Ricardo Montalban Passes Away, another favorite leaves us...

[j Padraig moore]

One of my favorite actors, Ricardo Montalban passed away.
Probably every one remembers him as Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island. Before that he was a popular actor on stage and screen in the 40's and 50's, moving over into TV in the 60's and on. He was also an advocate for latino actors in Hollywood.
Probably his two most famous roles were as a pitchman for the Ford Cordoba ("fine Corinthian leather..." - of which there is no such thing), and as Khan on the original Star Trek TV series and Star Trek: the Wrath of Khan film.
Does anyone recall the old Saturday Night Live sketch where they did a game show using Spanish as if they were high school students (that is, very poorly)?
"Quien es mas macho, Fernando Lamas o Ricardo Montalban?
Ricardo Montalban es mas macho! Si!

Vaya con Dios, mi amigo...

[drummie]

Khan Noonian Singh. From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit at thee. Es mui macho? Si.

[stoirmeil]

I wonder if that really was the role he would most like to have been remembered by . . . I guess it's too late to make a difference now. Maybe we should make a special point to remember the suave, sexy Cordoba commercials. (They never made leather in Corinth in all those centuries? I don't believe it.

In several interviews and public speeches, Montalbán described "the five stages of the actor" as follows:

1. Who is Ricardo Montalbán?
2. Get me Ricardo Montalbán.
3. Get me a Ricardo Montalbán type.
4. Get me a young Ricardo Montalbán.
5. Who is Ricardo Montalbán?

RIP, Khan. Shatner is finally sleeping with both eyes closed.