Fernando Lamas(1915-1982)
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Handsome, dapper Argentine-born actor who came to Hollywood as a
romantic lead in several colourful MGM extravaganzas and then succeeded
in living up to his Latin Lover image in real life. Lamas studied drama
at school in his native country and later enrolled in a law course at
college. His strong leaning towards athletic pursuits prevailed and he
abandoned his studies to take up horse riding, winning trophies fencing
and boxing (middleweight amateur title) and becoming the South American
Freestyle Swimming Champion of 1937. While still in his teens he
appeared on stage, then on radio, and by the age of 24 in his first
motion picture.
All this sporting publicity aroused interest in Hollywood and, in 1951,
Lamas was signed by MGM to charm the likes of
Lana Turner and
Esther Williams in A-grade
productions like
The Merry Widow (1952) and
Dangerous When Wet (1953). He
also spent time 'on loan' to Paramount who featured him in several
Pine-Thomas B-movies, such as the 3-D Technicolour
Sangaree (1953) and
Jivaro (1954). His sole appearance on
Broadway was in the 1957 play
'Happy Hunting'. There was
considerable friction between him and co-star Ethel Merman,
both on and off-stage. Lamas was nonetheless nominated for a Tony Award
as Best Actor, but had the misfortune of coming up against Rex
Harrison's Professor Higgins in 'My Fair Lady'.
In real life, Lamas proudly lived up to his reputation as a ladies man.
With two ex-wives back in Argentina, he conducted well-publicised
affairs with most of his female co-stars, including one with Lana
Turner which began while filming
'The Merry Widow'. Actress Arlene Dahl,
who appeared with him in 'Sangaree' and
The Diamond Queen (1953),
became his third wife, and fellow swimming champion Esther Williams his
fourth.
In 1963, Lamas directed the Spanish film Magic Fountain (1963), with
himself and wife Esther Williams playing the lead roles. From then on,
he began to concentrate on television, alternating between acting
(notable in a recurring role as playboy Ramon de Vega in
Run for Your Life (1965)
and directing episodes of shows like
Mannix (1967),
Alias Smith and Jones (1971),
The Rookies (1972) and
House Calls (1979).
romantic lead in several colourful MGM extravaganzas and then succeeded
in living up to his Latin Lover image in real life. Lamas studied drama
at school in his native country and later enrolled in a law course at
college. His strong leaning towards athletic pursuits prevailed and he
abandoned his studies to take up horse riding, winning trophies fencing
and boxing (middleweight amateur title) and becoming the South American
Freestyle Swimming Champion of 1937. While still in his teens he
appeared on stage, then on radio, and by the age of 24 in his first
motion picture.
All this sporting publicity aroused interest in Hollywood and, in 1951,
Lamas was signed by MGM to charm the likes of
Lana Turner and
Esther Williams in A-grade
productions like
The Merry Widow (1952) and
Dangerous When Wet (1953). He
also spent time 'on loan' to Paramount who featured him in several
Pine-Thomas B-movies, such as the 3-D Technicolour
Sangaree (1953) and
Jivaro (1954). His sole appearance on
Broadway was in the 1957 play
'Happy Hunting'. There was
considerable friction between him and co-star Ethel Merman,
both on and off-stage. Lamas was nonetheless nominated for a Tony Award
as Best Actor, but had the misfortune of coming up against Rex
Harrison's Professor Higgins in 'My Fair Lady'.
In real life, Lamas proudly lived up to his reputation as a ladies man.
With two ex-wives back in Argentina, he conducted well-publicised
affairs with most of his female co-stars, including one with Lana
Turner which began while filming
'The Merry Widow'. Actress Arlene Dahl,
who appeared with him in 'Sangaree' and
The Diamond Queen (1953),
became his third wife, and fellow swimming champion Esther Williams his
fourth.
In 1963, Lamas directed the Spanish film Magic Fountain (1963), with
himself and wife Esther Williams playing the lead roles. From then on,
he began to concentrate on television, alternating between acting
(notable in a recurring role as playboy Ramon de Vega in
Run for Your Life (1965)
and directing episodes of shows like
Mannix (1967),
Alias Smith and Jones (1971),
The Rookies (1972) and
House Calls (1979).