Abel Gonzalez Fernandez (July 14, 1930 – May 3, 2016) was an American actor who played in movies from 1953 to 2002. He was best known for his role as Federal Agent William "Bill" Youngfellow on the 1959–1963 ABC Television series ''

The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...

''.

Biography

Fernandez was born in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, on July 14, 1930. His mother was

Yaqui The Yaqui, Hiaki, or Yoeme, are a Native American people of the southwest, who speak a Uto-Aztecan language. Their homelands include the Río Yaqui valley in Sonora, Mexico, and the area below the Gila River in Arizona, Southwestern United Stat ...

Native American and his father, Mesoamerican. He was the youngest of a large family and lost his mother at birth. He attended Belmont High School in Los Angeles, and at the age of 16, enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

and became a

paratrooper A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...

. While there he won the title, Middleweight Boxing Champ of the Asiatic Forces. In 1950, as an amateur, he won the

light heavyweight Light heavyweight, also referred to as junior cruiserweight or light cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the division is above and up to , falling between super middleweight and cruise ...

title in the Los Angeles

Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nation ...

competition. After his discharge, he became a professional

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

from 1950 to 1953. During that time he studied acting and began appearing in films. In 1964, Fernandez was sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading guilty to failing to file state tax returns in California for four years. Additionally, he had to pay $4,750 in taxes, plus penalties, and be on probation for four years.

Film and TV

Fernandez' film debut came in '' Second Chance'' (1953). He was the only cast member from the original Untouchables lineup in the series' 1959 "Scarface Mob" pilot, other than Robert Stack himself, to be cast for the series. His character is based on that of William Jennings Gardner, American Indian member of the real-life Untouchables federal squad. Fernandez has also appeared in dozens of TV and film roles in series such as ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'', ''

Time Tunnel ''The Time Tunnel'' is an American color science fiction TV series written around a theme of time travel adventure starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science-fiction television series and ...

'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'', ''

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...

'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...

'', '' The Virginian'', '' Have Gun–Will Travel'', and '' Marcus Welby M.D.'', as well as theatrical films such as ''

Fort Yuma Fort Yuma was a fort in California located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of ...

'', ''

Target Zero ''Target Zero'' is a 1955 American war and drama film directed by Harmon Jones and written by James Warner Bellah and Sam Rolfe.The film stars Richard Conte, Peggie Castle, Charles Bronson, Richard Wyler, L. Q. Jones and Chuck Connors. The film ...

'', '' Second Chance'' (1953) with

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...

, ''

Alaska Seas ''Alaska Seas'' is a 1954 American crime film noir directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Robert Ryan and Brian Keith. The supporting cast features Jan Sterling, Gene Barry and Aaron Spelling. The picture is a loose remake of the 1938 film '' Sp ...

'' starring

Robert Ryan Robert Bushnell Ryan (November 11, 1909 – July 11, 1973) was an American actor and activist. