Rodolfo Pérez Acosta (July 29, 1920 â€" November 7, 1974) was a
Mexican-American character actor who became known for his roles as
Mexican outlaws or American Indians in Hollywood western films. He was
sometimes credited as Rudolph Acosta.Acosta was born to Jose Acosta
and Alexandrina Perez de Acosta on July 29, 1920 in the disputed
American territory of Chamizal outside of El Paso, Texas. His father,
a carpenter, moved the family to Los Angeles, where Acosta was raised
and graduated from Lincoln High School. Acosta studied drama at Los
Angeles City College and UCLA and he appeared at the Pasadena
Playhouse. At the age of 19, he received a scholarship to the Palacio
de Bellas Artes in Mexico City where he studied for three years. In
1943, during World War II, Acosta enlisted in the United States Navy
where he worked in Naval Intelligence.After the war, Acosta worked on
stage and in films which eventually led to a bit part in John Ford's
1947 film The Fugitive, directed by Emilio Fernández. Fernandez wrote
the role of the pimp Paco for Acosta in the 1949 film Salón México,
for which Acosta earned a nomination as Best Supporting Actor at the
1950 Ariel Awards. He then was placed on contract by Universal
Studios, beginning with a small role in One Way Street (1950).
Although Acosta was considered a romantic screen idol in Mexico and
South America, his burly body and strong features led to a long
succession of roles as bandits, Native American warriors and outlaws
in American films. In The Tijuana Story (1957), he had a sympathetic
leading role, but in general he spent his career as a familiar western
antagonist.Acosta was also a regular as Vaquero on NBC's The High
Chaparral from 1967â€"1969. His other television appearances included
Cheyenne, Maverick, Zorro, Rawhide as Ossolo, an Indian Medicine Man
in "The Incident at Superstition Prairie" in 1960, Bonanza, and Daniel
Boone.
Mexican-American character actor who became known for his roles as
Mexican outlaws or American Indians in Hollywood western films. He was
sometimes credited as Rudolph Acosta.Acosta was born to Jose Acosta
and Alexandrina Perez de Acosta on July 29, 1920 in the disputed
American territory of Chamizal outside of El Paso, Texas. His father,
a carpenter, moved the family to Los Angeles, where Acosta was raised
and graduated from Lincoln High School. Acosta studied drama at Los
Angeles City College and UCLA and he appeared at the Pasadena
Playhouse. At the age of 19, he received a scholarship to the Palacio
de Bellas Artes in Mexico City where he studied for three years. In
1943, during World War II, Acosta enlisted in the United States Navy
where he worked in Naval Intelligence.After the war, Acosta worked on
stage and in films which eventually led to a bit part in John Ford's
1947 film The Fugitive, directed by Emilio Fernández. Fernandez wrote
the role of the pimp Paco for Acosta in the 1949 film Salón México,
for which Acosta earned a nomination as Best Supporting Actor at the
1950 Ariel Awards. He then was placed on contract by Universal
Studios, beginning with a small role in One Way Street (1950).
Although Acosta was considered a romantic screen idol in Mexico and
South America, his burly body and strong features led to a long
succession of roles as bandits, Native American warriors and outlaws
in American films. In The Tijuana Story (1957), he had a sympathetic
leading role, but in general he spent his career as a familiar western
antagonist.Acosta was also a regular as Vaquero on NBC's The High
Chaparral from 1967â€"1969. His other television appearances included
Cheyenne, Maverick, Zorro, Rawhide as Ossolo, an Indian Medicine Man
in "The Incident at Superstition Prairie" in 1960, Bonanza, and Daniel
Boone.
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