Ricardo Montalban Dead at 88

He was well known as Mr. Roarke on ABC's Fantasy Island...
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...and twice played one of the greatest nemeses in the Star Trek franchise, first, in the 1967 episode, Space Seed:

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...and in the 1982 blockbuster Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan :


chargr2004/Paramount Pictures

Gotta love it when Khan gives Kirk fits.

The actor immortalized for playing both roles- Mr. Roarke, and Khan Noonien Signh- have passed away today at 88. In a career that started in 1941, Montalban worked in numerous roles, starting with a small part in the Tallulah Bankhead play,
Her Cardboard Lover. He was a member of the MGM stable of stars, and played steamy Latin lovers with stars such as Lana Turner and Esther Williams. For years, he also dedicated himself to changing Hollywood's image of Latinos. Almsot 20 years ago, he found Nosotros, an organization dedicated to advancement of Latinos in the industry.

He suffered a spinal injury in the Clark Gable film Across the Wide Missouri, that injury plaguing him later in life.

In addition to Star Trek, he played numerous TV guest roles in the 1960s.

Copyright (C) 2009 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.