Cesar Romero Movies
Born in New York City to parents of Cuban extraction, American actor Cesar Romero studied for his craft at Collegiate and Riverdale Country schools. After a brief career as a ballroom dancer, the tall, sleekly handsome Romero made his Broadway debut in the 1927 production Lady Do. He received several Hollywood offers after his appearance in the Preston Sturges play Strictly Dishonorable, but didn't step before the cameras until 1933 for his first film The Shadow Laughs (later biographies would claim that Romero's movie bow was in The Thin Man [1934], in which he was typecast as a callow gigolo). Long associated with 20th Century-Fox, Romero occasionally cashed in on his heritage to play Latin Lover types, but was more at home with characters of indeterminate nationalities, usually playing breezily comic second leads (whenever Romero received third billing, chances were he wasn't going to get the girl). Cheerfully plunging into the Hollywood social scene, Romero became one of the community's most eligible bachelors; while linked romantically with many top female stars, he chose never to marry, insisting to his dying day that he had no regrets over his confirmed bachelorhood. While he played a variety of film roles, Romero is best remembered as "The Cisco Kid" in a brief series of Fox programmers filmed between 1939 and 1940, though in truth his was a surprisingly humorless, sullen Cisco, with little of the rogueish charm that Duncan Renaldo brought to the role on television. The actor's favorite movie role, and indeed one of his best performances, was as Cortez in the 1947 20th Century-Fox spectacular The Captain From Castile. When his Fox contract ended in 1950, Romero was wealthy enough to retire, but the acting bug had never left his system; he continued to star throughout the 1950s in cheap B pictures, always giving his best no matter how seedy his surroundings. In 1953 Romero starred in a 39-week TV espionage series "Passport to Danger," which he cheerfully admitted to taking on because of a fat profits-percentage deal. TV fans of the 1960s most closely associate Romero with the role of the white-faced "Joker" on the "Batman" series. While Romero was willing to shed his inhibitions in this villainous characterization, he refused to shave his trademark moustache, compelling the makeup folks to slap the clown white over the 'stache as well (you can still see the outline in the closeups). As elegant and affluent-looking as ever, Romero signed on for the recurring role of Peter Stavros in the late-1980s nighttime soap opera "Falcon Crest." In the early 1990s, he showed up as host of a series of classic 1940s romantic films on cable's American Movie Classics. Romero died of a blood clot on New Year's Day, 1994, at the age of 86. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi- 1962
A young delinquent from a Mexican border town sets out to cross the border and search for his long lost father, in the process befriending a loyal greyhound puppy and a sympathetic priest who helps train the dog to become a champion racer. For Felipe (Roger Mobley), every day above ground is cause for celebration; not only does he have to fend for himself in a small border town, but he dreams of one day crossing into California to track down the father he never knew. After befriending a greyhound pup for companionship, Felipe and his four-legged friend hop a truck headed for the border in hopes of gaining entry into the United States. Unfortunately, an eagle-eyed customs agent spots the Felipe while searching the truck. Just as it looks like Felipe will be heading back to Mexico, the owner of the truck - a kindly priest named Father Dugan (Cesar Romero) - convinces the agent to allow them passage. Later, when driving back to Mexico, the greyhound falls from his hiding spot in the truck and gets badly injured. But while the local vet recommends that the dog be put to sleep in light of his injuries, Father Dugan recognizes the bond he shares with the boy and makes the case for an operation. As the surgery gets underway, the doctors are forced to improvise - using the staff from a statue of St. Michael in order to fix the dog's leg. In light of this unusual development, Felipe names the dog "St. Mike" and begins training him to become a professional racer. Thanks to a little help from Father Dugan, Felipe undergoes a kind of moral rehabilitation while "St. Mike" becomes fast enough to take top prize in an important race. Later, when the dog's original owner appears to congratulate Felipe, the young boy's newfound morals are put to the ultimate test. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cesar Romero, Roger Mobley, (more)
