Ricardo Montalban
He was a Mexican movie star who broke into Hollywood in the 1940s, was nominated for a Tony in the 1950s and went on to a long career on TV.
But Ricardo Montalban, who died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles at 88, will forever be known primarily for his place in American pop culture. To a certain TV generation, Montalban is immediately identifiable as the white-suited Mr. Roarke of ABC's Fantasy Island.
And in 1975, he began a long association with Chrysler as pitchman for the Cordoba. In his suave accent, he would extol the car's "soft, Corinthian leather," a description that became a catchphrase for comedians.
In Fantasy Island, which was a hit for most of its six-year run on ABC, Montalban's Roarke and his aide, Tattoo, helped guests at his resort live their dreams.
When Montalban won an Emmy in 1978 for his supporting role in How the West Was Won, he referred to his TV alter ego: "I don't know about Mr. Roarke, but this certainly fulfills my fantasy."
Long before becoming a pop culture icon, Montalban starred in MGM musicals alongside swimming star Esther Williams in Fiesta, On an Island With You and Neptune's Daughter. His success continued after he left MGM, and he often was cast in ethnic roles. He played a Japanese kabuki actor in Sayonara and an Indian in Cheyenne Autumn. Other films included Escape From the Planet of the Apes, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan and the Spy Kids movies.
He racked up a long list of TV credits beginning in the 1950s, including The Untouchables, Combat!, Wonder Woman, Dynasty and The Colbys. In more recent years, he lent his voice to such shows as Kim Possible and Dora the Explorer.
In 1970, the Mexico City native founded Nosotros, a group of actors looking to improve the image of Spanish-speaking Americans and to introduce Latinos to acting.
But for many, Montalban will always be Mr. Roarke. He talked in 1978 about Fantasy Island's appeal: "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."
