Alejandro Rey

Early work

Rey was born in Buenos Aires and studied acting under Hedwig Schlichter and Milagros de la Vega. He became known as an actor in Argentine movies. In 1957, he participated in the film El Diablo de vacaciones, directed by Ferruccio Cerio, with Nelly Panizza and Ana María Cassan, embarking on the ship Yapeyu to travel around the world, but filming did not conclude. In 1960 he began working with Ana Casares forming the main couple of the television program "Maria Trastorno y yo", but within three months production had to be interrupted, after he was hired in the United States for a small role in Battle at Bloody Beach.

1960–86

Rey was most famous for his roles in movies such a Fun in Acapulco with Elvis Presley (1963), where although he receives no credit, his time on screen corresponds to that of a starring role. His only credited lead came later in the film The Stepmother (1972). On television, his best known role was that of casino owner and playboy Carlos Ramirez in The Flying Nun (1967–70), which became an international success. He also had memorable supporting and leading roles in two episodes of Thriller entitled "Guillotine" (1961) and "La Strega" (1962). In 1961, he made a guest appearance on the CBS courtroom drama series Perry Mason as murder victim and title character Vincent Danielli in "The Case of the Injured Innocent". He played a South American patriot in the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode "The Mist of Silence". He portrayed a Spanish sergeant on a 1966 episode of Daniel Boone. He also appeared in a season one episode of The Fugitive entitled "Smoke Screen".

Rey was part of an episode of Route 66, as a jai alai player in Florida, and brother to one of Fidel Castro's junior officers hoping to be reunited with his brother. Rey remained busy, playing the role of Karl Duval on Days of Our Lives from 1976 to 1977. He was also a frequent panelist on the game shows Tattletales, He Said, She Said, Hollywood Squares and Match Game. He appeared as part of an ensemble cast in William Peter Blatty's film, The Ninth Configuration (1980). In 1986, he played Captain Luis Rueda on Dallas. He also directed for television, with credits on Villa Allegre, The Facts of Life and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

Death

Rey remained busy until his death from lung cancer on May 21, 1987 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at age 57. He is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Personal

Rey became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1967 while appearing in The Flying Nun. On an episode of Tattletales, he said that his first marriage lasted "for 7 days". He married Joyce Bowman on May 24, 1969, in Los Angeles. She was the adopted daughter of attorney and long-time president of the Santa Ana School District Frank Bowman and his wife Dorothy. They had one son, Brandon A. Rey, who was born on February 9, 1973 in Los Angeles.