Héctor Elizondo

Héctor Elizondo (born December 22, 1936) is an American character actor. He is known for playing Phillip Watters in the television series Chicago Hope (1994–2000) and Ed Alzate in the television series Last Man Standing (2011–2021). His film roles include Pocket Money (1972), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Cuba (1979), American Gigolo (1980), The Flamingo Kid (1984), Taking Care of Business (1990), Pretty Woman (1990), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), How High (2001), and Love in the Time of Cholera (2007).

Elizondo has received an Obie Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two ALMA Awards, and had been nominated for a Drama Desk Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Satellite Award, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Early life

Hector Elizondo was born on December 22, 1936, in New York, the son of Carmen Medina Reyes and Martín Echevarría Elizondo, an accountant and notary public.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> His parents were Puerto Ricans of Spanish descent who moved from Puerto Rico to New York City with the hope of finding a better life.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He grew up on the Upper West Side.<ref name="uwsr">Template:Cite news</ref>

At a young age, he demonstrated a talent for sports and music. He sang for the Frank Murray Boys' Choir when he was 10 years old. Upon graduating from junior high school in 1950, he enrolled in the High School of the Performing Arts. He also attended another public high school, where he excelled in basketball and baseball. His baseball skills were good enough for him to be scouted by both the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates.<ref name="Hector">Elizondo profile Template:Webarchive, FortuneCity.com; accessed 2016-03-19.</ref> In 1954, Elizondo enrolled in City College of New York, intending to become a history teacher. However, during his freshman year, he became a father and dropped out of college, going to work full-time to support his family. Later, he divorced and gained full custody of his son, Rodd.<ref name="Hector"/>

Career

From 1962 to 1963, Elizondo studied dance at the Ballet Arts Company at Carnegie Hall. During the period, he also studied acting under Mario Stiletti at Stella Adler Theatre Studio when it was located in the Dryden East Hotel on East 39th St. In 1965, he landed a part in the off-Broadway show Kill the One-Eyed Man.<ref>Template:Iobdb title</ref>

In 1968, he got a part in the play The Great White Hope.<ref name="ibdb">Template:Cite web</ref> His first major success came when he played "God" in the guise of a Puerto Rican steam-room attendant in Steambath, for his performance in which he won an Obie Award.

In 1974, Elizondo played an ex-mafioso-turned-subway hijacker, "Mr. Grey," in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.<ref name="imdb"/>

He starred as a Puerto Rican widower on the CBS television series Popi (1975–1976).<ref name=thr>Template:Cite news</ref> The short-lived series, which ran for 11 episodes, was one of the first American network television series to feature a Latino theme and cast.<ref name=thr/> In 1975, he portrayed Hassan Salah, the murderer in an episode of Columbo, "A Case of Immunity". He was a member of the cast of the 1985–86 CBS situation comedy Foley Square, starring Margaret Colin.<ref name="imdb"/>

In the 1980s, Elizondo befriended Garry Marshall, who was impressed with his talent. Their first film together was Young Doctors in Love, in which Elizondo displays his guitar-playing talent. His role in Pretty Woman lasted only 10 minutes, but led to a Golden Globe nomination. In 1999, he co-starred in Runaway Bride as Fisher, the husband of the male protagonist's ex-wife. Elizondo has participated in more than 80 films (18 of which have been Marshall's). He appeared in every film that Marshall directed, including a brief appearance as a Portuguese fisherman in Overboard.

File:TeriGarr HectorElizondo.jpg

Actress Teri Garr and Héctor Elizondo on the set of Perfect Alibi (1995) with director Kevin Meyer.