This lightweight, nearly zero-gravity comedy by director Henry Levin relies on a novel by a male writer and a script by another man to come up with a nearly offensive story (in these more enlightened times) about how a woman can lie, manipulate, and generally deceive her husband, all in the "art" of hanging on to him. Sandra Dee is Chantal, married to Eugene (Bobby Darin, Dee's real-life husband), but first comes the story of how she hooked him. Next, comes the story of how he is trained to be a perfect husband, and then the final installment is unveiled. She uses a variety of tricks to keep him wondering whether or not he can trust her. For example, Chantal's mother calls her and "if a man answers" she hangs up, leaving the unhappy husband to think his wife has a clandestine lover. The premise that a woman's only role in life is to get and hold a husband has thankfully undergone a few revisions since 1962. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin, (more)
- 1961
The actors do the best they can with this undistinguished wartime melodrama about a group of women caught in New Guinea just when the Japanese are taking over Indonesia and its contiguous islands in 1942. The women range from an ornithologist, to a nurse, to a thief, and a waitress, all captured and put into a Japanese prison camp. But the women manage to escape, though not all survive, and later on they encounter a double-dealing plantation owner (Cesar Romero) who unknown to them, is collaborating with the Japanese and plans on sending them back to their captors. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Patricia Owens, Denise Darcel, (more)
During a Los Angeles Christmas, a group of 82nd Airborne vets assembles under the leadership of gamblin' man Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) to rip off five Las Vegas casinos just after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day. Playboy Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford) joins in the scheme because he's sick of needing his oft-married mother's money, especially now that she's about to wed Duke Santos (Cesar Romero), a self-made man with all sorts of underworld ties. After he receives the news that he could die at any time, newly released convict Anthony Bergdorf (Richard Conte) reluctantly agrees to participate so he can leave some money to his estranged wife and young son. Ocean's own wife, Beatrice (Angie Dickinson), doesn't think much of her husband's promise of a big score to come, but her quiet protests don't dissuade him. With Las Vegas garbage man and fellow vet Josh Howard (Sammy Davis Jr.) and several casino employees among their number, the titular band of thieves have just a few days to get ready for their caper. When Duke Santos, Jimmy's mother, and one of Ocean's discarded paramours all show up in Sin City at the same time as the veterans, the crew's perfect plans face some serious hurdles. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, (more)
- 1960
Take a Good Look was a game show hosted by Ernie Kovacs in which panelists had to identify the various contestants from clues and clips of recordings and other various sources. Featured contestants were Edie Adams and Cesar Romero. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ernie Kovacs
- 1959
Diego's uncle (Cesar Romero) charms Margarita Cotazar and her father into supporting one of his get-rich-quick schemes. ~ TV Guide, Rovi
- 1959
"The Big Hello" and "The Wild Bunch" originated as 25-minute episodes of the TV anthology Four Star Playhouse. Linking the two short films is the starring presence of Natalie Wood, who did quite a lot of TV work between 1950 and 1955. Supporting Wood in these dramatic playlets are such dependables as Cesar Romero and Raymond Burr. Interestingly enough, Wood and Burr briefly dated in the 1950s, after having met on the set of the theatrical feature A Cry in the Night. The two episodes are consummately produced, as was customary whenever actor-turned-executive Dick Powell was at the production helm. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1958
This historical adventure recounts the many exploits of the notorious Mexican bandit Pancho Villa as he evolves from a womanizing thief to a passionate leader of the Mexican revolution. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Keith, Cesar Romero, (more)
- 1957
