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{{short description|Greek-American actor}}
'''Nico Minardos''' (born [[February 15]], [[1930]]), is an [[United States|American]] [[actor]]. He made his first appearance in front of the Hollywood cameras as an extra in the [[1952]] film ''[[Monkey Business (1952 film)|Monkey Business]]'', starring [[Cary Grant]], [[Ginger Rogers]], and [[Marilyn Monroe]]. Also listed among his film credits are ''[[Twelve Hours to Kill]]'', in which he starred opposite [[Barbara Eden]]; ''[[It Happened in Athens]]'', starring blonde bombshell [[Jayne Mansfield]]; and ''[[Cannon for Cordoba]]'', an action-packed western with [[George Peppard]] and [[Pete Duel]].
{{Infobox person
| name = Nico Minardos
| image = Nico Minardos publicity still.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Nicholas Minardos
| birth_date = February 15, 1930
| birth_place = [[Pangrati]], [[Athens]], Greece
| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|8|27|1930|2|15}}
| death_place = [[Woodland Hills, Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| nationality = Greek-American
| other_names =
| occupation = Actor
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = *Deborah Jean Smith (m. mid-1950s)
*Julie Minardos (m. 1965)
| children = 2
}}


'''Nico Minardos''' (born '''Nicholas Minardos'''; February 15, 1930, [[Pangrati]], Athens – August 27, 2011, [[Woodland Hills, Los Angeles]]) was a Greek-American actor.
The majority of Minardos' work, however, was in television, where he made guest appearances in a wide variety of shows. Because of his dark looks, he was often cast as a Mexican, a trend which can be seen throughout his career. These roles included that of a thief in the ''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]'' episode, "The Judas Mask"; a doctor in ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'', [[The Gift (The Twilight Zone)|"The Gift"]]; and two in ''[[Alias Smith and Jones]]'', first as a bandit chief in "Journey from San Juan," and then as the Alcalde of a Mexican resort town in "Miracle at Santa Marta." These latter two appearances reunited him with ''[[Cannon for Cordoba]]'' co-star, [[Pete Duel]], who played Hannibal Heyes, the alias Smith of title.


==Work in Hollywood==
Minardos, who is of Greek descent, has been married twice. He wed his first wife, Deborah Montgomery, in [[1951]]. The couple, who divorced in [[1956]], had one child together. Two years after the divorce, Deborah married the legendary actor [[Tyrone Power]]. Minardos remarried in [[1966]]. He and his wife Susan have two children together. Minardos is also famous for living with the actress [[Marilyn Monroe]] in the 1950s.
His first Hollywood screen appearance was as an extra in the 1952 film ''[[Monkey Business (1952 film)|Monkey Business]]''. His film credits also include ''[[Holiday for Lovers]]''; ''[[Twelve Hours to Kill]]''; ''[[It Happened in Athens]]''; and ''[[Cannon for Cordoba]]''.


The majority of Minardos's work was in television, where he made guest appearances in a wide variety of shows. Due to his dark looks and accent, he was often cast as a Mexican. He appeared in "Have Gun Will Travel" S2 E19 "The Monster" as Carlos (1960). He played a thief in the ''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]'' episode, "The Judas Mask"; a doctor in ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode [[The Gift (The Twilight Zone)|"The Gift"]]; and two roles in the TV show ''[[Alias Smith and Jones]],'' first as a bandit chief in "Journey from San Juan", and then as the Alcalde of a Mexican resort town in "Miracle at Santa Marta". These latter two appearances reunited him with ''[[Cannon for Cordoba]]'' co-star, [[Pete Duel]], who played Hannibal Heyes, the alias Smith of the title. He was cast as an Italian, Giangiacomo, in the 1965 ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' episode "The Case of the Sad Sicilian".{{cn|date=April 2018}} Minardos also appeared in an episode of ''[[Barnaby Jones]]'' titled "The Loose Connection" (1973).
In 1975, Minardos starred in and produced [[Assault on Agathon]]. This was a spy adventure in which a CIA team attempts to catch a drug smuggling ring in Greece. It is the story of a revolutionary from WW2, the mysterious Agathon who is committing terrorsit acts in Greece and Albania. Minardos stars as Cabot Cain, Western agent assigned to stop Agathon and locate a missing Interpol agent. The file also starred [[Marianne Faithfull]]. Minardos' last appearance on the screen was in an episode of ''[[The A-Team]]'' in 1983.


