Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Star Trek - Los Angeles Times: Ricardo Montalban Passes Away

At the Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA):

(Please follow the link for the complete obituary.)

'Fantasy Island' actor Ricardo Montalban dies at 88

He was often cast -- and stereotyped -- as a Latin lover and later was best known as Mr. Roarke of 'Fantasy Island.' He was respected for his work to improve the roles and image of other Latino actors.

By Lorenza Muñoz

2:20 PM PST, January 14, 2009

Ricardo Montalban, the suave leading man who was one of the first Mexican-born actors to make it big in Hollywood and who was best known for his role as Mr. Roarke on ABC's "Fantasy Island," has died. He was 88.

Montalban died Wednesday morning at his Los Angeles home of complications related to old age, said his son-in-law, Gilbert Smith ...

While making "Fantasy Island," Montalban also gave one of his best movie performances -- as Khan Noonian Singh in the "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982), a follow-up to a beloved 1967 "Star Trek" television episode, "Space Seed," that also featured Montalban.

As Khan, Montalban was deliciously over the top, vowing to wreak revenge on Star Trek Admiral James T. Kirk: "I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nivea, and 'round the Antares maelstrom, and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up."

New York Times movie critic Janet Maslin wrote that Montalban, "with his fierce profile, long white hair, manful decolletage and space-age jewelry looks like either the world's oldest rock star or its hippest Indian chief." And New Yorker magazine critic Pauline Kael said Montalban's performance as Khan "was the only validation he has ever had of his power to command the big screen."

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