| Percy Rodriguez | |
|---|---|
Rodriguez as Dr. Harry Miles in Peyton Place, 1968. |
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| Born | Percy Rodrigues June 13, 1918 Montreal, Canada |
| Died | September 6, 2007 (aged 89) Indio, California |
| Occupation | Actor |
Percy Rodriguez (June 13, 1918 – September 6, 2007) was a Canadian actor who appeared in many television shows and films from the 1950s to the 1980s. Born in the Saint-Henri neighborhood in Montreal, his birth surname was "Rodrigues," but after it was misspelled in a Broadway program early in his career, "Rodriguez" became his de facto stage name and most of his acting credits are under that spelling. He was of Afro-Portuguese heritage.
Rodriguez started his acting career in the 1930s appearing in stage plays and television series in his native country. He eventually moved to New York City where he made his Broadway theatre debut in Lillian Hellman's Toys in the Attic in 1960. He first gained widespread notoriety in 1968 for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Harry Miles in the prime time soap opera Peyton Place. Rodriguez managed to avoid the stereotypical roles typically given to Black actors at the time. His deep, authoritative voice and articulate speaking manner helped Rodriguez to be cast usually as intelligent authority figures. He also narrated numerous movie trailers and documentaries throughout his career. He retired from acting in 1987 but continued to do voiceovers. He spoke of his narration of the trailer for Jaws in the documentary The Shark is Still Working. This was his final public appearance.
Rodriguez died of kidney failure at his Indio, California home.
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