Editing Ricardo Montalbán (section)

==Career==
===Short films===
In 1941, Montalbán appeared in three-minute musicals produced for the [[Soundies]] film jukeboxes. He appeared in many of the New York–produced Soundies as an extra or as a member of a singing chorus (usually billed as Men and Maids of Melody), although he had the lead role in ''He's a Latin from Staten Island'' (1941), in which he (billed simply as "Ricardo") played the title role of a guitar-strumming gigolo, accompanied by an offscreen vocal by [[Van and Schenck|Gus Van]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/topic/Ricardo_Montalban/wiki/|title=Topic: Ricardo Montalban|publisher=[[UPI]]|access-date=July 24, 2012}}</ref>

===Mexican films===
Later in 1941, Montalbán returned to Mexico after learning that his mother was dying. There, he acted in a dozen Spanish-language films and became a star in his homeland.<ref name=INTL/>

He had an uncredited appearance in a version of ''[[The Three Musketeers (1942 film)|The Three Musketeers]]'' (1942) starring [[Cantinflas]]. He can be glimpsed in ''[[El verdugo de Sevilla]]'' (1942), ''[[The Saint That Forged a Country]]'' (1942) starring [[Ramon Navarro]], and ''[[La razón de la culpa]]'' (1943).

===Stardom in Mexico===
Montalbán became a star in Mexico in ''[[Santa (1943 film)|Santa]]'' (1943), which was directed by a Hollywood expat, [[Norman Foster (director)|Norman Foster]]. He followed it with a support role in ''[[Cinco fueron escogidos]]'' (1943).

Some American filmmakers shot a movie in Mexico about Yugoslavia in World War II, ''[[Five Were Chosen]]'' (1944). Montalbán had a support role.<ref name="ind">{{Cite web|last=Vallance|first=Tom|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ricardo-montalban-mr-roarke-of-fantasy-island-who-championed-latinos-in-the-film-and-television-industry-1546288.html|title=Ricardo Montalban: Mr Roarke of 'Fantasy Island' who championed Latinos in the film and television industry|website=The Independent|date=5 February 2009}}</ref>

Foster gave him a second lead role in ''[[The Escape (1944 film)|The Escape]]'' (1944) aka ''La Fuga''. Montalban had the star role in ''[[Cadetes de la naval]]'', ''[[Nosotros]]'', and ''[[The Hour of Truth]]'' (all 1945), the latter a bullfighting drama also directed by Foster.<ref name="guardian">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/jan/16/ricardo-montalban-obituary|title=Obituaries: Ricardo Montalban|website=The Guardian|date=January 16, 2009}}</ref>

Montalban was in ''[[The House of the Fox]]'' (1945), ''[[Pepita Jiménez (1946 film)|Pepita Jimenez]]'' (1946), and ''[[Fantasía ranchera]]'' (1947).

===Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer===
[[File:Ricardo Montalban in Fiesta trailer.jpg|thumb|left|As Mario Morales in ''Fiesta'']]
[[File:Jane Powell in Two Weeks With Love (4).png|thumb|Montalbán dancing with [[Jane Powell]] in ''[[Two Weeks With Love]]'' (1950)]]
Montalbán's films had been seen by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] who were looking for someone to play a bullfighter opposite [[Esther Williams]] in ''[[Fiesta (1947 film)|Fiesta]]'' (1947), shot in Mexico. Montalbán was cast and the movie was very popular; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer signed him to a long-term contract.<ref name="Mannix">{{citation |title=The Eddie Mannix Ledger |publisher=Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study |location=Los Angeles}}.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1945/09/25/archives/mexican-is-signed-for-lead-in-film-ricardo-montalban-to-costar-in.html|title=MEXICAN IS SIGNED FOR LEAD IN FILM; Ricardo Montalban to Co-Star in Metro's 'Fiesta'--Western Due at Gotham on Friday|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 25, 1945}}</ref>

The studio re-teamed him with Williams in ''[[On an Island with You]]'' (1948). He had a dance number in the [[Frank Sinatra]] musical ''[[The Kissing Bandit (film)|The Kissing Bandit]]'' (1948), then did a third film with Williams, ''[[Neptune's Daughter (1949 film)|Neptune's Daughter]]'' (1949), in which they dueted on "[[Baby It's Cold Outside]]".<ref name="guardian"/>

