Manuel Padilla Jr.
An image from Tarzan, one of the productions that also features Manuel Padilla Jr..
Manuel Padilla Jr.

Manuel Padilla Jr.

July 13, 1955 — 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.

American Graffiti

American Graffiti

1973

Tarzan

Tarzan

1966

Tarzan and the Valley of Gold

Tarzan and the Valley of Gold

1966

The Young and the Brave

The Young and the Brave

1963

Cotton Candy

Cotton Candy

1978

Tarzan and the Great River

Tarzan and the Great River

1967

Dime with a Halo

Dime with a Halo

1963

Cutter's Trail

Cutter's Trail

1970