Overview (5)

Mini Bio (1)

Spouse (1)

Trade Mark (3)

Rich smooth voice



Often played the Latin Lover in romance musicals



Often played Native Americans in westerns



Trivia (28)

Attended and graduated from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California.





Had three siblings: Carmen Montalban, Pedro Montalban and Carlos Montalbán

For years, he was a commercial spokesperson for Chrysler Corporation automobiles.



He was a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills, California.



Was nominated for Broadway's 1958 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Jamaica".



In 1970, he founded the non-profit organization "Nosotros" whose goal is "to help fulfill the goals of persons of Spanish-speaking origin in the motion picture and television industry".



In 1999, he purchased an old Hollywood theater designed by the well-known architect John C. Austin which was built in 1927: "...conceiving a plan to rebuild this theater to benefit the diverse community and to build a state-of-the-art school to compliment this live theater".





Had played a Japanese gangster in the television series episode Hawaii Fünf-Null: Samurai (1968). The eye makeup was so binding that Montalban could not blink. As a result, the continuous shots of Montalban are always short. The effect is a little jarring. Most people blink when they move their head to readjust their eyes. Montalban never does when moving his head on camera.



Best remembered by the public for his starring role as Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island (1977).



Had four children with Georgiana Young . Sons: Victor Montalban (born April 18, 1952) and Mark Montalban (March 13, 1947). Daughters: Laura Montalban, clothing designer (August 12, 1945 - November 17, 2017) and Anita Montalban (March 21, 1949).



Made 13 Spanish-language films in Mexico before his American debut in Mexikanische Nächte (1947).

Montalban's dignified demeanor and rich Spanish accent added flair to the small screen on a number of television series. This also established him as a popular pitchman for Maxwell House Coffee and Chrysler Corporation.





Agreed to reprise his role of Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: Der Zorn des Khan (1982) for only $100,000 because he loved the role so much. He also watched the original series episode "Space Seed" to recall Khan, worried that he would sound like Mr. Roarke.



Montalban's personal favorite role was as Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: Der Zorn des Khan (1982). "New Yorker" critic Pauline Kael said Montalban's performance as Khan "was the only validation he has ever had of his power to command the big screen".

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.



In 1986, he recorded a public service announcement celebrating America's generosity and hospitality to him as a foreign-born actor, honoring the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.





In 1993, he had a 9 1/2 hour surgical operation on his spine to repair an old back injury he received while filming Colorado (1951). He had been in constant pain ever since and confined to a wheelchair as a paraplegic.



He was awarded Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II in 1998; the highest honor bestowed upon a layperson in the Roman Catholic Church.



Following his death, he was interred with his wife Georgiana Young at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Personal Quotes (9)



[upon winning his Emmy Award for Durch die Hölle nach Westen (1976)] I don't know about Mr. Roarke, but this certainly fulfills my fantasy. Thank you very much.



[In a 1978 interview, analyzing the success of Fantasy Island (1977)] What is appealing is the idea of attaining the unattainable and learning from it. Once you obtain a fantasy, it becomes a reality, and that reality is not as exciting as your fantasy. Through the fantasies, you learn to appreciate your own realities.

Mexican is not a nice-sounding word and Hollywood is at fault for this because we have been portrayed in this ungodly manner.





[on his famous role on Fantasy Island (1977)] Mr. Roarke manipulates everything and everyone. In the eye of the fantasizer, Roarke has the power of life and death.

[on the Nosotros Foundation] I received tremendous support, but there also were some negative repercussions. I was accused of being a militant, and as a result, I lost jobs.





I played caricatures of what a Latin is supposed to be like. In reality, we are family men. I should have had the courage of Dolores del Rio who returned to Mexico and made her best movies there.



[on Sayonara (1957)] I was and still am very pleased with my performance and very much saddened by this picture. I was hoping for an Academy Award nomination, but unfortunately most of my scenes ended up on the cutting-room floor.

I think every actor loves the stage. The pros are that it is the actor's medium; there's no way your scene is going to end up on the cutting-room floor, and it's up to you to get and keep the attention of the audience by the truth of your performance.



Mexico is my mother; the United States is the best friend I will ever have. And so I dream of the day when my mother will say, 'Ricardo, you have chosen a wonderful friend.' And the day when the friend will say, 'Ricardo, you have a sensational mother.'.



Salary (1)