Originally Posted By hightp Like Haunts, I too had a chance to meet Mr. Montalban, in June of 1985 while I was visiting the Los Angeles Arboritum, he was there filming an episode of Fantasy Island. I beleive it was the last season of the show and Christopher Hewitt was the new butler. My brother and I wathched the filming and during a break in the scene, he came over to us and asked where we were from and if we liked the show. He then invited us to stay as long as we liked and watch. (Phyllis Davis from the TV show Vegas was one of the guests). He was a 1st class actor who treated everyone with respect. When he was called back to the set he told the director to wait a minute as he came over and said goodbye to us. He was truly a great actor and will be missed. Since he was the only person ever to know Don Diego de la Vega was Zorro (outside the immediate family) the secret goes with him.
Originally Posted By Ursula I adored him. I also got to meet when while he was filming in San Pedro (and I didn't skip school to do so, but HA 999) and he was really, really nice. I asked him if I could shake his hand and he said yes! It was so funny, I was star-struck. He truly understood being famous and how to treat his fans.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 That's nice to hear. I also read this morning that he was married to the same woman for 63 years, till her death in 2007.
Originally Posted By oc_dean When I was in my early to late teens ... I only knew him for his robust way of saying - "Welcome, to Fantasy Island!" And I religiously watched every show ... in that 3 piece white suit .. that only he and John Travolta made famous. Then in my 20s and 30s ... I began to get into laser discs .. and built up a small collection of old, classic MGM musicals .. where I began to understand his earlier and (LARGER) career as a contract star to MGM in the 1940s and 1950s. And one of my favorite Montablan singing moments was when he and Ester Williams sang what later became a big "Christmas" time song for the very first time - "Baby, it's cold outside". Which .. Ironically had nothing to do with Christmas .. as it came out of a 1953 Ester Williams water musical set in Spring or Summer. LOL Then .... it would be on TV in the late 80s ... I discovered yet another major moment in Montalban's celebrated career, when I began to catch up with Star Trek films since released to theaters .. the moment when he said in a 1982 film: "Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cOOOld? It is very coooooold in spaaaaccccce." His style of speech in that role was amazing .. and will be remembered among Trek fans forever! Nearly every day ... I drive by a Live Stage theater on Vine St. here in Hollywood .. which adorns his name: <a href="http://www.nosotros.org/theatre.html" target="_blank">http://www.nosotros.org/theatre.html</a> He's been one of my personal favorites. His MGM career, his major tv show Fantasy Island .. and his unforgettable role as Kahn in Trek. I will always remember him very fondly. And he'll be remembered by fans as long as video in any format still exists!