Montalbán's first leading role was in the film noir ''[[Border Incident]]'' (1949) with actor [[George Murphy]], directed by Anthony Mann. It was one of a number of lower budgeted films made at the studio under [[Dore Schary]] and earned a small loss. Montalbán was the first Hispanic actor to appear on the front cover of ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine on November 21, 1949. "I was king for a week," he said later. "I thought the offers would flood in, but after a week—nothing."<ref name="call"/>

Montalban was one of several soldiers in the [[William Wellman]] war film ''[[Battleground (film)|Battleground]]'' (1949), a huge success at the box office. He was given another star role in ''[[Mystery Street]]'' (1950), playing a detective in a film noir directed by [[John Sturges]]. It was a box office disappointment.

Sturges also directed ''[[Right Cross (film)|Right Cross]]'' (1950) with Montalbán, [[Dick Powell]] and [[June Allyson]]. Montalbán and [[Jane Powell]] made the musical ''[[Two Weeks with Love]]'' (1950), which was a minor hit.<ref name="Mannix"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1949/03/09/archives/metro-will-make-right-cross-film-ricardo-montalban-gets-lead-in.html|title=METRO WILL MAKE 'RIGHT CROSS' FILM; Ricardo Montalban Gets Lead in Prizefight Picture -- Deutsch to Produce|newspaper=New York Times|date=March 9, 1949}}</ref>

Universal borrowed Montalbán and [[Cyd Charisse]] for a swashbuckler, ''[[The Mark of the Renegade]]'' (1951).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1950/09/11/archives/universal-to-film-california-drama-ricardo-montalban-will-star-in.html|title=UNIVERSAL TO FILM CALIFORNIA DRAMA; Ricardo Montalban Will Star in 'Don Renegade'--Joe E. Brown Set for 'Show Boat'|newspaper=New York Times|date=September 11, 1950}}</ref> Back at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was second billed to [[Clark Gable]] in ''[[Across the Wide Missouri (film)|Across the Wide Missouri]]'' (1951), directed by Wellman. The film was a big hit, although Montalbán was injured during shooting.<ref name="guardian"/>

The studio teamed him and [[Shelley Winters]] in ''[[My Man and I]]'' (1952) where he played a laborer under the direction of Wellman; it didn't sell well at the box office.

Montalbán was one of several names in ''[[Sombrero (film)|Sombrero]]'' (1953), shot in Mexico. Montalbán was [[Lana Turner]]'s leading man in ''[[Latin Lovers (1953 film)|Latin Lovers]]'' (1953). Both films lost money and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer let him go.

He later said, "I played caricatures of what a Latin is supposed to be like. In reality, we are family men. I should have had the courage of [[Dolores Del Rio]] who returned to Mexico and made her best movies there."<ref name="colby">Dignity first with Ricardo Montalban goes from Mr. Roarke to the Colby crew with class: [SA1 Edition]
Jim Bawden Toronto Star. Toronto Star February 22, 1986: F10.</ref>

===B movies, television, and Broadway===
Montalbán did a swashbuckler for [[Sam Katzman]], ''[[The Saracen Blade]]'' (1954), then returned to Mexico to star in ''[[Untouched (film)|Untouched]]'' (1954).

He travelled to Italy to make ''[[The Queen of Babylon]]'' (1954) with [[Rhonda Fleming]], then returned to Mexico to make the US-financed ''[[A Life in the Balance]]'' (1955) with [[Anne Bancroft]]. He bought a story for himself, ''Green Shadows'', but it appears not to have been made.<ref>Looking at Hollywood: Ricardo Montalban Will Do Planter Who Fights Commies; Hedda Hopper. Chicago Daily Tribune March 23, 1954: a2.</ref>

Montalbán began working in television, guest-starring on shows such as ''[[General Electric Theater]]'', ''[[The Ford Television Theatre]]'', ''[[Celebrity Playhouse]]'', ''[[Climax!]]'', ''[[The 20th Century-Fox Hour]]'' (versions of ''Broken Arrow'' and ''Five Fingers''), ''[[Chevron Hall of Stars]]'', ''[[Wagon Train]]'', and ''[[Schlitz Playhouse]]''.

In 1955, he appeared on Broadway in ''[[Seventh Heaven (musical)|Seventh Heaven]]'' with [[Gloria DeHaven]] but it ran for only forty-four performances. In Hollywood, he appeared in the thriller for Allied Artists, ''[[Three for Jamie Dawn]]'' (1956).

