Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo Cortez

Date of Birth:

Sep 17, 1900

Place of Birth:

New York City, New York, USA

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).

filmography:

Hollywood Newsreel Hollywood Newsreel

1934

Man Hunt Man Hunt

1936

Excess Baggage Excess Baggage

1928

The Pony Express The Pony Express

1925

Woman of Destiny Woman of Destiny

1928

Rubber Racketeers Rubber Racketeers

1942

Breakdowns of 1936 Breakdowns of 1936

1936

Manhattan Moon Manhattan Moon

1935

Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown

1986

Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8) Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)

1931

A Shot in the Dark A Shot in the Dark

1941

Feet of Clay Feet of Clay

1924

The Swan The Swan

1925

The Firebird The Firebird

1934

The Lost Zeppelin The Lost Zeppelin

1929

A Lost Lady A Lost Lady

1934

Romance of the Rio Grande Romance of the Rio Grande

1941

Mystery in Mexico Mystery in Mexico

1948

The Californian The Californian

1937

Her Husband Lies Her Husband Lies

1937

The Eagle of the Sea The Eagle of the Sea

1926

Mandalay Mandalay

1934

The Private Life of Helen of Troy The Private Life of Helen of Troy

1927

Broadway Bad Broadway Bad

1933

New York New York

1927

Breakdowns of 1937 Breakdowns of 1937

1937

Volcano Volcano

1926

White Shoulders White Shoulders

1931

Argentine Love Argentine Love

1924

Big Executive Big Executive

1933

A Society Scandal A Society Scandal

1924

Hollywood Hollywood

1923

In the Name of Love In the Name of Love

1925

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

1960

Reckless Living Reckless Living

1931

The Spaniard The Spaniard

1925

The Gentleman from America The Gentleman from America

1923

Not So Long Ago Not So Long Ago

1925

World Premiere World Premiere

1941

Who Is Hope Schuyler? Who Is Hope Schuyler?

1942

The Next Corner The Next Corner

1924

Complicated Women Complicated Women

2003

New Orleans New Orleans

1929

Talk of the Devil Talk of the Devil

1936

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

1936

Midstream Midstream

1929

This Woman This Woman

1924

The Cat's Pajamas The Cat's Pajamas

1926

The Call of the Canyon The Call of the Canyon

1923

Shadow of Doubt Shadow of Doubt

1935

The White Cockatoo The White Cockatoo

1935

Thirteen Women Thirteen Women

1932

Make Your Own Bed Make Your Own Bed

1944

The Man with Two Faces The Man with Two Faces

1934

Special Agent Special Agent

1935

Torch Singer Torch Singer

1933

Mockery Mockery

1927

The Last Hurrah The Last Hurrah

1958

The Murder of Dr. Harrigan The Murder of Dr. Harrigan

1936

The Big Shakedown The Big Shakedown

1934

Symphony of Six Million Symphony of Six Million

1932

Bad Company Bad Company

1931

Midnight Mary Midnight Mary

1933

The Inner Circle The Inner Circle

1946

The Maltese Falcon The Maltese Falcon

1931

The Walking Dead The Walking Dead

1936

The Phantom of Crestwood The Phantom of Crestwood

1932

Tomorrow We Live Tomorrow We Live

1942

Blackmail Blackmail

1947

The Locket The Locket

1946

The House on 56th Street The House on 56th Street

1933

Mr. Moto's Last Warning Mr. Moto's Last Warning

1939

Murder Over New York Murder Over New York

1940

Bunco Squad Bunco Squad

1950

Ten Cents a Dance Ten Cents a Dance

1931

Illicit Illicit

1931

The Phantom in the House The Phantom in the House

1929

The Younger Generation The Younger Generation

1929

The Bedroom Window The Bedroom Window

1924

Hat, Coat and Glove Hat, Coat and Glove

1934

Postal Inspector Postal Inspector

1936

City Girl City Girl

1938

Is My Face Red? Is My Face Red?

1932

West of Shanghai West of Shanghai

1937

No One Man No One Man

1932

The Sorrows of Satan The Sorrows of Satan

1926

Men of Chance Men of Chance

1931

I Am a Thief I Am a Thief

1934

Frisco Kid Frisco Kid

1935

I Killed That Man I Killed That Man

1941

Big Business Girl Big Business Girl

1931

Transgression Transgression

1931

Montana Moon Montana Moon

1930

Flesh Flesh

1932

Torrent Torrent

1926

The Case of the Black Cat The Case of the Black Cat

1936

Her Man Her Man

1930

Behind Office Doors Behind Office Doors

1931

Wonder Bar Wonder Bar

1934

Charlie Chan in Reno Charlie Chan in Reno

1939

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