In 2001, he was featured in the short-lived television drama Kate Brasher and portrayed security head Joe in the film The Princess Diaries, a role he reprised in the 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.<ref name="imdb"/> As a voice-actor, he played Bane in Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman.<ref name="imdb">[https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0001185

 | name/{{#if:{{#invoke:ustring|match|1=0001185|2=^nm}}
   | Template:Trim/
   | nm0001185/
   }}
 | {{#if: {{#property:P345}}
   | name/Template:First word/
   | find?q=%7B%7B%23if%3A+Hector+Elizondo%0A++++++%7C+Hector+Elizondo%0A++++++%7C+%5B%5B%3ATemplate%3APAGENAMEBASE%5D%5D%0A++++++%7D%7D&s=nm
   }}
 }}{{#if:  0001185 {{#property:P345}} | {{#switch: 
 | award | awards = awards Awards for | biography | bio = bio Biography for
 }}}} {{#if: Hector Elizondo
 | Hector Elizondo
 | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
 }}] at IMDb{{#if: 0001185{{#property:P345}}
 | Template:EditAtWikidata
 | Template:Main other

}}{{#switch:{{#invoke:string2|matchAny|^nm.........|^nm.......|nm|.........|source=0001185|plain=false}}

 | 1 | 3 =  Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning
 | 4 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning

}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:IMDb name with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|showblankpositional=1| 1 | 2 | id | name | section }}</ref> He may be best known to television audiences as Dr. Phillip Watters on the CBS television series Chicago Hope created by well-known television creator David E. Kelley. He has won both an Emmy and ALMA award and was nominated for a Satellite Award and several SAG Awards for playing this role. He is one of only two people to remain on the show for its entire run, the other being Adam Arkin.<ref name="imdb"/>

In 2008, Elizondo joined the cast of the USA Network series Monk as Dr. Neven Bell,<ref name=autogenerated1>Template:Cite web</ref> Adrian Monk's new psychiatrist, following the sudden death of Stanley Kamel, the actor who played Monk's original psychiatrist.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> In 2023, he reprised his role in Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie after some convincing from Tony Shalhoub.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From 2011 to 2021, Elizondo played Ed Alzate on the Fox (formerly ABC) comedy Last Man Standing, starring Tim Allen and Nancy Travis.<ref name="imdb"/>

In 2023, Elizondo guest voiced a character, Romar Adell, a local of Serenno who went into hiding after the Empire bombarded the planet, on Star Wars: The Bad Batch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Elizondo has been married three times. He became a father at the age of 19 with his first wife. Since 1969, he has been married to Carolee Campbell, an Emmy Award-winning actress who played nurse Carolee Simpson on The Doctors. They live in Sherman Oaks, California.<ref name="Hector"/>

In April 2013, Elizondo participated in the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, held at the University of Southern California, promoting children's reading.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Proud of his Latino heritage, Elizondo has said he does not accept roles that he feels are stereotypical or demeaning in any way.<ref>Profile, washingtonpost.com; accessed 2016-03-19.</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1963	Template:Sortname
1969	Template:Sortname	Inspector
1970	Template:Sortname	Hector
1971	Valdez Is Coming	Mexican Rider
	Born to Win	Vivian
1972	Deadhead Miles	Bad Character
	Pocket Money	Juan
	Stand Up and Be Counted	Lou Kellerman
1974	Template:Sortname	Mr. Grey
1975	Report to the Commissioner	Captain D'Angelo
1976	Diary of the Dead	Stan
1977	Thieves	Man Below
1979	Cuba	Capt. Raphael Ramirez
1980	American Gigolo	Det. Sunday
1981	Template:Sortname	Police Insp. Raphael Andrews
1982	Young Doctors in Love	Angelo/Angela Bonafetti
1984	Template:Sortname	Arthur Willis
1985	Private Resort	The Maestro
1986	Nothing in Common	Charlie Gargas
1987	Overboard	Garbage Scow Skipper	Uncredited
1988	Astronomy		Short film
	Beaches	Judge	Uncredited
1989	Leviathan	G.P. Cobb
1990	Pretty Woman	Barnard Thompson
	Taking Care of Business	Warden Frank Toolman
1991	Final Approach	Dr. Dio Gottlieb
	Necessary Roughness	Coach Ed Gennero
	Frankie and Johnny	Nick
1992	There Goes the Neighborhood	Norman Rutledge
	Samantha	Walter
1993	Being Human	Dom Paulo
1994	Backstreet Justice	Steve Donovan
	Beverly Hills Cop III	Jon Flint
	Getting Even with Dad	Lt. Romayko
	Exit to Eden	Dr. Martin Helifax
1995	Perfect Alibi	Det. Ryker
1996	Dear God	Vladek Vidov
1997	Turbulence	Lt. Aldo Hines
1999	Template:Sortname	Ernie
	Entropy	The Chairman
	Runaway Bride	Fisher
2001	Tortilla Soup	Martin Naranjo
	Template:Sortname	Joe
	How High	Bill the Crew Coach
2003	Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman	Bane	Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva">Template:Cite web A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
2004	Raising Helen	Mickey Massey	Uncredited
	Template:Sortname	Joe
	¡Mucha Lucha!: The Return of El Maléfico	Ring Announcer	Voice<ref name="btva" />
2006	I-See-You.Com	Greg Rishwain
	Template:Sortname	Cardinal Sebastian
2007	Music Within	Ben Padrow
	Georgia Rule	Izzy
	Love in the Time of Cholera	Don Leo
2010	Valentine's Day	Edgar
	New York Street Games	Himself/narrator	Documentary
2011	New Year's Eve	Lester Kominsky
2014	The Book of Life	Carlos Sanchez	Voice<ref name="btva" />
2016	Mother's Day	Lance Wallace
2017	The Lego Batman Movie	Commissioner James Gordon	Voice<ref name="btva" />
2021	Music	George
	Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It	Himself	Documentary
2023	Max & Me	Gunter	Voice

