Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero | |
---|---|
Born | César Julio Romero Jr. February 15, 1907 New York City, U.S. |
Died | January 1, 1994 Santa Monica, California, U.S. | (aged 86)
Resting place | Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California, U.S. |
Other names | Butch The Latin from Manhattan |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1929–1994 |
Political party | Republican |
Military career | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Coast Guard |
Years of service | 1942–1945 |
Rank | Chief petty officer[1] |
Battles/wars | World War II |
César Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost 60 years. His wide range of screen roles included
Early life
César Julio Romero Jr. was born in New York City on February 15, 1907, the son of César Julio Romero Sr. (1872–1951) and María Mantilla (1880–1962).[3] His mother was a concert singer and said to be the biological daughter of Cuban national hero José Martí.[4][5][6] [7] [8] His father was born in Barcelona and immigrated to the United States in 1888, where he was an import/export merchant.[9][10]
Romero grew up in
On October 12, 1942, he enlisted in the
Career in film
The 6'3" [190 cm] Romero routinely played "Latin lovers" in films from the 1930s until the 1950s, usually in supporting roles. In 1935, Romero played a leading role
In
Romero sometimes played the
Among almost countless television credits, Romero appeared several times on
In 1958, he guest-starred as Ramon Valdez in How to Marry a Millionaire in the episode entitled "The Big Order". He performed the mambo with Gisele MacKenzie on her NBC variety show, The Gisele MacKenzie Show. He guest-starred in 1957 on CBS's The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour on the first episode of the seventh season ("Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana"). He played "Don Carlos", a card sharp on the episode, "The Honorable Don Charlie Story" of NBC's Wagon Train. On January 16, 1958, he appeared on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. In 1959, Romero was cast as Joaquin in the episode "Caballero" from The Texan,[16] and on September 26 of that year, he hosted the Cuban installment of John Gunther's High Road.[4][17]
In 1960, he was cast as Ricky Valenti in "Crime of Passion" from Pete and Gladys.[citation needed] In 1965, Romero played the head of THRUSH in France in "The Never Never Affair" from The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
From 1966 to 1968, he portrayed the
His guest star work in the 1970s included a recurring role on the western comedy
Political activities
A registered
Also in 1964, Romero was very much involved in the U.S. Senate race in California that pitted one of Romero's best friends and fellow actor, Republican nominee George Murphy (who nicknamed Romero "Butch"), in his bid to oust then-Senator Pierre Salinger, a Democrat.[22][23]
The Senate race was a heated contest where Salinger had already narrowly defeated then-
Murphy lost the full use of his voice during his term when part of his larynx was removed due to throat cancer. Romero employed other Hollywood stars to try to help Murphy win re-election in 1970.[25] However, Murphy lost re-election to John V. Tunney, the son of boxing legend Gene Tunney.
After Murphy's Senate defeat, Romero scaled back his involvement in politics but would take part for a Hollywood friend, such as Ronald Reagan in his successful gubernatorial bids in 1966 and 1970[26] as well as all four of his presidential bids in 1968, 1976, 1980, and 1984. Romero also joined with fellow actors and actresses in lobbying the United States Congress to present the then-dying John Wayne with a Congressional Gold Medal for his service to the nation.[27]
Personal life
Romero was a lifelong bachelor and had no children.[citation needed]
Romero made frequent appearances at Hollywood events escorting actresses, such as Joan Crawford, Linda Darnell, Barbara Stanwyck, Lucille Ball, Ann Sheridan, Jane Wyman, Agnes Moorehead, and Ginger Rogers.
