Khan't Be So ... Ricardo Montalban Is Gone!

Cover your Corinthian leather tonight. Ricardo Montalban is dead. To kids of the seventies, he was the mysterious Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island. To kids of the eighties, he was the hissing, broad-chested villain of Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan. When someone has injected themselves into popular culture as often as Montalban, it's difficult to determine their greatest role. He created a singular and unique entity in Mr. Roarke; for many, Fantasy Island was their first exposure to this striking and unforgettable performer. Then, a few years later, Montalban created one of my all-time favorite villains with the genetically-superhuman Khan. And then, at the turn of the decade, Montalban showed amazing comedic skill in the first Naked Gun moive as the dapper multimillionaire Vincent Ludwig. For me, Khan was a triumphant performance that set the tone for the entire film, as well as created perhaps the most memorable character in the long running Star Trek franchise. I wouldn't say Montalban was a great actor, though; he was a presence. His thick, ever-present accent, his tanned good looks, his wide, muscular chest ... man, I'm getting hard just thinking about all of this ... gave his roles an air of dignified otherworldliness that will be difficult to replicate or replace. The guy was a balls-out stud. And a class act that will be missed for sure.