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Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo Cortez

Actor, Director

Born September 17, 1900 in New York City, New York, USA

Died April 28, 1977

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Biography

Ricardo Cortez (September 19, 1900 – April 28, 1977) was an American film actor who began his career during the silent film era.

Born Jacob Krantz in New York City into a Jewish family, he worked on Wall Street in a broker's office and as a boxer before his looks got him into the film business. Hollywood executives changed his name to Cortez to appeal to film-goers as a "Latin lover" to compete with such highly popular actors of the era as Rudolph Valentino, Ramon Novarro and Antonio Moreno. When rumour began to circulate that Cortez was not actually Spanish, the studios tried to pass him off as a different type of Latin, French, before they finally admitted his (supposedly) Viennese origin.

Cortez appeared in over 100 films. He played opposite Joan Crawford in Montana Moon in 1930, played Sam Spade in the original The Maltese Falcon in 1931, co-starred with Charles Farrell and Bette Davis in The Big Shakedown and Wonder Bar (with Al Jolson and Dolores del Río) in 1934. He also played Perry Mason in the 1936 film The Case of the Black Cat. Although he began his career playing romantic leads with actresses like Greta Garbo, when sound cinema arrived, his powerful delivery and New York accent made him an ideal villain and conman, and he switched from sex symbol to character actor.

Cortez was married to silent film actress Alma Rubens until her death of pneumonia in 1931.

When he retired from the film business, Cortez went to work as a stockbroker for Solomon Brothers on New York's Wall Street. He died in New York City in 1977 and was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx.

He was the older brother of noted cinematographer Stanley Cortez (born Stanislaus Krantz).

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Ricardo Cortez Photos

Ricardo Cortez Videos

Bunco Squad (1950)

RUBBER RACKETEERS Trailer (1942).flv

Mr. Moto's Last Warning ≣ 1939 ≣ Trailer

MurderofDoctorHarrigan trailer

Walking Dead 1936 TCM

Ellman's Brought Back to Life

Preview Clip | Frisco Kid | Warner Archive

The Man With Two Faces (Original Theatrical Trailer)

Midnight Mary - Loretta Young tells it like it is!

"The Maltese Falcon" 1931: A Dastardly Plot.

Filmography

Actor

117

Type

Year

Garbo Documentary2005Self

Complicated Women Poster

Complicated Women Documentary2003Self

Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown Poster

Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown Documentary1985Self as Don Rafael Brull

