profile image

Manuel Padilla Jr.

Jul 13, 1955 - Jan 29, 2008 (52 years old) in Los Angeles, California, USA

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

poster
Gunsmoke
Paco Avila
poster
Tarzan
Jai
poster
Scarface
Kid #2
poster
American Graffiti
Carlos
poster
More American Graffiti
Carlos
poster
A Man Called Horse
Leaping Buck
poster
Sylvia
Pancho Guzman (uncredited)
poster
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Orphan Boy
poster
The Great White Hope
Paco
poster
Cutter's Trail
Paco Avila

Credits