Elizondo, Hector (1936—)
Elizondo, Hector (1936—)
A physically compact character actor with a brilliantly economical technique to match, Hector Elizondo delighted audiences and gained fame with his polished performance as the hotel manager in Pretty Woman (1990), one of several films he made for Garry Marshall. This New York-born actor of Hispanic parentage, who trained at the Actors Studio, proved exceptionally versatile, playing a wide range of supporting roles, utilizing different accents and dialects, and capturing the essence of a character, whether in drama or comedy, by an expert flick of expression. His multitude of television appearances include Sandy Stern in Burden of Proof (1992) and the put-upon hospital chief Dr. Philip Watters, authoritative, weary, and not always wise, in Chicago Hope from 1994. He came to television and film with an impeccable Broadway provenance, beginning his career in Mister Roberts (1961) for distinguished director Edwin Sherin.
—Robyn Karney
Further Reading:
Charity, Tom. "Hector Elizondo." Who's Who in Hollywood. Edited by Robyn Karney. New York, Continuum, 1994.