Many Hollywood historians and biographers have speculated on Romero being very private about his sexuality.[28][29][30][31][32][33][34] In 1996, Boze Hadleigh wrote a book, Hollywood Gays, containing a series of claimed interviews in which Romero allegedly came out.[35][36] Romero died two years before the book was released, and while many of the interviews in the book are disputed as possible forgeries, many are not disputed.[37]
Death
On January 1, 1994, at age 86, Romero died from complications of a blood clot while being treated for bronchitis and pneumonia at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.[18]
His body was cremated and the ashes were interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California.[39]
For his contributions to the motion picture and television industry, Romero has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6615 Hollywood Boulevard for film and another star at 1719 Vine Street for television.[40][41]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1933 | The Shadow Laughs | Tony Rico | |
1934 | The Thin Man | Chris Jorgenson | |
1934 | British Agent | Tito Del Val | |
1934 | Cheating Cheaters | Tom Palmer | |
1934 | Strange Wives | Boris | |
1935 | Clive of India | Mir Jaffar | |
1935 | A Dream Comes True | Himself | Uncredited |
1935 | The Good Fairy | Joe | |
1935 | Cardinal Richelieu | Andre de Pons | |
1935 | The Devil Is a Woman | Antonio Galvan | |
1935 | Hold 'Em Yale
|
Gigolo Georgie | |
1935 | Diamond Jim | Jerry Richardson | |
1935 | Metropolitan | Niki Baroni | |
1935 | Rendezvous | Nieterstein | |
1935 | Show Them No Mercy! | Tobey | |
1936 | Love Before Breakfast | Bill Wadsworth | |
1936 | Nobody's Fool | Dizzy Rantz | |
1936 | Public Enemy's Wife | Gene Maroc | |
1937 | Wee Willie Winkie | Khoda Khan | |
1937 | Dangerously Yours | Victor Morell | |
1937 | Ali Baba Goes to Town | Himself | Uncredited |
1938 | Happy Landing | Duke Sargent | |
1938 | Always Goodbye | Count Giovanni 'Gino' Corini | |
1938 | My Lucky Star | George Cabot Jr | |
1938 | Five of a Kind | Duke Lester | |
1939 | Wife, Husband and Friend | Hugo | |
1939 | The Little Princess | Ram Dass | |
1939 | The Return of the Cisco Kid | Lopez | |
1939 | Frontier Marshal | Doc Halliday | |
1939 | Charlie Chan at Treasure Island | Rhadini | |
1939 | The Cisco Kid and the Lady | Cisco Kid | |
1939 | Hollywood Hobbies | Himself | Uncredited |
1940 | He Married His Wife | Freddie | |
1940 | Viva Cisco Kid | Cisco Kid | |
1940 | Lucky Cisco Kid | Cisco Kid | |
1940 | The Gay Caballero | Cisco Kid | |
1941 | Romance of the Rio Grande | Cisco Kid / Real and fake Carlos Hernandez | |
1941 | Tall, Dark and Handsome
|
J.J. 'Shep' Morrison | |
1941 | Ride on Vaquero | Cisco Kid | |
1941 | The Great American Broadcast | Bruce Chadwick | |
1941 | Dance Hall | Duke McKay | |
1941 | Week-End in Havana | Monte Blanca | |
1942 | A Gentleman at Heart | Tony Miller | |
1942 | Tales of Manhattan | Harry Wilson | |
1942 | Orchestra Wives | St. John 'Sinjin' Smith | |
1942 | Springtime in the Rockies | Victor Prince | |
1943 | Coney Island | Joe Rocco | |
1943 | Wintertime | Brad Barton | |
1946 | Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Victory Show | Himself | |
1947 | Carnival in Costa Rica | Pepe Castro | |
1947 | Captain from Castile | Hernán Cortés | |
1948 | That Lady in Ermine | Joe Sanger | |
1948 | Julia Misbehaves | Fred Ghenoccio | |
1948 | Deep Waters | Count Mario | |
1949 | The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend | Blackie Jobero | |
1949 | Screen Snapshots: Motion Picture Mothers, Inc. | Himself | |
1950 | Love That Brute | Pretty Willie Wetzchahofsky | |
1950 | Once a Thief | Mitch Moore | |
1951 | Happy Go Lovely | John Frost | |
1951 | Lost Continent | Major Joe Nolan | |
1951 | FBI Girl | FBI Agent Glen Stedman | |
1952 | The Jungle | Rama Singh | |
1952 | Lady in the Fog | Philip 'Phil' O'Dell | |
1953 | The Sword of Granada | Don Pedro de Rivera | |
