Fernando Álvaro Lamas (b. January 9 1915, Buenos Aires, Argentina – d. October 8 1982, Los Angeles, California) was an Argentina-born American actor and director, and the father of actor Lorenzo Lamas. His full birth name was Fernando Álvaro Lamas y de Santos[1]
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Early years and career
Lamas was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. By 1942, he was an established movie star in Argentina. In 1951, he signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and went to the United States to play "Latin Lover" roles.
Personal life
Lamas was married four times, to Peral Mux (married 1940-divorced 1944), Lydia Barachi (married 1946-divorced 1952), actress Arlene Dahl (married 1954-divorced 1960), and swimmer and actress Esther Williams (married 1969-his death 1982). He had a daughter with Mux and another with Barachi, and a son, actor Lorenzo Lamas (b. January 20 1958), with Dahl.
Directing career
Lamas directed for the first time in 1963. It was a Spanish movie titled Magic Fountain starring his wife Esther Williams. He was most active directing on television, doing episodes that included Mannix, The Violent Ones, Alias Smith and Jones, Starsky and Hutch and Falcon Crest. The latter show co-starred his son, Lorenzo.
Later years
Lamas lived on in popular culture via the "Fernando" character developed by Billy Crystal on Saturday Night Live in the mid-1980s. The character was outlandish and exaggerated, but reportedly inspired by a remark Crystal heard Lamas utter on The Tonight Show; "It is better to look good than to feel good." This was one of the Fernando character's two catchphrases along with the better-remembered "You look marvelous!"
Death
Fernando Lamas died of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles, California at the age of 67. He is survived by his daughters, and son Lorenzo, and 6 grandchildren.
Family
Lamas is the grandfather of 5 girls and only 1 boy (all the children were from his son, Lorenzo): Álvaro Joshua "A.J." Lamas (b. December 19, 1983), Shayne Lamas (b. November 1985), Paton Ashbrook (b. 1988), Alexandra Lynne Lamas (b. November 22, 1997), Victoria Lamas (b. April 24, 1999), and Isabella Lorenza Lamas (b. February 2, 2001)
Quotes
"When a person has an accent, it means he can speak one more language than you" when teased about his accent by Johnny Carson during an appearance on " The Tonight Show"
Filmography
- On the Last Floor (1942)
- Stella (1943)
- Southern Border (1943)
- Villa rica del Espíritu Santo (1945)
- Evasion (1947)
- The Poor People's Christmas (1947)
- Tango Returns to Paris (1948)
- The Story of a Bad Woman (1948)
- La Rubia Mireya (1948)
- La Otra y yo (1949)
- The Story of the Tango (1949)
- The Unknown Father (1949)
- Vidalita (1949)
- Corrientes, calle de ensueños (1949)
- The Avengers (1950)
- Rich, Young and Pretty (1951)
- The Law and the Lady (1951)
- The Merry Widow (1952)
- The Girl Who Had Everything (1953)
- Sangaree (1953)
- Dangerous When Wet (1953)
- The Diamond Queen (1953)
- Jivaro (1954)
- Rose Marie (1954)
- The Girl Rush (1955)
- The Lost World (1960)
- Duel of Fire (1962)
- Revenge of the Musketeers (1963)
- Magic Fountain (1963)
- A Place Called Glory (1965)
- The Violent Ones (1967)
- Kill a Dragon (1967)
- 100 Rifles (1969)
- Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976)
- The Cheap Detective (1978)
