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Cesar Romero

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César Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost 60 years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in costume dramas, characters in light domestic comedies, and the Joker on the live-action Batman television series of the mid-1960s, who was included in TV Guide's 2013 list of the 60 nastiest villains of all time.[1] Romero was the first actor to play the character.[2]

Early life

César Julio Romero Jr. was born in New York City on February 15, 1907, the son of César Julio Romero Sr. (1872–1951) and María Mantilla (1880–1962).[3] His mother was a concert singer and said to be the biological daughter of Cuban national hero José Martí.[4][5][6][7][8] His father was born in Barcelona and emigrated to the United States in 1888, where he was an import/export merchant.[9][10] He was a first cousin of silent film star Emerson Romero, who was a few years older than César and came to New York in 1907 to attend a school for the deaf.[11]

Romero grew up in Bradley Beach, New Jersey, and went to Bradley Beach Elementary School, Asbury Park High School,[12] the Collegiate School, and the Riverdale Country Day School.[13] After his parents lost their sugar-import business and suffered losses in the Wall Street crash of 1929, Romero's Hollywood earnings allowed him to support his large family, all of whom followed him to the American West Coast years later. Romero, who referred to himself as "a Latin from Manhattan", lived on and off with various family members for the rest of his life.[14][15]

On October 12, 1942, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard as an apprentice seaman[16] and served in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He reported aboard the Coast Guard-crewed assault transport USS Cavalier in November 1943. According to a press release from the period, Romero saw action during the invasions of Tinian and Saipan. The same article mentioned that he preferred to be a regular part of the crew and was eventually promoted to the rating of chief boatswain's mate.[17]

Career

Romero, Fay Wray, director Richard Thorpe and cinematographer George Robinson (in background) on the set of Cheating Cheaters (1934)
Trailer for Public Enemy's Wife (1936)
Romero with Carmen Miranda in Week-End in Havana (1941)

The 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Romero routinely played "Latin lovers" in films from the 1930s until the 1950s, usually in supporting roles. Romero played Antonio Galvan, one of two suitors vying for Marlene Dietrich in The Devil is a Woman.[18]

Romero starred as the Cisco Kid in six westerns made between 1939 and 1941.[19] He danced and performed comedy in the 20th Century Fox films he starred in opposite Carmen Miranda and Betty Grable, such as Week-End in Havana (1941) and Springtime in the Rockies (1942).[20].

He also played a minor role as Sinjin, a piano player in Glenn Miller's band, in the 1942 20th Century Fox musical Orchestra Wives.[21] In The Thin Man (1934), Romero played a villainous supporting role opposite the film's main stars William Powell and Myrna Loy.[22]

Many of Romero's films from this early period saw him cast in small character parts, such as Italian gangsters and East Indian princes. Romero had a lead role as the Pathan rebel leader, Khoda Khan, in John Ford's British Raj-era action film Wee Willie Winkie (1937) starring Shirley Temple and Victor McLaglen[23] and a supporting role as the Indian servant Ram Dass in The Little Princess (1939), also with Temple.[24]

Romero also appeared in a comic turn as a foil for Frank Sinatra and his crew in Ocean's 11 (1960) starring the Rat Pack (Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop).[25]

Romero sometimes played the leading man, for example in Allan Dwan's 15 Maiden Lane (1936) opposite Claire Trevor[26] as well as winning the key role of the Doc Holliday character (with name changed to "Doc Halliday") in Dwan's acclaimed Wyatt Earp saga Frontier Marshal (1939) starring Randolph Scott and Nancy Kelly three years later.[27] Twentieth Century Fox, along with mogul Darryl Zanuck, selected Romero to co-star with Tyrone Power in the Technicolor historical epic Captain from Castile (1947), directed by Henry King. While Power played a fictionalized character, Romero played Hernán Cortés, a historical conquistador in Spain's conquest of the Americas.[28]

Among almost countless television credits, Romero appeared several times on The Martha Raye Show in the mid-1950s. [29]

He portrayed Don Diego de la Vega's maternal uncle in a number of second-season Zorro episodes.[30]

