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Rodolfo Acosta

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For the Colombian composer, see Rodolfo Acosta (composer).

Rodolfo Acosta
Acosta in One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
Born
Rodolfo Acosta

(1920-07-29)July 29, 1920
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
DiedNovember 7, 1974(1974-11-07) (aged 54)
Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills
OccupationActor
Years active1946–1973
Spouses
Jeanine Cohen
​
​
(m. 1945; div. 1957)​
Vera Martínez
​
​
(m. 1971; div. 1974)​
Children5

Rodolfo Pérez Acosta (July 29, 1920 – November 7, 1974)[1] was a Mexican-American character actor who became known for his roles as Mexican outlaws or American Indians in Hollywood western films. He was sometimes credited as Rudolph Acosta.[2]

Early life and education

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Acosta was born to José Acosta and Alexandrina Pérez de Acosta on July 29, 1920 in the El Segundo Barrio of El Paso, Texas.[3][4] His father, a carpenter, moved the family to Los Angeles, where Acosta was raised and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School.[3][5] Acosta studied drama at Los Angeles City College and UCLA and he appeared at the Pasadena Playhouse. At the age of 19, he received a scholarship to the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City where he studied for three years.[4] In 1943, during World War II, Acosta enlisted in the United States Navy, serving as a Yeoman[6] in Naval Intelligence.[3]

Career

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After the war, Acosta worked on stage and in films which eventually led to a bit part in John Ford's 1947 film The Fugitive, directed by Emilio Fernández.[3] Fernandez wrote the role of the pimp Paco for Acosta in the 1949 film Salón México, for which Acosta earned a nomination as Best Supporting Actor at the 1950 Ariel Awards.[3] He then was placed on contract by Universal Studios, beginning with a small role in One Way Street (1950). Although Acosta was considered a romantic screen idol in Mexico and South America,[7] his burly body and strong features led to a long succession of roles as bandits, Native American warriors and outlaws in American films.[3] In The Tijuana Story (1957), he had a sympathetic leading role, but in general he spent his career as a familiar western antagonist.

Acosta was a regular as Vaquero on NBC's The High Chaparral from 1967–1969. Other television appearances included Cheyenne, Maverick, Zorro, Rawhide as Ossolo, an Indian Medicine Man in "The Incident at Superstition Prairie" in 1960, Bonanza, and Daniel Boone. In 1959, Acosta played the Kiowa Chief Satanta in the third episode entitled "Yellow Hair" of the ABC western series The Rebel. On the 1964 episode "A Book of Spanish Grammar" of Death Valley Days Acosta played Valdez, the traveling companion of Stephen F. Austin.

In 2013, Acosta along with Lee Marvin and Stuart Hamblen was inducted into Newhall, California's Walk of Western Stars during the annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival.[8]

Personal life

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Acosta married Jeanine Cohen in 1945 in Casablanca while he was in the military.[9] In 1956, Cohen accused Acosta of adultery for sharing an apartment in Mexico City since 1953 with actress Ann Sheridan.[10] Acosta subsequently filed for divorce in 1959.[11] He later married Vera Martínez in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 18, 1971 and they divorced in October 1974.[12][13]

Acosta was the father of five children.[12] His son, Dante Acosta, is a politician in Santa Clarita, California[14]