Montalbán returned to Italy for ''[[Desert Warrior (1957 film)|Desert Warrior]]'' (1957), then had his first role in an "A" Hollywood film for a number of years in ''[[Sayonara (film)|Sayonara]]'' (1957), in which he played a Japanese dancer. He later said, "I was and still am very pleased with my performance and very much saddened by this picture. I was hoping for an Academy Award nomination, but unfortunately, most of my scenes ended up on the cutting-room floor."<ref name="ind"/>

From 1957 to 1959, Montalbán starred in the Broadway musical ''[[Jamaica (musical)|Jamaica]]'', singing several light-hearted [[Calypso music|calypso]] numbers opposite [[Lena Horne]], which ran for 555 performances.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}} His performance earned him a Tony Award nomination.<ref>FILMLAND EVENT: Ricardo Montalban Will Return Here
Los Angeles Times April 8, 1959: A11.</ref>

Montalbán continued to guest-star on shows such as ''[[Colgate Theatre (1949 TV series)|Colgate Theatre]]'' and ''[[Playhouse 90]]''. When ''Jamaica'' ended, he guest-starred in ''[[Riverboat (TV series)|Riverboat]]'', ''[[Adventures in Paradise (TV series)|Adventures in Paradise]]'', ''[[Startime (1959 TV series)|Startime]]'', ''[[Death Valley Days]]'', ''[[Bonanza]]'', ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'', ''The Christophers'', ''[[The Dinah Shore Chevy Show]]'', ''[[The Loretta Young Show]]'' (several times), ''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]'', ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'', ''[[Checkmate (US TV series)|Checkmate]]'', ''[[Cain's Hundred]]'', and ''[[The Lloyd Bridges Show]]''.

Montalbán could also be seen in ''[[Let No Man Write My Epitaph]]'' (1960); the TV remake of ''[[Rashomon (1960 film)|Rashomon]]'' (1960) directed by [[Sidney Lumet]]; ''[[Rage of the Buccaneers]]'' (1961), an Italian swashbuckler in which Montalbán had a lead role alongside [[Vincent Price]]; ''[[Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man]]'' (1962); ''[[The Reluctant Saint]]'' (1963) with [[Maximillian Schell]]; and ''[[Love is a Ball]]'' (1963) with [[Glenn Ford]], playing a French duke. He was the Native American leader [[Little Wolf]] in ''[[Cheyenne Autumn]]'' (1964) directed by John Ford, did the TV version of ''[[The Fantasticks (1964 film)|The Fantasticks]]'' (1964), and returned to Mexico to make ''[[¡Buenas noches, año nuevo!]]'' (1964).<ref>Ricardo Montalban Career Checkered: Images of Swashbuckler, Dancer Hard to Live Down; Scheuer, Philip K., Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1963: D7.</ref>

He was mostly seen, though, on television in ''[[Alcoa Premiere]]'', ''[[The Dick Powell Theatre]]'', ''[[Ben Casey (TV series)|Ben Casey]]'', ''[[The Greatest Show on Earth (TV series)|The Greatest Show on Earth]]'', ''[[The Lieutenant (TV series)|The Lieutenant]]'', ''[[The Great Adventure (U.S. TV series)|The Great Adventure]]'', ''[[Slattery's People]]'', ''[[The Defenders (1961 TV series)|The Defenders]]'', ''[[The Rogues (TV series)|The Rogues]]'', ''[[Burke's Law (1963 TV series)|Burke's Law]]'', ''Dr. Kildare'', and ''[[The Man from U.N.C.L.E.]]''<ref>RICARDO MONTALBAN NO LONGER TYPE CAST
Los Angeles Times December 1, 1964: D16.</ref>

Montalbán had supporting roles in ''[[The Money Trap]]'' (1965) with Ford, directed by [[Burt Kennedy]], ''[[Madame X (1966 film)|Madame X]]'' (1966) with Turner for producer [[Ross Hunter]], and ''[[The Singing Nun (film)|The Singing Nun]]'' (1966) with [[Debbie Reynolds]] at MGM.

