Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo Cortez

Acting
Born 1900-09-17 - Died 1977-04-28New York City, New York, USA

Biography

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).

Movies (107)

Frisco Kid
7.0

Frisco Kid

1935Movie7.0
The Walking Dead
6.3

The Walking Dead

1936Movie6.3
The Locket
6.3

The Locket

1946Movie6.3
Special Agent
6.2

Special Agent

1935Movie6.2
Midnight Mary
6.8

Midnight Mary

1933Movie6.8
Wonder Bar
6.0

Wonder Bar

1934Movie6.0
The Last Hurrah
7.2

The Last Hurrah

1958Movie7.2
Manhattan Moon
9.0

Manhattan Moon

1935Movie9.0
The Spaniard
8.0

The Spaniard

1925Movie8.0
Complicated Women
6.9

Complicated Women

2003Movie6.9
Her Man
5.2

Her Man

1930Movie5.2
The Sorrows of Satan
7.2

The Sorrows of Satan

1926Movie7.2
Woman of Destiny
10.0

Woman of Destiny

1928Movie10.0
The Maltese Falcon
6.4

The Maltese Falcon

1931Movie6.4
Argentine Love
10.0

Argentine Love

1924Movie10.0
Ten Cents a Dance
6.7

Ten Cents a Dance

1931Movie6.7
Hollywood Newsreel
7.0

Hollywood Newsreel

1934Movie7.0
City Girl
6.5

City Girl

1938Movie6.5
By Whose Hand?
9.0

By Whose Hand?

