Rodolfo Pérez Acosta (born Rodolfo Acosta; July 29, 1920 – November 7, 1974) was an American actor who became known for his roles as Mexican outlaws or American Indians in Hollywood western films. He was sometimes credited as Rudolph Acosta.
Early life and education Acosta was born to José Acosta and Alexandrina Pérez de Acosta on July 29, 1920 in the El Segundo Barrio of El Paso, Texas. His father, a carpenter, moved the family to Los Angeles, where Acosta was raised and graduated from Abraham 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, serving as a Yeoman in Naval Intelligence.
Career 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, produced in part 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 a regular as Vaquero on NBC's The High Chaparral from 1967–1969. Other television appearances included Cheyenne, Maverick, Zorro, Bonanza, and Daniel Boone. In 1959, Acosta played the Kiowa Chief Satanta in the third episode entitled "Yellow Hair" of the ABC western series The Rebel. In 1960 on Rawhide, he appeared as Ossolo, an Indian Medicine Man in "The Incident at Superstition Prairie". On the 1964 episode "A Book of Spanish Grammar" of Death Valley Days Acosta played Valdez, the traveling companion of Stephen F. Austin.
In 2013, Acosta along with Lee Marvin and Stuart Hamblen was inducted into Newhall, California's, Walk of Western Stars during the annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival.
Personal life Acosta married Jeanine Cohen in 1945 in Casablanca while he was in the military. In 1956, Cohen accused Acosta of adultery for sharing an apartment in Mexico City since 1953 with actress Ann Sheridan. Acosta subsequently filed for divorce in 1959. He later married Vera Martínez in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 18, 1971 and they divorced in October 1974.
Acosta was the father of five children. His son, Dante Acosta, is a politician in Santa Clarita, California.
On November 7, 1974, Acosta died of liver cancer at the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, and was buried in Hollywood Hills at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1946Soy un prófugoEsbirro del jefe1947The FugitivePolicemanUncredited1948Song of the SirenRosendaSalustio Hernández (el tejón)El galleroEl MecoBeau IdealGerman Foreign LegionnaireUncredited1949Salón MéxicoPacoAriel Award nomination - Best Supporting ActorFelipe de JesúsPrincipe ChokozabeLa malqueridaPrisión de sueños1950Vuelve Pancho VillaMartín CoronaOne Way StreetFrancisco MoralesPancho Villa ReturnsMartín CoronaBetween Your Love and HeavenMiguel Ramírez1951Victims of SinRodolfoPecadoArreguiBullfighter and the LadyJuanThe LoversAlejandro / Alex Montez Sensualityel Rizos Las Islas MaríasEl Silencio (The Silence)Retorno al quinto patioDon PanchoLa bienamada1952AcapulcoAlfredoEl puerto de los siete viciosEl falcónEl mar y túDon RufinoEl dinero no es la vidaMartínYo soy Mexicano de acá de este ladoFreddy MirandaYankee BuccaneerPouliniHorizons WestGeneral José Escobar Lopez Victims of DivorceAntonio1953El billeteroMarcos Aguirre TorresSan AntoneChino FigueroaDestination GobiTomecWings of the HawkArturo TorresCity of Bad MenJoe MendozaAppointment in HondurasReyesHondoSilva1954Llévame en tus brazosAgustínPassionSalvador SandroDrum BeatScarface Charlie1955A Life in the BalanceLt. FernandoThe Littlest OutlawChato1956The Proud OnesChicoBandido!Sebastian1957Trooper HookApache chief NanchezCredited as Rudolfo AcostaApache WarriorMarteenThe Tijuana StoryManuel Acosta Mesa1958The Last Rebel'Three Fingers' Jackcredited as Rudolph AcostaFrom Hell to TexasBayliss1960Walk Like a DragonSheriff Marguelezcredited as Rudolph AcostaLet No Man Write My EpitaphMaxcredited as Rudolph AcostaFlaming StarBuffalo Horncredited as Rudolph Acosta1961Posse from HellJohnny Caddocredited as Rudolph AcostaOne-Eyed JacksMexican Rurale Captaincredited as Rudolph AcostaThe Second Time