Acting
Ricardo Cortez
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).
Filmography
Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo
Film · 2014
Complicated Women
Film · 2003
Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown
Film · 1986
Hollywood
Series · 1980
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
Film · 1960
The Last Hurrah
Film · 1958
This Is Your Life
Series · 1952
Bunco Squad
Film · 1950
Mystery in Mexico
Film · 1948
Blackmail
Film · 1947
The Locket
Film · 1946
The Inner Circle
Film · 1946
Make Your Own Bed
Film · 1944
Tomorrow We Live
Film · 1942
Rubber Racketeers
Film · 1942
Who Is Hope Schuyler?
Film · 1942
I Killed That Man
Film · 1941
Romance of the Rio Grande
Film · 1941
A Shot in the Dark
Film · 1941
World Premiere
Film · 1941
Murder Over New York
Film · 1940
Charlie Chan in Reno
Film · 1939
Mr. Moto's Last Warning
Film · 1939
City Girl
Film · 1938
West of Shanghai
Film · 1937
The Californian
Film · 1937
Her Husband Lies
Film · 1937
Breakdowns of 1937
Film · 1937
The Walking Dead
Film · 1936
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan
Film · 1936
The Case of the Black Cat
Film · 1936
Postal Inspector
Film · 1936
Man Hunt
Film · 1936
Breakdowns of 1936
Film · 1936
Talk of the Devil
Film · 1936
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
Film · 1936
Special Agent
Film · 1935
Frisco Kid
Film · 1935
The White Cockatoo
Film · 1935
Shadow of Doubt
Film · 1935
Manhattan Moon
Film · 1935
The Man with Two Faces
Film · 1934
The Big Shakedown
Film · 1934
Wonder Bar
Film · 1934
I Am a Thief
Film · 1934
Hat, Coat and Glove
Film · 1934
A Lost Lady
Film · 1934
The Firebird
Film · 1934
Mandalay
Film · 1934
Hollywood Newsreel
Film · 1934
The House on 56th Street
Film · 1933
Midnight Mary
Film · 1933
Torch Singer
Film · 1933
Broadway Bad
Film · 1933
Big Executive
Film · 1933
The Phantom of Crestwood
Film · 1932
Thirteen Women
Film · 1932
Symphony of Six Million
Film · 1932
Flesh
Film · 1932
Is My Face Red?
Film · 1932
No One Man
Film · 1932
White Shoulders
Film · 1931
The Maltese Falcon
Film · 1931
Bad Company
Film · 1931
Ten Cents a Dance
Film · 1931
Illicit
Film · 1931
Transgression
Film · 1931
Big Business Girl
Film · 1931
Behind Office Doors
Film · 1931
Men of Chance
Film · 1931
Reckless Living
Film · 1931
Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)
Film · 1931
Montana Moon
Film · 1930
Her Man
Film · 1930
The Phantom in the House
Film · 1929
The Younger Generation
Film · 1929
The Lost Zeppelin
Film · 1929
New Orleans
Film · 1929
Midstream
Film · 1929
Woman of Destiny
Film · 1928
Excess Baggage
Film · 1928
Ladies of the Night Club
Film · 1928
Prowlers of the Sea
Film · 1928
Mockery
Film · 1927
The Private Life of Helen of Troy
Film · 1927
New York
Film · 1927
By Whose Hand?
Film · 1927
Torrent
Film · 1926
The Sorrows of Satan
Film · 1926
The Eagle of the Sea
Film · 1926
The Cat's Pajamas
Film · 1926
Volcano
Film · 1926
In the Name of Love
Film · 1925
The Spaniard
Film · 1925
The Swan
Film · 1925
The Pony Express
Film · 1925
Not So Long Ago
Film · 1925
The Bedroom Window
Film · 1924
Feet of Clay
Film · 1924
The Next Corner
Film · 1924
This Woman
Film · 1924
A Society Scandal
Film · 1924
Argentine Love
Film · 1924
The City That Never Sleeps
Film · 1924
Hollywood
Film · 1923
The Gentleman from America
Film · 1923
Children of Jazz
Film · 1923
The Call of the Canyon
Film · 1923
Sixty Cents an Hour
Film · 1923