Cesar Romero (1964)

Cesar Romero (1907-1994) was a screen presence for nearly sixty years, moving across film, radio, and television with unmistakable charm. Born in New York City, he made his Broadway debut in The Street Singer (1929) and returned to the stage in Dinner at Eight (1932) before Hollywood took hold. In the 1930s he became known for playing suave “Latin lover” types, and he appeared in The Thin Man (1934), The Devil Is a Woman (1935), and John Ford’s Wee Willie Winkie (1937). He starred as the Cisco Kid in six westerns between 1939 and 1941, and he brought his dancing and comic timing to 20th Century Fox musicals opposite Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda.

In 1964 Romero brought that star power to Denver, appearing at the Historic Elitch Theatre in the romantic comedy Strictly Dishonorable. He made his Elitch appearance in the middle of a busy year on screen, when he played Lucky Luciano in A House Is Not a Home and guest-starred on Dr. Kildare. That summer, Elitch audiences saw an actor with a long stage-and-screen résumé working in the intimate setting of Denver’s oldest theatre.

His Elitch season came just before his most famous role. Two years later, in 1966, Romero became the first actor to play the Joker in the live-action Batman television series, a role he kept through 1968 and in the 1966 feature film. He famously refused to shave his mustache, so the Joker’s white makeup was simply smeared over it. TV Guide later named the character one of the 60 nastiest villains of all time. Elitch thus welcomed Romero as a major star on the eve of what would become his signature part.

Romero’s career kept going well beyond the Joker. He was A.J. Arno in a run of 1970s Disney comedies, a recurring guest on Alias Smith and Jones, and Peter Stavros on the prime-time soap Falcon Crest in the mid-1980s. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. Romero never married. He died in 1994 at age 86 and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Seasons at the Theatre

1964

Productions/Roles:

1964 – Strictly Dishonorable

Notable Roles, Awards, and Other Work:

The Joker in Batman (1966-68 and the 1966 film): The first actor to play the character in live action, later named one of TV Guide’s 60 nastiest villains of all time.
The Cisco Kid (1939-41): Starred in six westerns as the dashing hero.
Hernán Cortés in Captain from Castile (1947): Co-starred with Tyrone Power in a Technicolor historical epic.
Doc Halliday in Frontier Marshal (1939): A key role in Allan Dwan’s acclaimed Wyatt Earp saga.
Khoda Khan in Wee Willie Winkie (1937): A lead role in John Ford’s action film with Shirley Temple and Victor McLaglen.
Duke Santos in Ocean’s 11 (1960): A comic turn opposite the Rat Pack.
Peter Stavros in Falcon Crest (1985-88): A long-running role on the prime-time soap.
A.J. Arno in Disney’s Dexter Riley films (1969-75): Began with The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, opposite Kurt Russell.
U.S. Coast Guard service (1942-45): Served in the Pacific Theater, including the invasions of Tinian and Saipan, and rose to chief boatswain’s mate.

Elitch Theatre Connections:

1932–1933 — Dinner at Eight — Broadway play — Olive Wyndham (HET 1906). Romero originated the role of Ricci in the Broadway production, while Wyndham was in the original company as Lucy Talbot. Playbill documents Romero and Wyndham in the production. Playbill
1935 — Cardinal Richelieu — Film — Maureen O’Sullivan (HET 1972) and Douglass Dumbrille (HET 1926). Romero played Andre de Pons; O’Sullivan played Lenore and Dumbrille played Baradas.
1935 — Rendezvous — Film — Charles Trowbridge (HET 1920). Romero played Capt. Nicholas Nieterstein and Trowbridge played Secretary of War Baker in the same film.
1936 — Love Before Breakfast — Film — Douglass Dumbrille (HET 1926). Romero and Dumbrille were members of the film’s cast.
1939 — Charlie Chan at Treasure Island — Film — Douglass Dumbrille (HET 1926). Romero played Rhadini; Dumbrille played Stewart Salzbury/Thomas Gregory.
1942 — A Gentleman at Heart — Film — Rose Hobart (HET 1938). Romero starred as Tony Miller, with Hobart as Claire Barrington.
1942 — Tales of Manhattan — Film — Edward G. Robinson (HET 1921). Both Romero and Robinson appeared in the ensemble anthology film, giving Romero another connection with the future HET alumnus.
1943 — Wintertime — Film — Charles Trowbridge (HET 1920). Romero played Brad Barton and Trowbridge appeared as Mr. Prentice.
1948 — That Lady in Ermine — Film — Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (HET 1971) and Walter Abel (HET 1975). Romero played Mario, Fairbanks starred as Col. Ladislas Teglas, and Abel played Major Horvath/Benvenuto.
1948 — Julia Misbehaves — Film — Walter Pidgeon (HET 1964). Romero played Fred Ghenoccio opposite an ensemble headed by Greer Garson and Pidgeon, who played William Packett.
1951 — F.B.I. Girl — Film — George Brent (HET 1929) and Raymond Burr (HET 1944). Romero starred as FBI agent Glen Stedman; Brent played fellow agent Jeff Donley and Burr played Blake.
1955 — Passport to Danger, “Budapest” — Television episode — Douglass Dumbrille (HET 1926). This is a particularly strong TV connection because they were in the same episode: Romero as series lead Steve McQuinn and Dumbrille as Bernard.
1956 — Around the World in 80 Days — Film — Joe E. Brown (HET 1963), Hermione Gingold (HET 1965), and Marion Ross (HET 1986). Romero appeared as Achmed Abdullah’s henchman; Brown played the Fort Kearney stationmaster, Gingold a Sporting Lady, and Ross also appears in the film’s cast.
1957 — The Story of Mankind — Film — Vincent Price (HET 1979). Romero played the Spanish Envoy while Price played Mr. Scratch/the Devil in the all-star ensemble.
1960 — Pepe — Film — Debbie Reynolds (HET 1970) and Edward G. Robinson (HET 1921). Romero, Reynolds and Robinson all made celebrity appearances in the film.
1960 — The Ann Sothern Show — Television series — Ann Sothern (HET 1968). Romero guest-starred on Sothern’s series, creating a direct HET-alumni television connection.
1966–1968 — Batman (TV) — Cesar Romero (HET 1964), John Astin (HET 1973), Julie Newmar (HET 1968), Barbara Rush (HET 1982), Van Johnson (HET 1977), Vincent Price (HET 1979), and Shelley Winters (HET 1973). Joker (Romero), Riddler (Astin), Catwoman (Newmar), Nora Clavicle (Rush), the Minstrel (Johnson), Egghead (Price), and Ma Parker (Winters).
1968 — Get Smart, “The Reluctant Redhead” — Television episode — Barbara Feldon (HET 1982). Romero guest-starred in this episode while Feldon appeared as series regular Agent 99.
1968 — Skidoo — Film — Mickey Rooney (HET 1972). Romero and Rooney were both members of Otto Preminger’s large ensemble cast.
1981–1990 — Falcon Crest (TV) — Lana Turner (HET 1977), Anne Archer (HET 1968), Eve Arden (HET 1965), and Leslie Caron (HET 1985). Romero had the substantial recurring role of Peter Stavros (principally seasons 5–6, with a later return). Turner appeared earlier as Jacqueline Perrault; Archer appeared during season 5; Arden and Caron appeared later in the series.