Acting Career
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| You may watch "Henry Darrow" perform in a clip from the final episode of "High Chaparral" here | |
Darrow had already landed small parts in 12 movies and 75 television series when he won the role in a play titled The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit. This brought him to the attention of television producer David Dortort, who immediately recruited him for his television western series The High Chaparral, casting him as Manolito Montoya. Making its debut on American television in September 1967 NBC, it went on to last four seasons and was screened around the world. While on the show, both he and series' lead Cameron Mitchell had become the breakout stars of the show, becoming household names. The on- and off-screen chemistry with Mitchell was truly remarkable, as they each made practical jokes, while sharing their traditional, brother-in-law values, despite being 15 years apart in age. When the series was canceled, the two continued to stay friends until Mitchell's death on July 6, 1994.
Darrow is the first Latino actor to portray Zorro on television. (José Suárez played Zorro in a 1953 Spanish film.) He starred in the series Zorro and Son and also has provided the voice for the animated series of The New Adventures of Zorro. He replaced Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Zorro's father from 1990–94, in the Family Channel's successful, The New Zorro.
In 1972, Darrow co-founded the Screen Actors Guild Ethnic Minority Committee with actors Ricardo Montalban, Edith Diaz and Carman Zapata.
In 1986, he appeared in the horror film The Hitcher as Trooper Hancock, a ruthless and vengeful policeman who would go above the law to the kill the main protagonist (who was framed for the crimes by the main antagonist).
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