Romero in his role as the Joker on the 1960s television series Batman

In 1958, he guest-starred as Ramon Valdez in How to Marry a Millionaire in the episode entitled "The Big Order". He performed the mambo with Gisele MacKenzie on her NBC variety show, The Gisele MacKenzie Show. He guest-starred in 1957 on CBS's The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour on the first episode of the seventh season ("Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana"). He played "Don Carlos", a card sharp on the episode, "The Honorable Don Charlie Story" of NBC's Wagon Train. On January 16, 1958, he appeared on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. In 1959, Romero was cast as Joaquin in the episode "Caballero" from The Texan,[31] and on September 26 of that year, he hosted the Cuban installment of John Gunther's High Road.[4][32]

In 1960, he was cast as Ricky Valenti in "Crime of Passion" from Pete and Gladys.[33] In 1965, Romero played the head of THRUSH in France in "The Never Never Affair" from The Man from U.N.C.L.E..[34]

From 1966 to 1968, he portrayed the Joker on Batman. He refused to shave his moustache for the role, and so the supervillain's white face makeup was simply smeared over it throughout the series' run and in the 1966 film.[35]

His guest star work in the 1970s included a recurring role on the western comedy Alias Smith and Jones as Señor Armendariz, a Mexican rancher feuding with Patrick McCreedy (Burl Ives), the owner of a ranch on the opposite side of the border.[36] He appeared in three episodes. Romero later portrayed Peter Stavros on Falcon Crest (from 1985 to 1987).[37]

He also appeared in a sixth-season episode of The Golden Girls, where he played a suitor named Tony Delvecchio for Sophia (Estelle Getty).[38]

Apart from these television roles, Romero appeared as A.J. Arno, a small-time criminal who continually opposes Dexter Riley (played by Kurt Russell) and his schoolmates of Medfield College in a series of films by Walt Disney Productions in the 1970s.[39]

Romero with actress Phyllis Brooks on set of Dangerously Yours (1937)

Political activities

A registered Republican, Romero appeared in the Nixon-Lodge bumper sticker motorcade campaign[40] in October 1960. Four years later, Romero initially supported Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. in the write-in campaign supporting Lodge for president. Romero appreciated and said he liked Lodge's strong anti-Communist stance in South Vietnam where Lodge was at the time the United States ambassador.[41] During 1964, Romero supported Barry Goldwater in the general election.[42]

Also in 1964, Romero was very involved in the U.S. Senate race in California that pitted one of Romero's best friends and fellow actor, Republican nominee George Murphy (who nicknamed Romero "Butch"), in his successful bid to oust then-Senator Pierre Salinger, a Democrat.[43][44]

The Senate race was a heated contest where Salinger had already narrowly defeated then-California State Controller Alan Cranston, who would become a senator in 1968, in the Democratic primary. Both men had "primaried" Senator Clair Engle, who had sought re-nomination despite being terminally ill with a brain tumor; Engle died less than two months after the primary. Then-Democratic Governor Pat Brown appointed Salinger instead of Cranston to fill the vacancy; although the appointment seemed reasonable since Salinger had won the primary, it was roundly criticized by Romero and Murphy as cronyism since Salinger had been the White House press secretary for the late President John F. Kennedy, a close ally of Brown. Romero appealed to disappointed Cranston backers after the primary to support Murphy. Romero's urging helped Salinger lose a race no one thought could be lost.[45]

Murphy lost the full use of his voice during his term when part of his larynx was removed due to throat cancer. Romero employed other Hollywood stars to try to help Murphy win re-election in 1970.[46] However, Murphy lost re-election to John V. Tunney, the son of boxing legend Gene Tunney.

