Ricardo Montalbán
Mexican-American actor known for Khan, Mr. Roarke, and Chrysler commercials.
Ricardo Montalbán was born in Mexico City on November 25, 1920, and raised in Torreón by Spanish immigrant parents. He had a sister and two brothers, and was raised Catholic. As a teenager, he moved to Los Angeles to live with one brother, Carlos, and then to New York City in 1940, where he secured a minor role in a stage production. His early career included appearances in short musical films for jukeboxes, often as an extra or chorus member, though he played a lead role in one such short in 1941. That same year, he returned to Mexico upon learning his mother was dying, and there he acted in a dozen Spanish-language films, becoming a star in his homeland. His breakthrough came with the 1943 film *Santa*, directed by a Hollywood expatriate. This led to further leading roles in Mexican productions, including a bullfighting drama. His work caught the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who cast him opposite Esther Williams in the 1947 musical *Fiesta*. The film was a success, and MGM signed him to a long-term contract. He subsequently appeared in several more musicals with Williams and other stars, and took his first leading role in the 1949 film noir *Border Incident*. That same year, he became the first Hispanic actor to appear on the cover of *Life* magazine. Over the following years, he starred in a range of films for MGM, including war films, musicals, and crime dramas, working with directors such as Anthony Mann and William Wellman. Despite some box office successes, several of his later MGM films lost money, and the studio eventually let him go. Montalbán later reflected that he had often played stereotypical Latin characters, rather than more authentic roles.
- born
- November 25, 1920, in Mexico City
- died
- January 14, 2009
- field
- Film and television actor
- nationality
- Mexican and American
- known_for
- Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek, Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island, Chrysler spokesman
Lore & Background
Later in his career, Montalbán portrayed Armando in the Planet of the Apes film series from the early 1970s, starring in both Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972). As the villain Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically enhanced human, he guest-starred in the original Star Trek television series (1967) and starred in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). During the 1970s and 1980s, Montalbán was a spokesman for Chrysler for thirteen years, featured in their automotive commercials and advertisements, notably those in which he extolled the 'rich Corinthian leather' used in the Cordoba's interior. Montalbán played Mr. Roarke on the television series Fantasy Island (1977–1984). He won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1993. Montalbán was professionally active into his eighties, providing voices for animated films and commercials, and appearing as Grandfather Valentin in the Spy Kids franchise.
Reader's Guide
Montalbán was born on November 25, 1920, in Mexico City, and grew up in Torreón, the son of Spanish immigrants Ricarda Merino Jiménez and Genaro Balbino Montalbán Busano, a store manager, who raised him as a Catholic. He was born with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in his spine. Montalbán had a sister, Carmen, and two brothers, Pedro and Carlos. As a teenager, he moved to Los Angeles to live with Carlos. They moved to New York City in 1940, and Montalbán earned a minor role in the play Her Cardboard Lover. He appeared in short films, Mexican films, and became a star in Mexico before signing with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He later worked in B movies, television, and Broadway.
Did You Know?
- Montalbán was the first Hispanic actor to appear on the front cover of Life magazine on November 21, 1949.
- He earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the Broadway musical Jamaica (1957–1959).
- Montalbán was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in the miniseries How the West Was Won (1978) but did not win.
More in Writers & Journalists
Elsewhere in the Historical Figures universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record