Origins & Early Life

Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino (; Spanish: [montalˈβan]; November 25, 1920 – January 14, 2009) was a Mexican and American film and television actor. Montalbán's career spanned seven decades, during which he became widely known for performances in genres from crime and drama to musicals and comedy. Later in his career, Montalbán portrayed Armando in the Planet of the Apes film series from the early 1970s, starring in both Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972). As the villain Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically enhanced human, he guest-starred in the original Star Trek television series (1967) and starred in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

During the 1970s and 1980s, Montalbán was a spokesman for Chrysler for thirteen years, featured in their automotive commercials and advertisements, notably those in which he extolled the "rich Corinthian leather" used in the Cordoba's interior. Montalbán played Mr. Roarke on the television series Fantasy Island (1977–1984). He won an Emmy Award for his role in the miniseries How the West Was Won (1978), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1993. Montalbán...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alberto Sordi — Contemporary (Born in 1920) (1920): Pillar of Italian Cinema, master of Commedia all'italiana comedy.
• Alfred Peet — Contemporary (Born in 1920) (1920): Dutch-American founder credited with starting the US specialty coffee revolution.
• Amedeo Modigliani — Contemporary (Died in 1920) (1920): Italian painter and sculptor known for elongated, modern portraits and nudes.
• Aage Bohr — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Al Martino — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Ali Akbar Khan — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Master sarod virtuoso who popularized Hindustani classical music in the West.
• Abbé Prévost — Shared historical date (11-25 · Died) (1763): French novelist, best known for the highly popular romance, Manon Lescaut.
• Andrea Doria — Shared historical date (11-25 · Died) (1560): Prominent Genoese statesman, condottiero, and admiral who dominated Mediterranean naval power.
• Albert Schweitzer — Shared historical date (01-14 · Born) (1875): German polymath renowned for theology, music, and 'Reverence for Life'
• Alfred Tarski — Shared historical date (01-14 · Born) (1901): Pioneering logician known for model theory and the formal concept of truth.
• 1920 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1920
• November 25 (11-25) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 25
• 2009 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2009
• January 14 (01-14) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 14