Ricardo Montalban was the epitome of distinction, class, and elegance both on and off the screen and stage where he enjoyed professional and artistic success for well over a half a century. I saw him on the small screen in roles in the shows Star Trek and Fantasy Island. Later I got to see him in a number of films he did including the film noir classic Mystery Street, A Life in the Balance, The Singing Nun, Cheyenne Autumn, Neptune's Daughter, and Across the Wide Missouri, among his over 32 films and 35 television programs.But clearly the two television roles will be the ones most will remember Montalban for will be his portrayal of the distinctive but disturbed Khan in Star Trek and as the mysterious magical Mr Roarke in Fantasy Island. His portrayals of those roles were down with fervor, intensity, and zeal. Montalban superbly reprised his TV Star Trek role 15 years later in the Star Trek film, The Wrath of Khan. He also gained recognition of a number of commercial advertisements he did for Chrysler from the mid 1970s into the 80s where one of his lines "soft Corinthian leather" became part of mainstream cultural awareness.
Montalban was born in Mexico from parents that had immigrated from Spain, and he learned to speak and annunciate in Castillan Spanish rather than Mexican Spanish. His distinct linguistic style and tone only added to his presence on and off the screen. He always remained a citizen of Mexico, never considering American citizenship.
His only wife of 63 years, Georgiana Young, passed in November 2007. Montalban leaves four descendents, sons Mark and Victor, and daughters Laura and Anita, as well as grandchildren.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Montalban
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Ricardo_Montalban
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-montalban15-2009jan15,0,4189863.story
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