Hollywood Studio Magazine (1983)

By LOU VALENTINO You’ve heard the greeting hundreds of times: ‘“‘My dear guests. I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Island.” With these words Ricardo Montalban begins each episode of Fantasy Island, the ABC hit series that takes place on a tropical island where anything can happen. One of the reasons for the show’s success is Montalban himself who portrays Mr. Roarke, the major-domo of wishfulfillment. His role is that of a man with the power to make other people’s dreams come true. Montalban’s dream — from an acting standpoint — came true when he realized a long-time ambition to work again with one of his favorite leading ladies of the past, Cyd Charisse. This season she appeared with him in a segment of the show. The two stars go back a long way. During the Golden Age of Hollywood filmmaking when he was one of MGWM’s foremost Latin lovers and she was the studio’s leggiest dancing star, they were paired romatically in the 1947 Esther Williams musical Fiesta. The Metro studio chiefs were so impressed with the results that they reunited them the following year in On an Island With You and The Kissing Bandit. Montalban and Charisse also appeared together in Mark of the Renegade (1951, on loan-out to Columbia) and in Sombrero (1953), although this time they wound up in the arms of other co-stars. BRILLIANT IDEA It was not until 1983 that someone had the brilliant notion of reteaming them. The man was Aaron Spelling, producer of Fantasy Island, whose notion it was to give TV audiences a glimpse of the musical grandeur of yesteryear. In this particular segment — entitled The Big Show — Charisse is cast as Julie Mars, a former dancer who once was the partner and love of Mr. Roarke. Years before, their affair came to a tragic end when Roarke told Julie he could not leave his job as proprietor of Fantasy Island to marry her. She was so distressed that she drove off recklessly and had a car accident that left her a hopeless cripple. Now, years later, the bitter Julie returns to the island as one of Mr. Roarke’s special guests. Her fantasy is that she wants to dance just one more time as she did in her youth. It’s an ideal script for Montalban and Charisse and in it they are joined by a third Hollywood veteran, Cesar Romero. Another dashing romantic star of the old school, Romero plays the producer who wants to bring Julie Mars back to Broadway. The teleplay features a vigorous new musical number for Charisse and some stunning costumes that emphasize her still slim, supple figure and those long, gorgeous legs. Working on a sound stage reminiscent of their MGM musical days, Montalban and Charisse confess they have a warm feeling everytime they see each other. In their films, Montalban, although not a trained dancer, was often required to act as Charisse’s dancing partner. ‘I was totally inexperienced as a dancer but Cyd took me by the hand and virtually led me thru our numbers. She had infinite patience and understanding and was most generous. When I look at our films today on TV I can’t help chuckling a bit because I look like a thorough professional. Actually, it was 95% Cyd and 5% illusion that got me through our numbers.” NO MORE MUSICALS Charisse later went on to team with two of the most illustrious dancers the screen has ever known — Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Like Montalban, she laments the passing of the great old MGM musicals. ‘‘I know there’s still plenty of interest in musicals today because I get hundreds of letters from youngsters all over the world about them. These kids are just seeing me in pictures like Singin’ in the Rain, Silk Stockings, and The Band Wagon. When we were making these films there were only two ballet companies in America. Today there are dozens.” ON AN ISLAND WITH YOU (1948) an Esther Williams starrer, spotlighted Cyd and Ricardo in a sensational dance specialty. Cyd Charisse is still one of the finest dancers in show business. One of the reasons there are so few musicals being made these days is that there simply isn’t the time needed to make them. ‘“‘We used to rehearse one number for weeks and the result was sheer perfection on the screen. Now everything is rush, rush, rush.” When Cyd takes off her dancing shoes, she goes home to Tony Martin, her husband of 35 years. They have one son of their own, Tony Jr., 32, and Cyd has another son, Nico, 37 by a former marriage. Likewise, Montalban’s marriage is one of the most successful in the film colony. He has been married for 39 years to Georgiana Young, who was mostly a model, but who also appeared with her sisters Loretta Young and Sally Blane in the movie The Story of Alexander Graham Bell. ‘“‘That’s when I first saw Georgiana and fell in love with her,’’ says Montalban. “‘I used to cut out her pictures from magazines and save them. Four years later we met and two weeks later we were married.” The Montalbans are the devoted parents of four grown children and they have one grandchild. ‘I’ve discouraged them from acting by being realistic about the pitfalls and insecurities of the work,” he said, ‘‘they’ve seen the times I’ve been worried and the lean years.” Yet, he loves his business. And, he says with a nod toward Charisse, ‘‘it does have its wonderful moments.” HSM HOLLYWOOD STUDIO Magazine 9