Gilbert Roland

Acting

Gilbert Roland

Born 1905-12-11 · Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gilbert Roland (born Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso, December 11, 1905 – May 15, 1994) was a Mexican-born American film and television actor whose career spanned seven decades from the 1920s until the 1980s. He was twice nominated for the Golden Globe Award in 1952 and 1964, and inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Roland was born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. When Pancho Villa took control of their town, Roland and his family fled to the United States. He lived in Texas until at age 14 he hopped on a freight train and went to Hollywood. He chose his screen name by combining the names of his favorite actors, John Gilbert and Ruth Roland. He was often cast in the stereotypical Latin lover role. Roland's first film contract was with Paramount. His first major role was in the collegiate comedy The Plastic Age (1925) together with Clara Bow, to whom he became engaged. In 1926, he played Armand in Camille opposite Norma Talmadge, with whom he was romantically involved, and they starred together in several productions. With the advent of sound films, Roland frequently appeared in Spanish language adaptations of American films, in romantic lead roles. Roland served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Beginning in the 1940s, critics began to take notice of his acting and he was praised for his supporting roles in John Huston's We Were Strangers (1949), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Thunder Bay (1953), and Cheyenne Autumn (1964). He also appeared in a series of films in the mid-1940s as the popular character "The Cisco Kid". He played Hugo, the agnostic friend of the three shepherd children in The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima. In 1953, Roland played Greek-American sponge diver Mike Petrakis in the epic Beneath the 12-Mile Reef. His last film appearance was in the 1982 western Barbarosa. Roland married actress Constance Bennett in 1941. They were married until 1946 and had two daughters. His second marriage, to Guillermina Cantú in 1954, lasted until his death 40 years later. Gilbert Roland died of cancer in Beverly Hills, California in 1994, aged 88.

Acting credits

Around the World in 80 Days poster
6.7

Based on the famous book by Jules Verne the movie follows Phileas Fogg on his journey around the world. Which has to be completed within 80 days, a very short period for those days.

Around the World in 80 Days

1956

The Pacific Connection poster
5.3

Ben is a farm boy who comes into conflict with the Evil Spanish Governor and his two sons. To assist in their oppression the Governor hires a Samurai to teach his son the Japanese Katana sword. To counter this, Ben studies under a blind Franciscan monk to obtain some advanced fighting secrets and develop his warrior senses. Additionally Ben must search for the legendary “Iron Reed”. A mystical stick so strong that grows in the lava of an active Volcano.

The Pacific Connection

1974

Cheyenne Autumn poster
6.7

A reluctant cavalry Captain must track a defiant tribe of migrating Cheyenne.

Cheyenne Autumn

1964

The Furies poster
7.1

A New Mexico cattle man and his strong-willed daughter clash over land and love.

The Furies

1950

The Bad and the Beautiful poster
7.3

Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a hard-driving, ambitious man who ruthlessly uses everyone on the way to becoming one of Hollywood's top movie makers.

The Bad and the Beautiful

1952

Barbarosa poster
5.9

Karl Westover, an inexperienced farm boy, runs away after unintentionally killing a neighbor, whose family pursues him for vengeance. He meets Barbarosa, a gunman of near-mythical proportions, who is himself in danger from his father-in-law Don Braulio, a wealthy Mexican rancher. Don Braulio wants Barbarosa dead for marrying his daughter against the father's will. Barbarosa reluctantly takes the clumsy Karl on as a partner, as both of them look to survive the forces lining up against them.

Barbarosa

1982

Three Violent People poster
5.9

A rancher, his shady bride and his one-armed brother fight amid carpetbaggers in Texas.

Three Violent People

1956

The Sea Hawk poster
7.2

Dashing pirate Geoffrey Thorpe plunders Spanish ships for Queen Elizabeth I and falls in love with Dona Maria, a beautiful Spanish royal he captures.

The Sea Hawk

1940

Thunder Trail poster
8.0

A wagon train is robbed by a gang of bandits who kill everyone but a pair of young brothers. Years later, the brothers join force to bring the bandits' leader to justice.