Lambs Club Salute TV Special1966Self

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood Poster

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood Documentary1960Self

Bonanza TV Series1959Don Xavier Losaro

The Last Hurrah Poster

The Last Hurrah Feature Film1958Sam Weinberg

The Jack Carson Show Poster

The Jack Carson Show TV Series1954Self

This Is Your Life Poster

This Is Your Life TV Series1952Self

All Star Revue Poster

All Star Revue TV Series1950Self - Guest Actor

Bunco Squad Poster

Bunco Squad Feature Film1950Tony Weldon - aka Anthony Wells

Lux Video Theatre Poster

Lux Video Theatre TV Series19501 episode, 1951

Mystery in Mexico Poster

Mystery in Mexico Feature Film1948John Norcross

Blackmail Poster

Blackmail Feature Film1947Ziggy Cranston

The Inner Circle Poster

The Inner Circle Feature Film1946Duke York

The Locket Poster

The Locket Feature Film1946Drew Bonner

Make Your Own Bed Poster

Make Your Own Bed Feature Film1944Fritz Alden

Rubber Racketeers Poster

Rubber Racketeers Feature Film1942Gilin

Tomorrow We Live Poster

Tomorrow We Live Feature Film1942The Ghost - Alexander Caesar Martin

Who Is Hope Schuyler? Poster

Who Is Hope Schuyler? Feature Film1942Anthony Pearce

A Shot in the Dark Poster

A Shot in the Dark Feature Film1941Philip Richards

I Killed That Man Poster

I Killed That Man Feature Film1941Roger Phillips

World Premiere Poster

World Premiere Feature Film1941Mark Saunders

Murder Over New York Poster

Murder Over New York Feature Film1940George Kirby

Romance of the Rio Grande Poster

Romance of the Rio Grande Feature Film1940Ricardo de Vega

Charlie Chan in Reno Poster

Charlie Chan in Reno Feature Film1939Dr. Ainsley

Mr. Moto's Last Warning Poster

Mr. Moto's Last Warning Feature Film1939Fabian

City Girl Poster

City Girl Feature Film1938Charles Blake

Breakdowns of 1937 Poster

Breakdowns of 1937 Short Film1937Self

Her Husband Lies Poster

Her Husband Lies Feature Film1937J. Ward Thomas

The Californian Poster

The Californian Feature Film1937Ramon Escobar

West of Shanghai Poster

West of Shanghai Feature Film1937Gordon Creed

Breakdowns of 1936 Poster

Breakdowns of 1936 Short Film1936Self

Man Hunt Poster

Man Hunt Feature Film1936Frank Kingman

Postal Inspector Poster

Postal Inspector Feature Film1936Inspector Bill Davis

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs Poster

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs Short Film1936Self

Talk of the Devil Poster

Talk of the Devil Feature Film1936Ray Allen

The Case of the Black Cat Poster

The Case of the Black Cat Feature Film1936Perry Mason

The Murder of Dr. Harrigan Poster

The Murder of Dr. Harrigan Feature Film1936George Lambert

The Walking Dead Poster

The Walking Dead Feature Film1936Nolan

Frisco Kid Poster

Frisco Kid Feature Film1935Paul Morra

Manhattan Moon Poster

Manhattan Moon Feature Film1935Dan Moore

Shadow of Doubt Poster

Shadow of Doubt Feature Film1935Sim Sturdevant

Special Agent Poster

Special Agent Feature Film1935Alexander Carston

The White Cockatoo Poster

The White Cockatoo Feature Film1935Jim Sundean

A Lost Lady Poster

A Lost Lady Feature Film1934Ellinger

Hat, Coat, and Glove Poster

Hat, Coat, and Glove Feature Film1934Robert Mitchell

Hollywood Newsreel Poster

Hollywood Newsreel Short Film1934Self

I Am a Thief Poster

I Am a Thief Feature Film1934Pierre Londais

Mandalay Poster

Mandalay Feature Film1934Tony Evans

The Big Shakedown Poster

The Big Shakedown Feature Film1934Dutch Barnes

The Firebird Poster

The Firebird Feature Film1934Herman Brandt

The Man with Two Faces Poster

The Man with Two Faces Feature Film1934Ben Weston

Wonder Bar Poster

Wonder Bar Feature Film1934Harry

Big Executive Poster

Big Executive Feature Film1933Victor Conway

Broadway Bad Poster

Broadway Bad Feature Film1933Craig Cutting

Midnight Mary Poster

Midnight Mary Feature Film1933Leo Darcy

The House on 56th Street Poster

The House on 56th Street Feature Film1933Bill Blaine

Torch Singer Poster

Torch Singer Feature Film1933Tony Cummings

Flesh Feature Film1932Nicky Grant

Is My Face Red? Poster

Is My Face Red? Feature Film1932William Poster

No One Man Poster

No One Man Feature Film1932Bill Hanaway

Symphony of Six Million Poster

Symphony of Six Million Feature Film1932Dr. Felix 'Felixel' Klauber

The Phantom of Crestwood Poster

