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

  • Illicit

    Illicit

  • Transgression

    Transgression

  • New Orleans

    New Orleans

  • Hollywood

    Hollywood

  • Broadway Bad

    Broadway Bad

  • Frisco Kid

    Frisco Kid

  • Big Executive

    Big Executive

  • Mockery

    Mockery

  • Manhattan Moon

    Manhattan Moon

  • The Californian

    The Californian

  • Blackmail

    Blackmail

  • Midstream

    Midstream

  • Torrent

    Torrent

  • Midnight Mary

    Midnight Mary

  • The Firebird

    The Firebird

  • Murder Over New York

    Murder Over New York

  • Thirteen Women

    Thirteen Women

  • Wonder Bar

    Wonder Bar

  • The Locket

    The Locket

  • Flesh

    Flesh

  • The Private Life of Helen of Troy

    The Private Life of Helen of Troy

  • Torch Singer

    Torch Singer

  • World Premiere

    World Premiere

  • Mandalay

    Mandalay

  • City Girl

    City Girl

  • Her Man

    Her Man

  • Volcano

    Volcano

  • Bad Company

    Bad Company

  • Bunco Squad

    Bunco Squad

  • New York

    New York

  • The Last Hurrah

    The Last Hurrah

  • The Gentleman from America

    The Gentleman from America

  • The Man with Two Faces

    The Man with Two Faces

  • The Sorrows of Satan

    The Sorrows of Satan

  • Hollywood Newsreel

    Hollywood Newsreel

  • The Younger Generation

    The Younger Generation

  • The Walking Dead

    The Walking Dead

  • Reckless Living

    Reckless Living

  • The Pony Express

    The Pony Express

  • A Shot in the Dark

    A Shot in the Dark

  • Make Your Own Bed

    Make Your Own Bed

  • The Maltese Falcon

    The Maltese Falcon

  • Behind Office Doors

    Behind Office Doors

  • Mystery in Mexico

    Mystery in Mexico

  • The Case of the Black Cat

    The Case of the Black Cat

  • The Lost Zeppelin

    The Lost Zeppelin

  • Tomorrow We Live

    Tomorrow We Live

  • Feet of Clay

    Feet of Clay

  • I Am a Thief

    I Am a Thief

  • The Eagle of the Sea

    The Eagle of the Sea

  • Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)

    Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)

  • Children of Jazz

    Children of Jazz

  • A Lost Lady

    A Lost Lady

  • Special Agent

    Special Agent

  • No One Man

    No One Man

  • Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

    Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

  • Symphony of Six Million

    Symphony of Six Million

  • Excess Baggage

    Excess Baggage

  • The Big Shakedown

    The Big Shakedown

  • Breakdowns of 1936

    Breakdowns of 1936

  • The Phantom of Crestwood

    The Phantom of Crestwood

  • The Inner Circle

    The Inner Circle

  • Ten Cents a Dance

    Ten Cents a Dance

  • Breakdowns of 1937

    Breakdowns of 1937

  • West of Shanghai

    West of Shanghai

  • Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown

    Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown

  • Hat, Coat and Glove

    Hat, Coat and Glove

  • White Shoulders

    White Shoulders

  • Romance of the Rio Grande

    Romance of the Rio Grande

  • I Killed That Man

    I Killed That Man

  • Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

    Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

  • The House on 56th Street

    The House on 56th Street

  • Who Is Hope Schuyler?

    Who Is Hope Schuyler?

  • Her Husband Lies

    Her Husband Lies

  • Shadow of Doubt

    Shadow of Doubt

  • Mr. Moto's Last Warning

    Mr. Moto's Last Warning

  • Men of Chance

    Men of Chance

  • The Phantom in the House

    The Phantom in the House

  • Big Business Girl

    Big Business Girl

  • The Cat's Pajamas

    The Cat's Pajamas

  • Talk of the Devil

    Talk of the Devil

  • Woman of Destiny

    Woman of Destiny

  • Ladies of the Night Club

    Ladies of the Night Club

  • Postal Inspector

    Postal Inspector

  • Is My Face Red?

    Is My Face Red?

  • Charlie Chan in Reno

    Charlie Chan in Reno

  • This Woman

    This Woman

  • The Spaniard

    The Spaniard

  • Montana Moon

    Montana Moon

  • Complicated Women

    Complicated Women

  • Not So Long Ago

    Not So Long Ago

  • Man Hunt

    Man Hunt

  • Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo

    Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo

  • A Society Scandal

    A Society Scandal

  • Argentine Love

    Argentine Love

  • In the Name of Love

    In the Name of Love

  • The Bedroom Window

    The Bedroom Window

  • The Murder of Dr. Harrigan

    The Murder of Dr. Harrigan

  • Rubber Racketeers

    Rubber Racketeers

  • The White Cockatoo

    The White Cockatoo

  • The Swan

    The Swan

  • The City That Never Sleeps

    The City That Never Sleeps

  • The Next Corner

    The Next Corner