'Fantasy Island' Star Montalban Dies at 88

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LOS ANGELES (Jan. 14) - Ricardo Montalban, the Mexican-born actor who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later as the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died Wednesday morning at his home, a city councilman said. He was 88.

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Montalban's death was announced at a meeting of the city council by president Eric Garcetti, who represents the district where the actor lived. Garcetti did not give a cause of death.

According to Radar, the 88-year-old died of "natural causes" surrounded by his daughter and nurse.

"What you saw on the screen and on television and on talkshows, this very courtly, modest, dignified individual, that'sexactly who he was," said Montalban's longtime friend andpublicist David Brokaw.

Montalban had been a star in Mexican movies when MGM brought himto Hollywood in 1946. He was cast in the leading role oppositeEsther Williams in "Fiesta," and starred again with the swimmingbeauty in "On an Island with You" and "Neptune's Daughter."

But Montalban was best known as the faintly mysterious,white-suited Mr. Roarke, who presided over a tropical island resortwhere visitors were able to fulfill their lifelong dreams - usuallyat the unexpected expense of a difficult life lesson. Following afloatplane landing and lei ceremony, he greeted each guest with theline: "I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Island."

The show ran from 1978 to 1984.

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Ricardo Montalban Photos

** FILE ** In this June 7, 1995 file photo, Ricardo Montalban arrives at a luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif. Montalban, the Mexican-born actor who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later as the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died Wednesday morning Jan. 14, 2009 at his home, a city councilman said. He was 88. (AP Photo/Lois Bernstein)

Actor Ricardo Montalban gives an interview as he arrives for the Multicultural Motion Picture Association's Diversity Awards in Beverly Hills in this October 2, 1997 file photo. Montalban died in his Los Angeles home January 14, 2009 at the age of 88, a Los Angeles city official said. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/Files (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

HOLLYWOOD, CA - MAY 8: (FILE PHOTO) Actor Ricardo Montalban attends the Unveiling and Gala Inauguration of the Ricardo Montalban Theatre on May 8, 2004 in Hollywood, California. It was reported that actor Ricardo Montalban died at age 88 January 14, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ricardo Montalban

Getty Images

In this May 27, 1983 file photo, actors Ricardo Montalban, seated, and Christopher Hewitt are shown on the set of the television series "Fantasy Island," in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. The Mexican-born actor, who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died at his home in Los Angeles, City Council President Eric Garcetti said Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. He was 88. (AP Photo/Wally Fong, file)

Actor Ricardo Montalban, arrives at the premiere of "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams," in Hollywood in this July 28, 2002 file photo. Montalban died in his Los Angeles home January 14, 2009 at the age of 88, a Los Angeles city official said. REUTERS/Jim Ruymen/Files (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

** FILE ** In this Aug. 10, 1994 file photo, actor Ricardo Montalban is shown in Los Angeles. The Mexican-born actor, who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died at his home in Los Angeles, City Council President Eric Garcetti said Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. He was 88. (AP Photo/Tara Farrell, file)

* FILE ** In this June 15, 1978 file photo, actor Ricardo Montalban of the television series "Fantasy Island" is shown in Los Angeles. The Mexican-born actor, who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died at his home in Los Angeles, City Council President Eric Garcetti said Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. He was 88. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, file)

More recently, he appeared as villains in two hits of the 1980s:"Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" and the farcical "The Naked Gun:From the Files of Police Squad."

Between movie and TV roles, Montalban was active in the theater.He starred on Broadway in the 1957 musical "Jamaica" oppositeLena Horne, picking up a Tony nomination for best actor in amusical.

He toured in Shaw's "Don Juan in Hell," playing Don Juan, aperformance critic John Simon later recalled as "irresistible."In 1965 he appeared on tour in the Yul Brynner role in "The Kingand I."

"The Ricardo Montalban Theatre in my Council District - wherethe next generations of performers participate in plays, musicals,and concerts - stands as a fitting tribute to this consummateperformer," Garcetti said later in a written statement.

"Fantasy Island" received high ratings for most of its run onABC, and still appears in reruns. Mr. Roarke and his sidekick,Tattoo, played by the 3-foot, 11-inch Herve Villechaize, reachedthe state of TV icons. Villechaize died in 1993.

