworth and directed by Burt Kennedy.-Plot:Joe Baron is a cop with financial troubles because of his wife Lisa's constant spending. One day, a burglar is reported shot at the home of a doctor... |
Pete Delanos | |
| 1966 | Madame X Madame X (1966 film) Madame X is a 1966 drama film directed by David Lowell Rich and starring Lana Turner.-Plot:A lower class woman, Holly Parker , marries into the rich Anderson family. Her husband's mother looks down on her and keeps a watchful eye on her activities... |
Phil Benton | |
| The Singing Nun The Singing Nun (film) The Singing Nun is a 1966 American semi-biographical film about the life of Jeanine Deckers, a nun who recorded the chart-topping hit song "Dominique". It starred Debbie Reynolds in the title role. It was Henry Koster's final directing job.... |
Father Clementi | ||
| 1967 | The Longest Hundred Miles | Father Sanchez | |
| 1968 | Sol Madrid | Jalisco | Alternative title: The Heroin Gang |
| 1969 | Sweet Charity Sweet Charity (film) Sweet Charity, full title of which is Sweet Charity: The Adventures of a Girl Who Wanted to Be Loved, is a 1969 American musical film directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, written by Neil Simon, and with music by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields... |
Vittorio Vidal | |
| 1971 | The Deserter The Deserter (1971 film) The Deserter is a 1971 Italian-American Western film by Dino De Laurentis. It was directed by Burt Kennedy, known for his penchant in directing westerns, including The War Wagon , Support Your Local Sheriff! and The Train Robbers .Scripted in the style of The Dirty Dozen , and designed as a... |
Natachai | |
| Escape from the Planet of the Apes Escape from the Planet of the Apes Escape from the Planet of the Apes, directed by Don Taylor, is a 1971 science fiction film starring Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman and Ricardo Montalbán. It is the third of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, the second being Beneath the... |
Armando | ||
| 1972 | Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a 1972 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fourth of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. It explores how the apes rebelled from mankind's ill treatment following Escape from the Planet of... |
Armando | |
| 1973 | The Train Robbers The Train Robbers The Train Robbers is a 1973 Western film starring John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor, and Ben Johnson. The movie was written and directed by Burt Kennedy.... |
The Pinkerton man | |
| 1974 | The Mark of Zorro The Mark of Zorro (1974 film) The Mark of Zorro is a 1974 television film and also a backdoor pilot for a TV series which ABC-TV declined to pick up. It was a remake of the 1940 film version of the story, with a teleplay based on John Taintor Foote's 1940 screenplay, and Alfred Newman's 1940 score with incidental music... |
Captain Esteban | |
| 1982 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T... |
Khan Noonien Singh Khan Noonien Singh Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a villain in the fictional Star Trek universe. According to backstory given in the character's first appearance, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" , Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman tyrant who once controlled more... |
|
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II Cannonball Run II See also Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy DashCannonball Run II comedy film featuring Burt Reynolds and an all-star cast, released by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest... |
King | |
| 1988 | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | Vincent Ludwig | |
| 2002 | Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams is a 2002 American family film, featuring spies and science fantasy elements. It was written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, and is the second film in the Spy Kids film series, which began with 2001's Spy Kids. Its plot is loosely based on Dr... |
Grandfather | |
| 2003 | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over is a 2003 American action-adventure family film directed by Robert Rodriguez and the third film in the Spy Kids series. It was released in the United States on July 25, 2003. The film featured the return of many cast members from the past two films, although most were in... |
Grandfather | |
| 2006 | The Ant Bully The Ant Bully (film) The Ant Bully is a 2006 American computer-animated film written and directed by John A. Davis based on the 1999 children's book of the same name by John Nickle... |
The Head of Council | Voice |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1956 | General Electric Theater General Electric Theater General Electric Theater is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald W. Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations.-Radio:... |
Esteban | 1 episode |
| 1957 | Wagon Train Wagon Train Wagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65... |
Jean LeBec | 1 episode |
| 1958 | Frances Farmer Presents Frances Farmer Presents Frances Farmer Presents is an American anthology series that aired on Indianapolis station WFBM-TV . The series premiered on October 13, 1958 and ended in September 1964.-Synopsis:... |
Tio | 1 episode |
| 1959 | Adventures in Paradise Adventures in Paradise Adventures in Paradise is an American television series which ran on ABC from 1959 until 1962. It starred Gardner McKay as Adam Troy, the captain of the schooner Tiki III which sailed the South Pacific looking for passengers and adventure. The show was created by James Michener... |