Future "Master of Disaster" Irwin Allen produced this curious but inarguably fascinating adaptation of Henrik Willem Van Loon's best- selling historical volume. A Celestial Tribunal has been convened to decide the fate of the Earth after the invention of nuclear weapons, with The Devil (Vincent Price) and The Spirit of Man (Ronald Colman) debating if humankind should be allowed to continue or be exterminated once and for all. Both men present examples of human behavior at its best and worst, including Dennis Hopper as Napoleon, Hedy Lamarr as Joan of Arc, Virginia Mayo as Cleopatra, Peter Lorre as Nero, Edward Everett Horton as Sir Walter Raleigh, and Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, and Chico Marx as, respectively, Peter Minuit, Sir Isaac Newton, and a monk (yes, the producers had the daring and vision to cast the Marx Brothers without having them play any scenes together). The Story of Mankind proved to be the last film for both Ronald Colman and Hedy Lamarr; it was also the last time the three Marx Brothers appeared in the same film, though the individual Marxes appeared in a few films following this. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ronald Colman, Vincent Price, (more)
- 1956
Written in 1944 and expanded upon several times thereafter, composer Gordon Jenkins' classic tone poem "Manhattan Tower" resulted in one of the most popular record albums of all time. Curiously, while the piece was performed in a concert-narration format on innumerable occasions, it was dramatized only once, on this live, 90-minute NBC Saturday Spectacular presentation. Future Hollywood Squares emcee Peter Marshall stars as Steve, a young man who, during a visit to New York City, falls in love with both the town and a beautiful young woman named Julie (Helen O'Connell). In the course of a single weekend, the couple embarks upon a tour of Manhattan, from Central Park to Greenwich Village to a posh Fifth Avenue penthouse. Although Steve and Julie inevitably come to a parting of ways, Steve will never forget the girl -- or the city -- of his dreams. The songs, which grow almost spontaneously from the narrative, include "Happiness Cocktail," "Once Upon a Dream," "New York's My Home," "Married I Can Always Get," and the haunting leitmotif "Never Leave Me." Originally telecast in color, Manhattan Tower boasted an impressive supporting cast, including Phil Harris, Ethel Waters, Cesar Romero, and Edward Everett Horton. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Razzle-dazzle showman Michael Todd hocked everything he had to make this spectacular presentation of Jules Verne's 1872 novel Around the World in 80 Days, the second film to be lensed in the wide-screen Todd-AO production. Nearly as fascinating as the finished product are the many in-production anecdotes concerning Todd's efforts to pull the wool over the eyes of local authorities in order to cadge the film's round-the-world location shots--not to mention the wheeling and dealing to convince over forty top celebrities to appear in cameo roles. David Niven heads the huge cast as ultra-precise, supremely punctual Phileas Fogg, who places a 20,000-pound wager with several fellow members of London Reform Club, insisting that he can go around the world in eighty days (this, remember, is 1872). Together with his resourceful valet Passepartout (Cantinflas), Fogg sets out on his world-girdling journey from Paris via balloon. Meanwhile, suspicion grows that Fogg has stolen his 20,000 pounds from Bank of England. Diligent Inspector Fix (Robert Newton) is sent out by the bank's president (Robert Morley) to bring Fogg to justice. Hopscotching around the globe, Fogg pauses in Spain, where Passepartout engages in a comic bullfight (a specialty of Cantinflas). In India, Fogg and Passepartout rescue young widow Princess Aouda (Shirley MacLaine, in her third film) from being forced into committing suicide so that she may join her late husband. The threesome visit Hong Kong, Japan, San Francisco, and the Wild West. Only hours short of winning his wager, Fogg is arrested by the diligent Inspector Fixx. Though exonerated of the bank robbery charges, he has lost everything--except the love of the winsome Aouda. But salvation is at hand when Passepartout discovers that, by crossing the International Date Line, there's still time to reach the Reform Club. Will they make it? See for yourself. Among the film's 46 guest stars, the most memorable include Marlene Dietrich, Charles Boyer, Jose Greco, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lorre, Red Skelton, Buster Keaton, John Mills, and Beatrice Lillie. All were paid in barter--Ronald Colman did his brief bit for a new car. Newscaster Edward R. Murrow provides opening narration, and there's a tantalizing clip from Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon (1902). Offering a little something for everyone, Around the World in 80 Days is nothing less than an extravaganza, and it won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Niven, Cantinflas, (more)