He guest-starred in ''[[The Long, Hot Summer (TV series)|The Long, Hot Summer]]'', ''[[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|Daniel Boone]]'', ''[[The Wild Wild West]]'', ''Insight'', ''[[Combat!]]'', ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'', ''[[I Spy (1965 TV series)|I Spy]]'', ''Hawaii Five-O'' (playing a Japanese-American crime boss <ref>{{Citation |last=Ganzer |first=Alvin |title=Samurai |date=1968-10-17 |work=Hawaii Five-O |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0598132/ |access-date=2025-02-25 |others=Jack Lord, James MacArthur, Zulu}}</ref>), and ''[[Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre]]''.

In 1965, he toured in ''[[The King and I]]''. {{" '}}I think every actor loves the stage,' he said in 1991. 'The pros are that it is the actor's medium; there's no way your scene is going to end up on the cutting-room floor, and it's up to you to get and keep the attention of the audience by the truth of your performance.{{'"}}<ref>Ricardo Montalban is very selective about new roles Series: NEWSMAKERS REVISITED: [CITY Edition], Horning, Jay.; St. Petersburg Times, April 21, 1991: 11A.</ref>

He appeared in the television films ''[[Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966 film)|Alice Through the Looking Glass]]'' (1966) (for which his fee was $10,000,<ref name="call"/> equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|10000|1966|r=-3}}}} today.{{Inflation-fn|US}}) and ''[[Code Name: Heraclitus]]'' (1967), and the features ''[[The Longest Hundred Miles]]'' (1967), ''[[Sol Madrid]]'' (1968), and ''[[Blue (1968 film)|Blue]]'' (1968). He also guest-starred on "[[Space Seed]]", an episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]''. "I'm like a doctor on 24-hour call," he said in a 1967 interview. "I don't turn anything down."<ref name="call">Ricardo Montalban Quite a Character---in Many Roles; Paul Henninger, Los Angeles Times, January 25, 1967: d16.</ref>

Montalbán also starred in radio, such as on the internationally syndicated program ''Lobo del Mar'' (''Seawolf''), in which he was cast as the captain of a vessel that became part of some adventure at each port it visited. This 30-minute weekly show aired in many Spanish-speaking countries until the early 1970s.

===Television movies===
Montalbán guest-starred in ''[[The Felony Squad]]'', ''[[Ironside (1967 TV series)|Ironside]]'', ''[[It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series)|It Takes a Thief]]'', and ''[[The High Chaparral]]''. He did the television films ''[[The Pigeon (1969 film)|The Pigeon]]'' (1969), ''[[The Desperate Mission (1969 film)|The Desperate Mission]]'' (1969) (playing [[Joaquin Murrieta]]), and ''[[Black Water Gold]]'' (1970), and had a supporting role in the big screen film version of ''[[Sweet Charity (film)|Sweet Charity]]'' (1969).<ref>Theater: Actor Ricardo Montalban--still a Casanova type, Mary Daniels, Chicago Tribune, February 23, 1969: a8.</ref>

Montalbán was in ''[[The Name of the Game (TV series)|The Name of the Game]]''; ''[[Gunsmoke]]''; ''[[Dan August]]''; ''[[Bracken's World]]''; ''[[Marcus Welby, M.D.]]''; ''The Virginian''; ''[[The Doris Day Show]]''; ''[[Sarge (TV series)|Sarge]]''; and ''[[Nichols (TV series)|Nichols]]''. He did the television films ''[[The Aquarians]]'' (1970), ''[[The Face of Fear]]'' (1971), and ''[[Fireball Forward]]'' (1972) and the features ''[[The Deserter (1970 film)|The Deserter]]'' (1970), ''[[Escape from the Planet of the Apes]]'' (1971), ''[[Conquest of the Planet of the Apes]]'', and ''[[The Train Robbers]]'' (1973) (directed by Kennedy).<ref>Ricardo Montalban Set for 'Lab' Role, Los Angeles Times, December 1, 1969: d34.</ref><ref>TV REVIEW: Ricardo Montalban Star of 'Aquarians', Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times, October 26, 1970: e20.</ref>

Montalbán continued to guest-star on shows like ''[[O'Hara, U.S. Treasury]]''; ''[[Here's Lucy]]''; and ''[[Griff (TV series)|Griff]]''.

