Fernando Lamas

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6046179/fernando-lamas

Actor, Writer, and Director. He was born Fernando Alvaro Lamas y de Santos in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he began his acting career and was an established movie star by 1942. By 1949 he had starred in 14 Argentine films. In 1950 he came to the US and appeared in "The Avengers" and in 1951 he was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and starred in the musical "Rich, Young and Pretty" and in the comedy "The Law and the Lady." He had leading roles in MGM musicals throughout the 1950s, including "Dangerous When Wet" (1953) with his future wife Esther Williams. During the 1960s he started appearing in guest roles on television series including "The Virginian," "Laredo," "Combat!," "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "It Takes a Thief," "Mission Impossible," "Charlie's Angels," "Police Woman," and "The Love Boat." From 1965 to 1968 he had a regular role as Ramon De Vega on the television series "Run for Your Life," with actor Ben Gazzara. In 1963 he directed his first movie "Magic Fountain," that starred his future wife Esther Williams, and directed another film, "The Violent Ones" in 1967 that co-starred Aldo Ray and David Carradine. He spent most of his directing efforts on television, doing episodes that included "Mannix," "Alias Smith and Jones," "Starsky and Hutch," and "Falcon Crest' (which costarred his son, Lorenzo Lamas). During his American cinema career he appeared in over 20 movies. He was married four times, to Perla Mux (1940 to 1944), Lydia Barachi (1946 to 1952), actress Arlene Dahl (1954 to 1960) and Olympic swimmer and actress Esther Williams (1969 until his death in 1982). He died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.

Bio by: William Bjornstad

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http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00412067&tree=LEO

Fernando Álvaro Lamas (January 9, 1915 – October 8, 1982) was an Argentine-born actor and director, and the father of actor Lorenzo Lamas.

Lamas was born Fernando Álvaro Lamas y de Santos in Buenos Aires, Argentina. By 1942, he was an established movie star in Argentina. In 1951, he signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and went to the United States to play "Latin Lover" roles.

Lamas directed for the first time in 1963. It was a movie titled Magic Fountain starring his future wife Esther Williams. He directed another feature film, The Violent Ones, which was released in 1967 and co-starred Aldo Ray and David Carradine. He was most active directing on television, doing episodes that included Mannix, Alias Smith and Jones, Starsky and Hutch and Falcon Crest. The latter show co-starred his son, Lorenzo.

Fernando Lamas died of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles, California at the age of 67. His ashes were scattered by close friend Jonathan Goldsmith from his sailboat.

"When a person has an accent, it means he can speak one more language than you" — when Johnny Carson teased him about his accent during an appearance on The Tonight Show. In one of his most memorable moments on The Tonight Show, Lamas intimated that "sometimes other men said that he was gay, and nothing pleased him more than proving them wrong with their own wives."

An archetype playboy, after his death, Lamas's image lived on in popular culture via the "Fernando" character developed by Billy Crystal on Saturday Night Live in the mid-1980s. The character was outlandish and exaggerated but reportedly inspired by a remark Crystal heard Lamas utter on The Tonight Show; "It is better to look good than to feel good." This was one of the Fernando character's two catchphrases along with the better-remembered "You look marvelous!" (usually spelled "mahvelous" in this context).

His friend, actor Jonathan Goldsmith, took inspiration from Lamas for the character The Most Interesting Man in the World.

Brother-in-law of Stanton Williams.

Father-in-law of Michelle Smith and Kathleen Kinmont.

His effortless charm and way with the ladies earned him the moniker ("First of the Red Hot Lamas").

Father of Lorenzo Lamas. Grandfather of A.J. Lamas, Shayne Lamas and Paton Ashbrook. He was cast on the television series Gavilan (1982), but due to the cancer that would take his life, he was forced to withdraw from the role after filming a few episodes. Patrick Macnee replaced him in the cast, and the scenes were redone.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1957 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Happy Hunting".

Had eight grandchildren.

He had a daughter, Alexandra "Alex", with his second wife, Lydia.

He had a daughter, Cristina, with his first wife, Perla.

A Republican, he endorsed Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan for president.

Best friends with Jane Wyman (who was also very close with his son Lorenzo Lamas), with whom he co-starred on Falcon Crest (1981). They had that remarkable friendship for 24 years, between 1958 until Fernando's own death in 1982.

His friendly "Latin Lover" rivalry with fellow Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer star Ricardo Montalban prodded a memorable Saturday Night Live (1975) sketch in later years with Bill Murray titled "Quien es mas macho, Fernando Lamas o Ricardo Montalban?".