- 1956
The Leather Saint is an uneasy blend of religious drama and prizefight picture. John Derek stars as Father Gil Allen, an Episcopalian minister who relaxes on weekends by indulging in a few rounds of boxing. Allen hopes to use the prize money to finance a medical center for young polio victims, but he doesn't offer this information--nor does he reveal his true identity--to his hard-bitten, money-grubbing manager Gus MacAuliffe (Paul Douglas). When he's not duking it out in the ring, Allen works overtime to save a pretty young girl named Pearl (Jody Lawrance) from becoming a hopeless alcoholic. Mildly entertaining, The Leather Saint used to be an Easter-weekend perennial on certain Midwestern TV stations. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Douglas, John Derek, (more)
- 1955
The CinemaScope process gets a rugged workout in Henry Hathaway's The Racers. Kirk Douglas stars as an Italian bus driver who dreams of entering the Grand Prix as a world-famous race car driver. Being Kirk Douglas, he achieves his goal, racing in all the major events around the globe. Dedicated to the philosophy of "winning is the only thing", Douglas alienates his fellow racers and everyone else with whom he comes in contact. Only when he is on the verge of losing his sweetheart Bella Darvi does our hero put his priorities in order. Adapted from a novel by Hans Ruesch, The Racers was remade in a 60-minute version as Men Against Speed, an entry in the weekly TV anthology The 20th Century-Fox Hour. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kirk Douglas, Bella Darvi, (more)
Produced by Burt Lancaster's own company, Vera Cruz teams Lancaster with the venerable Gary Cooper. The story, set during the Mexican revolution of 1866, casts Cooper and Lancaster as Ben Trane and Joe Erin, two rival soldiers of fortune who team to fight for the highest bidder. The two men come to loggerheads when Trane's sweetheart Nina (Sarita Montiel) begs them to fight on the side of the rebels, while the wealthy Marquis de Labodere (Cesar Romero) implores them to offer their services to Emperor Maximillian. Though they still haven't taken sides, Trane and Erin agree to escort the aristocratic Countess Marie Duvarre (Danielle Darrieux) through hostile territory to Vera Cruz. It soon develops that the Countess is transporting a gold shipment to the Emperor's armies. Hardly the most patriotic of souls, she offers to split the gold with Trane and Erin, but they steal it for themselves instead. It takes a while (and several bloody armed confrontations) before the two protagonists do The Right Thing. While it's fun to watch Burt Lancaster try to upstage the taciturn Gary Cooper, the film's best line goes to supporting player Henry Brandon: impassively watching the loutish Lancaster wolf down his dinner and slop wine all over his blouse, Brandon says calmly "Be careful, senor. Some of it is getting in your mouth." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster, (more)
- 1954
The Americano is Glenn Ford, a north-of-the-border cowboy working in Brazil. Ford has been assigned to deliver a cargo of Brahma bulls to a South American ranch. His progress is impeded by homicidal land-grabber Frank Lovejoy and jovial bandido Cesar Romero. Those are merely the human obstacles; there are also piranhas and jungle predators to contend with. Ford also finds tie to romance Ursula Theiss and Abbe Lane. Luxuriously location-photographed in Technicolor, The Americano was one of the larger-budgeted directorial efforts of exploitation king William Castle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Frank Lovejoy, (more)
- 1953
When Gloria Grahame signed her contract at Columbia Pictures, she had no idea the studio would require her to appear in anything available. Rather than go on suspension, she consented to star in the "Arabian nights" fiasco Prisoners of the Casbah, but her discomfort with the assignment is obvious in every scene. Grahame plays a Moroccan Princess, while Turhan Bey is the lowborn thief who loves her. The plot decrees that Grahame must marry Turhan to escape death at the hands of her enemies, and the script has a lot of fun with the custom of a groom being able to wed or cast away his bride simply by saying "I Marry You" or "I Divorce You" three times. Cesar Romero, playing the villain, is the only actor who looks like he's enjoying himself. Prisoners of the Casbah was another tarnished gem from anything-for-a-buck producer Sam Katzman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gloria Grahame, Cesar Romero, (more)
- 1953
