Ricardo Montalbán

Lifelong Mexican citizen was a founder and board member for Nosotros, an advocacy group started in 1970 to improve the image of Latinos in the entertainment industry. His frequent appearances as a guest on The Loretta Young Show were a family affair--he was married to the star's youngest sister. Suffered a back injury during a fall from a horse while filming the western Across the Wide Missouri (1951) with Clark Gable, which caused a limp he disguised in future roles. His villainous titular… Show more character in the feature film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan debuted in a 1967 episode of the sci-fi series. In a 1975 TV commercial, became a memorable spokesman for the Chrysler Cordoba and spawned a catchphrase of sorts when he touted the "soft Corinthian leather" of the car's interior. Autobiography, Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds, was published in 1980. A devout Catholic, became a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great in 1998, by order of Pope John Paul II. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez idolized him and created the role of a grandfather for him in the cast of Spy Kids 2 (2002) and Spy Kids 3-D (2003). ~ Rovi

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