Fernando Álvaro Lamas y de Santos (January 9, 1915 – October 8, 1982) was an Argentine-American actor and director, and the father of actor Lorenzo Lamas.

Biography

Argentina

Fernando Álvaro Lamas y de Santos was born in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, Argentina. His movies included ''En el último piso'' (1942), ''Frontera Sur'' (1943), ''Villa rica del Espíritu Santo'' (1945), and ''Stella'' (1946). Lamas was also seen in '' The Poor People's Christmas'' (1947), ''

The Tango Returns to Paris ''The Tango Returns to Paris'' (Spanish:''El tango vuelve a París'') is a 1948 Argentine musical comedy film, written and directed by Manuel Romero. It was premiered on January 16, 1948. The film's plot is about a doctor who arrives to Paris t ...

'' (1948), and '' The Story of a Bad Woman'' (1948). He had the lead in '' La rubia Mireya'' (1949) alongside

Mecha Ortiz Mecha Ortiz (née María Mercedes Varela Nimo Domínguez Castro; 1900–1987) was a classic Argentine actress who appeared in film between 1937 and 1981, during the Golden Age of Argentine Cinema. At the 1944 Argentine Film Critics Association ...

, and a key role in ''De padre desconocido'' (1949), ''

Vidalita ''Vidalita'' is a 1949 Argentine comedy film directed and co-written by Luis Saslavsky and produced by Emelco. Considered transgressive for the time, it stars Mirtha Legrand as the title character, a girl who cross-dresses as a gaucho to be able ...

'' (1949) and '' The Story of the Tango'' (1950). He also appeared in ''Corrientes, calle de ensueños'' (1949), and ''La otra y yo'' (1950). He was reportedly the third biggest star in the country. His first American film was '' The Avengers'' (1950) for

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City a ...

shot on location in Argentina. Some scenes were filmed in the US, leading to Lamas going to Hollywood.

MGM

In September 1949, he signed a

contract A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties that creates, defines, and governs mutual rights and obligations between them. A contract typically involves the transfer of goods, services, money, or a promise to tr ...

with

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

and went on to play mainly " Latin Lover" roles and occasionally sing in musicals. In 1951, Lamas starred as Paul Sarnac in the musical, '' Rich, Young and Pretty'' with Jane Powell. He supported Greer Garson and Michael Wilding in '' The Law and the Lady'' (1952) which was a flop.. MGM gave him a star

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...

part as Lana Turner's love interest in the popular operetta ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt ...

'' (1952) by Franz Lehár. He romanced

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

in '' The Girl Who Had Everything'' (1952), which was also successful. Lamas went to

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

where he was top billed in '' Sangaree'' (1953). Back at MGM he was

Esther Williams Esther Jane Williams (August 8, 1921 – June 6, 2013) was an American competitive swimmer and actress. She set regional and national records in her late teens on the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Ol ...

' leading man in ''

Dangerous When Wet ''Dangerous When Wet'' is a 1953 American live-action/animated musical comedy film starring Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas and Jack Carson, directed by Charles Walters and featuring an animated swimming sequence starring Williams with the cat ...

'' (1953), a big success. At Warner Bros. Lamas starred in '' The Diamond Queen'' (1954). He did '' Lost Treasure of the Amazon'' (1954) at Paramount then returned to MGM for a remake of ''

Rose Marie Rose Marie (born Rose Marie Mazzetta; August 15, 1923 – December 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer with a career ultimately spanning nine decades, which included film, radio, records, theater, night ...

'' (1954) supporting Howard Keel and

Ann Blyth Ann Marie Blyth (born August 16, 1928) is an American retired actress and singer. For her performance as Veda in the 1945 Michael Curtiz film ''Mildred Pierce'', Blyth was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is one of ...

. It was popular but failed to recoup its cost. At Paramount he was

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

's leading man in '' The Girl Rush'' (1955). Lamas started appearing on television, including an adaptation of '' Hold Back the Dawn'' for ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

''. "I couldn't break the Latin lover image", Lamas later claimed. He co-starred on Broadway in the 1956 musical '' Happy Hunting'' with Ethel Merman, for which he was nominated for a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

Television

Lamas did episodes of '' Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre'' ("The Bravado Touch"), ''

Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...

'' ("Spider Web"), '' Pursuit'' ("Eagle in a Cage"), '' Shirley Temple's Storybook'', ''

Zane Grey Theatre ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star F ...

'' but returned to features with '' The Lost World'' (1960). He also guest starred in one episode of ''The Lucy Desi Comedy Hour'' Lamas also appeared in the TV show "Combat!" (season 5 episode 4) "Brothers."

