Cesar Romero facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cesar Romero
Romero in 1973
Born	César Julio Romero Jr. (1907-02-15)February 15, 1907 New York City, U.S.
Died	January 1, 1994(1994-01-01) (aged 86) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Resting place	Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California, U.S.
Other names	Butch The Latin from Manhattan
Occupation	Actor activist
Years active	1929–1994
Political party	Republican
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Coast Guard
Years of service	1942–1945
Rank	Chief petty officer
Battles/wars	World War II

César Julio Romero Jr. (born February 15, 1907 – died January 1, 1994) was an American actor. He worked in movies, radio, and television for almost 60 years.

He played many different kinds of characters. These included charming heroes, historical figures in old-fashioned clothes, and funny people in family comedies. He is perhaps best known for playing the Joker in the Batman TV show from the 1960s. He was the very first actor to play the Joker on screen! TV Guide even called his Joker one of the "Nastiest Villains of All Time" in 2013.

Early Life and Military Service

Romero as part of the ship's crew in the Coast Guard, around 1944

César Julio Romero Jr. was born in New York City on February 15, 1907. His father, César Julio Romero Sr., was a merchant who moved to the U.S. from Spain. His mother, María Mantilla, was a concert singer.

Romero grew up in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. He went to several schools, including Bradley Beach Elementary and Asbury Park High School. After his parents faced financial difficulties in 1929, Romero used his earnings from Hollywood to help support his family. They all later moved to the American West Coast to be with him. Romero often called himself "a Latin from Manhattan." He lived with different family members throughout his life.

During World War II, Romero joined the United States Coast Guard on October 12, 1942. He served in the Pacific Ocean. He was on a ship called the USS Cavalier. Romero took part in important battles, including the invasions of Tinian and Saipan. He wanted to be a regular crew member and was eventually promoted to chief boatswain's mate.

Acting Career

Romero with actress Fay Wray and director Richard Thorpe on the set of Cheating Cheaters (1934)

A movie poster for Public Enemy's Wife (1936)

Romero with Carmen Miranda in Week-End in Havana (1941)

Cesar Romero was 6 feet 3 inches tall. In movies from the 1930s to the 1950s, he often played charming characters from Latin countries. These were usually supporting roles, meaning he wasn't the main star. In 1935, he had a main role in The Devil is a Woman.

Romero also played the famous character The Cisco Kid in six Western movies between 1939 and 1941. He showed off his dancing and comedy skills in movies with stars like Carmen Miranda and Betty Grable. Some of these films were Week-End in Havana and Springtime in the Rockies in the 1940s. He also had a small role as a piano player in the 1942 musical Orchestra Wives.

In the movie The Thin Man (1934), Romero played a bad guy. In his early career, he often played smaller roles, like Italian gangsters or princes from India. He had a main role as a rebel leader in John Ford's action film Wee Willie Winkie (1937), which starred Shirley Temple. He also appeared with Shirley Temple in The Little Princess (1939). Later, he had a funny role in Ocean's 11 (1960) with the famous group of actors known as the Rat Pack.

Romero sometimes played the main hero. For example, he starred in 15 Maiden Lane (1936). He also played the important role of Doc Halliday in Frontier Marshal (1939). In 1947, he co-starred with Tyrone Power in the historical movie Captain from Castile. In this film, Romero played Hernán Cortés, a real-life Spanish explorer who helped conquer parts of the Americas.

Romero appeared in many TV shows. In the mid-1950s, he was on The Martha Raye Show. He also played Don Diego de la Vega's uncle in some episodes of Zorro.

Romero as the Joker in the 1960s TV series Batman

In 1958, he was a guest star on How to Marry a Millionaire. He even danced the mambo on The Gisele MacKenzie Show. He was also on The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour in 1957. In 1959, he hosted a TV show called John Gunther's High Road about Cuba.

From 1966 to 1968, Romero played the Joker on the Batman TV show. He famously refused to shave his mustache for the role. So, the white makeup for the Joker's face was simply put over his mustache throughout the show and in the 1966 Batman movie.

In the 1970s, he had a repeating role on the Western comedy Alias Smith and Jones. He played Señor Armendariz, a Mexican rancher. Later, he played Peter Stavros on Falcon Crest from 1985 to 1987. He also appeared in an episode of The Golden Girls, playing a man named Tony Delvecchio who was interested in Sophia. Romero also played A.J. Arno, a small-time criminal, in several Disney movies in the 1970s.

Political Interests

[[multiple image | align = right | direction = horizontal | image1 = Cesar Romero and Phyllis Brooks.jpg | width1 = 215 | caption1 = Romero with actress Phyllis Brooks, around 1940 | image2 = Cesar Romero Grave.JPG | width2 = 150 | caption2 = Cesar Romero's resting place at Inglewood Park Cemetery ]] Romero was a member of the Republican Party. He supported Richard M. Nixon in his 1960 presidential campaign. Four years later, he supported Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. for president. Romero liked Lodge's strong stance against communism. Later that year, Romero supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 election.

Also in 1964, Romero was very involved in the U.S. Senate race in California. His good friend, actor George Murphy, was running against Senator Pierre Salinger. Romero helped Murphy by asking people who were unhappy with Salinger to vote for Murphy. Murphy won that election.

Murphy later lost his voice due to throat cancer. Romero helped other Hollywood stars try to get Murphy re-elected in 1970, but Murphy lost. After this, Romero was less involved in politics. However, he still helped his friend Ronald Reagan in his campaigns for governor and president. Romero also helped other actors ask the United States Congress to give a special award to John Wayne before he passed away.

Personal Life and Death

Cesar Romero never married and did not have any children. He often went to Hollywood events with famous actresses like Joan Crawford and Lucille Ball. People often described him as a "confirmed bachelor," meaning he chose not to marry.

On January 1, 1994, Cesar Romero passed away at the age of 86. He died from problems caused by a blood clot while being treated for bronchitis and pneumonia in Santa Monica, California.

His body was cremated, and his ashes were placed at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

For his work in movies and television, Cesar Romero has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One is for his films, and the other is for his TV work.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Radio Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Cesar Romero para niños