The Late Great Henry Darrow

Actor Henry Darrow was something of a pioneer. As Manolito "Mano" Montoya on The High Chaparral, he was both the first Puerto Rican star of an hour-long American series and one of the earliest Latinos to have a lead role on an American show. He would later become the first Latino to ever play Zorro. Throughout his career, Henry Darrow avoided playing stereotypes, instead playing a succession of often complex characters. Sadly, Henry Darrow died yeserday, March 14 2021, at the age of 87.

Henry Darrow was born Enrique Tomás Delgado Jiménez on September 15 1933 in New York City. His parents operated a restaurant in Bedford Village that was often visited by such movie stars as Humphrey Bogart and Tallulah Bankhead. When he was eight he played a woodcutter in a school play. It was then that he decided he wanted to be an actor. 

Henry Darrow was 13 years old when his family returned to their native Puerto Rico. He studied acting and political science at the University of Puerto Rico. In 1954 he won a scholarship to the Pasadena Playhouse. Among his classmates was future Laugh-In star Ruth Buzzi. Mr. Darrow made his film debut in an uncredited role in Curse of the Undead in 1959. In the late Fifties he appeared in the movies Holiday for Lovers (1959), Revenge of the Virgins (1959), The 3rd Voice (1960), and Cage of Evil (1960). He made his television debut in an episode of Cimarron City in 1959. That same year he guest starred in an episode of Wagon Train.

In the early Sixties Henry Darrow guest starred on the shows The Dick Powell Show, Stoney Burke, The Outer Limits, Channing, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He appeared in the movies Sniper's Ridge (1961), Man-Trap (1961), Summer and Smoke (1961), and The Glass Cage. Originally credited as Henry Delgado, he adopted the stage name "Henry Darrow" in the mid-Sixties in order to get a wider variety of roles. He guest starred on the shows Iron Horse, The Wild Wild West, T.H.E. Cat, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Daniel Boone before he began playing the role of Manolito Montoya on The High Chaparral. Although the series never ranked in the top thirty in the United States, it proved to be popular and lasted four seasons. The High Chaparral proved to be phenomenally popular in Europe, particularly Sweden. Mano was easily the most popular character on the show, and Henry Darrow even became a teen heartthrob in the United States. Mr. Darrow also appeared in the movie The Dream of Hamish Mose (1969).

In the Seventies Henry Darrow had regular roles on both The Dick Van Dyke Show and Harry-O. He guest starred on the shows Primus, The Man and the City, Night Gallery, Bearcats!, The Mod Squad, The F.B.I., The New Doctors, Kung Fu, Insight, Chase, Kojak, The Invisible Man, McMillan & Wife, The Streets of San Francisco, Sara, Jigsaw John, Baretta, The Six Million Dollar Man, Gemini Man, Kingston: Confidential, Hawaii Five-O, Wonder Woman, Police Woman, The Bionic Woman, Vega$, and The Righteous Apples. He was a guest voice on the animated series The Lone Ranger. He appeared on the mini-series Centennial. He appeared in the movies Cancel My Reservation (1972), Badge 373 (1973), Where's Willie? (1978), and Walk Proud (1979).

In the Eighties Henry Darrow provided the voice of Zorro on the animated series The New Adventures of Zorro and later played the role of the elder Zorro on the comedy Zorro and Son. Mr. Darrow played the role of Don Alejandro de la Vega on a third Zorro project, the 1990-1993 series Zorro. He also had regular roles on the shows Me and Mom, and Santa Barbara. He guest starred on the shows Born to the Wind, Secrets of Midland Heights, B.J. and the Bear, The Incredible Hulk, American Playhouse, Quincy M.E., Cassie & Co., Benson, Dynasty, Hart to Hart, Tales of the Gold Monkey, Dallas, Jennifer Slept Here, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, The Fall Guy, Airwolf, Cover Up, Magnum P.I., The Fisher Family, Knight Rider, T. J. Hooker, Fresno, Easy Street, Ohara, Simon & Simon, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The Golden Girls. He appeared in the movies Beyond the Universe (1981), St. Helens (1981), Birds of Paradise (1981), Losin' It (1983), Mission Kill (1985), The Hitcher (1986), W.A.R.: Women Against Rape (1987), In Dangerous Company (1988), L.A. Bounty (1989), and The Last of the Finest (1990).

In the early Nineties Henry Darrow continued to appear on both Santa Barbara and Zorro. Late in the decade he became a regular on The Bold and the Beautiful. He guest starred on Silk Stalkings, Time Trax, Nurses, Sisters, Empire, Star Trek: Voyager, Babylon 5, Night Man, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, and Family Law. He appeared in the movies Maverick (1994), Criminal Passion (1994), Tequila Body Shots (1999), and Enemy Action (1999).

In the Naughts Mr. Darrow continued to appear on The Bold and the Beautiful. He guest starred on Just Shoot Me and One Tree Hill. He appeared in the films Runaway Jury (2003), Angels with Angles (2005), and Primo (2008). His last feature film appearance was in Soda Springs (2012).

Henry Darrow was a co-founder of both  the Nosotros Organization and the Screen Actors Guild Ethnic Minority Committee.

I think there can be no doubt that Henry Darrow will always be remembered as Mano on The High Chaparral. He was a remarkable character, one who loved comfort and the pleasures of life, but at the same time was willing to risk his life for others. Mano's jokes and smiles always hid a much more serious side to the character. What is more, Henry Darrow did an excellent job of playing Mano, making him one of the best character to emerge on American television in the Sixties. While Mr. Darrow may be best remembered as Manolito, he played a wide array of characters. He was a drug kingpin in Badge 373, about as far from Mano as one could get. He played a deposed noble, Archduke Maurice, in the Wild Wild West episode "Night of the Tottering Tontine." In the Night Gallery episode "Cool Air" (based on the Lovecraft story of the same name), he played a physician trying to postpone his own death. Henry Darrow was a remarkable actor who had a gift for imbuing every character he played with a personality all his own.