Character actor Caesar Cordova, best known for appearing in gangster films with Al Pacino, has passed away. Variety reports that Crodova died of natural causes on Wednesday in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Cordova is survived by his wife Gladys Gomez; their four children Panchito Gomez, Luis Gomez, Ana Sanchez Gomez and Elena Gomez Martinez, and three children from a previous marriage Damarys Cordova, Abigail Cordova and Jesse Cordova. Born in 1936 in Puerto Rico, Cordova was 84 at the time of his passing. May he rest in peace and our condolences to his family.
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Though Cordova started his acting career on television, he’s probably best known for appearing in movies like Carlito’s Way, where he played the barber, and Scarface, where he played a taco stand cook; both opposite Al Pacino and both directed by filmmaker Brian De Palma. Some of his other feature film roles include appearances in Where the Buffalo Roam with Bill Murray, Nighthawks opposite Sylvester Stallone and Billy Dee Williams, Cutter’s Way with Jeff Bridges, and Shark’s Treasure.
Cordova also dabbled in TV throughout his career as well, making appearences on episodes of Kojak, The A-Team, and Cagney & Lacey. He also appeared on Broadway in the show “Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?,” another collaboration with Al Pacino.
The previously mentioned son of Cordvoa, Panchito Gรณmez, followed his father into the world of acting. In the early 70s he encouraged Gรณmez to pursue acting as a young boy, auditioning for a part in the second season of Sesame Street for The Children’s Television Workshop. Gรณmez auditioned opposite Raรบl Juliรก and would go on to become the first child actor named in the credits of the series.
Cordvoa’s two biggest credits, De Palma’s Scarface and Carlito’s Way, arrived ten years apart. Scarface, a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, was met with negative critical reception upon release but has become a cult film in the decades since. Carlito’s Way, despite a warmer reception upon release, has also developed a following since its release with both films now bona fide classics in the pantheon of Hollywood.
