GILBERT ROLAND (1905?–1994)


Gilbert Roland, whose real name was Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso, is something of a mystery. Some records indicate that he was born in 1905, but there is speculation that he may have been born a year or two earlier. His father, bullfighter Francisco Alonso, claimed Roland had been born in Spain; some experts cite documentation that his birthplace was actually Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The Alonso family crossed the border to El Paso, Texas, to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution, and approximately ten years later, at only 14, Luis Antonio made his way to Hollywood, where he landed uncredited bit parts in several movies. 

He chose his screen name, Gilbert Roland, in honor of silent stars John Gilbert and Ruth Roland (the latter of whom played the part of Anita Delgado, an athletic but feminine heroine-bandit known as the “Avenging Arrow”).  His dashing good looks and athletic prowess assured him consistent work on both silent and sound screens, most often as a Latin lover.  Gilbert Roland’s first major opportunity was a role in The Plastic Age. After serving in the U.S. Army in World War II, Roland appeared in the Cisco Kid film series between 1946 and 1948, adding several elements to the character to thwart stereotypes of Mexicans on the silver screen.