Television star Ricardo Montalban Bio-grapy

Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán Merino (November 25, 1920 – January 14, 2009) was a Mexican television, theatre, and film actor. He had a career on both sides of decades and multiple famous roles. During the late 1970s, he was the spokesperson in automobile advertisements for the Chrysler Cordoba (in which he famously extols the "Corinthian leather" used for its interior). From 1977 to 1984 he starred as Mr. Roarke in the television series Fantasy Island. He also played Khan Noonien Singh in both a 1967 episode "Space Seed" of the first season of the original Star Trek series, and the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He won an Emmy Award in 1978, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1993. Up until his 80s, he continued to perform, often providing voices for animated films and commercials. Born Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalban y Merino in Mexico City, Montalban spent part of his youth in the U.S. The tall, dark, handsome, and curly haired actor first worked as a bit player on Broadway before returning to Mexico in the early '40s and launching a film career there. By 1947, he had returned to the States and signed with MGM. That year, Montalban played his first leading role opposite Cyd Charisse in the romantic musical Fiesta (1947).
Non public life
He married Georgiana Young, an actress, in 1944; they had four children. She was half-sister of the actresses Sally Blane, Polly Ann Young, and Loretta Young, who nicknamed her "Georgie". After 63 years of marriage, Georgiana Young de Montalbán died on November 13, 2007, at the age of 84. Montalbán established the Nosotros Foundation, which attempted to highlight and recognize Latino participation in the arts and entertainment. In 1970, the foundation created the Golden Eagle Awards, an annual awards show that recognizes Latino stars, He was a practicing Roman Catholic and once had said that his religion was the "most important thing" in his life. He was named a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by the Vatican in 1998.He remained a Mexican citizen by choice, having never applied for United States citizenship. Montalbán died on January 14, 2009, at his home in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 88.[6] The cause of death has not yet been identified. It would be the first of many roles in which he would play a passionate singing and dancing "Latin Lover." He and Charisse again teamed up as dancers in the Esther Williams musical water extravaganza in On an Island With You (1948). At one point, it was a toss-up between Montalban and fellow MGM "LL" Fernando Lamas as to which was more popular.

Born: 25-Nov-1920
Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico
Died: 14-Jan-2009
Location of death: Los Angeles, CA
Cause of death: unspecified
Gender: Male
Religion: Roman Catholic
Race or Ethnicity: Hispanic
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Actor
Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Roarke on Fantasy Island
Father: Jennaro Montalban
Mother: Ricarda (d. 1941)
Brother: Carlos Montalban (actor, b. 5-Jun-1903, d. 28-Mar-1991 heart attack)
Sister: Carmen Montalban
Wife: Georgiana Young (actress, half-sister of Loretta Young, b. 30-Sep-1923, m. 26-Oct-1944, four children)
Son: Victor Montalban (with Young)
Son: Mark Montalban (b. 1947 with Young)
Daughter: Laura Montalban (clothing designer, b. 1949 with Young)
Daughter: Anita Montalban (b. 1952 with Young)
Ricardo Montalban - Archive Interview Excerpt-