Henri Privaux | 1 episode |
| 1960 | Death Valley Days Death Valley Days Death Valley Days is an American radio and television anthology series featuring true stories of the old American West, particularly the Death Valley area. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was broadcast on radio until 1945. It continued from 1952 to 1975 as a syndicated television series... |
Joaquin Murietta | 1 episode |
| 1960 | Bonanza Bonanza Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the... |
Matsou | 1 episode |
| 1961 | The Dinah Shore Chevy Show The Dinah Shore Chevy Show The Dinah Shore Chevy Show is an American variety series hosted by Dinah Shore, and broadcast on NBC from October 1956 to June 1963. The series was sponsored by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors and its theme song, sung by Shore, was "See the U.S.A... |
Karl Steiner | 1 episode |
| 1961 | Hamlet Hamlet The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601... (German TV production) (uncredited) |
Claudius (dubbed English voice) | 1 episode |
| 1961 | The Untouchables The Untouchables (1959 TV series) The Untouchables is an American crime drama that ran from 1959 to 1963 on ABC. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized the experiences of Eliot Ness, a real-life Prohibition agent, as he fought crime in Chicago during the 1930s with the help of a... |
Frank Makouris | 1 episode - "Stranglehold" |
| 1962 | Cain's Hundred Cain's Hundred Cain's Hundred is an American crime drama series that aired on NBC from 1961 to 1962. The series was produced by Vanadas Productions, Inc. in association with MGM Television.-Synopsis:... |
Vincent Pavanne | 1 episode |
| 1962 | The Lloyd Bridges Show The Lloyd Bridges Show The Lloyd Bridges Show is an American anthology drama series produced by Aaron Spelling, which aired on CBS from September 11, 1962 to May 28, 1963, starring and hosted by Lloyd Bridges.-Synopsis:... |
Navarro | 1 episode – "War Song" |
| 1963 | Ben Casey Ben Casey Ben Casey is an American medical drama series which ran on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, *, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaffe intoned, "Man, woman, birth, death, infinity." Neurosurgeon Joseph... |
Henry Davis | 1 episode |
| 1964 | The Defenders | 'Spanish John' Espejo | 1 episode |
| 1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement... |
Satine | 1 episode |
| 1966 | The Wild Wild West The Wild Wild West The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969.... |
Col. Noel Bartley Vautrain | 1 episode - "The Night of the Lord of Limbo" |
| 1966 | Dr. Kildare | Damon West | 4 episodes |
| 1966 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement... |
Delgado | 1 episode |
| 1967 | Star Trek Star Trek: The Original Series Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969... |
Khan Noonien Singh Khan Noonien Singh Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a villain in the fictional Star Trek universe. According to backstory given in the character's first appearance, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" , Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman tyrant who once controlled more... |
1 episode – "Space Seed" |
| 1967 | Mission: Impossible Mission: Impossible Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in... |
Gerard Sefra | 1 episode – "Snowball In Hell" |
| 1967 | Combat! | Barbu | 1 episode |
| 1968 | Ironside Ironside (TV series) Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the... |
Sgt. Al Cervantes | 1 episode |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,... |
Tokura | 1 episode – "Samurai" |
| 1970 | Gunsmoke Gunsmoke Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West.... |
Chato | 1 episode |
| 1970 | Marcus Welby, M.D. Marcus Welby, M.D. Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. It starred Robert Young as a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner, and was produced by David Victor and David J. O'Connell... |
Rick Rivera | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Here's Lucy Here's Lucy Here's Lucy is Lucille Ball's third network television sitcom. It ran on CBS from 1968 to 1974.-Background:Though The Lucy Show was still hugely popular during the previous season, finishing in the top five of the Nielsen Ratings , Ball opted to end that series at the end of that season and create... |
Prince Phillip Gregory Hennepin Of Montalbania | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,... |
Alex Pareno | 1 episode – "Death Wish on Tantalus Mountain" |
| 1973 | Griff Griff (TV series) Griff is a 13-episode ABC crime drama starring Lorne Greene and Ben Murphy, which aired from September 29, 1973, to January 4, 1974. Nine months after the expiration of his nearly 14-year role as Ponderosa Ranch patriarch Ben Cartwright on NBC's Bonanza western series, the Canadian native Greene... |
1 episode – "Countdown to Terror" | |
| 1974 | Wonder Woman | Abner Smith | Made for TV movie (pilot) |
| 1975 | Switch Switch (TV series) Switch is an American action-adventure, tongue-in-cheek detective series starring Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner, who worked as private eyes, for a deceptive sting operation... |
Jean-Paul | 1 episode |
| 1976 | Columbo | Luis Montoya | 1 episode |
| 1977 | Police Story | Major Sergio Flores | 1 episode |