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1967	Template:Sortname	Dimitri	Unknown episodes
1969; 1970	Template:Sortname	Waiter; John Colley	2 episodes in March; 3 episodes in September
1969	Template:Sortname		Episode: "The Honeymooners: Mexican Hat Trick"
1971	Template:Sortname	Mr. Hernandez	Television film
1972	All in the Family	Carlos Mendoza	Episode: "The Elevator Story"
1973, 1976	Kojak	Det. Nick Ferro, Carl Dettrow	2 episodes
1974	Maude	Cop	Episode: "Speed Trap"
1975	Baretta	Jerry Damon	Episode: "The Fire Man"
	Columbo: A Case of Immunity	Hassan Salah	Television film
1975, 1978	Template:Sortname	John Micelli, Frank Falcone	2 episodes
1976	Popi	Abraham Rodriguez	11 episodes
	Wanted: The Sundance Woman	Pancho Villa	Television film
1978	The Dain Curse	Ben Feeney
	Template:Sortname	Strickland	Episode: "Dying Declaration"
1980	Freebie and the Bean	Det. Sgt. Dan "Bean" Delgado	7 episodes
1982	Medal of Honor Rag		Television film
	Bret Maverick	Mr. Gomez	Episode: "The Hidalgo Thing"
	Honeyboy	Emilio Ramirez	Television film
1983	Feel the Heat	Monkey Moreno	Unknown episodes
	Casablanca	Capt. Louis Renault	5 episodes
	Women of San Quentin	Capt. Mike Reyes	Television film
1984	a.k.a. Pablo	Jose Sanchez/Shapiro	6 episodes
	Hill Street Blues	Insp. Joe Keenan	Episode: "Ewe and Me, Babe"
1985	Murder: My Reason of Insanity	Ben Haggarty	Television film
	Out of the Darkness	Father George
1985–1986	Foley Square	Jesse Steinberg	14 episodes
1986	Courage	Nick Miraldo	Television film
	Amazing Stories	Meadows	Episode: "Life on Death Row"
	Matlock	Det. Joe Peters	Episode: "The Cop"
1987	Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson	Morris King	Television film
	Night Heat	Detective Hector Gurvin	Episode: "The Kid"
	Down and Out in Beverly Hills	Dave Whiteman	13 episodes
1988	Addicted to His Love	Det. Currigan	Television film
1989	Kojak: Ariana	Edson Saunders
	Template:Sortname	Ray Quintero	Episode: "Past Imperfect"
	Your Mother Wears Combat Boots	Sergeant Burke	Television film
1990	Sparks: The Price of Passion	Vic Ramos
	Dark Avenger	Capt. David Strauss	Television pilot
	Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files	Hasan Demir	Television film
1991	Chains of Gold	Lt. Ortega
	Finding the Way Home	Ruben
1991–93	Template:Sortname	Ioz	Voice, season 1 only
1992	Template:Sortname	Alejandro "Sandy" Stern	Miniseries
	Fish Police	Don Calamari	Voice, episode: "Beauty's Only Fin Deep"
	Mrs. Cage	Lt. Angel	Television film
1993	Jonny's Golden Quest	Atacama	Voice, television film
	Tales from the Crypt	Leo Burn	Episode: "As Ye Sow"
	Animaniacs	Stradivarius	Voice, episode: "The Cat and the Fiddle"<ref name="btva" />
	The Addams Family	Ian Thundermane	Voice, episode: "Double O Honeymoon"
1994	Picket Fences	Dr. Phillip Watters	Episode: "Rebels with Causes"
1994–95	Aladdin	Malcho	Voice, 2 episodes
1994–2000	Chicago Hope	Dr. Phillip Watters	Main role; 141 episodes
