Un poco más Romero está aquí: Cesar Romero reads to children in Spanish

ONCE upon a time, a week ago, I posted an item featuring Cesar Romero.

Not content to just let it go at that, I've dug into my record library to pull out these old thrift store finds.



On the first record, Señor Romero reads 'The Three Bears' in spanish to a group of english-speaking children to assist in their language lessons. On the second, he reads 'Little Red Riding Hood'.
He reads books from translator Hanna Hutchinson's series of familiar stories designed to help kids learn new languages.

If these books came out in 1962, I'll assume for now that the tie-in records appeared around the same time.



Side Two of each record has Cesar reading the story again with the children parroting each line back to him.
It has its educational value, to be sure, and its comedic value, as often the kid's pronunciation falls short.
But mostly the 'drill' factor gets a bit tedious for the casual listener, so I haven't included those recordings.

Sorry, and you're welcome.



















(click on images to ENLARGE)




Also pictured in the cover photograph above is cartoonist Ed Nofziger, illustrator of the books and these record jackets.

For some additional info on Nofziger, try here.








- - and speaking of Cesar Romero and storytelling, from Mark Evanier's POV Online, here's a link to his Cesar Romero story.


Listen to: Cesar Romero - Los Tres Osos (click for audio)

Listen to: Cesar Romero - Caperucita Roja (click for audio)

1950 print ad: Cesar Romero Discovers Schenley

I'm not exactly sure why I was relieved to discover that Cesar Romero *had* actually portrayed Cortez prior to this 1950 magazine ad. It was in 1947's 'Captain from Castile' opposite Tyrone Power.

I think I just didn't care for the idea that he'd dressed up as the conquistador *solely* to sell whiskey. No, I don't know what difference it makes.

As is likely the case with many of my generation, the first place I can remember becoming aware of Cesar Romero was as The Joker in the sixties' Batman TV series. My absolute favorite thing about his portrayal was how he'd refused to shave off his moustache for the role, opting to have it whited out to match the rest of his make-up. That's class - - or something.

I also remember as a little kid, watching old Shirley Temple movies on TV on Sunday mornings. I recall my quietly mind-blowing personal realization upon spotting a young Romero in a couple of them, cast in supporting roles with different ethnicities. It was the first time I considered that perhaps movie acting is merely a career, and one that must come with its own difficulties about its own expectations. It was the first time it occurred to me that being The Joker was in its way just another job in a long string of jobs for Cesar Romero.

Taking it a step further and guessing it must be something like that for all actors, and hey, what about the people behind the camera...
...I never thought about movies and TV quite the same way again.
(But my fondness for character actors was born.)

Just a very few years later, at a Saturday kiddie matinee, spotting Romero again in one or another of Kurt Russell's Disney flicks, I'd nod in something approximating quiet wisdom recalling my former epiphany.

Now, I'd love to see any of the half-dozen Cisco Kid movies he made between 1939 - '41. Maybe they'll be reissued to DVD some day. But don't get me started about the continued unavailability of that Batman TV series...

ADDENDUM 5/31/07 - - Here's a link to Cesar in another print ad, from 1954.