The Phantom of Crestwood Feature Film1932Gary Curtis

Thirteen Women Poster

Thirteen Women Feature Film1932Police Sergeant Barry Clive

Bad Company Poster

Bad Company Feature Film1931Goldie Gorio

Behind Office Doors Poster

Behind Office Doors Feature Film1931Ronnie Wales

Big Business Girl Poster

Big Business Girl Feature Film1931Robert J. Clayton

Illicit Feature Film1931Price Baines

Men of Chance Poster

Men of Chance Feature Film1931Johnny Silk

Reckless Living Poster

Reckless Living Feature Film1931Curly

Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 8 Poster

Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 8 Documentary1931Self

Ten Cents a Dance Poster

Ten Cents a Dance Feature Film1931Bradley Carlton

The Maltese Falcon Poster

The Maltese Falcon Feature Film1931Sam Spade

Transgression Poster

Transgression Feature Film1931Don Arturo de Borgus

White Shoulders Poster

White Shoulders Feature Film1931Lawrence Marchmont

Her Man Feature Film1930Johnnie

Montana Moon Poster

Montana Moon Feature Film1930Jeff Pelham

Midstream Poster

Midstream Feature Film1929James Stanwood

New Orleans Poster

New Orleans Feature Film1929Jim Morley

The Lost Zeppelin Poster

The Lost Zeppelin Feature Film1929Tom Armstrong

The Phantom in the House Poster

The Phantom in the House Feature Film1929Paul Wallis

The Younger Generation Poster

The Younger Generation Feature Film1929Morris Goldfish

Excess Baggage Poster

Excess Baggage Feature Film1928Val D'Errico

Ladies of the Night Club Poster

Ladies of the Night Club Feature Film1928George Merrill

Prowlers of the Sea Poster

Prowlers of the Sea Feature Film1928Carlos De Neve

The Grain of Dust Poster

The Grain of Dust Feature Film1928Fred Norman

The Gun Runner Poster

The Gun Runner Feature Film1928Julio

Woman of Destiny Poster

Woman of Destiny Feature Film1928Yoanes Etchegarry dit Jean Barliave

By Whose Hand? Poster

By Whose Hand? Feature Film1927Agent X-9

Mockery Feature Film1927Captain Dimitri

New York Poster

New York Feature Film1927Michael Angelo Cassidy

The Private Life of Helen of Troy Poster

The Private Life of Helen of Troy Feature Film1927Paris

The Cat's Pajamas Poster

The Cat's Pajamas Feature Film1926Don Cesare Gracco

The Eagle of the Sea Poster

The Eagle of the Sea Feature Film1926Capt. Sazarac

The Sorrows of Satan Poster

The Sorrows of Satan Feature Film1926Geoffrey Tempest

Torrent Feature Film1926Don Rafael Brull

Volcano Feature Film1926Stéphane Séquineau

In the Name of Love Poster

In the Name of Love Feature Film1925Raoul Melnotte

Not So Long Ago Poster

Not So Long Ago Feature Film1925Billy Ballard

The Pony Express Poster

The Pony Express Feature Film1925Jack Weston

The Spaniard Poster

The Spaniard Feature Film1925Don Pedro de Barrego

The Swan Poster

The Swan Feature Film1925Dr. Walter, the Tutor

A Society Scandal Poster

A Society Scandal Feature Film1924Harrison Peters

Argentine Love Poster

Argentine Love Feature Film1924Juan Martin

Feet of Clay Poster

Feet of Clay Feature Film1924Tony Channing

The Bedroom Window Poster

The Bedroom Window Feature Film1924Robert Delano

The City That Never Sleeps Poster

The City That Never Sleeps Feature Film1924Mark Roth

The Next Corner Poster

The Next Corner Feature Film1924Don Arturo

This Woman Poster

This Woman Feature Film1924Whitney Duane

Children of Jazz Poster

Children of Jazz Feature Film1923Ted Carter

Hollywood Poster

Hollywood Feature Film1923Ricardo Cortez

Sixty Cents an Hour Poster

Sixty Cents an Hour Feature Film1923William Davis

The Call of the Canyon Poster

The Call of the Canyon Feature Film1923Larry Morrison

The Gentleman from America Poster

The Gentleman from America Feature Film1923Minor Role

The Imp Feature Film1919Minor Role

The Fringe of Society Poster

The Fringe of Society Feature Film1917

Director

7

City of Chance Poster

City of Chance Feature Film1940

Free, Blonde and 21 Poster

Free, Blonde and 21 Feature Film1940

Girl in 313 Poster

Girl in 313 Feature Film1940

Chasing Danger Poster

Chasing Danger Feature Film1939

Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence Poster

Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence Feature Film1939

Inside Story Poster

Inside Story Feature Film1939

The Escape Poster

The Escape Feature Film1939

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