Europe

Lamas moved to Europe with

who became his wife. He directed a film both starred in, '' Magic Fountain'', shot in 1961 and never released in the US. He went to Italy for ''

Duel of Fire ''Duel of Fire'' ( Italian: ''Duello nella Sila'') is a 1962 Italian adventure film directed by Umberto Lenzi. It starred Fernando Lamas and Liana Orfei. It was picked up for distribution in the US by AIP.Revenge of the Musketeers'' (1963). He helped write the Western '' A Place Called Glory'' (1965).

Return to the U.S.

Lamas returned to Hollywood. As an actor he focused on television, with guest appearances on '' Burke's Law'', '' The Virginian'', '' Laredo'', '' Combat!'', '' The Red Skelton Hour'', ''

Hondo Hondo may refer to: Places * Rio Hondo (disambiguation), the name of several locations, derived from the Spanish word for "deep" Canada * Hondo, Alberta, an unincorporated community United States * Hondo, New Mexico, an unincorporated com ...

'' and ''

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction TV series starring Stefanie Powers that aired on NBC for one season from September 16, 1966, to April 11, 1967. The series was a spin-off from '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' and used the sam ...

''. From 1965 to 1968 Lamas had a regular role as Ramon De Vega on '' Run For Your Life'', which starred

Ben Gazzara Biagio Anthony Gazzara (August 28, 1930 – February 3, 2012) was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television. He received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Drama Desk Award, in addition to nominatio ...

; Lamas also directed some episodes. He had a support role in ''Valley of Mystery'' (1967), a pilot for a series that did not proceed. He directed another feature film, ''

The Violent Ones ''The Violent Ones'' is a 1967 film directed by and starring Fernando Lamas. The story was written and created by Charles Davis, Fred Freiberger, Herman Miller, and Doug Wilson. The film was shot in the Alabama Hills, Mojave Desert and Lone P ...

'', which was released in 1967 and co-starred

Aldo Ray Aldo Ray (born Aldo Da Re; September 25, 1926 – March 27, 1991) was an American actor of film and television. He began his career as a contract player for Columbia Studios before achieving stardom through his roles in ''The Marrying Kind ...

and

David Carradine David Carradine ( ; born John Arthur Carradine Jr.; December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009) was an American actor best known for playing martial arts roles. He is perhaps best known as the star of the 1970s television series '' Kung Fu'', playi ...

. He was in ''

Kill a Dragon ''Kill a Dragon'' (filmed under the working title of ''To Kill a Dragon'') is a 1967 adventure film pitting Jack Palance against Fernando Lamas: Palance is an adventurer and Lamas is a ruthless dictator/warlord. Filmed on location in Hong Kong a ...

'' (1967) and ''

100 Rifles ''100 Rifles'' is a 1969 American Western film directed by Tom Gries and starring Jim Brown, Raquel Welch and Burt Reynolds. It is based on Robert MacLeod's 1966 novel ''The Californio''. The film was shot in Spain. The original music score w ...

'' (1969) and had guest roles on ''

The High Chaparral ''The High Chaparral'' television series, which was broadcast on NBC from 1967 to 1971, is an American Western action adventure drama set in the 1870s. It stars Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell. The series was made by Xanadu Productions ...

'', ''

The Macahans ''How the West Was Won'' is an American Western television series that starred James Arness, Eva Marie Saint, Fionnula Flanagan, Bruce Boxleitner, and Richard Kiley. Loosely based on the 1962 Cinerama film of the same name, it began with a two- ...

'', ''

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...

'', ''

Then Came Bronson ''Then Came Bronson'' is an American adventure/drama television series starring Michael Parks that aired on NBC. It was created by Denne Bart Petitclerc, and produced by MGM Television. ''Then Came Bronson'' began with a television film pilot ...

'', '' It Takes a Thief'', '' Mission: Impossible'', '' The Name of the Game'', '' Dan August'', '' Alias Smith and Jones'', ''

Bearcats! ''Bearcats!'' is an American Western television series broadcast on the CBS television network during the fall 1971 television season. It starred Rod Taylor and Dennis Cole as troubleshooters in the period before the American entry into World Wa ...

'', '' Mod Squad'', '' Night Gallery'', and '' McCloud''.

TV director

Lamas started directing TV as well: '' The Bold Ones: The Lawyers'', ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...

'', '' Alias Smith and Jones'', '' S.W.A.T.'', '' The Rookies'', '' Jigsaw John'', ''

Starsky and Hutch ''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a '' Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by ...

'', ''

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries ''The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries'' (re-titled ''The Hardy Boys'' for season three) is an American television mystery series based on the ''Hardy Boys'' and ''Nancy Drew'' juvenile novels. The series, which ran from January 30, 1977, to Janu ...

