Ricardo Montalban passes at age 88

Ricardo Montalban passing on January 13 had me researching more of his life and career. To a lot of people he will always be known as Mr. Rourke on "Fantasy Island". And yet, of course, he was so much more than that. He fought against Hollywood's racist depiction of Latinos and opened doors to a new generation of actors.

Montalban said he challenged studio executives on their portrayals of Latinos and later took the issue public by co-founding the non-profit Nosotros ("we" in Spanish), which pushes studios to give Latino actors more opportunities and present a more balanced portrayal of Latinos onscreen. That got the actor virtually blacklisted, and he was forced for years to make a living by hitting the road with a theatre troupe.

I, like so many movie fans, will always easily associate him with his role as Khan in "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan". As well as Armando, the kindly circus owner who helps Cornelius and Zira in "Escape From The Planet Of The Apes" and reprised the role in "Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes". And let's not forget those iconic automobile commercials. Which brings me to today's video presentation.

Here is a brilliant take on Montalban's original 1975 TV spot where he introduces the Chrysler Cordoba. It perfectly and hilariously blends clips from "Wrath Of Khan" with the audio from that commercial. Watch the original spot here first.

Enjoy, and always remember the suaveness, swagger, and commanding voice of an iconic actor who now belongs to the ages.