Ricardo Montalban biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Acclaimed actor Ricardo Montalban was born Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalban y Merino on November 25, 1920, in Mexico City, Mexico. Though audiences might best remember him as Mr. Roarke, the suave host of the hit television series Fantasy Island, Montalban has had a long acting career spanning back to the 1940s.

The son of Spanish immigrants to Mexico, Montalban first moved to the United States as a teenager. He lived with his older brother in Los Angeles, California, where he studied English at Fairfax High School. He made his New York stage debut in 1940 with a small role in Her Cardboard Lover, starring Tallulah Bankhead.

Career Beginnings

Montalban launched his film career in Mexico in the early 1940s. In 1947, he landed his first major Hollywood film with Esther Williams. The pair played the twin siblings in the musical Fiesta. Montalban had a very memorable dance number in the film with Cyd Charisse. The dark, handsome actor with the romantic Spanish accent would go on to play numerous Latin lover-type roles. He reteamed with Williams for two more films, including the musical water extravaganza On an Island With You (1948).

In 1949, Montalban broke from his mold to play a border agent in the suspense drama Border Incident. He followed with another dramatic role in Battleground that same year. More dramatic roles followed, including starring opposite Shelley Winters in 1952's My Man and I as a Mexican immigrant. Returning to type, Montalban starred opposite Lana Turner in 1953's Latin Lovers.

Despite his strong Spanish accent, Montalban was often chosen to play other ethnicities. He played Native-American characters in several westerns, including 1951's Across the Wide Missouri with Clark Gable. During the making of this film, Montalban suffered a back injury, from which he never fully recovered. He later played a Japanese actor in Sayonara (1957), starring Marlon Brando.

Later Roles

As his film career ebbed, Montalban explored other opportunities on stage and on television. He received a Tony Award nomination for his work in the 1958 Caribbean musical Jamaica. Montalban also made numerous guest appearances on such shows as Dr. Kildare and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. In 1967, he landed a guest spot on Star Trek as Khan Noonien Singh, a villain who clashes with William Shatner's Captain James T. Kirk.

Montalban's TV career really took off in the late 1970s. He earned an Emmy for his portrayal of a Sioux chief in the TV miniseries How the West Was Won in 1978 and, that same year, landed the Fantasy Island role that would launch him into bona fide stardom.