
Person
Manuel Padilla Jr.
Acting · 1955–2008 · Los Angeles, California, USA
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.
Known for

Gunsmoke
Paco Avila

Scarface
Kid #2

Tarzan
Jai

Then Came Bronson
Mike Wade

American Graffiti
Carlos

Robin and the 7 Hoods
Orphan Boy (uncredited)

More American Graffiti
Carlos

A Man Called Horse
Leaping Buck

The Great White Hope
Paco

Tarzan and the Great River
Pepe
Filmography
- 1983ScarfaceKid #2
- 1979More American GraffitiCarlos
- 1978Cotton CandyJulio Sanchez
- 1973American GraffitiCarlos
- 1971Tarzan and the Perils of Charity JonesJai
- 1970The Great White HopePaco
- 1970Tarzan's Deadly SilenceJai
- 1970A Man Called HorseLeaping Buck
- 1970Cutter's TrailPaco Avila
- 1969Then Came BronsonMike Wade
- 1967The Mountains of the MoonJai
- 1967Tarzan's Jungle RebellionJai
- 1967Tarzan and the Great RiverPepe
- 1966TarzanJai
- 1966Tarzan and the Valley of GoldRamel
- 1965Taffy and the Jungle HunterBeau
- 1965SylviaPancho Guzman (uncredited)
- 1964Robin and the 7 HoodsOrphan Boy (uncredited)
- 1963The Young and the BraveHan
- 1963Dime with a HaloRafael
- 1955GunsmokePaco Avila
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