In 1975, Minardos starred in and produced ''[[Assault on Agathon]]'' based on the book by [[Alan Caillou]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Assault-Agathon-Alan-Caillou/dp/B000GWQDN0|title=Assault on Agathon|first=Alan|last=Caillou|date=16 April 1972|publisher=Avon|via=Amazon}}</ref> It is the story of a revolutionary from World War II, the mysterious Agathon, who is committing terrorist acts in Greece and Albania. Minardos stars as Cabot Cain, a Western agent assigned to stop Agathon and locate a missing Interpol agent. Minardos obtained financing for the film from [[Kjell Qvale]], a Bay Area-based automotive entrepreneur who was then the majority shareholder in [[Jensen Motors]]. Minardos had approached Qvale for a product placement deal to use a [[Jensen Interceptor]] during filming but ultimately convinced Qvale to finance the entire movie.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/ondemand/findingnico|title=Watch Finding Nico Online - Vimeo On Demand|date=19 January 2017|publisher=|via=Vimeo}}</ref> [[MGM]] distributed the film but it was a financial failure. Minardos's last appearance on the screen was in an episode of ''[[The A-Team]]'' in 1983.{{cn|date=April 2018}}
Minardos' was one of the celebrated defendants in the [[Iran-Contra Affair]]. He was represented by attorney [[William Kunstler]] in this case. Although he was exhonorated of all charges, the cost of his legal defense drove him to the point of bankruptcy.


==Personal life==
Today, Minardos lives in the infamous South Florida condominium, [[Southpoint]]. He is a political activist and has been interviewed and quoted by several local newpapers, including the Miami Herald and the Sun Sentinel. He is a member of the [[Cyber Citizens For Justice]], and has become involved in Florida Condominium Law Reform.
[[File:Julie_and_Nico_Minardos.1970.jpg|thumb|right|Julie and Nico Minardos]]
He was born Nicholas Minardos in Greece and emigrated to the United States permanently in 1954; he became a naturalized citizen in 1960. Minardos was married twice, first briefly in the mid-1950s to the former [[Deborah Minardos Power Loew|Deborah Jean Smith]] (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Deborah Ann Montgomery).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://javabeanrush.blogspot.com/2014/05/TyronePowerAndDeborahMinardos.html|title=Tyrone Power and Deborah|date=5 March 2014|publisher=Java's Journey}}</ref> There were no children from that marriage. Two years after the divorce, Deborah married the legendary actor [[Tyrone Power]], and after he died, producer [[Arthur Loew Jr.]] Minardos remarried in 1965. He and his wife Julie had two children together, a son named George and a daughter named Nina. Minardos reputedly lived with the actress [[Marilyn Monroe]] in the 1950s and with the actress/dancer [[Juliet Prowse]].<ref name="vimeo1">{{cite web | url=https://vimeo.com/ondemand/findingnico | title=Watch Finding Nico Online &#124; Vimeo on Demand | date=19 January 2017 }}</ref>


