Tom Hernández

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Tom Hernández
Tve109312-19661029-231.jpg
Tom Hernández in one episode of Mission: Impossible (in "Wheels", 1966), playing to "The Desk Sergeant"
Born
Domingo Tomás Hernández

October 9, 1915 (1915-10-09)
DiedJune 2, 1984 (1984-06-03) (aged 68)
Nationality Spanish, American
OccupationActor

Domingo Tomás Hernández Bethencourt (October 9, 1915 – June 2, 1984), known professionally as Tom Hernández (or Tommy Hernandez), was an American theater, films, and television actor, who played supporting roles, usually Hispanics, throughout his career. He was mainly known for their roles in the American film The 3rd Voice (1960), and in the Spanish films "Fuerza Mortal" (1980) and "Tunka, el guerrero" (1983). However, he is best remembered by his interpretation of Don Diego character at the San Diego's fair (California) Del Mar Fair during almost of four decades until his death in 1984. He held the position of goodwill ambassador of the fair, promoting it and he welcomed people that came to the fair with his greeting in Spanish "¡Bienvenidos, Amigos!" ("Welcome Friends!"), greeting for which he was known. [1] He was brother of also actor Pepe Hern and uncle of present-day actor Justin Lopez from The Three Stooges (2012 film). [2]

Contents

Biography

Hernández was born on October 9, 1915, in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), [3] to Domingo Hernández and Dominga Bethencourt. [4] In 1920, Hernandez emigrated with his parents and an eldest brother to the United States when he was five. He also had a younger brother (who was born in the U.S., twelve years after his arrival there), the future actor Pepe Hern. [3]

Eventually, Hernandez became interested in film, and got jobs of helper, which led him to small roles with marked Hispanic roots. Domingo chosen the Tom Hernandez stage name, seeking a certain approach to their host country, but without completely abandoning their roots.

After working in theater for a long time, he was offered a small role in Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950), and during the '50s was common to see him at many American films and some episodes of some American TV series, playing supporting roles.

The film in which, perhaps, had the greater role in his Hollywood career was "The 3rd Voice" (1960)

That brief moment of brilliance on the big screen in the early 60 allowed to Tom Hernandez access to more regular jobs in renowned television series as " The Virginian" (1962), "Mission: Impossible" (1965) and "Daniel Boone" (1969), one of the last TV series in which he worked. Already into the '70s, his appearances on screen were losing relevance, focusing thereafter, basically, in his job as goodwill ambassador in the Del Mar Fair, in San Diego (California), [4] in which he had already begun to work from the 40s.

Although he continued to participate in some movies, highlighting its roles in the Spanish films Cuatro locos buscan manicomio (1980), Fuerza mortal (1980) and Tunka, el guerrero (1983).

By other way, since 1947 Hernández began to interpret Don Diego's character at the Del Mar Fair in San Diego (California), [5] [6] appearing as master of ceremonies for the annual meeting [5] and occupying the work of promoter the fair, being goodwill ambassador in this fairgrounds. [1]

He combined his work in films and its role as master of ceremonies for the fair until the last years of his life. He died on June 2, 1984 in Los Angeles, California. [3]

Legacy

Trivia

Filmography

This is a list of films of Tom Hernández [9]

YearTitleRoleNotes
1938 Dead Men Tell No Tales Spanish Bartender
1950 Tarzan and the Slave Girl MoloUncredited
1952 Yankee Buccaneer GuardUncredited
1953 Salome TownsmanUncredited
1953 Trouble Along the Way ButlerUncredited
1953 Sombrero Man in CafeUncredited
1953 The Desert Song LegionnaireUncredited
1953 Latin Lovers Nora's Dancing PartnerUncredited
1954 Phantom of the Rue Morgue Gendarme LaraUncredited
1955 The Last Command AidaUncredited
1956 Anything Goes FrenchmanUncredited
1956 Santiago SoldierUncredited
1957El reflejo del alma(Spanish film)
1958 Party Girl Sketch Artist, Canetto TrialUncredited
1959 Holiday for Lovers Portrait PainterUncredited
1959 It Started with a Kiss Minor RoleUncredited
1960 The 3rd Voice Desk´s Clerk
1961 The Comancheros CroupierUncredited
1962 Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse HeadwaiterUncredited
1962 Tender Is the Night NoblemanUncredited
1963 Fun in Acapulco PhotographerUncredited
1965Choque de Sentimentos(Brazilian film)
1972 Trouble Man Police Sergeant
1974La dynamite est bonne à boire(French film)
1979 Black Jack
1980Fuerza mortal (Big games)Simpson(Spanish film)
1980Cuatro locos buscan manicomioGerente(Spanish film)
1981Asalto al casino
1981Homo hominis opus IDictatorShort, (Spanish film)
1982 Othello black command - as Fergusson
1984Tunka, el guerrerogreat sage(Spanish film) (final film role)

TV series

This is a list of television series in which he has appeared. [9]

YearTitleRoleepisodes
1951 The Adventures of Kit Carson Tom HernándezA Ticket to Mexico
1955 Letter to Loretta AngeloThe Waiting Game
1955 Death Valley Days TonyThe Valencia Cake
1955 My Little Margie HernandoPapa and Mambo
1956 Cheyenne RamónFury at Rio Hondo
1957 State Trooper Pepe SotoBeef ala Murder
1959 Zorro chapters in 1957
1959 Laramie Montero RíosThe Run to Tumavaca
1959 Wagon Train DennyThe Stagecoach Story
1960 Bourbon Street Beat VictorLast Exit
1960 Wanted: Dead or Alive CarlosWitch Woman S3 E14
1962 Target: The Corruptors! Babes in Wall Street
1962 The Virginian The Spanish OfficerRiff-Raff (chapter in 1962)
1966 Mission: Impossible The Desk SergeantWheels (chapter in 1966)
1969 Daniel Boone SurgeonThe Grand Alliance
1969 Family Affair CaptainLost in Spain, Part 3

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References

  1. 1 2 3 San Diego Fair:Don Diego Fund
  2. IMDB: Justin Lopez
  3. 1 2 3 El blogoferoz: Tributo a Tom Hernández. Por Salvador García Llanos. Posted on December 14, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Canarias 7: Los olvidados
  5. 1 2 3 North County Times, June 25, 2006 Archived April 7, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  6. Richard A. Santillán, José M. Alamillo, Anna Bermúdez, Juan J. Canchola-Ventura and Al Ramos (2016). Mexican American Baseball in Ventura County. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina. Page 118.
  7. "North County School Notes". Archived from the original on February 14, 2011. Retrieved 2013-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. Biography for Justin Lopez (II) Archived 2011-08-21 at the Wayback Machine
  9. 1 2 Tom Hernandez|Filmography