On November 7, 1974, Acosta died of liver cancer at the Motion picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, and was buried in Hollywood Hills at Forest Lawn Cemetery.[12]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1946 Soy un prófugo Esbirro del jefe
1947 The Fugitive Policeman Uncredited
1948 Song of the Siren
Rosenda Salustio Hernández (el tejón)
El gallero El Meco
Hermoso ideal German Foreign Legionnaire Uncredited
1949 Salón México Paco Ariel Award nomination - Best Supporting Actor
Felipe de Jesús Principe Chokozabe
La malquerida
Prisión de sueños
1950 Vuelve Pancho Villa Martín Corona
One Way Street Francisco Morales
Pancho Villa Returns Martín Corona
Entre tu amor y el cielo Miguel Ramírez
1951 Victims of Sin Rodolfo
Pecado Arregui
Bullfighter and the Lady Juan
The Lovers Alejandro / Alex Montez
Sensualidad el Rizos
Los islas Marias El Silencio (The Silence)
Retorno al quinto patio Don Pancho
La bienamada
1952 Acapulco Alfredo
El puerto de los siete vicios El falcón
El mar y tú Don Rufino
El dinero no es la vida Martín
Yo soy Mexicano de acá de este lado Freddy Miranda
Yankee Buccaneer Poulini
Horizons West General José Escobar Lopez
Víctimas del divorcio Antonio
1953 El billetero Marcos Aguirre Torres
San Antone Chino Figueroa
Destination Gobi Tomec
Wings of the Hawk Arturo Torres
City of Bad Men Joe Mendoza
Appointment in Honduras Reyes
Hondo Silva
1954 Llévame en tus brazos Agustín
Passion Salvador Sandro
Drum Beat Scarface Charlie
1955 A Life in the Balance Lt. Fernando
The Littlest Outlaw Chato
1956 The Proud Ones Chico
Bandido! Sebastian
1957 Trooper Hook Apache chief Nanchez Credited as Rudolfo Acosta
Apache Warrior Marteen
The Tijuana Story Manuel Acosta Mesa
1958 The Last Rebel 'Three Fingers' Jack credited as Rudolph Acosta
From Hell to Texas Bayliss
1960 Walk Like a Dragon Sheriff Marguelez credited as Rudolph Acosta
Let No Man Write My Epitaph Max credited as Rudolph Acosta
Flaming Star Buffalo Horn credited as Rudolph Acosta
1961 Posse from Hell Johnny Caddo credited as Rudolph Acosta
One-Eyed Jacks Mexican Rurale Captain credited as Rudolph Acosta
The Second Time Around Rodriguez credited as Rudolph Acosta
1962 How the West Was Won Gant Gang Member Uncredited
1963 Savage Sam Bandy Legs
The Raiders Cherokee Policeman Uncredited
1964 Rio Conchos Bloodshirt
1965 The Greatest Story Ever Told Captain of Lancers
The Sons of Katie Elder Bondie Adams
Río Hondo Camargo
The Reward Patron
1966 Return of the Seven Lopez Credited as Rudy Acosta
And Should We Die Gen. Rodolfo Fierro
1967 The Violent Ones Estevez
1968 Dayton's Devils Fishing Boat Captain
1969 Impasse Draco
Che! Monje Uncredited
Young Billy Young Mexican Officer
1970 The Great White Hope El Jefe
Flap Storekeeper
1971 Will to Die Sheriff Dan Garcia Final film role