Thunder Trail

1937

The Hunchback of Notre Dame poster
6.5

In 15th century France, a gypsy girl is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1923

Incident on a Dark Street poster
5.3

A small-time hood is murdered just as he is about to blow the whistle on an organized crime ring.

Incident on a Dark Street

1973

The Lost World poster
6.7

The first film adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel about a land where prehistoric creatures still roam.

The Lost World

1925

Malaya poster
6.9

After living abroad for several years, journalist John Royer returns to the United States just after the U.S. enters World War II. His boast that he could easily smuggle rubber, a key wartime natural resource, out of Malaya has him tasked with doing just that. He manages to get someone from his past, Carnaghan, sprung from Alactraz and together they head off to South East Asia posing as Irishmen. Once there, Carnaghan lines up some of his old cronies and with Royer and a few plantation owners plans to smuggle the rubber out from under the Japanese army's watchful eye.

Malaya

1949

The Ruthless Four poster
5.9

After years of hard work, old Sam Cooper has finally found a gold mine. Since he cannot take everything he has found with him, he blows up the entrance. To help him exploit his discovery, he calls on his godson Manolo Sanchez. But Manolo is accompanied by "the blond," a strange man who seems to dominate him. Sam has no choice but to accept his company. He persuades his old friend Mason to travel with them as well. Greed and paranoia will eventually completely destroy the small band.

The Ruthless Four

1968

Mystery Woman poster
6.5

A French military officer is convicted of treason and sent to Devil's Island. His wife takes it upon herself to obtain the stolen document and prove his innocence.

Mystery Woman

1935

Underwater! poster
5.5

Two scuba divers find a shipwreck which may contain undiscovered treasure, however, their attempt to salvage it is threatened by scavengers.

Underwater!

1955

The Poppy Is Also a Flower poster
6.1

A special United Nations bureau organises a campaign to trace a drug-smuggling ring across Europe to its source on the Afghanistan-Iran border.

The Poppy Is Also a Flower

1966

Captain Kidd poster
6.3

Cutthroat pirate William Kidd captures Admiral Blayne's treasure ship and hides the bounty in a cave. Three years later, Kidd, posing as a respectable merchant captain, offers his services to the King of England. Seeking a social position, Kidd also negotiates for Blayne's title and lands, provided he can prove Blayne was associated with piracy. Launched upon his royal mission, Kidd is unaware that Blayne's son Adam is among the crew, determined to clear his father's name.

Captain Kidd

1945

Caboblanco poster
5.3

Giff Hoyt, a cafe owner in Cabo Blanco, Peru after World War II is caught between refuge-seeking Nazis and their enemies. After the murder of a sea explorer is passed off as accidental death by the corrupt local police, Giff becomes suspicious. The police chief also intimidates a new arrival Marie, and Giff intervenes to help her. Giff suspects Beckdorff, a Nazi refugee living in the area. Beckdorff, it emerges, is seeking to uncover sunken treasure.

Caboblanco

1980

The Spaniard poster
8.0

In England, Don Pedro de Barrego meets Dolores Annesley, and he decides he must have her. Dolores, however, refuses to have anything to do with him. Later, when she visits Spain, she discovers he is a famous bullfighter.

The Spaniard

1925

The Reward poster
6.0

A crash-landed crop-duster betrays a fugitive and his girlfriend to Mexican bounty hunters.

The Reward

1965

We Were Strangers poster
6.3

China Valdes joins the Cuban underground after her brother is killed by the chief of the secret police, Ariete. She meets and falls in love with American expatriate Tony Fenner. Tony develops a plan to tunnel under the city's cemetery to a plot owned by a high official, assassinate him, and blow up the whole Cuban hierarchy at the ensuing state funeral. Together with a band of dedicated revolutionaries, they begin digging.

We Were Strangers

1949

My Six Convicts poster
6.5

A psychologist takes on the daunting task of getting into the mind of prisoners. He must gain the trust and cooperation from a group of men who have no reason to help him and who might enjoy killing him.

My Six Convicts

1952

The Wild and the Innocent poster
6.3

In Wyoming, mountain trapper Yancey goes to the nearest town to trade his pelts but gets into trouble when he tries to save runaway dance-hall girl Rosalie from her shameful job.

The Wild and the Innocent

1959