Ricardo Montez (born Levy Isaac Attias; September 20, 1923 â€" October
26, 2010) was a British actor best known for his role as the Spanish
bartender Juan Cervantes in the ITV comedy series Mind Your
Language.Born Levy Isaac Attias on 23 September 1923 in Gibraltar to
Jewish parents, he and his family were evacuated to England during
World War II. On returning home, he worked in different jobs,
including as an extra in films shot in Gibraltar. While appearing in
the British film Wonderful Things! (1958), the actor Frankie Vaughan
persuaded him to travel to London and become an actor, which he did in
1962, changing his name at Vaughan's suggestion to Ricardo Montez. He
appeared primarily in television programmes, including The Saint, The
Avengers, Doctor at Sea and Don't Drink the Water, in which he usually
played Spanish characters, before being cast in his best known role as
Juan Cervantes, the Spanish bartender in a class of mature English
language students, in the situation comedy series Mind Your Language
from 1977 and 1979, reprising his role in a revival of the series in
1986. In his later years, Montez continued to appear on television in
programmes including Sharpe's Honour and Casualty, as well as in
commercials. His final acting role was in the film Mamma Mia! (2008).
He lived in Richmond, London, and used to visit Gibraltar twice a
year. He married Orivida Hatchwell in 1953; they had a daughter,
Clara, and a granddaughter, Sara. Montez died from cancer at his
daughter's home in Marbella, Spain on 26 October 2010, at the age of
87.Freewheelers
26, 2010) was a British actor best known for his role as the Spanish
bartender Juan Cervantes in the ITV comedy series Mind Your
Language.Born Levy Isaac Attias on 23 September 1923 in Gibraltar to
Jewish parents, he and his family were evacuated to England during
World War II. On returning home, he worked in different jobs,
including as an extra in films shot in Gibraltar. While appearing in
the British film Wonderful Things! (1958), the actor Frankie Vaughan
persuaded him to travel to London and become an actor, which he did in
1962, changing his name at Vaughan's suggestion to Ricardo Montez. He
appeared primarily in television programmes, including The Saint, The
Avengers, Doctor at Sea and Don't Drink the Water, in which he usually
played Spanish characters, before being cast in his best known role as
Juan Cervantes, the Spanish bartender in a class of mature English
language students, in the situation comedy series Mind Your Language
from 1977 and 1979, reprising his role in a revival of the series in
1986. In his later years, Montez continued to appear on television in
programmes including Sharpe's Honour and Casualty, as well as in
commercials. His final acting role was in the film Mamma Mia! (2008).
He lived in Richmond, London, and used to visit Gibraltar twice a
year. He married Orivida Hatchwell in 1953; they had a daughter,
Clara, and a granddaughter, Sara. Montez died from cancer at his
daughter's home in Marbella, Spain on 26 October 2010, at the age of
87.Freewheelers
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