Ricardo Cortez was a Hollywood star who appeared in over 100 films from the 1920s to the 1940s. He was known for his roles as a romantic lead, a villain, and a detective. He was also one of the few silent film actors who successfully transitioned to sound films. But how did he die and what was his cause of death?
Contents
Early Life and Career of Ricardo Cortez
Ricardo Cortez was born Jacob Krantz on September 19, 1900 in New York City. He was the son of Austrian Jewish immigrants who moved to New York just before he was born. He had a brother named Stanley Cortez, who became a cinematographer. Ricardo Cortez attended DeWitt Clinton High School and worked on Wall Street as a runner before pursuing an acting career.
He changed his name to Ricardo Cortez to capitalize on his handsome Latin-like features and the popularity of the silent film era’s “Latin lovers” such as Rudolph Valentino, Ramon Novarro, and Antonio Moreno. He was signed by Paramount Pictures in 1922 and was groomed to be the successor to Valentino, who died in 1926. He starred in films such as Argentine Love (1924), The Cat’s Pajamas (1926), and Pony Express (1925).
Sound Films and Directing
When sound films arrived, Cortez adapted well to the new medium and showed his versatility as an actor. He played opposite Joan Crawford in Montana Moon (1930), and was the first actor to portray Sam Spade in the original pre-Code version of The Maltese Falcon (1931). He also co-starred with Charles Farrell and Bette Davis in The Big Shakedown (1934), and with Al Jolson and Dolores del Río in Wonder Bar (1934). In 1936, he replaced Warren William as Perry Mason in The Case of the Black Cat.
Cortez also tried his hand at directing and directed seven films for 20th Century Fox from 1938 to 1940. His directorial debut was Inside Story (1939), followed by Chasing Danger, The Escape, Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence, City of Chance, Free, Blonde and 21, and Girl in 313. However, his directing career was short-lived and his acting career soon declined as well.
Personal Life and Death of Ricardo Cortez
Cortez was married three times in his life. His first wife was silent film actress Alma Rubens, whom he married in 1926. She died in 1931 from pneumonia and drug addiction. His second wife was Christine Coniff Lee, whom he married in 1934 and divorced in 1940. His third wife was Margaret Belle, whom he married in 1950 and stayed with until his death.
Cortez retired from the film industry in the 1940s and returned to Wall Street, where he became a successful broker and investor. He lived a comfortable life in New York City until he died on April 28, 1977 at the age of 76. According to Wikipedia, he died in Doctors Hospital in New York City and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. The exact cause of his death was not disclosed, but it was reported that he died of natural causes.