==External links==
==Notable events==
On September 28, 1966, Minardos, who was co-starring with actor [[Eric Fleming]] in an MGM-TV movie filming on location in Peru to be titled ''Selva Alta'' (''High Jungle''), was involved in a canoeing mishap on the [[Huallaga River]] in which Fleming drowned. Minardos, a strong swimmer, was unable to rescue Fleming from the rapids and only barely survived himself. Fleming's body was swept away in the turbulent waters and was only found three days later.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/10/01/121730228.pdf|title=ERIC FLEMING, 41, OF 'RAWHIDE,' DIES; Drowns in River in Peru During Filming of Movie|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
[[File:Nico Minardos flying plane.jpg|thumb|Nico Minardos at controls of a Cessna airplane]]
In 1986, Minardos was one of the defendants in a case related to the [[Iran–Contra affair]], resulting from Minardos' business association with the Saudi arms merchant [[Adnan Khashoggi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1989/09/dunne198909|title=Khashoggi's Fall|first=Dominick|last=Dunne|website=vanityfair.com|date=15 September 2008 }}</ref> Minardos was caught in an FBI sting operation in New York and was indicted by then-U.S. Attorney [[Rudy Giuliani]] on charges of conspiracy to illegally ship arms to Iran. He was represented by attorneys [[William Kunstler]] and [[Ron Kuby]] in this case. Minardos was interviewed by [[Mike Wallace]] for a segment of the show ''[[60 Minutes]]'' regarding his role in the case.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/11/30/court-papers-link-bush-to-arms-deal/|title=Court Papers Link Bush To Arms Deal|website=orlandosentinel.com}}</ref> Although the indictment was dismissed, the cost of his legal defense drove him to the point of bankruptcy and ended his Hollywood career.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/05/world/us-drops-charges-in-iran-arms-case.html|title=U.S. DROPS CHARGES IN IRAN ARMS CASE|first=Arnold H.|last=Lubasch|work=The New York Times |date=5 January 1989 }}</ref> Minardos traded his home in Beverly Hills for a sailing yacht in Florida, which he outfitted and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to his Greek homeland with a crew that included his son George.<ref name="vimeo1"/>


==Later life==
*{{imdb name|id=0590956|name=Nico Minardos}}
Minardos retired to Fort Lauderdale, Florida during the 1990s and 2000s, but moved to Southern California in 2009 after suffering a stroke. He died in 2011 in [[Woodland Hills, Los Angeles|Woodland Hills]], California at age 81. He was the subject of a 2010 documentary about his life titled ''[[Finding Nico]]'', produced and directed by his godson [[Owen Prell]], whose father, [[Donald Prell]], was a longtime friend of Minardos from their bachelor days in Los Angeles in the 1950s.


==Filmography==
[[Category:American film actors|Minardos, Nico]]
{| class="wikitable"
[[Category:American television actors|Minardos, Nico]]
|-
[[Category:Greek-American actors|Minardos, Nico]]
! Year
[[Category:1930 births|Minardos, Nico]]
! Title
[[Category:Living people|Minardos, Nico]]
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1952|| ''[[Monkey Business (1952 film)|Monkey Business]]'' || Handsome Guy at Pool || Uncredited
|-
|1953|| ''[[The Glory Brigade]]'' || Greek Soldier || Uncredited
|-
|1954|| ''[[The Egyptian (film)|The Egyptian]]'' || Minor Role || Uncredited
|-
|1955|| ''[[Jump into Hell]]'' || Guard || Uncredited
|-
|1955|| ''[[Desert Sands]]'' || Gerard ||
|-
|1956|| ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'' || Courtier || Uncredited
|-
|1956|| ''[[Three Brave Men]]'' || Friend || Uncredited
|-
|1957|| ''[[Istanbul (film)|Istanbul]]'' || Ali ||
|-
|1957|| ''[[Under Fire (1957 film)|Under Fire]]'' || Pvt. Tartolia || Uncredited
|-
|1957|| ''[[Ghost Diver]]'' || Manco Capao ||
|-
|1959|| ''[[Holiday for Lovers]]'' || Carlos Barroso ||
|-
|1960|| ''[[Twelve Hours to Kill]]'' || Martin Filones ||
|-
|1962|| ''[[Samar (1962 film)|Samar]]'' || Capt. De Guzman ||
|-
|1962|| ''[[It Happened in Athens]]'' || Lt. Alexi Vinardos ||
|-
|1966|| ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' || Carlos || Episode: "Odds On Evil"
|-
|1967|| ''[[Hondo (TV series)|Hondo]]'' ||Ponce ||Episode: "Hondo and the Savage"
|-
|1968|| ''[[Day of the Evil Gun]]'' || DeLeon ||
|-
|1968|| ''[[Daring Game]]'' || Ricardo Balboa ||
|-
|1970|| ''[[Cannon for Cordoba]]'' || Peter ||
|-
|1977|| ''[[Assault on Agathon]]'' || Cabot Cain ||
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0590956|name=Nico Minardos}}
*{{IMDb title|id=1676106|title=Finding Nico}}
*Visit the Memorial Website for Nico Minardos: http://www.nicominardos.name/
*[https://variety.com/2011/scene/people-news/nico-minardos-dies-at-81-1118043262/ obituary in ''Variety'']