After Murphy's Senate defeat, Romero scaled back his involvement in politics but would take part for a Hollywood friend, such as Ronald Reagan in his successful gubernatorial bids in 1966 and 1970[47] as well as all four of his presidential bids in 1968, 1976, 1980, and 1984. Romero also joined with fellow actors and actresses in lobbying the United States Congress to present the then-dying John Wayne with a Congressional Gold Medal for his service to the nation.[48]

Personal life

Romero never married and had no children. Many Hollywood historians and biographers have speculated on Romero being very private about his sexuality.[49] In 1996, Boze Hadleigh wrote a book, Hollywood Gays, containing a series of claimed interviews in which Romero allegedly came out.[50][51] Romero died two years before the book was released, and while many of the interviews in the book are disputed as possible forgeries, many are not disputed.[52]

Death

On January 1, 1994, Romero died at 86 from complications of a blood clot while being treated for bronchitis and pneumonia at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.[35][54][55]

His body was cremated and the ashes were interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California.[56]

For his contributions to the motion picture and television industry, Romero has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6615 Hollywood Boulevard for film and another star at 1719 Vine Street for television.[57][58]

Filmography

Film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1950 The Ed Wynn Show Himself Episode: "Cesar Romero, Irene Hervey, Allan Jones"
1951 Stars Over Hollywood N/A Episode: "A Letter From Home"
1954–58 Passport to Danger Steve McQuinn 33 episodes
1954 A Star Is Born World Premiere Himself Television short
1956–67 The Red Skelton Hour Various 11 episodes
1957 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars N/A Episode: "Old Spanish Custom
Navy Log Himself/host Episode: "The Beach Pounders"
The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show Carlos Garcia Episode: "Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana
1958 Wagon Train Hon Don 'Charlie' Carlos de Fuentes Episode: "The Honorable Don Charlie Story"
1959 Zorro Esteban de la Cruz 4 episodes
The Texan Captain Joaquin Acosta Episode: "Caballero"
John Gunther's High Road Himself Episode: "Cuba"[59]
Death Valley Days Don Augustin Oblivion Episode: "Olvera"
Hotel de Paree Charlie Pendleton Episode: "Sundance and the Violent Siege"
1959–65 Rawhide Various 4 episodes
1960 Love and Marriage Himself 1 episode
Stagecoach West Manolo Lalanda Episode: "A Time To Run"
Five Fingers Ferri Episode: "Counterfeit"
1960–61 Stagecoach West Colonel Francisco Martinez 2 episodes
1961 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre The Man from Everywhere Episode: "The Ballet of the Pater Bullet"
1962 The Beachcomber Jaoquin Perez
Krasny		 2 episodes
1963 Fractured Flickers Himself 1 episode
77 Sunset Strip Lorenzo Cestari Episode: "5: Part 4
1963–65 Burke's Law Various 5 episodes
1964 Dr. Kildare Dr. Paul Marino Episode: "Onions, Garlic and Flowers That Bloom in the Spring"
1964–70 The Mike Douglas Show Himself Unknown episodes
1965 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Victor Gervais Episode: "The Never-Never Affair"
Bonanza Guido Borelli Episode: "The Deadliest Game"
Branded Gen. Arriola Episode: "The Mission: Part 2"
Ben Casey Frederic Delano Episode: "Did Your Mother Come from Ireland, Ben Casey?"
1966–69 Daniel Boone Esteban de Vaca
Adm. Alejandro Buenaventura
Colonel Carlos Navarro		 3 episodes
1966–68 Batman The Joker 22 episodes
1967 T.H.E. Cat Gordon Amley Episode: "Queen of Diamonds, Knave of Hearts"
1968 Get Smart Kinsey Krispen Episode: "The Reluctant Redhead"
1969 Here's Lucy Tony Rivera Episode: "A Date for Lucy"
1970 Julia Bunny Henderson
Bernard Henderson		 5 episodes
Bewitched Ernest Hitchcock Episode: "Salem, Here We Come"
It Takes a Thief Mike Episode: "Beyond a Treasonable Doubt"
1971 The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World Himself Television movie documentary
The Jimmy Stewart Show Harris Crofton 2 episodes
Love, American Style Young Unmarrieds 1 episode
Nanny and the Professor Schiavoni Episode: "The Man Who Came to Pasta"
Mooch Goes to Hollywood Himself Television movie
The Merv Griffin Show Himself 1 episode
1971–72 Alias Smith and Jones Armendariz 3 episodes
1972 The Mod Squad Frank Barton Episode: "The Connection"
The Jimmy Stewart Show Admiral Decker 2 episodes
1973 Chase Parker Episode: "A Bit of Class"
1974 Ironside Tony Hudson Episode: "The Last Cotillion"
Banacek Marius Avantalu Episode: "The Vanishing Chalice"
Dinah! Himself 1 episode
1975 Medical Center Packy Episode: "The High Cost of Winning"
1976 Ellery Queen Armand Danello Episode: "The Adventure of the Wary Witness"
1977 Chico and the Man Gilberto Rodriguez Episode: "Chco's Padre"
1978 Vega$ Christopher Vincente Episode: "Lost Women"
1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Amos Armat Episode: "Vegas in Space"
1979–83 Fantasy Island Various 4 episodes
1980 Charlie's Angels Elton Mills Episode: "Dancing' Angels"
1982 Matt Houston Miles Gantry Episode: "Who Would Kill Ramona?"
1983 Hart to Hart Dr. Villac Episode: "Chamber of Lost Harts"
1984–86 The Love Boat Various 4 episodes
1985 Magnum, P.I. Doc Villoroch Episode: "Little Games"
Family Feud Himself 1 episode
1985–88 Falcon Crest Peter Stavros 52 episodes
1985–86 Riptide Angelo Guirilini 2 episodes
1985–92 Murder, She Wrote Marcello Abruzzi
Diego Santana		 2 episodes
1988 The Tracey Ullman Show Roland Diego 1 episode
1990 The Golden Girls Tony Episode: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun... Before They Die"
1993 Edna Time! Himself Episode: "Pilot"