1995	Batman: The Animated Series	Sheldon Fallbrook	Voice, episode: "The Terrible Trio"<ref name="btva" />
	Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects	Attacama	Voice, television film<ref name="btva" />
1996	Gargoyles	Zafiro	Voice, episode: "The Green"<ref name="btva" />
1997	Murphy Brown	Himself	Episode: "Blind Date"
	Borrowed Hearts	Javier Del Campo	Television film
1998	Mikhail Baryshnikov's Stories from My Childhood	Voice	Episode: "Ivan and His Magic Pony"
	Early Edition	Dr. Phillip Watters	Episode: "Mum's the Word"
	Safe House	Dr. Simon	Television film
2001	Kate Brasher	Joe Almeida	6 episodes
2001–04	American Experience	Narrator	2 episodes
2002	Fidel	Eddie Chibas	Miniseries
	Template:Sortname	Dr. Dalton Millgate	Episode: "Dead Irish Writers"
	Street Time	Fariz Hammoud	3 episodes
	What's New, Scooby-Doo?	Dr. Guitirrez	Voice, episode: "3-D Struction"
	¡Mucha Lucha!	El Fundador	Voice, episode: "Our Founder"
2003	Template:Sortname	Narrator	Unknown episodes
	Without a Trace	Father Henry Stevens	Episode: "Revelations"
	Miracles	Father "Poppi" Calero	4 episodes
2004	Century City	Martin Constable	9 episodes
	Jack & Bobby	Gerald Cruz	Episode: "Chess Lessons"
	Justice League	Lt. Kragger	Voice, episode: "Starcrossed"<ref name="btva" />
	The Wild Thornberrys	Bald Eagle	Voice, episode: "Eliza Unplugged"<ref name="btva" />
2004–06	Justice League Unlimited	Lt. Kragger, Hath-Set	Voice, 2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2006	Avatar: The Last Airbender	Wan Shi Tong	Voice, episode: "The Library"<ref name="btva" />
	10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America	Narrator	10 episodes
2007	Cane	Pancho Duque	Main role; 13 episodes
	El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera	Justice Jaguar	Voice, episode: "The Grave Escape"<ref name="btva" />
2007–13	Grey's Anatomy	Carlos Torres	5 episodes
2008–09	Monk	Dr. Neven Bell	14 episodes
2010	Dora the Explorer	Wishing Wizzle	Voice, episode: "Dora's Big Birthday Adventure"<ref name="btva" />
	Go, Diego, Go!	King Vicuna	Voice, episode: "Diego Rescues Prince Vicuna"
2011	American Dad!	Himself	Voice, episode: "Fartbreak Hotel"
	ThunderCats	Viragor	Voice, episode: "The Forest of Magi Oar"<ref name="btva" />
2011–21	Last Man Standing	Ed Alzate	Main role
2013	The Legend of Korra	Wan Shi Tong	Voice, episode: "A New Spiritual Age"<ref name="btva" />
2015	Cristela	Ed Alzate	Episode: "Last Goose Standing"
	Jake and the Never Land Pirates	Captain Colossus	Voice, episode: "The Legion of Pirate Villains!"
2016–18	Elena of Avalor	Fiero	Voice, 6 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2017–20	Mickey and the Roadster Racers	Grandpa Beagle	Voice, 5 episodes
2021	Explained	Narrator	1 episode
2021–22	B Positive	Harry Milton	Recurring role; 14 episodes
2022	Green Eggs and Ham	Dooka	Voice, 6 episodes
2023	Star Wars: The Bad Batch	Romar Adell	Voice, episode: "Ruins of War"<ref name="btva" />
	Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie	Dr. Neven Bell	TV movie

