Ricardo Cortez

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

105

Gender

Male

Birthday

1900-09-17

Day of death

1977-04-28 (76 years old)

Place of Birth

New York City, New York, USA

Ricardo Cortez

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).

Known For

  • This Is Your Life

    This Is Your Life

  • The Call of the Canyon

    The Call of the Canyon

  • The Private Life of Helen of Troy

    The Private Life of Helen of Troy

  • Murder Over New York

    Murder Over New York

  • Transgression

    Transgression

  • Who Is Hope Schuyler?

    Who Is Hope Schuyler?

  • Illicit

    Illicit

  • Children of Jazz

    Children of Jazz

  • The Man with Two Faces

    The Man with Two Faces

  • Mockery

    Mockery

  • A Shot in the Dark

    A Shot in the Dark

  • New Orleans

    New Orleans

  • The Firebird

    The Firebird

  • Broadway Bad

    Broadway Bad

  • The Sorrows of Satan

    The Sorrows of Satan

  • Big Executive

    Big Executive

  • Hollywood

    Hollywood

  • Frisco Kid

    Frisco Kid

  • Bunco Squad

    Bunco Squad

  • Manhattan Moon

    Manhattan Moon

  • Midstream

    Midstream

  • The Gentleman from America

    The Gentleman from America

  • Blackmail

    Blackmail

  • Volcano

    Volcano

  • Torrent

    Torrent

  • The Californian

    The Californian

  • Thirteen Women

    Thirteen Women

  • Midnight Mary

    Midnight Mary

  • Flesh

    Flesh

  • World Premiere

    World Premiere

  • Wonder Bar

    Wonder Bar

  • The Locket

    The Locket

  • Mandalay

    Mandalay

  • City Girl

    City Girl

  • No One Man

    No One Man

  • The Phantom of Crestwood

    The Phantom of Crestwood

  • Torch Singer

    Torch Singer

  • The Walking Dead

    The Walking Dead

  • Her Man

    Her Man

  • Behind Office Doors

    Behind Office Doors

  • Bad Company

    Bad Company

  • The Last Hurrah

    The Last Hurrah

  • The Case of the Black Cat

    The Case of the Black Cat

  • Hollywood Newsreel

    Hollywood Newsreel

  • New York

    New York

  • Feet of Clay

    Feet of Clay

  • The Maltese Falcon

    The Maltese Falcon

  • Make Your Own Bed

    Make Your Own Bed

  • Special Agent

    Special Agent

  • The Younger Generation

    The Younger Generation

  • The Lost Zeppelin

    The Lost Zeppelin

  • Tomorrow We Live

    Tomorrow We Live

  • Mystery in Mexico

    Mystery in Mexico

  • Is My Face Red?

    Is My Face Red?

  • Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

    Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

  • Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown

    Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown

  • Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)

    Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)

  • I Killed That Man

    I Killed That Man

  • The Pony Express

    The Pony Express

  • Romance of the Rio Grande

    Romance of the Rio Grande

  • A Lost Lady

    A Lost Lady

  • I Am a Thief

    I Am a Thief

  • Breakdowns of 1937

    Breakdowns of 1937

  • Symphony of Six Million

    Symphony of Six Million

  • The Phantom in the House

    The Phantom in the House

  • Reckless Living

    Reckless Living

  • Breakdowns of 1936

    Breakdowns of 1936

  • The Eagle of the Sea

    The Eagle of the Sea

  • Excess Baggage

    Excess Baggage

  • The Inner Circle

    The Inner Circle

  • West of Shanghai

    West of Shanghai

  • The Big Shakedown

    The Big Shakedown

  • The House on 56th Street

    The House on 56th Street

  • Ten Cents a Dance

    Ten Cents a Dance

  • Woman of Destiny

    Woman of Destiny

  • Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

    Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

  • White Shoulders

    White Shoulders

  • Hat, Coat and Glove

    Hat, Coat and Glove

  • Shadow of Doubt

    Shadow of Doubt

  • Mr. Moto's Last Warning

    Mr. Moto's Last Warning

  • Complicated Women

    Complicated Women

  • Her Husband Lies

    Her Husband Lies

  • Big Business Girl

    Big Business Girl

  • The Cat's Pajamas

    The Cat's Pajamas

  • Talk of the Devil

    Talk of the Devil

  • Charlie Chan in Reno

    Charlie Chan in Reno

  • Men of Chance

    Men of Chance

  • Ladies of the Night Club

    Ladies of the Night Club

  • Montana Moon

    Montana Moon

  • The Spaniard

    The Spaniard

  • This Woman

    This Woman

  • A Society Scandal

    A Society Scandal

  • Argentine Love

    Argentine Love

  • The Murder of Dr. Harrigan

    The Murder of Dr. Harrigan

  • Not So Long Ago

    Not So Long Ago

  • In the Name of Love

    In the Name of Love

  • Postal Inspector

    Postal Inspector

  • The Bedroom Window

    The Bedroom Window

  • The Next Corner

    The Next Corner

  • Man Hunt

    Man Hunt

  • Rubber Racketeers

    Rubber Racketeers

  • Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo

    Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo

  • The White Cockatoo

    The White Cockatoo

  • The City That Never Sleeps

    The City That Never Sleeps

  • The Swan

    The Swan