In a 1978 interview, Montalban analyzed the series's success:

"What is appealing is the idea of attaining the unattainableand learning from it. Once you obtain a fantasy, it becomes areality, and that reality is not as exciting as your fantasy.Through the fantasies you learn to appreciate your own realities."

As for Mr. Roarke: "Was he a magician? A hypnotist? Did he usehallucinogenic drugs? I finally came across a character that worksfor me. He has the essence of mystery, but I need a point of viewso that my performance is consistent. I now play him 95 percentbelievable and 5 percent mystery. He doesn't have to behavemysteriously; only what he does is mysterious."

In 1970, Montalban organized fellow Latino actors into anorganization called Nosotros ("We"), and he became the firstpresident. Their aim: to improve the image of Spanish-speakingAmericans on the screen; to assure that Latin-American actors werenot discriminated against; to stimulate Latino actors to studytheir profession.

Montalban commented in a 1970 interview:

"The Spanish-speaking American boy sees Butch Cassidy and theSundance Kid wipe out a regiment of Bolivian soldiers. He sees `TheWild Bunch' annihilate the Mexican army. It's only natural for himto say, `Gee, I wish I were an Anglo."'

Montalban was no stranger to prejudice. He was born Nov. 25,1920, in Mexico City, the son of parents who had emigrated fromSpain. The boy was brought up to speak the Castilian Spanish of hisforebears. To Mexican ears that sounded strange and effeminate, andyoung Ricardo was jeered by his schoolmates.

His mother also dressed him with old-country formality, and hewore lace collars and short pants "long after my legs had grownlong and hairy," he wrote in his 1980 autobiography,"Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds."

"It is not easy to grow up in a country that has differentcustoms from your own family's."

While driving through Texas with his brother, Montalban recalledseeing a sign on a diner: "No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed." In LosAngeles, where he attended Fairfax High School, he and a friendwere refused entrance to a dance hall because they were Mexicans.

Rather than seek a career in Hollywood, Montalban played summerstock in New York. He returned to Mexico City and played leadingroles in movies from 1941 to 1945. That led to an MGM contract.

Besides the Williams spectacles, the handsome actor appeared in"Sombrero" (opposite Pier Angeli), "Two Weeks With Love" (JanePowell) and "Latin Lovers" (Lana Turner).

He also appeared in dramatic roles in such films as "BorderIncident," "Battleground," "Mystery Street" and "RightCross."

"Movies were never kind to me; I had to fight for every inch offilm," he reflected in 1970. "Usually my best scenes would end upon the cutting-room floor."

Montalban had better luck after leaving MGM in 1953, though hewas usually cast in ethnic roles. He appeared as a Japanese kabukiactor in "Sayonara" and an Indian in "Cheyenne Autumn." Hisother films included: "Madame X," "The Singing Nun," "SweetCharity," "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" and "Conquest ofthe Planet of the Apes."

Montalban was sometimes said to be the source of Billy Crystal's"you look MAHvelous" character on "Saturday Night Live," thoughthe inspiration was really Argentinian-born actor Fernando Lamas.

In 1944, Montalban married Georgiana Young, actress and modeland younger sister of actress Loretta Young. Both Roman Catholics,they remained one of Hollywood's most devoted couples. She died in2007. They had four children: Laura, Mark, Anita and Victor.

Montalban suffered a spinal injury in a horse fall while makinga 1951 Clark Gable Western, "Across the Wide Missouri," andthereafter walked with a limp he managed to mask during hisperformances.

In 1993, Montalban lost the feeling in his leg, and exhaustivetests showed that he had suffered a small hemorrhage in his neck,similar to the injury decades earlier. He underwent 9 1/2 hours ofspinal surgery at UCLA Medical Center.

Despite the constant pain, the actor was able to take a role inan Aaron Spelling TV series, "Heaven Help Us." Twice a month in1994, he flew to San Antonio for two or three days of filming as anangel who watched over a young couple.

In an interview at the time, Montalban remarked: "I've nevergiven up hope. But I have to be realistic. I gave my tennis racketsto my son, figuring I'll never play again. But my doctor said,`Don't say that. Strange things happen. You never know."'

2009-01-14 16:21:25

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