Cesar Romero

Tall, suave, exceptionally handsome lead and supporting actor in Hollywood films and TV from the early 1930s through the 90s. Of Cuban descent (his grandfather was revolutionary patriot Jose Marti), Romero was born in New York City and enjoyed promoting his nickname, "the Latin from Manhattan". After his family's fortunes were lost in the Depression, Romero became half of a nightclub dancing act. He successfully segued to Broadway, where he enjoyed acting roles in "All Points West", "Dinner at Eight" and other plays before being discovered by an MGM talent scout. Romero made his film debut in the landmark comedy-mystery "The Thin Man" (1934) where, prefiguring much of his later career, he played a gigolo. Soon picked up by Universal, he showed promise in films ranging from "Diamond Jim" (1935) to "Love Before Breakfast" (1936), and did extremely well as one of the two male leads endlessly pursuing the fickle Concha (Marlene Dietrich) in one of his few genuinely great films, Josef von Sternberg's "The Devil Is a Woman" (1935).

When Universal wouldn't raise his salary, Romero signed with 20th Century-Fox, where he would remain for almost 15 years and make some of his best-remembered films. He never quite made it to top star status and often lost the female lead to a slightly bigger male name, but his flashy smile and self-mocking grace served him well in escapist fare including "My Lucky Star" (1938), "Wife, Husband, and Friend" (1939), "The Gay Caballero" (1940) and "Romance of the Rio Grande" (1941), the last two among his half-dozen "Cisco Kid" pictures. Romero was an asset to musicals; he may have lost Betty Grable to John Payne in one of his best films, "Springtime in the Rockies" (1942), but in several numbers which combined Latin, ballroom and jitterbugging styles, he showed just how good a dancer he was, his agility especially remarkable for such a big man.

After WWII service Romero returned to Fox, where he enjoyed one of his best parts as Cortez in support of Tyrone Power in the lavish "The Captain from Castile" (1947). His screen career fading, Romero moved to TV in the 50s, starring as diplomatic courier Steve McQuinn in the syndicated adventure series, "Passport to Danger" (1954) and hosting "Your Chevrolet Showroom" (1953-54). He also continued bringing his forceful presence to supporting roles in features including "Vera Cruz" (1954), "Villa!" (1958) and John Ford's "Donovan's Reef" (1963).

60s TV saw Romero bringing his patented exuberant dash to the role many still most associate him with, the deliberately corny Joker on the wonderfully campy cult adventure show, "Batman" (1966-68). Appearing on the series more often than any other "special guest villain", Romero played his role to the hilt and beyond, and not even Jack Nicholson's performance in the 1989 feature "Batman" could eclipse Romero's work. Immensely proud of his omnipresent mustache, Romero refused to shave it off for the part, and so entered the minds of trivia buffs everywhere as they still delight in noticing his trim trademark beneath his pasty clown's makeup. Romero subsequently kept busy in films including "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" (1972), "The Strongest Man in the World" (1975) and "Simple Justice" (1989) and, still unreasonably attractive with snow-white hair, brought a seasoned professional brio to his role as wealthy Peter Stavros on TV's "Falcon Crest" from 1985-88.