'', ''

The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...

'', '' Secrets of Midland Heights'', '' Flamingo Road'', and '' Code Red''. As an actor, he was in the TV movies '' The Lonely Profession'' (1969) and ''

Murder on Flight 502 ''Murder on Flight 502'' is a 1975 American made-for-television drama mystery thriller film directed by George McCowan. The film stars Robert Stack, Sonny Bono and Farrah Fawcett-Majors, along with an all-star ensemble television cast in ...

'' (1975). He could also be seen in '' Bronk'', ''

Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...

'' (which he also directed), '' Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' (1976), ''

Quincy M.E. ''Quincy, M.E.'' (also called ''Quincy'') is an American mystery medical drama television series from Universal Studios that aired on NBC from October 3, 1976, to May 11, 1983. Jack Klugman starred in the title role as a Los Angeles County medi ...

'', ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by ...

'', '' Police Woman'', ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

'', ''

The Cheap Detective ''The Cheap Detective'' is a 1978 American mystery comedy film written by Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore. It stars Peter Falk as Lou Peckinpaugh, a parody of Humphrey Bogart. The film is a parody of Bogart films such as '' Casablan ...

'', '' How the West Was Won'', ''

The Dream Merchants ''The Dream Merchants'' is an American novel written by Harold Robbins and published in 1949 in literature, 1949. Set in the early 20th century, the book is a "rags-to-riches" story of a penniless young man who goes to Hollywood, Los Angeles, H ...

'' and '' House Calls''.

Last years and death

Lamas produced the TV movie ''Samurai'', released in 1979. He directed episodes of ''

Falcon Crest ''Falcon Crest'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired for nine seasons on CBS from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the California ...

'' co-starring his son, Lorenzo. He also helmed '' Bret Maverick'' and several episodes of '' House Calls''. He had a supporting role in the series '' Gavilan'' when he fell ill with cancer. His scenes were shot with

Patrick Macnee Daniel Patrick Macnee (6 February 1922 – 25 June 2015) was a British film and television actor. After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, he began his acting career in Canada. Despite having some small film roles, Macnee spent much ...

. Fernando Lamas died of

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a mass. These cancerous cells have the ability to invade other parts of the body. A number of types of pancr ...

in Los Angeles, aged 67. His ashes were scattered by close friend Jonathan Goldsmith from his sailboat.

Personal life

Lamas was married four times. His first marriage was to Argentine actress Perla Mux in 1940 and they had a daughter, Christina, before divorcing in 1944. His second marriage was in 1946 to Lydia Babacci (or Barachi); this marriage also produced a daughter, Alexandra. They were divorced in 1952. His third wife was the American actress

Arlene Dahl Arlene Carol Dahl (August 11, 1925 – November 29, 2021) was an American actress active in films from the late 1940s. She was one of the last surviving stars from the Classical Hollywood cinema era. She was also an author and entrepreneur. Sh ...

. They were married in 1954. They were later divorced in 1960. Out of this marriage was born a son, Lorenzo Lamas (born January 20, 1958). His longest marriage was to swimmer and actress

in 1969, and they remained married until Lamas's death in 1982.

In popular culture

His friend, actor Jonathan Goldsmith, took inspiration from Lamas for the character The Most Interesting Man in the World. The most well known parody of Fernando was on the ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

'' sketches that featured Billy Crystal. In the recurring '' Fernando's Hideaway'' sketch, Crystal used Lamas's accent for inspiration, as well as a quote from the actor: "It is better to look good than to feel good."

Filmography

Film

* 1943 ''On the Last Floor'' * 1943 ''Stella'' * 1943 ''Southern Border'' * 1945 ''Villa rica del Espíritu Santo'' * 1947 '' The Poor People's Christmas'' * 1947 ''Evasion'' as Bruno * 1948 ''

'' * 1948 ''

Story of a Bad Woman ''Story of a Bad Woman'' ( es, Historia de una mala mujer) is a 1948 Argentine drama film directed by Luis Saslavsky and starring the Mexican and Hollywood superstar Dolores del Río, María Duval, Alberto Closas. It is based on ''Lady Windermere ...