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1956 The Sheriff of Cochise Jose Perado Episode: "Question of Honor"
1957 Lux Video Theatre Vorbeck Episode: "The Undesirable"
Playhouse 90 Episode: "Without Incident"; credited as Rudolfo Acosta
Whirlybirds Don Miguel Cordoba Episode: "Incident in Del Rio"
1957–1961 Have Gun - Will Travel Sanchez / John Wildhorse / Pedro Valdez 3 episodes
1958 The Walter Winchell File El Gato Episode: "The Stop-over"
Jefferson Drum Mendoza Episode: "Bandidos"
1958–1960 Zorro Carancho / Perico 3 episodes; credited as Rudolph Acosta
1958 Cheyenne Lobos Season 3/Episode 17 - "Standoff"
1959 Cheyenne Luis Cardenas Season 4/Episode 3 - "The Rebellion"
1959 U.S. Marshal Captain Joe Silva Episode: "Gold Is Where You Find It"
Sugarfoot Rafael Episode: "Small Hostage"
The Rebel Satanta Episode: "Yellow Hair"
The Texan Episode: "The Reluctant Bridegroom"
1959–1964 Rawhide Del Latigo / Arapahoe Leader / Ossolo / Chisera 4 episodes
1960 Rawhide Ossolo S3:E7, "Incident at Superstition Prairie"
1959–1965 Death Valley Days Bandit Leader / Tony Alvado / Tall Rock / Valdez / Don Diego Archeluta / Chief Spotted Tail 6 episodes
1960 The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio Killer TV movie
Buick-Electra Playhouse Killer Episode: "The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio"
The Magical World of Disney Carancho 2 episodes
O'Conner's Ocean TV movie
Rogue for Hire El Tigre Episode: "Operation Jaguar"
1960–1962 Bronco Juan Rodriguez / Tomas Fierro 2 episodes
1961 Cheyenne Luis Boladas Season 6/Episode 5 - "Day's Pay"
1961 One Step Beyond Colonel Ferrero Episode: "Person Unknown"
The Barbara Stanwyck Show Porfiro Episode: "Yanqui Go Home"
Tales of Wells Fargo Red Knife Episode: "Tanoa"
1962 Maverick Sebastian Bolanes Episode: "Poker Face"
The Gallant Men Lupo Episode: "Signals for an End Run"
1963 The Virginian Yaqui Leader Episode: "The Mountain of the Sun"
The Great Adventure Lt. Bullhead 2 episodes
Young Men in a Hurry Jose Rodriguez TV movie
1963–1964 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Colonel Lu / Tartar 2 episodes
1964 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters Joe Oswego Episode: "The Day of the Tin Trumpet"
The Farmer's Daughter Pedro Perez Episode: "Katy Gets Arrested"
1964–1970 Bonanza Sheriff Vincente Aranda / Matar / Lijah / Juan 4 episodes
1965 The Big Valley Rico Episode: "The Way to Kill a Killer"
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Captain Ramirez Episode: "The Very Important Zombie Affair"
1965–1966 Daniel Boone Running Fox / Gabriel 2 episodes
1966 Iron Horse Corporal Episode: "Cougar Man"
The Fugitive First Mexican Episode: "Wine Is a Traitor"
1967 Laredo Luis Canzano Episode: "Scourge of San Rosa"
Valley of Mystery Manuel Sanchez TV movie
Custer Satanta Episode: "Sabers in the Sun"
Stranger on the Run Mercurio TV movie
1967–1969 The High Chaparral Vaquero 22 episodes
1969 Mission: Impossible Presidente Miguel De Varo Episode: "The Vault"
The Outcasts Chief Frente Episode: "The Stalking Devil"
1970 Run, Simon, Run Manuel TV movie
1971 The Bold Ones: The Lawyers Pablo Delgado Episode: "The Search for Leslie Grey"
Cade's County Nacho Gutierrez Episode: "Crisscross"
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury Caesar Dominguez Episode: "Operation: Heroin"
1971–1973 Ironside Sgt. Ramirez / The Police Chief 2 episodes; final role
1972 Hec Ramsey Kitami Episode: "Mystery of the Green Feather"

References

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  1. ^ Ellenberger, Allan R. (2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland & Company. p. 79.
  2. ^ Hoffman, Henryk (2000). "A" Western Filmmakers A Biographical Dictionary of Writers, Directors, Cinematographers, Composers, Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 447. ISBN 9780786406968.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Reyes, Luis; Rubie, Peter (October 1, 2000). Hispanics in Hollywood. Lone Eagle. p. 412. ISBN 978-1580650250.
  4. ^ a b "Rodolfo Acosta in "Apache Warrior" : About Rodolfo Acosta". SCTVHistory.com. Santa Clarita Valley Public Television. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Lincolnian. Los Angeles: Abraham Lincoln High School. 1939. p. 28.
  6. ^ Burial plot for Rodolph Acosta Perez (gravestone). Forest Lawn Memorial Park. c. 1974. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  7. ^ "Focus on Rodolfo Acosta". The High Chaparral News. January 14, 2009. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  8. ^ Mooney, Luke (April 19, 2013). "Three inducted into Walk of Western Stars". The Santa Clarita Valley Signal. p. A10.
  9. ^ "Three's a Crowd". The Argus. Mexico City. November 2, 1956. p. 3.
  10. ^ "Actress Named in Adultery Action". News-Pilot. Mexico City. November 1, 1956. p. 1.
  11. ^ "Mexican Actor Seeks to Use Wife's Charge to Obtain Divorce". The Sacramento Bee. January 5, 1957. p. 3.
  12. ^ a b c Aaker, Everett (2017). Television Western Players, 1960–1975: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 5.
  13. ^ "Actor linked to Ann Sheridan seeks divorce". Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1959. p. 2.
  14. ^ Money, Luke (April 22, 2014). "Acosta to be officially seated during special City Council meeting today". Santa Clarita Valley Signal. p. A6.

Further reading

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  • De la Mora, Sergio (January 28, 2009). Cinemachismo: Masculinities and Sexuality in Mexican Film. Austin: University of Texas Press. pp. 48–57. ISBN 978-0-292-71296-6. Analysis of Acosta's performances in Víctimas del Pecado and Salon Mexico.
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