1927Movie9.0
Mr. Moto's Last Warning
5.7

Mr. Moto's Last Warning

1939Movie5.7
Torch Singer
5.4

Torch Singer

1933Movie5.4
Torrent
6.7

Torrent

1926Movie6.7
Her Husband Lies
7.0

Her Husband Lies

1937Movie7.0
The Pony Express
6.4

The Pony Express

1925Movie6.4
Man Hunt
10.0

Man Hunt

1936Movie10.0
Postal Inspector
7.0

Postal Inspector

1936Movie7.0
A Lost Lady
5.8

A Lost Lady

1934Movie5.8
I Am a Thief
6.2

I Am a Thief

1934Movie6.2
This Woman
9.0

This Woman

1924Movie9.0
Big Business Girl
6.8

Big Business Girl

1931Movie6.8
New York
9.0

New York

1927Movie9.0
The Firebird
6.4

The Firebird

1934Movie6.4
Bunco Squad
6.1

Bunco Squad

1950Movie6.1
Mandalay
5.8

Mandalay

1934Movie5.8
In the Name of Love
10.0

In the Name of Love

1925Movie10.0
Hollywood
9.0

Hollywood

1923Movie9.0
White Shoulders
10.0

White Shoulders

1931Movie10.0
Thirteen Women
6.4

Thirteen Women

1932Movie6.4
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
6.0

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

1960Movie6.0
Mystery in Mexico
6.0

Mystery in Mexico

1948Movie6.0
Breakdowns of 1937
6.0

Breakdowns of 1937

1937Movie6.0
Charlie Chan in Reno
6.5

Charlie Chan in Reno

1939Movie6.5
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan
5.8

The Murder of Dr. Harrigan

1936Movie5.8
Excess Baggage
8.0

Excess Baggage

1928Movie8.0
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
4.7

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

1936Movie4.7
I Killed That Man
6.7

I Killed That Man

1941Movie6.7
Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo
3.0

Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta Garbo

2014Movie3.0
Murder Over New York
6.2

Murder Over New York

1940Movie6.2
The House on 56th Street
5.2

The House on 56th Street

1933Movie5.2
Men of Chance
6.0

Men of Chance

1931Movie6.0
The City That Never Sleeps
9.0

The City That Never Sleeps

1924Movie9.0
Behind Office Doors
4.9

Behind Office Doors

1931Movie4.9
The Phantom of Crestwood
5.9

The Phantom of Crestwood

1932Movie5.9
A Society Scandal
8.0

A Society Scandal

1924Movie8.0
Midstream
10.0

Midstream

1929Movie10.0
The Big Shakedown
5.9

The Big Shakedown

1934Movie5.9
Montana Moon
4.7

Montana Moon

1930Movie4.7
Shadow of Doubt
6.7

Shadow of Doubt

1935Movie6.7
Prowlers of the Sea
5.0

Prowlers of the Sea

1928Movie5.0
Talk of the Devil
8.0

Talk of the Devil

1936Movie8.0
The White Cockatoo
5.9

The White Cockatoo

1935Movie5.9
Flesh
5.8

Flesh

1932Movie5.8
Big Executive
7.0

Big Executive

1933Movie7.0
Volcano
10.0

Volcano

1926Movie10.0
Sixty Cents an Hour
10.0

Sixty Cents an Hour

1923Movie10.0
The Inner Circle
5.7

The Inner Circle

1946Movie5.7
The Private Life of Helen of Troy
4.4

The Private Life of Helen of Troy

1927Movie4.4
Ladies of the Night Club
10.0

Ladies of the Night Club

1928Movie10.0
The Man with Two Faces
6.8

The Man with Two Faces

1934Movie6.8
The Bedroom Window
9.0

The Bedroom Window

1924Movie9.0
Blackmail
4.2

Blackmail

1947Movie4.2
The Younger Generation
6.9

The Younger Generation

1929Movie6.9
No One Man
6.5

No One Man

1932Movie6.5
Symphony of Six Million
5.7

Symphony of Six Million

1932Movie5.7
Illicit
5.6

Illicit

1931Movie5.6
Rubber Racketeers
5.5

Rubber Racketeers

1942Movie5.5
The Phantom in the House
4.4

The Phantom in the House

1929Movie4.4
Make Your Own Bed
6.0

Make Your Own Bed

1944Movie6.0
West of Shanghai
5.8

West of Shanghai

1937Movie5.8
The Case of the Black Cat
7.0

The Case of the Black Cat

1936Movie7.0
A Shot in the Dark
5.7

A Shot in the Dark

1941Movie5.7
Breakdowns of 1936

Breakdowns of 1936

1936Movie
Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)
6.0

Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8)

1931Movie6.0
Transgression
4.3

Transgression

1931Movie4.3
Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown
8.0

Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown

1986Movie8.0
The Californian
7.0

The Californian

1937Movie7.0
The Cat's Pajamas
9.0

The Cat's Pajamas

1926Movie9.0
The Eagle of the Sea
10.0

The Eagle of the Sea

1926Movie10.0
Broadway Bad
5.3

Broadway Bad

1933Movie5.3
Feet of Clay
7.0

Feet of Clay

1924Movie7.0
The Gentleman from America
7.0

The Gentleman from America

1923Movie7.0
Is My Face Red?
5.0

Is My Face Red?

1932Movie5.0
Mockery
6.9

Mockery

1927Movie6.9
The Swan
8.0

The Swan

1925Movie8.0
World Premiere
6.0

World Premiere

1941Movie6.0
Hat, Coat and Glove
7.0

Hat, Coat and Glove

1934Movie7.0
Romance of the Rio Grande
4.7

Romance of the Rio Grande

1941Movie4.7
Tomorrow We Live
4.9

Tomorrow We Live

1942Movie4.9
The Call of the Canyon
7.0

The Call of the Canyon

1923Movie7.0
Bad Company
5.0

Bad Company

1931Movie5.0
Reckless Living
4.3

Reckless Living

1931Movie4.3
Not So Long Ago
8.0

Not So Long Ago

1925Movie8.0
Who Is Hope Schuyler?
4.5

Who Is Hope Schuyler?

1942Movie4.5
The Lost Zeppelin
5.8

The Lost Zeppelin

1929Movie5.8
The Next Corner
10.0

The Next Corner

1924Movie10.0
Children of Jazz
8.0

Children of Jazz

1923Movie8.0
New Orleans
9.0

New Orleans

1929Movie9.0

TV Shows (1)

This Is Your Life
6.5

This Is Your Life

1952Series6.5