Ricardo Montalbàn died on Wednesday, he was 88. Though better-known for his musicals and his TV work, most particularly the long-running Fantasy Island, Montalbàn also deserves to be remembered for his decisive contribution to the « ethnic detective » as a credible rather than just picturesque figure in the seminal films noirs Border Incident and Mystery Street, respectively helmed by Anthony Mann and John Sturges. He was also memorable in a darker register as a corrupt cop in Burt Kennedy’s The Money Trap. This is well-worth a tribute on this blog.
Further reading:
« Oh, No. Not Him Too! » (The Rap Sheet)
At the Villa Rose 