Manuel Padilla Jr.

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.

Manuel Padilla Jr. is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 21 verified screen credits connected to this profile. Selected work includes Tarzan (1966), Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966), Gunsmoke (1955), Scarface (1983), Then Came Bronson (1969), American Graffiti (1973), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), A Man Called Horse (1970). The recorded credits span 1955 to 1983, including 18 movies and 3 TV shows. The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.