{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Minardos, Nico}}
{{US-screen-actor-stub}}
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Greek emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Male actors from Athens]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]

Latest revision as of 15:58, 30 November 2024

Nico Minardos
Born
Nicholas Minardos

February 15, 1930
Pangrati, Athens, Greece
DiedAugust 27, 2011(2011-08-27) (aged 81)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
NationalityGreek-American
OccupationActor
Spouses
  • Deborah Jean Smith (m. mid-1950s)
  • Julie Minardos (m. 1965)
Children2

Nico Minardos (born Nicholas Minardos; February 15, 1930, Pangrati, Athens – August 27, 2011, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles) was a Greek-American actor.

Work in Hollywood

[edit]

His first Hollywood screen appearance was as an extra in the 1952 film Monkey Business. His film credits also include Holiday for Lovers; Twelve Hours to Kill; It Happened in Athens; and Cannon for Cordoba.

The majority of Minardos's work was in television, where he made guest appearances in a wide variety of shows. Due to his dark looks and accent, he was often cast as a Mexican. He appeared in "Have Gun Will Travel" S2 E19 "The Monster" as Carlos (1960). He played a thief in the Maverick episode, "The Judas Mask"; a doctor in The Twilight Zone episode "The Gift"; and two roles in the TV show Alias Smith and Jones, first as a bandit chief in "Journey from San Juan", and then as the Alcalde of a Mexican resort town in "Miracle at Santa Marta". These latter two appearances reunited him with Cannon for Cordoba co-star, Pete Duel, who played Hannibal Heyes, the alias Smith of the title. He was cast as an Italian, Giangiacomo, in the 1965 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Sad Sicilian".[citation needed] Minardos also appeared in an episode of Barnaby Jones titled "The Loose Connection" (1973).

In 1975, Minardos starred in and produced Assault on Agathon based on the book by Alan Caillou.[1] It is the story of a revolutionary from World War II, the mysterious Agathon, who is committing terrorist acts in Greece and Albania. Minardos stars as Cabot Cain, a Western agent assigned to stop Agathon and locate a missing Interpol agent. Minardos obtained financing for the film from Kjell Qvale, a Bay Area-based automotive entrepreneur who was then the majority shareholder in Jensen Motors. Minardos had approached Qvale for a product placement deal to use a Jensen Interceptor during filming but ultimately convinced Qvale to finance the entire movie.[2] MGM distributed the film but it was a financial failure. Minardos's last appearance on the screen was in an episode of The A-Team in 1983.[citation needed]

Personal life

[edit]
Julie and Nico Minardos

He was born Nicholas Minardos in Greece and emigrated to the United States permanently in 1954; he became a naturalized citizen in 1960. Minardos was married twice, first briefly in the mid-1950s to the former Deborah Jean Smith (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Deborah Ann Montgomery).[3] There were no children from that marriage. Two years after the divorce, Deborah married the legendary actor Tyrone Power, and after he died, producer Arthur Loew Jr. Minardos remarried in 1965. He and his wife Julie had two children together, a son named George and a daughter named Nina. Minardos reputedly lived with the actress Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s and with the actress/dancer Juliet Prowse.[4]