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Venue	Ref.
1968	The Great White Hope	El Jefe / Deputy	Alvin Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1971	The Prisoner of Second Avenue	Mel Edison (replacement)	Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1974	Dance of Death	Kurt	Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1976	Sly Fox	Simon Able	Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1992	The Price	Victor Franz	Criterion Center Stage Right, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Ref.
2003	Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu	Bane	<ref name="btva" />
2010	Dora the Explorer: Dora's Big Birthday Adventure	Wishing Wizzle	<ref name="btva" />

Awards and nominations

OBIE Award

• 1971: Won, "Distinguished Performances" – Steambath

ALMA Awards

• 1998: Nominated, "Outstanding Individual Performance in a Television Series in a Crossover Role" – Chicago Hope
• 1998: Nominated, "Outstanding Individual Performance in a Television Series in a Crossover Role" – Turbulence
• 1998: Won, "Outstanding Actor in a Made-for-Television Movie or Mini-Series" – Borrowed Hearts
• 1999: Nominated, "Outstanding Individual Performance in a Television Series in a Crossover Role" – Chicago Hope
• 2000: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film" – Runaway Bride
• 2000: Won, "Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope
• 2002: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture" – Tortilla Soup

Emmy Awards

• 1992: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special" – Mrs. Cage
• 1995: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope
• 1996: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope
• 1997: Won, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope
• 1998: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope

Golden Globe Awards

• 1991: Nominated, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture" – Pretty Woman

Imagen Foundation Awards

• 2005: Nominated, "Best Supporting Actor in a Film" – The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

NCLR Bravo Awards

• 1996: Nominated, "Outstanding Television Series Actor in a Crossover Role" – Chicago Hope

Satellite Awards

• 1997: Nominated, "Best Performance By an Actor in a Television Drama Series" – Chicago Hope

SAG Awards

• 1995: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope
• 1997: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope
• 1998: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series" – Chicago Hope

Temecula Valley International Film Festival

• 2006: Won, "Lifetime Achievement Award"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans

External links

• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 1185

 | name/{{#if:{{#invoke:ustring|match|1=1185|2=^nm}}
   | Template:Trim/
   | nm0001185/
   }}
 | {{#if: {{#property:P345}}
   | name/Template:First word/
   | find?q=%7B%7B%23if%3A+%0A++++++%7C+%7B%7B%7Bname%7D%7D%7D%0A++++++%7C+%5B%5B%3ATemplate%3APAGENAMEBASE%5D%5D%0A++++++%7D%7D&s=nm
   }}
 }}{{#if: 1185  {{#property:P345}} | {{#switch: 
 | award | awards = awards Awards for | biography | bio = bio Biography for
 }}}} {{#if: 
 | {{{name}}}
 | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
 }}] at IMDb{{#if: 1185{{#property:P345}}
 | Template:EditAtWikidata
 | Template:Main other

}}{{#switch:{{#invoke:string2|matchAny|^nm.........|^nm.......|nm|.........|source=1185|plain=false}}

 | 1 | 3 =  Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning
 | 4 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning

}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:IMDb name with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|showblankpositional=1| 1 | 2 | id | name | section }}

• Template:Emmytvlegends name