Héctor Elizondo (born December 22, 1936) is an American character actor. He is known for playing Phillip Watters in the television series Chicago Hope (1994–2000) and Ed Alzate in the television series Last Man Standing (2011–2021). His film roles include Pocket Money (1972), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Cuba (1979), American Gigolo (1980), The Flamingo Kid (1984), Taking Care of Business (1990), Pretty Woman (1990), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), The Princess Diaries (2001), and Love in the Time of Cholera (2007).
Elizondo has received an Obie Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two ALMA Awards, and had been nominated for a Drama Desk Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Satellite Award, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Early life Hector Elizondo was born on December 22, 1936, in New York, the son of Carmen Medina Reyes and Martín Echevarría Elizondo, an accountant and notary public. His parents were Puerto Ricans of Spanish descent who moved from Puerto Rico to New York City with the hope of finding a better life. He grew up near 107th street on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
At a young age, he demonstrated a talent for sports and music. He sang for the Frank Murray Boys' Choir when he was 10 years old. Upon graduating from junior high school in 1950, he enrolled in the High School of the Performing Arts. He also attended another public high school, where he excelled in basketball and baseball. His baseball skills were good enough for him to be scouted by both the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates.Elizondo profile , FortuneCity.com; accessed 2016-03-19. In 1954, Elizondo enrolled in City College of New York, intending to become a history teacher. However, during his freshman year, he became a father and dropped out of college, going to work full-time to support his family. Later, he divorced and gained full custody of his son, Rodd.
Career From 1962 to 1963, Elizondo studied dance at the Ballet Arts Company at Carnegie Hall. During the period, he also studied acting under Mario Stiletti at Stella Adler Theatre Studio when it was located in the Dryden East Hotel on East 39th St. In 1965, he landed a part in the off-Broadway show Kill the One-Eyed Man.
In 1968, he got a part in the play The Great White Hope. His first major success came when he played "God" in the guise of a Puerto Rican steam-room attendant in Steambath, for his performance in which he won an Obie Award.
In 1974, Elizondo played an ex-mafioso-turned-subway hijacker, "Mr. Grey," in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.
He starred as a Puerto Rican widower on the CBS television series Popi (1975–1976). The short-lived series, which ran for 11 episodes, was one of the first American network television series to feature a Latino theme and cast. In 1975, he portrayed Hassan Salah, the murderer in an episode of Columbo, "A Case of Immunity". He was a member of the cast of the 1985–86 CBS situation comedy Foley Square, starring Margaret Colin.
In the 1980s, Elizondo befriended Garry Marshall, who was impressed with his talent. Their first film together was Young Doctors in Love, in which Elizondo displays his guitar-playing talent. His role in Pretty Woman lasted only 10 minutes, but led to a Golden Globe nomination. In 1999, he co-starred in Runaway Bride as Fisher, the husband of the male protagonist's ex-wife. Elizondo has participated in more than 80 films (18 of which have been Marshall's). He appeared in every film that Marshall directed, including a brief appearance as a Portuguese fisherman in Overboard.
In 2001, he was featured in the short-lived television drama Kate Brasher and portrayed security head Joe in the film The Princess Diaries, a role he reprised in the 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. As a voice-actor, he played Bane in Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman. He may be best known to television audiences as Dr. Phillip Watters on the CBS television series Chicago Hope created by well-known television creator David E. Kelley. He has won both an Emmy and ALMA award and was nominated for a Satellite Award and several SAG Awards for playing this role. He is one of only two people to remain on the show for its entire run, the other being Adam Arkin.
In 2008, Elizondo joined the cast of the USA Network series Monk as Dr. Neven Bell, Adrian Monk's new psychiatrist, following the sudden death of Stanley Kamel, the actor who played Monk's original psychiatrist. In 2023, he reprised his role in Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie after some convincing from Tony Shalhoub.
From 2011 to 2021, Elizondo played Ed Alzate on the Fox (formerly ABC) comedy Last Man Standing, starring Tim Allen and Nancy Travis.
In 2023, Elizondo guest voiced a character, Romar Adell, a local of Serenno who went into hiding after the Empire bombarded the planet, on Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
Personal life Elizondo has been married three times. He became a father at the age of 19 with his first wife. Since 1969, he has been married to Carolee Campbell, an Emmy Award-winning actress who played nurse Carolee Simpson on The Doctors. They live in Sherman Oaks, California.
In April 2013, Elizondo participated in the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, held at the University of Southern California, promoting children's reading. Proud of his Latino heritage, Elizondo has said he does not accept roles that he feels are stereotypical or demeaning in any way.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1963 1969 Inspector 1970 Hector 1971 Valdez Is Coming Mexican Rider Born to Win Vivian 1972 Deadhead Miles Bad Character Pocket Money Juan Stand Up and Be Counted Lou Kellerman 1974 Mr. Grey 1975 Report to the Commissioner Captain D'Angelo 1976 Diary of the Dead Stan 1977 Thieves Man Below 1979 Cuba Capt. Raphael Ramirez 1980 American Gigolo Det. Sunday 1981 Police Insp. Raphael Andrews 1982 Young Doctors in Love Angelo/Angela Bonafetti 1984 Arthur Willis 1985 Private Resort The Maestro 1986 Nothing in Common Charlie Gargas 1987 Overboard Garbage Scow Skipper Uncredited 1988 Astronomy Short film Beaches Judge Uncredited 1989 Leviathan G.P. Cobb 1990 Pretty Woman Barnard Thompson Taking Care of Business Warden Frank Toolman 1991 Final Approach Dr. Dio Gottlieb Necessary Roughness Coach Ed Gennero Frankie and Johnny Nick 1992 There Goes the Neighborhood Norman Rutledge Samantha Walter 1993 Being Human Dom Paulo 1994 Backstreet Justice Steve Donovan Beverly Hills Cop III Jon Flint Getting Even with Dad Lt. Romayko Exit to Eden Dr. Martin Helifax 1995 Perfect Alibi Det. Ryker 1996 Dear God Vladek Vidov 1997 Turbulence Lt. Aldo Hines 1999 Ernie Entropy The Chairman Runaway Bride Fisher 2001 Tortilla Soup Martin Naranjo Joe How High Bill the Crew Coach 2003 Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman Bane Voice, direct-to-video A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2004 Raising Helen Mickey Massey Uncredited Joe ¡Mucha Lucha!: The Return of El Maléfico Ring Announcer Voice 2006 I-See-You.Com Greg Rishwain Cardinal Sebastian 2007 Music Within Ben Padrow Georgia Rule Izzy Love in the Time of Cholera Don Leo 2010 Valentine's Day Edgar New York Street Games Himself/narrator Documentary 2011 New Year's Eve Lester Kominsky 2014 The Book of Life Carlos Sanchez Voice 2016 Mother's Day Lance Wallace 2017 The Lego Batman Movie Commissioner James Gordon Voice 2021 Music George Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It Himself Documentary 2023 Max & Me Gunter Voice
Television