Jorge Luke was a Mexican actor who had a prominent role in film and television for over three decades. He worked in Hollywood and his breakthrough role was Kenitai in Ulzana’s Raid with Burt Lancaster. He also co-starred in Clear and Present Danger with Harrison Ford, La Chevre with Franco Nero and played Col. Julio Figueroa in Oliver Stone’s film El Salvador. He died of a heart attack on August 4, 2012 at the age of 69. His body was cremated and his ashes thrown into the sea by his daughter Acapulco.
Early Life and Career
Jorge Luke was born in Mexico City on October 18, 1942. His birth name was Jorge Obscura Lango. He made his debut in the film The Garden of Aunt Elizabeth, directed by Felipe Cazals. Luke participated in over 130 motion pictures, working with renowned filmmakers such as Arturo Ripstein, Sergio Olhovich, Carlos Enrique Taboada and Luis Alcoriza. He also starred in the musical comedy West Side Story as Bernardo and in “So spoke Zarathustra” Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Hollywood Roles and Recognition
Luke caught the eyes of Hollywood directors and producers and landed roles in several American films. His most notable role was Kenitai, a Native American scout who helps Burt Lancaster track down a renegade Apache leader in Ulzana’s Raid (1972). He also played a Native American warrior in Return of a Man Called Horse (1976) and Eagle’s Wing (1979). He co-starred with Harrison Ford as a Colombian drug lord’s right-hand man in Clear and Present Danger (1994), with Franco Nero as a French detective in La Chevre (1981) and with James Woods as a Salvadoran colonel in El Salvador (1986). He received several awards and nominations for his performances, including two Ariel Awards from the Mexican Academy of Film.
Personal Life and Death
Luke was married to actress Isela Vega, with whom he had one daughter, Shaula Obscura Vega. Their marriage was short-lived and he never married again. He raised his only daughter as a single father and never stopped working. He died of a heart attack on August 4, 2012 at the St. Helena Hospital in Mexico City, according to IMDb. His body was cremated and his ashes thrown into the sea by his daughter Acapulco, according to Find a Grave. He is remembered as one of the most versatile and talented actors of Mexican cinema.