| 1978 | How the West Was Won How the West Was Won (TV series) How the West Was Won is an American western television series that featured an all star cast that included: James Arness, Eva Marie Saint, Fionnula Flanagan, Bruce Boxleitner, G. W. Bailey, Trisha Noble, William Shatner, Jack Elam, Woody Strode, Anthony Zerbe, Richard Kiley, Lloyd Bridges,... |
Satangkai | 4 episodes |
| 1978–1984 | Fantasy Island Fantasy Island Fantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:... |
Mr. Roarke | 124 episodes |
| 1985–1987 | The Colbys The Colbys The Colbys is an American prime time soap opera, which originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. The Aaron Spelling-produced series was a spin-off of Dynasty, which had been the highest rated series for the 1984-1985 U.S. television season... |
Zachary "Zach" Powers | 48 episodes |
| 1986 | Dynasty Dynasty (TV series) Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado... |
Zachary "Zach" Powers | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | B.L. Stryker B.L. Stryker B.L Stryker is an American detective drama that aired on ABC from February 13, 1989 to May 1990 as part of the ABC Mystery Movie along with Gideon Oliver, Columbo and Kojak. The series was executive produced by Tom Selleck.-Premise:... |
Victor Costanza | 1 episode |
| 1990 | Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,... |
Vaacclav Maryska | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Dream On Dream On (TV series) Dream On is an American adult-themed situation comedy about single New Yorker, Martin Tupper. The show used a gimmick where old black and white clips were used to punctuate the main character's feelings or thoughts... |
Alejandro Goldman | 1 episode |
| 1993 | The Golden Palace The Golden Palace The Golden Palace is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1992, to May 14, 1993. The show was a spin-off and continuation of the sitcom The Golden Girls.... |
Lawrence Gentry | 1 episode |
| 1994 | Heaven Help Us Heaven Help Us Heaven Help Us is a 1985 comedy-drama film.Heaven Help Us may also refer to:*"Heaven Help Us", a song by Cirith Ungol from Paradise Lost*"Heaven Help Us", a song by My Chemical Romance, a B-side of the single "Welcome to the Black Parade"... |
Mr. Shepherd | |
| 1995–1996 | Freakazoid! Freakazoid! Freakazoid! is an American animated television series created by Steven Spielberg, Bruce Timm, and Paul Dini for the Kids' WB programming block of The WB. The series chronicles the adventures of the title character, Freakazoid, a manic, insane superhero who battles with an array of super villains.... |
Armondo Gutierrez (Voice) | 4 episodes |
| 1997 | Chicago Hope Chicago Hope Chicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr... |
Col. Martin Nieves | 1 episode |
| 1998 | The Love Boat: The Next Wave The Love Boat: The Next Wave The Love Boat: The Next Wave is an American television series which was based on the ABC sitcom The Love Boat. The series aired on UPN from 1998 to 1999.-Plot:... |
Manuel Kaire | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is an American animated science fiction/adventure/comedy series produced by Walt Disney Television. The character is from the planet Zurtron. The series originally aired on UPN and ABC from October 2000 to January 2001 as part of Disney's One Saturday Morning... |
Vartkes (Voice) | 1 episode |
| 2001 | Titans Titans (TV series) Titans is a short-lived American prime time soap opera that debuted on October 4, 2000 on NBC. Thirteen episodes were filmed, of which eleven were actually aired. Produced by Aaron Spelling, the series was initially marketed as a "Dynasty for the new millennium," attempting to emulate the style of... |
Mr. Sanchez | 1 episode |
| 2002 | Dora the Explorer Dora the Explorer Dora the Explorer is an American animated television series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until... |
El Encantador (Voice) | 1 episode |
| 2002–2007 | Kim Possible Kim Possible Kim Possible is an American animated television series about a teenage crime fighter who has the task of dealing with worldwide, family, and school issues every day. The show is action-oriented, but also has a light-hearted atmosphere and often lampoons the conventions and clichés of the... |
Señor Senior Sr. (Voice) | 5 episodes |
| 2008 | Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian... |
The Cow | 1 episode (McStroke McStroke "McStroke" is the eighth episode of season six of the FOX animated series Family Guy, which originally aired on January 13, 2008. The title is a play on McDonald's terminology of putting "Mc" in front of common words... ) |
| 2009 | American Dad! American Dad! American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television... |
General Juanto Pequano. | 1 episode (Moon Over Isla Island Moon Over Isla Island "Moon Over Isla Island" is the second episode of the fifth season of American Dad!. It first aired in the United States on Fox on October 4, 2009. This episode mainly centers around Stan, who starts takes advantage of his relationship with Roger on various occasions. Stan is later told to meet up... ). Last role before his death. |
External links
- Archive of American Television interview with Ricardo Montalbán on August 13, 2002
- Catholics in Media Associates Lifetime Achievement Award
- "Ricardo Montalbán's death announced in Los Angeles"
- "Ricardo Montalbán dies at 88; 'Fantasy Island' actor", Los Angeles Times, Thursday, January 15, 2009.
- "Ricardo Montalbán, Star of 'Fantasy Island,' Dies at 88," The New York Times, Thursday, January 15, 2009.