1953 | Street of Shadows | Luigi | |
1953 | Prisoners of the Casbah | Firouz | |
1954 | Vera Cruz | Marquis Henri de Labordere | |
1955 | The Americano | Manuel Silvera / "El Gato" / Etc. | |
1955 | The Racers | Carlos Chavez | |
1956 | The Leather Saint | Tony Lorenzo | |
1956 | Around the World in 80 Days | Abdullah's henchman | |
1957 | The Story of Mankind | Spanish Envoy | |
1958 | Villa!! | Tomás Lopez | |
1959 | My Private Secretaries | Rafael Travesi | |
1960 | Ocean's 11
|
Duke Santos | |
1960 | Pepe | Himself | |
1961 | Seven Women from Hell | Luis Hullman | |
1961 | The Runaway | Father Dugan | |
1962 | If a Man Answers | Robert Swan / Adam Wright | |
1963 | We Shall Return | Carlos Rodriguez | |
1963 | The Castilian | Jerónimo | |
1963 | Donovan's Reef | Marquis Andre de Lage | |
1963 | Saint Mike | Unknown role | |
1964 | A House Is Not a Home | Lucky Luciano | |
1965 | Two on a Guillotine | John Harley 'Duke' Duquesne | |
1965 | Sergeant Deadhead | Admiral Stoneham | |
1965 | Marriage on the Rocks | Miguel Santos | |
1966 | Batman | The Joker | |
1968 | Madigan's Millions | Mike Madigan | |
1968 | Hot Millions | Customs Inspector | |
1968 | Skidoo | Hechy | |
1969 | Crooks and Coronets | Nick Marco | |
1969 | Midas Run | Carlo Dodero | |
1969 | Target: Harry | Lt. George Duval | |
1969 | Latitude Zero | Dr. Malic / Lt. Hastings | |
1969 | The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | A. J. Arno | |
1969 | A Talent for Loving | Don Jose | |
1970 | The Red, White, and Black
|
Col. Grierson | |
1971 | Once Upon a Wheel | Himself | |
1971 | The Last Generation | Unknown role | Archive footage |
1972 | The Proud and the Damned
|
San Carlos' Mayor | |
1972 | Now You See Him, Now You Don't | A. J. Arno | |
1974 | The Spectre of Edgar Allan Poe | Dr. Richard Grimaldi | |
1974 | The Haunted Mouth | B. Plaque | Also Narrator |
1975 | The Strongest Man in the World | A. J. Arno | |
1975 | Timber Tramps | Greedy sawmill mogul | |
1976 | Carioca Tigre
|
Don Rosalindo Y Guana | |
1977 | Mission to Glory: A True Story | Admiral Atondo | |
1985 | Lust in the Dust | Father Garcia | |
1988 | Judgement Day | Octavio | |
1995 | Carmen Miranda: Bananas is My Business | Himself | |
1998 | The Right Way | Don Genese | Final role Posthumous release |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | The Ed Wynn Show | Himself | 1 episode |
1954–1958 | Passport to Danger | Steve McQuinn | 33 episodes |
1954 | A Star Is Born World Premiere | Himself | TV short |
1956–1967 | The Red Skelton Hour
|
Prison Convict, Mustapha Dame, Concierge, Russian agent, Clayton Harrison, Witch Doctor, Plumber, Advertising Agency Executive, Pierre, Big Bill - Racketeer | 11 episodes |
1957 | Navy Log | Himself/host | |
1957 | The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show
|
Carlos Garcia | Episode: "Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana |
1958 | Wagon Train | Hon Don 'Charlie' Carlos de Fuentes | Episode: "The Honorable Don Charlie Story" |
1959 | Zorro | Esteban de la Cruz | 4 episodes |
1959 | The Texan | Captain Joaquin Acosta | Episode: "Caballero" |
1959 | John Gunther's High Road | Himself | 1 episode |
1959 | Death Valley Days | Don Augustin Oblivion | Episode: "Olvera" |
1959–1965 | Rawhide | Col. Emilio Vasquez, Don Francisco Maldenado, Big Tim Sloan, Ben Teagle | 4 episodes |
1960 | Love and Marriage | Himself | 1 episode |
1960 | Stagecoach West | Manolo Lalanda | Episode: "A Time To Run" |
1960 | Five Fingers | Ferri | Episode: "Counterfeit" |
1960–1961 | Stagecoach West | Colonel Francisco Martinez | 2 episodes |
1961 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | The Man from Everywhere | Episode: "The Ballet of the Pater Bullet" |
1962 | The Beachcomber | Jaoquin Perez, Krasny | 2 episodes |
1963 | Fractured Flickers | Himself | 1 episode |
1963 | 77 Sunset Strip | Lorenzo Cestari | Episode: "5: Part 4 |