In 1972, Montalbán co-founded the [[Screen Actors Guild]] Ethnic Minority Committee with actors [[Carmen Zapata]], [[Henry Darrow]] and [[Edith Diaz]]. In 1973, he returned to Broadway for a revival of ''[[Don Juan in Hell]]''. He did the television films ''[[Wonder Woman (1974 film)|Wonder Woman]]'' (1974), ''[[The Mark of Zorro (1974 film)|The Mark of Zorro]]'' (1974), ''[[McNaughton's Daughter]]'' (1976), and guest-starred on ''[[Switch (American TV series)|Switch]]'' and ''[[Columbo]]''.
 
In 1975, he was chosen as the television spokesman for the new [[Chrysler Cordoba]]. The car became a successful model, and over the following several years, was heavily advertised; his mellifluous delivery of a line praising the "soft", "fine" or "rich [[Corinthian leather]]" upholstery of the car's interior became famous and was much [[parody|parodied]], and Montalbán subsequently became a favorite subject of impersonators. For example, [[Eugene Levy]] frequently impersonated him on ''[[Second City Television|SCTV]]'', as did [[Dan Aykroyd]] on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. In 1986, he was featured in a magazine advertisement for the new [[Chrysler New Yorker]].<ref>No Corinths were harmed during the filming of old Ricardo Montalban ads: [Ontario Edition], David Menzies, National Post, September 10, 2004: DO4.</ref>

Montalbán is in ''[[Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood]]'' (1976), and ''[[Joe Panther]]'' (1976) and had a regular role in a short lived series ''[[Executive Suite (TV series)|Executive Suite]]'' (1976). He guest-starred on ''[[Police Story (1973 TV series)|Police Story]]'' and did the television films ''[[Mission to Glory: A True Story]]'' (1977), ''[[Captains Courageous (1977 film)|Captains Courageous]]'' (1977), as well as the miniseries ''[[How the West Was Won (TV series)|How the West Was Won]]'' (1978).

===''Fantasy Island'' and ''Star Trek II''===
[[File:Ricardo Montalban Herve Villechaize Fantasy Island 1977.JPG|thumb|upright|Ricardo Montalbán as Mr. Roarke and [[Hervé Villechaize]] as Tattoo in a publicity still for the television film ''Return to Fantasy Island'']]
Montalbán's best-known television role was that of Mr. Roarke on the television series ''[[Fantasy Island]]'', which he played from 1977 until 1984. For a while, the series was one of the most popular on television, and his character as well as that of his sidekick, Tattoo (played by [[Hervé Villechaize]]), became popular icons.

Another of his well-known roles was that of [[Khan Noonien Singh]] in ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'' (1982), in which he reprised a role that he had originated in the episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' titled "[[Space Seed]]" (1967). Early rumors suggested Montalbán wore prosthetic muscles on his chest during filming of ''Star Trek II'' to appear more muscular. Director [[Nicholas Meyer]] replied that even in his sixties, Montalbán, who had a vigorous training regimen, was "one strong cookie", and that his real chest was seen on film. Khan's costume was specifically designed to display Montalbán's physique. 

His performance as Khan was widely praised. Critic [[Christopher Null]] called Khan the "greatest role of Montalbán's career".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/4a70265ecf80030388256e2500834f36/3f2427e0a8050d9b88256c05000e83e4?OpenDocument|title=''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''|author=Christopher Null|author-link=Christopher Null|date=July 28, 2002|publisher=[[Filmcritic.com]]|access-date=December 4, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630115543/http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/4a70265ecf80030388256e2500834f36/3f2427e0a8050d9b88256c05000e83e4?OpenDocument|archive-date=June 30, 2012}}</ref> ''New Yorker'' critic [[Pauline Kael]] said Montalbán's performance as Khan "was the only validation he has ever had of his power to command the big screen".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroactive.com/metro/01.14.09/film-moviesnews-0902.html|newspaper=Metroactive|first=Richard|last=von Busack|title=Ricardo Montalban Remembered|date=February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429080022/http://www.metroactive.com/metro/01.14.09/film-moviesnews-0902.html|archive-date=April 29, 2014|url-status=dead}}<!-- has full Kael quote --></ref> [[Roger Ebert]] of ''The Chicago Sun-Times'' wrote how this type of film was "only as good as its villain" and Montalbán's decision to avoid [[overacting]] and instead play the character as motivated by "deeply wounded pride" inspired a measure of sympathy in the audience.<ref name="ebert-rev">{{cite web|author=Ebert, Roger|date=January 1, 1982|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19820101/REVIEWS/201010345/1023|title=Review: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|access-date=September 13, 2008|author-link=Roger Ebert|archive-date=September 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916105635/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19820101%2FREVIEWS%2F201010345%2F1023|url-status=live}}</ref> 