'' * 1948 ''La Rubia Mireya'' as Alberto * 1949 ''The Unknown Father'' * 1949 ''Vidalita'' * 1949 ''The Story of the Tango'' as Juan Carlos Maldonado * 1949 ''Corrientes, calle de ensueños'' * 1949 ''La Otra y yo'' * 1950 '' The Avengers'' as André LeBlanc * 1951 '' Rich, Young and Pretty'' as Paul Sarnac * 1951 '' The Law and the Lady'' as Juan Dinas * 1952 ''

'' as Count Danilo * 1953 '' The Girl Who Had Everything'' as Victor Y. Raimondi * 1953 '' Sangaree'' as Dr. Carlos Morales * 1953 ''

'' as Andre LaNet * 1953 '' The Diamond Queen'' as Jean Baptiste Tavernier * 1954 '' Jivaro'' as Rio Galdez * 1954 ''

'' as James Severn Duval * 1955 '' The Girl Rush'' as Victor Monte * 1960 '' The Lost World'' as Manuel Gomez * 1962 ''

D'Artagnan Charles de Batz de Castelmore (), also known as d'Artagnan and later Count d'Artagnan ( 1611 – 25 June 1673), was a French Musketeer who served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard. He died at the siege of Maastricht in the ...

* 1963 '' Magic Fountain'' as Alberto * 1965 ''A Place Called Glory'' * 1967 ''

'' as Manuel Vega * 1967 ''

'' as Nico Patrai * 1969 ''

'' as General Verdugo * 1976 '' Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' as Premiere Male Star * 1978 ''

'' as Paul DuChard

Television

* 1954 ''

'' * 1958 ''

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour ''The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour'' is a collection of thirteen black-and-white one-hour specials airing occasionally from 1957 to 1960 (as opposed to the thirty-minute regular series, '' I Love Lucy''). The first five were shown as specials during ...

'' ("Lucy Goes to Sun Valley") * 1958 ''

Jane Wyman Presents ''Fireside Theatre'' (also known as ''Jane Wyman Presents'') is an American anthology drama series that ran on NBC from 1949 to 1958, and was the first successful filmed series on American television. Productions were low-budget and often based ...

'' as Juan Bravado * 1958 ''

'' as Jose Aragon * 1960 '' Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' as Giulio Mandati / Miguel * 1969 '' Shirley Temple's Storybook'' as Professor Fritz Bhaer * 1965 '' Burke's Law'' as Kelly Mars / El Greco * 1965 '' The Virginian'' as Captain Estrada * 1965 '' Combat!'' ("Breakout") as Vertrain * 1966 '' Laredo'' as Paco Romero * 1966 '' Combat!'' ("The Brothers") as Leon Paulon * 1966 ''

'' as Salim Ibn Hydari / Alejandro De Sada * 1967 ''Valley of Mystery'' as Francisco Rivera * 1965-1968 '' Run for Your Life'' as Ramon De Vega * 1971 ''

The Red Skelton Show ''The Red Skelton Show'' is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his televi ...

'' ("A Spy Is a Peeping Tom on Salary") as Harry Sneak * 1967 ''

'' ("Hondo and the Comancheros") as Rodrigo * 1967 ''

'' ("The Firing Wall") as "El Caudillo" * 1968 ''

'' ("Jungle Ransom") as Velasquez * 1968-1970 '' It Takes a Thief'' as Paolo Monteggo / Pepe Rouchet / Francisco Arascan * 1968-1970 '' Misson Impossible'' as Ramon Prado / Roger Toland * 1969 ''

'' ("Where Will the Trumpets Be?") as Miguel Cordova * 1969 '' The Lonely Profession'' as Dominic Savarona * 1970 '' The Name of the Game'' as Cesar Rodriguez * 1971 '' Dan August'' as Tony Storm * 1971 '' Alias Smith and Jones'' as Jim "Big Jim" Santana * 1971 ''

'' as Chucho Morales (Pilot Movie, "Powderkeg") * 1971-1973 ''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III ...

'' as Arturo Roca / Lieutenant Ramon Sanchez * 1973 '' Night Gallery'' as Dr. Ramirez (segment "Hatred Unto Death") * 1974 ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000 ...

'' as Himself (guest appearance) * 1975 '' McCloud'' as Max Cortez * 1975 ''

'' as Paul Barons * 1975 '' Bronk'' as Abriega * 1976 ''

'' as Fouad * 1977 ''

'' as Jericho * 1977 '' Police Woman'' as Carlos Rubenez * 1978 ''

'' as Bill Klieg / Bill Teague * 1979 '' How the West Was Won'' as Fierro * 1980 '' House Calls'' ("Defeat of Clay") as Dr. Langston * 1980 ''

'' as Conrad Stillman (final appearance)

Radio appearances

References

External links

* *
Fernando Lamas
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Lamas, Fernando 1915 births 1982 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American television directors Argentine emigrants to the United States Hispanic and Latino American male actors Burials at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from pancreatic cancer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players People from Buenos Aires 20th-century American male actors