1963–1965 | Burke's Law | Police Chief Alvaro, Gregorio Jonas, Antonio Cardoza, Louis Simone, Marcus DeGrute | 5 episodes |
1964 | Dr. Kildare | Dr. Paul Marino | Episode: "Onions, Garlic and Flowers That Bloom in the Spring" |
1964–1970 | The Mike Douglas Show | Himself | Unknown episodes |
1965 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Victor Gervais | Episode: "The Never-Never Affair" |
1965 | Bonanza | Guido Borelli | Episode: "The Deadliest Game" |
1965 | Branded | Gen. Arriola | Episode: "The Mission: Part 2" |
1965 | Ben Casey | Frederic Delano | Episode: "Did Your Mother Come from Ireland, Ben Casey?" |
1966–1969 | Daniel Boone | Esteban de Vaca, Adm. Alejandro Buenaventura, Colonel Carlos Navarro | 3 episodes |
1966–1968 | Batman | The Joker | 22 episodes |
1967 | T.H.E. Cat | Gordon Amley | Episode: "Queen of Diamonds, Knave of Hearts" |
1968 | Get Smart | Kinsey Krispen | Episode: "The Reluctant Redhead" |
1969 | Here's Lucy | Tony Rivera | Episode: "A Date for Lucy" |
1970 | Julia | Bunny Henderson, Bernard Henderson | 5 episodes |
1970 | Bewitched | Ernest Hitchcock | Episode: "Salem, Here We Come" |
1970 | It Takes a Thief | Mike | Episode: "Beyond a Treasonable Doubt" |
1971 | The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World | Himself | TV movie documentary |
1971 | The Jimmy Stewart Show | Harris Crofton | 2 episodes |
1971 | Love, American Style | Young Unmarrieds | 1 episode |
1971 | Nanny and the Professor | Schiavoni | Episode: "The Man Who Came to Pasta" |
1971 | Mooch Goes to Hollywood | Himself | TV movie |
1971 | The Merv Griffin Show | Himself | 1 episode |
1971–1972 | Alias Smith and Jones | Armendariz | 3 episodes |
1972 | The Mod Squad | Frank Barton | Episode: "The Connection" |
1972 | The Jimmy Stewart Show | Admiral Decker | 2 episodes |
1973 | Chase | Parker | Episode: "A Bit of Class" |
1974 | Ironside | Tony Hudson | Episode: "The Last Cotillion" |
1974 | Banacek | Marius Avantalu | Episode: "The Vanishing Chalice" |
1974 | Dinah! | Himself | 1 episode |
1975 | Medical Center | Packy | Episode: "The High Cost of Winning" |
1976 | Ellery Queen | Armand Danello | Episode: "The Adventure of the Wary Witness" |
1977 | Chico and the Man | Gilberto Rodriguez | Episode: "Chco's Padre" |
1978 | Vega$
|
Christopher Vincente | Episode: "Lost Women" |
1979 | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Amos Armat | Episode: "Vegas in Space" |
1979–1983 | Fantasy Island | Sheikh Hameel Habib, Edmond Rome, Frederick Kragen, Maestro Roger Alexander | 4 episodes |
1980 | Charlie's Angels | Elton Mills | Episode: "Dancing' Angels" |
1982 | Matt Houston | Miles Gantry | Episode: "Who Would Kill Ramona?" |
1983 | Hart to Hart | Dr. Villac | Episode: "Chamber of Lost Harts" |
1984–1986 | The Love Boat | Carlos Belmonte, John, Stockton, John Drake | 4 episodes |
1985 | Magnum, P.I. | Doc Villoroch | Episode: "Little Games" |
1985–1992 | Murder, She Wrote | Marcello Abruzzi, Diego Santana | 2 episodes |
1985 | Family Feud | Himself | 1 episode |
1985–1988 | Falcon Crest | Peter Stavros
|
52 episodes |
1985–1986 | Riptide | Angelo Guirilini | 2 episodes |
1988 | The Tracey Ullman Show | Roland Diego | 1 episode |
1990 | The Golden Girls | Tony | Episode: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun... Before They Die" |
1993 | Edna Time! | Himself | 1 episode |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1929 | The Street Singer | John | Broadway[42][43] |
1932 | Dinner at Eight | Ricci | Broadway[42][43] |
Radio appearances
Year | Program | Episode/source |
---|---|---|
1949 | Burns and Allen Show | Caesar Romero Steals Bills Girlfriend |
1952 | Hollywood Star Playhouse | Diamonds of Gulaga[44] |
References
- ^ a b "Celebrities and other Famous People - Cesar Romero, Actor". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
- ^ Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (March 25, 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time". TV Guide. pp. 14–15.