Montalbán agreed to take the role for a significant pay cut, since by his own admission, he relished reprising the role, and his only regret was that he and [[William Shatner]] never interacted – the characters never meet face to face, except through video communication – for their scenes were filmed several months apart to accommodate Montalbán's schedule for ''Fantasy Island''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Muñoz|first=Lorenza|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-montalban15-2009jan15,0,4099069,full.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119083551/http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-montalban15-2009jan15,0,4099069,full.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 19, 2009|access-date=April 18, 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=January 15, 2009|title=Ricardo Montalban dies at 88; 'Fantasy Island' actor}}</ref> When, much later, Montalbán guest-starred in the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "[[McStroke]]" as a genetically engineered cow, his character made several references to his role as Khan, and similar references were made in his role as Armando Guitierrez on the animated series ''[[Freakazoid!]]''. After a cameo in ''[[Cannonball Run II]]'' (1984), Montalbán had a guest role in ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]'' which led to a regular role in its spin-off ''[[The Colbys]]''.

Montalbán played the villain in ''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' (1988) and guest-starred in ''[[B.L. Stryker]]''; ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]''; ''[[Hearts Are Wild]]''; and ''[[The Golden Palace]]''.

===Injury and later career===
During the filming of ''[[Across the Wide Missouri (film)|Across the Wide Missouri]]'' (1951), Montalbán was thrown from his horse, knocked unconscious, and trampled by another horse, which aggravated his [[arteriovenous malformation]] and resulted in a traumatic back injury that never healed.<ref name="SEAL" /> The pain increased as he aged, and in 1993, he underwent over nine hours of spinal surgery that left his body below the waist impaired and requiring the use of mobility aids.<ref>I've heard that Ricardo Montalban is seriously ill. What's his problem?: [Final Edition], John Parkyn, ''Sun Sentinel'', September 28, 1997: p. 4.</ref>

Despite constant pain, he continued to perform, providing voices for animated films and supporting his Nosotros Foundation. Filmmaker [[Robert Rodriguez]] created the role of Valentin Avellan in the ''[[Spy Kids]]'' film series specifically for Montalbán.

He had another regular series with ''[[Heaven Help Us (TV series)|Heaven Help Us]]'' (1994), but it only lasted 14 episodes.

In 1997, Montalbán sued the producers of ''Fantasy Island'' claiming he was entitled to five percent of the profits. The producers claimed the show had lost $11 million. The matter settled out of court.<ref>Ricardo Montalban reveals the fantasy in Sony's accounting, Doug Camilli, The Gazette, April 5, 1997, p. E.5.</ref>

Montalbán also narrated several historical documentaries including the Spanish version of the [[National Park Service]]'s history of Pecos Pueblo for [[Pecos National Historical Park]].

At one point during the development of the Disney animated film ''[[Lilo & Stitch]]'' (2002), Montalbán recorded voice lines for an alien member of a gang led by [[Stitch (Lilo & Stitch)|Stitch]], then made to be an adult, naturally-born alien gang leader, using his performance as Khan in ''Star Trek II'' as basis. After a story meeting in which the film's gang elements were entirely cut due to being perceived as superfluous to the plot, Montalbán's character was removed.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ebiri|first=Bilge|url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/10/an-oral-history-of-lilo-and-stitch-a-hand-drawn-miracle.html|title=An Oral History of ''Lilo & Stitch''|website=[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]]|date=2022-10-19|access-date=2024-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019144402/https://www.vulture.com/2022/10/an-oral-history-of-lilo-and-stitch-a-hand-drawn-miracle.html|archive-date=2022-10-19|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Montalbán had a supporting role in ''[[Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams]]'' (2002) and ''[[Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over]]'' (2003).

Prior to his death in January 2009, Montalbán recorded the voice for a guest character in an episode of the animated series ''[[American Dad!]]'', in which main character [[Roger (American Dad!)|Roger]] becomes the dictator of a South American country. According to executive producer Mike Barker, it was his last role after ''[[The Ant Bully (film)|The Ant Bully]]''.<ref>''[[TV Guide]]'', September 14, 2009, p. 63</ref>