Fernando Rey, the great Spanish movie actor primarily known in the United States for his role as "Frog One" in _The French Connection . Many honors came to Rey in the twilight of his career, during the 1980s and 1990s. He was awarded at San Sebastián and Cannes, and was presented with the gold medal of the Spanish Art and Movie Sciences Academy. He became the president of that Academy from 1992 till his death from cancer two years later.
Studied architecture.
Thanks to his work with Luis Buuel he was the first Spanish actor who gained international fame.
(1992-1994) President of the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Member of jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1975
Due to his starring in The French Connection and that he did much of his acting work in French films, many Americans perceived him as a Frenchman, when he was in fact very much Spanish.
Became the favorite leading actor of Luis Buuel in the latter half of the directors career.
Was also a voice actor, and provided the Castilian Spanish dubbed voice for Laurence Olivier in Hamlet and The Prince and the Showgirl ; for Henry Fonda in The Longest Day , and for the character "Jim" in the animated feature When the Wind Blows (John Mills in the original). He also dubbed himself into Spanish in the roles he performed in other languages, as well as other Spanish actors in Spanish movies whose voice was deemed unsuitable for the screen.
Had a son, Fernando Casado Campolongo.
The January 16, 1974, edition of Variety, in the Film Production section, reports the movie The Captive began filming Sep. 13, 1973, producer/director Herb Freed, starring Rey, Oliver Reed , and, Curt Jurgens. No evidence the movie was ever released.
Got his part in The French Connection after his name was mixed up with that of actor Francisco Rabal; Rabal himself turned out to be unavailable at the time, so Rey was retained for the role.