- ISBN 978-0-3133-3211-1
- ^ a b Handel, Charles (September 7, 1959). "A Look at TV: Gunther Plans Unusual Shows". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ Oliver, Myrna (January 4, 1994). "César Romero, Suave Star for Over 60 Years, Dies at 86". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-1424-3704-9.
- ^ Coons, Robbin (March 2, 1936). "Hollywood Sights and Sounds". The Gettysburg Times
- ^ Coons, Robbin (March 2, 1936). "Hollywood Sights and Sounds". The Gettysburg Times.
- ^ Year: 1910; Census Place: Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1023; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0593; FHL microfilm: 1375036
- ^ National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 453; Volume #: Roll 0453 - Certificates: 1250-1499, 11 Jan 1918-14 Jan 1918
- ^ Voger, Mark (November 8, 2014). "'Batman' TV cast on the creation of a camp classic". The Star-Ledger. Newark. Retrieved November 15, 2014. "CESAR ROMERO – The actor who created the role of the Joker lived in Bradley Beach as a child, and attended Bradley Beach Elementary School and Asbury Park High School."
- ^ Adams, Marjory (November 16, 1957). "Movie Question Box". The Boston Globe. November 16, 1957. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ Thomas, Bob (June 22, 1984). "Entertainment: Latin from Manhattan Danced to Hollywood". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Associated Press. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ Thomas, Bob (January 3, 1994). "Cesar Romero, Actor, Dies at 86; A Suave Player in Films and TV". The New York Times. Associated Press. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ "Cesar Romero Signs in Coast Guard". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Vol. 62, no. 255. Associated Press. October 13, 1942. p. 5. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ^ "The Texan". Classic Television Archive. Archived from the original on April 8, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ^ "TV Highlights of the Week". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. September 26, 1959. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
- ^ "Get your Nixon bumper stickers!". Los Angeles Times. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
- ^ Bishop, Bob (March 20, 2019). "A Look Back at Everyday Life along the Sunset Strip (It Was Fun!)". WeHoVille.
- ISBN 978-1-1076-5028-2.
- ^ "1964 Press Photo George Murphy, Senatorial Candidate & Actor Hugs Cesar Romero". Historic Images.
- ^ Stecher, Raquel (October 12, 2015). "Hollywood's Hispanic Heritage Blogathon: Cesar Romero". Out of the Past. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ^ Sabato, Larry J. (July 28, 2014). "The Senate Race That Couldn't Be Lost—And Was". Politico.
- ^ "Photo: George Murphy, Republican senatorial candidate, with Gale Storm and Cesar Romero". Library of Congress. September 14, 1964. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- Orange County Register.
- ^ "John Wayne and the Congressional Gold Medal". The New Frontier.
- ISBN 978-0-7867-3236-4.
- ISBN 978-1-1011-4369-8
- ISBN 978-0-8147-3122-2.
- ISBN 978-0-5957-5213-3.
- ISBN 978-1-60473-013-5.
- ISBN 978-0-7890-0641-7.
- ISBN 978-0-292-70537-1.
- ISBN 978-1-5698-0083-6.
- ISBN 978-0-6700-3017-0. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ^ "Woody McBreairty: Interview with Boze Hadleigh, 1987;". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021.
- ^ "UK SUBS - Inland Empire Weekly". Inland Empire Weekly. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-7992-4. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ^ "Cesar Romero". Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 25, 2019.
- ^ "Cesar Romero". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b "Cesar Romero Theatre Credits".
- ^ a b "Cesar Romero".
- ^ Kirby, Walter (November 16, 1952). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 48. Retrieved June 18, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
- Cesar Romero at IMDb
- Cesar Romero at the Internet Broadway Database
- Cesar Romero at Turner Classic Movies
- Cesar Romero at AllMovie
- Cesar Romero profile, Virtual-History.com; accessed April 17, 2017.
- Cesar Romero interview in "Jean Boone - Interview with Cast of Batman, The Movie (1966)" at Texas Archive of the Moving Image
- Starr, Steve (2006). "Cesar Romero". Entertainment Magazine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2007.
- Romero Family Papers Regarding José Martí dloc.com (Digital Library of the Caribbean); accessed April 17, 2017.