Shadow Man was one of several British films released stateside in 1953 by Lippert Productions. Cesar Romero play Luigi, a casino owner whose former girlfriend (Simone Silva) is murdered. Not surprisingly, suspicion falls upon Luigi. Also not surprisingly, he decides to circumvent the law by bringing in the killer himself. One of the incidental pleasures of Shadow Man is the presence of the delectable Kay Kendall, on the threshold of her greatest screen fame. Based on The Creaking Chair, a novel by Laurence Mynell, the film was originally released in Great Britain as Street of Shadows. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cesar Romero, Kay Kendall, (more)
- 1952
This Lippert release teams studio "regulars" Cesar Romero and Marie Windsor with Monogram's Rod Cameron. The three stars head to India to investigate reports that the elephant population is being terrorized and stampeded by prehistoric mammoths. There's lots of lovely scenery and fascinating glimpses of Indian wildlife, but not much in the way of plot, nor is a plot really called for under the circumstances. Largely filmed on location in India by Voltaire/Modern Theatres Ltd. Productions, the American version of The Jungle runs 74 minutes, while the Indian release version reportedly ran twice that length! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rod Cameron, Cesar Romero, (more)
- 1952
In this murder mystery, a woman's brother is killed in a freaky accident, or so she believes. Fortunately for her, an American journalist is more suspicious and so begins roaming the London streets in search of the killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
The Anglo-American musicomedy Happy Go Lovely is set in Edinburgh, Scotland, during a major film festival. The gathered throngs are aghast when unknown dancer Janet Jones (Vera-Ellen) steps daintily from a limousine owned by a Scottish millionaire. A few miles earlier, the girl had thumbed a ride from the limo driver, but the public doesn't know this, and soon rumors are flying. Before she knows what has happened, Jones has become the festival's main attraction. She is also romanced by B.G. Bruno (David Niven), whom she assumes to be a reporter but who, of course, is the millionaire in disguise. Ostensibly a musical, Happy Go Lovely is limited to two songs, though both are performed con brio by the fabulous Vera-Ellen. The film was produced independently by N. P. Rathvon and released by Rathvon's former studio, RKO Radio. It was shot in black and white but is now reportedly only available in a colorized print. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Niven, Vera-Ellen, (more)
In this adventure-fantasy, an American rocket ship crashes upon a remote island in the Pacific and an Air Force pilot and a scientist are assigned to find it. They get to the island and suddenly discover that the island is populated by a myriad of extinct animals, including dinosaurs. Fortunately, there is an island girl around to help the handsome captain and his crew recover important pieces of their craft and get back home. Some of this film is comprised of clips from Rocketship X-M and The Terror of Tiny Town. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cesar Romero, Hillary Brooke, (more)
- 1951
Audrey Totter plays an FBI clerk who is pressed into more active duties by her bosses Cesar Romero and George Brent. Audrey's job is to uncover the criminal past of above-reproach politician Raymond Greenleaf. A pre-Perry Mason Raymond Burr plays a hulking hoodlum who suspects that Audrey is working for the feds. The comedians Tommy Noonan and Peter Marshall (yes, that Peter Marshall) shows up as guest stars on a TV program being watched by Audrey in the villain's lair. Overladen with up-to-date crime-busting technology, FBI Girl was based on a story by Rupert Hughes, the uncle of Howard R. Hughes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cesar Romero, George Brent, (more)
- 1950
W. Lee Wilder, the younger brother of Billy Wilder, was producer/director/co-writer of Once a Thief. June Havoc stars as Margie, a shoplifter who falls in love with smooth-talking Mitch (Cesar Romero). Margie's new beau reveals his true colors by stealing every penny she has, then turning her into the authorities. Upon her release from prison, Margie swears revenge. Though Mitch gets his just desserts, no one comes out a winner in this one. Though Once a Thief offers few surprises, the film does boast an impressive supporting cast (by "B"-picture standards, at least), including Marie McDonald, Lon Chaney Jr., Iris Adrian and Kathleen Freeman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cesar Romero, June Havoc, (more)
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.