César Romero

American actor and entertainer

• Born: February 15, 1907
• Birthplace: New York, New York
• Died: January 1, 1994
• Place of death: Santa Monica, California

Known for his tall, good looks, suave demeanor, and skill in ballroom dancing, Romero had a long career in film, playing secondary roles. Wearing clown makeup and a green fright wig, he gave a manic and memorable portrayal of the Joker on the television series Batman.

Early Life

César Julio Romero (SAY-zahr HOO-lee-oh roh-MAR-oh), Jr., was born and raised in New York City. Both his father, César Julio Romero, who exported sugar refining machinery to Cuba, and his mother, María Mantilla Romero, who was a singer and concert pianist, emigrated from Cuba. Romero’s maternal grandfather was the Cuban revolutionary leader José Martí, often called “the liberator of Cuba.” Growing up, Romero and his three siblings enjoyed an affluent lifestyle. However, he favored a career in the arts rather than joining the family business.

Romero’s first acting experience was as a student at the Collegiate School in New York City, where he played four roles in the school production of The Merchant of Venice. His good looks made him a popular escort for New York debutantes, but the failure of his father’s business resulted in Romero taking a job in a Wall Street bank. In 1927, he was offered an opportunity when heiress Elizabeth Higgins asked him to form a dance team. Romero had never had formal dance lessons, but his years of escorting debutantes to various balls made him a good dancer, and he jumped at the chance. Romero and Higgins appeared at some of New York’s most exclusive dinner clubs; their act was a hit, and they were asked to appear in the Broadway revue Lady Do. The show opened on April 18, 1927, and Romero and Higgins did the foxtrot, waltz, and tango for fifty-six performances. He and Higgins continued to dance at dinner clubs until 1929.

When Romero injured his shoulder while lifting Nita Vernille, his new dance partner, he turned to the theater. He opened in The Street Singer in September, 1929, costarring with Andrew Tombes. During his 191 performances, Romero caught the eye of producer Brock Pemberton, who was looking for a replacement for the romantic lead in Strictly Dishonorable (1929). Playing the Count Di Ruvo in this play, Romero starred on Broadway, toured with the road company during the summer, and returned to the Broadway production. He appeared in The Social Register during the first half of 1932, and played the role of Ricci, the chauffeur, in the hit show Dinner at Eight (1932).

Life’s Work

Romero made his film debut in 1933 in The Shadow Lights, and the next year he had a bit part in the hit film The Thin Man (1934). At this point he was being touted as the next Rudolph Valentino, but Romero never became a leading actor. Loaned to Universal Studios, Romero had a role in British Agent (1934). Universal signed him to a three-year contract, and his role as the sexy gigolo in the comedy The Good Fairy (1935) was highly regarded. Subsequently, he was typecast in parts that stressed his image as the “Latin lover.” Several films followed for Universal; he was also loaned out to Twentieth Century-Fox studios for a number of films, including Clive of India (1935) and Cardinal Richelieu (1935). He won the leading role in The Devil Is a Woman (1935), but the film was a commercial and critical failure. Its portrayal of the Spanish military so incensed the government of Spain that the film was pulled from theaters after seven months, in effect ending Romero’s opportunity to a become leading actor. In 1937, Romero left Universal and contracted with Twentieth Century Fox. He stayed with the company for fifteen years, making as many as five films a year. During the late 1930’s and early 1940’s he worked with Shirley Temple in Wee Willie Winkie (1937) and The Little Princess (1939) and skater Sonja Henie in Happy Landing (1938). Romero was the first Latino actor to portray the Cisco Kid, which he did in six films, beginning with The Return of the Cisco Kid (1939). Not the cowboy type, he played the legendary hero as more of a dandy and rogue than a fighter for justice.

His talent in dance also led to roles in many musicals, including Weekend in Havana (1941), Tall, Dark, and Handsome (1941), and Springtime in the Rockies (1943). Romero enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1942, serving in various capacities for three years. He rose to the rank of chief boatswain’s mate and made frequent public appearances aimed at supporting the troops during World War II. After the war ended, he costarred with Tyrone Power in Captain from Castile (1947); Romero played Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and considered this his favorite role. Between 1947 and 1949 he made seven films for Twentieth Century-Fox, including the popular romantic musicals Carnival in Costa Rica (1947) and That Lady in Ermine (1948). In 1950, Romero left Fox to work as an independent actor. He continued to make an average of two films a year for the next thirty years, appearing with big-name actors, such as Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster in Vera Cruz (1954), Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in the original Ocean’s Eleven (1960), and John Wayne in Donovan’s Reef (1963). He also appeared in three Disney studio films, including The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969). Romero’s final film was a black comedy, Mortuary Academy (1988).

Film, however, was not Romero’s only venue. Beginning in the 1950’s, he regularly appeared on television in a number of variety shows, Westerns, comedies, and dramas. He played the mysterious diplomatic courier Steve McQuinn in the television series Passport to Danger (1954-1956). His most well-known television role was the Joker on the television series Batman during its 1966-1967 season. As the Joker, he covered his handsome face with white clown makeup, but he refused to shave his mustache, which had to be covered in white greasepaint. He played Batman’s enemy with over-the-top comedy and repeated the part in the 1966 film Batman. During the 1980’s, at age seventy-eight, he began playing Peter Stravos, the love interest of Jane Wyman on Falcon Crest, appearing in fifty episodes from 1985 through 1988. In 1990, still handsome and debonair, Romero appeared as Tony Delveccio, Sophia’s boyfriend in the situation comedy The Golden Girls.

Romero never married and continued to appear in dinner theaters, at Hollywood social events, and for charity functions until his death on January 1, 1994. He died at St John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California, from a blood clot, a complication of a severe case of pneumonia.

Significance

Nicknamed the “Latin from Manhattan,” Romero’s handsome face, height, and dancer’s grace made him a popular actor in film and television. In a career that spanned more than sixty years, he appeared in more than one hundred films and numerous television shows. Romero had roles in Westerns and musicals, as well as dramas and comedies, showing his range as an actor. Although never a leading man, his strength as a character actor kept him before the cameras. In addition, his charm and reliability made him a sought-after actor for numerous television shows. Romero won several awards, including the Imagen Hispanic Media Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1991.

Bibliography

Lindgren, Laura. Legends en Español: The 100 Most Iconic Hispanic Entertainers of All Time. New York: Penguin, 2008. This bilingual publication includes a biography and color portrait of Romero.

Natale, Richard. “Obituary.” Variety, January 10, 1994, 68. Discusses Romero’s career and what made him the ideal romantic foil in various films.

The New York Times. “César Romero, Actor, Dies at 86.” January 3, 1994: A24. An obituary that includes biographical information.

Reyes, Luis, and Peter Rubie. Hispanics in Hollywood, an Encyclopedia of Film andTelevision. New York: Garland, 1994. Describes how Romero portrayed stereotypes of Hispanic characters in films. Includes biographical information and background on specific Romero films.