
Acting
Manuel Padilla Jr.
Acting · Born 1955-07-13 · 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.
Credits · 20
FilmScarface
1983 · Kid #2
FilmMore American Graffiti
1979 · Carlos
FilmCotton Candy
1978 · Julio Sanchez
FilmAmerican Graffiti
1973 · Carlos
FilmTarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones
1971 · Jai
FilmThe Great White Hope
1970 · Paco
FilmTarzan's Deadly Silence
1970 · Jai
FilmA Man Called Horse
1970 · Leaping Buck
FilmCutter's Trail
1970 · Paco Avila

Then Came Bronson
1969 · Mike Wade
FilmTarzan's Jungle Rebellion
1967 · Jai
FilmTarzan and the Great River
1967 · Pepe

Tarzan
1966 · Jai
FilmTarzan and the Valley of Gold
1966 · Ramel
FilmTaffy and the Jungle Hunter
1965 · Beau
FilmSylvia
1965 · Pancho Guzman (uncredited)
FilmRobin and the 7 Hoods
1964 · Orphan Boy (uncredited)
FilmThe Young and the Brave
1963 · Han
FilmDime with a Halo
1963 · Rafael

Gunsmoke
1955 · Paco Avila