Ricardo Montalban, actor, passes away at 88

[lurkey]

Ricardo Montalban, TV's Mr. Roarke, Trek's Khan, Dead at 88

Ricardo Montalban, who presided over TV's original Fantasy Island as the all-knowing, white-suited Mr. Roarke, revealed an impressive chest while provoking Captain Kirk in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and seduced potential car buyers with "Corinthean leather," died today. He was 88.
Montalban's death was announced by a city council member from Los Angeles, the city where a landmark Hollywood theater bares his name and where the Mexican-born actor had worked in, and starred in, for more than 60 years.

Montalban was—offscreen as he was on—elegant. "I often wear white even when I'm not working," he told the New York Times during his 1978-84 stay on Fantasy Island. "White immediately spells cleanliness. It makes me feel fresh and clean.''

Born Nov. 25, 1925, Montalban was already a movie star in his native country when he was recruited by Hollywood in 1945. Beginning in the late 1950s, television became his main source of screen work.
One show he guested on, among the dozens, was Star Trek. In a 1967 episode titled "Space Seed," Montalban introduced the genetically supercharged warrior Khan Noonien Singh. Fifteen years later, Montalban was called on to revive the role in Star Trek II. The 1982 film became noted for revving up the franchise, eliciting an impressive "Khaaaan!" roar from William Shatner, and giving a grand showcase to Montalban's sixtysomething chest.

In his biography, I Am Spock, Trek star Leonard Nimoy wrote of how fans debated whether Montalban stuffed Khan's low-cut costume with a fake breastplate.

"I'm here to tell you: It most defintely wasn't!" Nimoy attested. "Those were Montalban's enviable pecs."
Montalban also endeared himself to sci-fi fans as the kindly circus owner from 1971's Escape From the Planet of the Apes and 1972's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.

In the mid-1970s, Montalban was tapped to pitch the Chrysler Cordoba. The commercials, in which Montalban cooed over the sedan interior's "soft Corinthean leather," spawned a thousand parodies, and more than a little confusion: What exactly was Corinthean leather?

In the 1980s, Montalban was pressed on the subject by David Letterman.

"They found a leather that was very durable, very pliable and very durable, so Corinthean!" Montalban said.

"But does it mean anything?" Letterman asked.

"Nothing," Montalban conceded.

After Fantasy Island, Montalban did prime-time soaps (Dynasty, The Colbys), more guest shots (but not on the 1990s Fantasy Island revival in which Malcolm McDowell inherited the Mr. Roarke moniker) and movies (the Spy Kids franchise).

Montalban won one Emmy, for the 1978 miniseries How the West Was Won, and was presented with the Screen Actors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994.

[HURAKAN]

What a loss to the movie industry. He was a great actor.

[Stephanie]

I have no idea why, but this weekend I was thinking about him, Tatoo and Fantasy Island.

May he rest in peace.

I loved that Star Trek movie with him as Khan. I hope that comes on again sometimes soon.

[vbhoutex]

A definite loss. He was the consummate gentleman, at least in Fantasy Island. May he RIP.

[Miss Mary]

Back in the day, I used to watch Fantasy Island. May he rest in peace, indeed. An odd show but it grew in popularity. Didn't it follow the Love Boat? Or was that Dallas.....can't remember if FI aired on Friday or Saturday nights! Either way, I was home. I didn't go out much back then! But RM created an indelible character and his voice was one of a kind.

[Pburgh]

He definitely was a classy man. I've heard he was married to the same woman for over 65 years. Is that true?

[Cookiely]

He definitely was a classy man. I've heard he was married to the same woman for over 65 years. Is that true?

He married Geogiana Young (half sister of Loretta Young) in 1944. She died in 2007 and they had four children.

[gtalum]

Makes me wanna buy a Chrysler Cordoba.