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
1929 The Street Singer John Broadway[60][61]
1932 Dinner at Eight Ricci Broadway[60][61]

Radio appearances

YearProgramEpisode/source
1949 Burns and Allen Show "Cesar Romero Steals Bill’s Girlfriend"
1952Hollywood Star PlayhouseDiamonds of Gulaga[62]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (March 25, 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time". TV Guide. pp. 14–15.
  2. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 94-95: Romero was considered for the role along with José Ferrer and Gig Young; the latter two were dropped due to scheduling conflicts.
  3. ↑ Candelaria, Cordelia. "Cesar Romero". Encyclopedia of Latino Popular Culture. Vol. 2. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 705. ISBN 978-0-3133-3211-1
  4. 1 2 Handel, Charles (September 7, 1959). "A Look at TV: Gunther Plans Unusual Shows". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  5. ↑ Oliver, Myrna (January 3, 1994). "César Romero, Suave Star for Over 60 Years, Dies at 86". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ↑ Marti, José; Allen, Esther. (April 30, 2002). "José Martí: Selected Writings". New York: Penguin Books. Page XXIX. ISBN 978-0-1424-3704-9.
  7. ↑ Coons, Robbin (March 2, 1936). "Hollywood Sights and Sounds". The Gettysburg Times
  8. ↑ Coons, Robbin (March 2, 1936). "Hollywood Sights and Sounds". The Gettysburg Times.
  9. ↑ Year: 1910; Census Place: Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1023; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0593; FHL microfilm: 1375036
  10. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 453; Volume #: Roll 0453 - Certificates: 1250-1499, 11 Jan 1918-14 Jan 1918
  11. ↑ Rosenholz, Elliott; Sturm, Ruth Brown (January 1972). "Emerson Romero: Man of a Thousand Lives". The Deaf American. 24 (5): 7–10. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  12. ↑ Voger, Mark (November 8, 2014). "'Batman' TV cast on the creation of a camp classic". The Star-Ledger. Newark. Retrieved November 15, 2014. "CESAR ROMERO – The actor who created the role of the Joker lived in Bradley Beach as a child, and attended Bradley Beach Elementary School and Asbury Park High School."
  13. ↑ Adams, Marjory (November 16, 1957). "Movie Question Box". The Boston Globe. November 16, 1957. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  14. ↑ Thomas, Bob (June 22, 1984). "Entertainment: Latin from Manhattan Danced to Hollywood". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Associated Press. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Cesar Romero, Actor, Dies at 86; A Suave Player in Films and TV (Published 1994)". Associated Press. January 3, 1994. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Cesar Romero Signs in Coast Guard". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Vol. 62, no. 255. Associated Press. October 13, 1942. p. 5. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Celebrities and other Famous People - Cesar Romero, Actor". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  18. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 145: See here for film credits
  19. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 pp. 154-156: Chronology
  20. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 157, p. 159, Chronology
  21. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 158, Chronology
  22. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 30, p. 142 (Chronology)
  23. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 pp. 47-49, p. 150 (Chronology)
  24. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 52, p. 152-153 (Chronology)
  25. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 87-88, p. 190 (Chronology)
  26. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 143 (Chronology)
  27. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p.153 (Chronology)
  28. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 67-68, p. 161: Plot sketch, costars, Production and Release dates. Role: Hernando Cortés.
