Manuel Padilla Jr.
Biography
In the 1960s, Padilla was a popular child actor, usually playing the Mexican or Indian boy in TV westerns such as "Rawhide," "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke". He was a regular in the 1960s TV series "Tarzan", with actor Ron Ely, in dozens of episodes as native boy 'Jai', and as also a semi-regular in the TV series, "The Flying Nun", with actress Sally Field. In featured films, as an adult, Padilla made appearances in the films, "The Great White Hope", "American Graffiti", "A Man Called Horse", and "Scarface", among others.
Padilla died unexpectedly at age 52, just after making a public appearance at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, in January 2008.
Filmography
Scarface
1983
as Kid #2
More American Graffiti
1979
as Carlos
Cotton Candy
1978
as Julio Sanchez
American Graffiti
1973
as Carlos
Tarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones
1971
as Jai
The Great White Hope
1970
as Paco
Tarzan's Deadly Silence
1970
as Jai
A Man Called Horse
1970
as Leaping Buck
Cutter's Trail
1970
as Paco Avila
The Mountains of the Moon
1967
as Jai
Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion
1967
as Jai
Tarzan and the Great River
1967
as Pepe
Tarzan and the Valley of Gold
1966
as Ramel
Taffy and the Jungle Hunter
1965
as Beau
Sylvia
1965
as Pancho Guzman (uncredited)
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964
as Orphan Boy (uncredited)
The Young and the Brave
1963
as Han
Dime with a Halo
1963
as Rafael