Actor, writer, and director. He was born Fernando Alvaro Lamas y de Santos in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he began his acting career and was an established movie star by 1942. By 1949, he had starred in 14 Argentine films. In 1950, he came to the U.S. and appeared in "The Avengers" and in 1951, he was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and starred in the musical "Rich, Young and Pretty" and the comedy "The Law and the Lady." He had leading roles in numerous MGM musicals throughout the 1950s, including "Dangerous When Wet" (1953) with his future wife Esther Williams. During the 1960s, he started appearing in guest roles on television series including "The Virginian," "Laredo," "Combat!," "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "It Takes a Thief," "Mission: Impossible," "Charlie's Angels," "Police Woman" and "The Love Boat." From 1965 to 1968, he had a regular role as Ramon De Vega on the television series "Run for Your Life," with actor Ben Gazzara. In 1963, he directed his first movie "Magic Fountain," which starred his future wife Esther Williams and also directed another film, "The Violent Ones" in 1967 that co-starred Aldo Ray and David Carradine. He spent most of his directing efforts on television, doing episodes that included "Mannix," "Alias Smith and Jones," "Starsky & Hutch" and "Falcon Crest" (which co-starred his son, Lorenzo Lamas). During his American cinema career, he appeared in over 20 movies. He was married four times, to Perla Mux (1940 to 1944), Lydia Barachi (1946 to 1952), actress Arlene Dahl (1954 to 1960) and Olympic swimmer and actress Esther Williams (1969 until his death in 1982). He died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.
Actor, writer, and director. He was born Fernando Alvaro Lamas y de Santos in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he began his acting career and was an established movie star by 1942. By 1949, he had starred in 14 Argentine films. In 1950, he came to the U.S. and appeared in "The Avengers" and in 1951, he was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and starred in the musical "Rich, Young and Pretty" and the comedy "The Law and the Lady." He had leading roles in numerous MGM musicals throughout the 1950s, including "Dangerous When Wet" (1953) with his future wife Esther Williams. During the 1960s, he started appearing in guest roles on television series including "The Virginian," "Laredo," "Combat!," "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "It Takes a Thief," "Mission: Impossible," "Charlie's Angels," "Police Woman" and "The Love Boat." From 1965 to 1968, he had a regular role as Ramon De Vega on the television series "Run for Your Life," with actor Ben Gazzara. In 1963, he directed his first movie "Magic Fountain," which starred his future wife Esther Williams and also directed another film, "The Violent Ones" in 1967 that co-starred Aldo Ray and David Carradine. He spent most of his directing efforts on television, doing episodes that included "Mannix," "Alias Smith and Jones," "Starsky & Hutch" and "Falcon Crest" (which co-starred his son, Lorenzo Lamas). During his American cinema career, he appeared in over 20 movies. He was married four times, to Perla Mux (1940 to 1944), Lydia Barachi (1946 to 1952), actress Arlene Dahl (1954 to 1960) and Olympic swimmer and actress Esther Williams (1969 until his death in 1982). He died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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