AroundRodriguezcredited as Rudolph Acosta1962How the West Was WonGant Gang MemberUncredited1963Savage SamBandy LegsThe RaidersCherokee PolicemanUncredited1964Rio ConchosBloodshirt1965The Greatest Story Ever ToldCaptain of LancersThe Sons of Katie ElderBondie AdamsRío HondoCamargoThe RewardPatron1966Return of the SevenLopezCredited as Rudy AcostaAnd Should We DieGen. Rodolfo Fierro1967The Violent OnesEstevez1968Dayton's DevilsFishing Boat Captain1969ImpasseDracoChe!MonjeUncreditedYoung Billy YoungMexican Officer1970The Great White HopeEl JefeFlapStorekeeper1971Will to DieSheriff Dan GarciaFinal film role
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1956The Sheriff of CochiseJose PeradoEpisode: "Question of Honor"1957Lux Video TheatreVorbeckEpisode: "The Undesirable"Playhouse 90Episode: "Without Incident"; credited as Rudolfo AcostaWhirlybirdsDon Miguel CordobaEpisode: "Incident in Del Rio"1957–1961Have Gun - Will TravelSanchez / John Wildhorse / Pedro Valdez3 episodes1958The Walter Winchell FileEl GatoEpisode: "The Stop-over"Jefferson DrumMendozaEpisode: "Bandidos"1958–1960ZorroCarancho / Perico3 episodes; credited as Rudolph Acosta1958CheyenneLobosSeason 3/Episode 17 - "Standoff"1959CheyenneLuis CardenasSeason 4/Episode 3 - "The Rebellion"1959U.S. MarshalCaptain Joe SilvaEpisode: "Gold Is Where You Find It"SugarfootRafaelEpisode: "Small Hostage"The RebelSatantaEpisode: "Yellow Hair"The TexanEpisode: "The Reluctant Bridegroom"1959–1964RawhideDel Latigo / Arapahoe Leader / Ossolo / Chisera4 episodes1960 Rawhide Ossolo S3:E7, "Incident at Superstition Prairie"1959–1965Death Valley DaysBandit Leader / Tony Alvado / Tall Rock / Valdez / Don Diego Archeluta / Chief Spotted Tail6 episodes1960The Gambler, the Nun and the RadioKillerTV movieBuick-Electra PlayhouseKillerEpisode: "The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio"The Magical World of DisneyCarancho2 episodesO'Conner's OceanTV movieRogue for HireEl TigreEpisode: "Operation Jaguar"1960–1962BroncoJuan Rodriguez / Tomas Fierro2 episodes1961CheyenneLuis BoladasSeason 6/Episode 5 - "Day's Pay"1961One Step BeyondColonel FerreroEpisode: "Person Unknown"The Barbara Stanwyck ShowPorfiroEpisode: "Yanqui Go Home"Tales of Wells FargoRed KnifeEpisode: "Tanoa"1962MaverickSebastian BolanesEpisode: "Poker Face"The Gallant MenLupoEpisode: "Signals for an End Run"1963The VirginianYaqui LeaderEpisode: "The Mountain of the Sun"The Great AdventureLt. Bullhead2 episodesYoung Men in a HurryJose RodriguezTV movie1963–1964Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreColonel Lu / Tartar2 episodes1964The Travels of Jaimie McPheetersJoe OswegoEpisode: "The Day of the Tin Trumpet"The Farmer's DaughterPedro PerezEpisode: "Katy Gets Arrested"1964–1970BonanzaSheriff Vincente Aranda / Matar / Lijah / Juan4 episodes1965The Big ValleyRicoEpisode: "The Way to Kill a Killer"The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Captain RamirezEpisode: "The Very Important Zombie Affair"1965–1966Daniel BooneRunning Fox / Gabriel2 episodes1966Iron HorseCorporalEpisode: "Cougar Man"The FugitiveFirst MexicanEpisode: "Wine Is a Traitor"1967LaredoLuis CanzanoEpisode: "Scourge of San Rosa"Valley of MysteryManuel SanchezTV movieCusterSatantaEpisode: "Sabers in the Sun"Stranger on the RunMercurioTV movie1967–1969The High ChaparralVaquero22 episodes1969Mission: ImpossiblePresidente Miguel De VaroEpisode: "The Vault"The OutcastsChief FrenteEpisode: "The Stalking Devil"1970Run, Simon, RunManuelTV movie1971The Bold Ones: The LawyersPablo DelgadoEpisode: "The Search for Leslie Grey"Cade's CountyNacho GutierrezEpisode: "Crisscross"O'Hara, U.S. TreasuryCaesar DominguezEpisode: "Operation: Heroin"1971–1973IronsideSgt. Ramirez / The Police Chief2 episodes; final role1972Hec RamseyKitamiEpisode: "Mystery of the Green Feather"
References
Further reading Analysis of Acosta's performances in Víctimas del Pecado and Salon Mexico.
External links