Notable events

[edit]

On September 28, 1966, Minardos, who was co-starring with actor Eric Fleming in an MGM-TV movie filming on location in Peru to be titled Selva Alta (High Jungle), was involved in a canoeing mishap on the Huallaga River in which Fleming drowned. Minardos, a strong swimmer, was unable to rescue Fleming from the rapids and only barely survived himself. Fleming's body was swept away in the turbulent waters and was only found three days later.[5]

Nico Minardos at controls of a Cessna airplane

In 1986, Minardos was one of the defendants in a case related to the Iran–Contra affair, resulting from Minardos' business association with the Saudi arms merchant Adnan Khashoggi.[6] Minardos was caught in an FBI sting operation in New York and was indicted by then-U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani on charges of conspiracy to illegally ship arms to Iran. He was represented by attorneys William Kunstler and Ron Kuby in this case. Minardos was interviewed by Mike Wallace for a segment of the show 60 Minutes regarding his role in the case.[7] Although the indictment was dismissed, the cost of his legal defense drove him to the point of bankruptcy and ended his Hollywood career.[8] Minardos traded his home in Beverly Hills for a sailing yacht in Florida, which he outfitted and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to his Greek homeland with a crew that included his son George.[4]

Later life

[edit]

Minardos retired to Fort Lauderdale, Florida during the 1990s and 2000s, but moved to Southern California in 2009 after suffering a stroke. He died in 2011 in Woodland Hills, California at age 81. He was the subject of a 2010 documentary about his life titled Finding Nico, produced and directed by his godson Owen Prell, whose father, Donald Prell, was a longtime friend of Minardos from their bachelor days in Los Angeles in the 1950s.

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1952 Monkey Business Handsome Guy at Pool Uncredited
1953 The Glory Brigade Greek Soldier Uncredited
1954 The Egyptian Minor Role Uncredited
1955 Jump into Hell Guard Uncredited
1955 Desert Sands Gerard
1956 The Ten Commandments Courtier Uncredited
1956 Three Brave Men Friend Uncredited
1957 Istanbul Ali
1957 Under Fire Pvt. Tartolia Uncredited
1957 Ghost Diver Manco Capao
1959 Holiday for Lovers Carlos Barroso
1960 Twelve Hours to Kill Martin Filones
1962 Samar Capt. De Guzman
1962 It Happened in Athens Lt. Alexi Vinardos
1966 Mission: Impossible Carlos Episode: "Odds On Evil"
1967 Hondo Ponce Episode: "Hondo and the Savage"
1968 Day of the Evil Gun DeLeon
1968 Daring Game Ricardo Balboa
1970 Cannon for Cordoba Peter
1977 Assault on Agathon Cabot Cain

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Caillou, Alan (16 April 1972). "Assault on Agathon". Avon – via Amazon.
  2. ^ "Watch Finding Nico Online - Vimeo On Demand". 19 January 2017 – via Vimeo.
  3. ^ "Tyrone Power and Deborah". Java's Journey. 5 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Watch Finding Nico Online | Vimeo on Demand". 19 January 2017.
  5. ^ "ERIC FLEMING, 41, OF 'RAWHIDE,' DIES; Drowns in River in Peru During Filming of Movie" (PDF). The New York Times.
  6. ^ Dunne, Dominick (15 September 2008). "Khashoggi's Fall". vanityfair.com.
  7. ^ "Court Papers Link Bush To Arms Deal". orlandosentinel.com.
  8. ^ Lubasch, Arnold H. (5 January 1989). "U.S. DROPS CHARGES IN IRAN ARMS CASE". The New York Times.
[edit]
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