Ricardo Montalban was born 100 years ago today, so I thought he deserved his own post! There are two performances of his that are my favorites: Jose in Neptune’s Daughter from 1949, and, of course, Khan, in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan from 1982.

Neptune’s Daughter

Synopsis:

Betty Barrett {Betty Garrett} mistakes Jack Spratt {Red Skelton} for polo player, Jose O’Rourke {Ricardo Montalban}. Jack goes along with it because he likes her and the two fall in love. Meanwhile, her sister, Eve {Esther Williams}, is worried that Betty’s heart will get broken when O’Rourke has to return to South America. Eve then meets with the real O’Rourke and ends up falling for him as well.

Note: He also starred with Williams the year before in On an Island with You.

The Now-Famous Christmas Song

It seems like there’s been so much controversy about the song, “Baby, it’s Cold Outside.” Above, you will see the first professional version {Frank Loesser actually wrote the song for him and his wife to perform at parties}. Sure, the man doesn’t want the woman to leave, but you also see the flip side of it where the roles are reversed with Garrett and Skelton. This is a fun song and I like it best in its original form. The fact that it even became a Christmas song seems really weird. It even won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Fun Facts!

Esther Williams was pregnant during filming. She also played a swimsuit designer and later on would copy designs from this film for the swimsuit line she created.

Ricardo Montalban had his chest waxed for shirtless scenes! Ouch!

Star Trek II: Khaaaaaaan!

Synopsis:

Fun Facts!

It was suspected that he wore a prosthetic chest, but it is actually his chest that you see! He told Johnny Carson that he achieved this muscular chest by doing “a lot of push-ups.”

Apparently he had a hard time getting back into character after being on Fantasy Island. He played Khan in the Star Trek TV series years earlier.

William Shatner and Ricardo Montalban did not film together at all. In the scenes where they talk to each other, they were filmed months apart because of scheduling conflicts. Shatner was starring on T.J. Hooker and Montalban in Fantasy Island at the same time.

Khan was his favorite role.

Honorable Mention and More Fun Clips

Fantasy Island

On and Island with You

Two Weeks with Love

The Kissing Bandit

Happy birthday, Ricardo!

Montalban is often underrated, but he was a versatile actor, who could dance, sing and play the villain. He said that he learned early on that a good villain doesn’t see himself as a villain. The villain still believes they are doing things for the right reasons. Montalban applied this theory to heroes as well and always tried to find a flaw since no one is perfect. These perceptions helped make his characters, whether good or evil, all the more believable.

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