  29. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 81, p. 171, p. 172, p. 173, p. 175, p. 177: Bernstein provides airdates and co-stars for most of these appearances.
  30. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 85, p. 186: See here for plot sketches in all four appearances, cast and Airdates.
  31. ↑ "The Texan". Classic Television Archive. Archived from the original on April 8, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  32. ↑ "TV Highlights of the Week". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. September 26, 1959. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  33. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 190-191: Plot sketch provided here. “Airdate 09/26/60”
  34. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 202: Plot sketch provided here. “Airdate 03/22/65”
  35. 1 2 "Cesar Romero, Actor, Dies at 86; A Suave Player in Films and TV". The New York Times. January 3, 1994. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  36. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 223, p. 225-226, p. 227 (Chronology)
  37. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 pp. 241-248
  38. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 133, p. 251 (Chronology)
  39. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 219-220
  40. ↑ "Get your Nixon bumper stickers!". Los Angeles Times. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
  41. ↑ Bishop, Bob (March 20, 2019). "A Look Back at Everyday Life along the Sunset Strip (It Was Fun!)". WeHoVille.
  42. ↑ Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-1076-5028-2.
  43. ↑ "1964 Press Photo George Murphy, Senatorial Candidate & Actor Hugs Cesar Romero". Historic Images.
  44. ↑ Stecher, Raquel (October 12, 2015). "Hollywood's Hispanic Heritage Blogathon: Cesar Romero". Out of the Past. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  45. ↑ Sabato, Larry J. (July 28, 2014). "The Senate Race That Couldn't Be Lost—And Was". Politico.
  46. ↑ "Photo: George Murphy, Republican senatorial candidate, with Gale Storm and Cesar Romero". Library of Congress. September 14, 1964. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  47. ↑ Kalfus, Marilyn (April 3, 2018). "Ronald Reagan launched his political career at this Anaheim house, selling for 1st time in 6 decades". Orange County Register.
  48. ↑ "John Wayne and the Congressional Gold Medal". The New Frontier.
  49. ↑ Multiple sources:
  50. ↑ Hadleigh, Boze (1996). Hollywood Gays. Barricade Books. pp. 19–63. ISBN 978-1-5698-0083-6.
  51. ↑ Mann, William J. (2001). Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969. New York: Viking. pp. 157–158. ISBN 978-0-6700-3017-0. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  52. ↑ "Woody McBreairty: Interview with Boze Hadleigh, 1987;". January 19, 2010. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021 – via YouTube.
  53. ↑ Bernstein, 2025 p. 134: “a Terpsichorean lyre at the Mausoleum of the Golden West, the Sanctuary of Dreams, the Alcove of Music.”
  54. ↑ "Actor Cesar Romero Dies At 86". The Washington Post. January 2, 1994.
  55. ↑ Natale, Richard (January 2, 1994). "Debonair Romero dies at 86". Variety.
  56. ↑ Wilson, Scott (August 22, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3rd ed.). McFarland. p. 642. ISBN 978-0-7864-7992-4. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  57. ↑ "Cesar Romero". Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 25, 2019.
  58. ↑ "Cesar Romero". Los Angeles Times.
  59. ↑ Shepard, Richard F. (September 12, 1959). "Truman to Give Show on Wilson; Telecast Sept. 20 Will Be Moderated by Meyner -Gunther in Shift". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. p. 43. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  60. 1 2 "Cesar Romero Theatre Credits". Broadway World.
  61. 1 2 "Cesar Romero". Internet Broadway Database.
  62. ↑ Kirby, Walter (November 16, 1952). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 48. Retrieved June 18, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

Sources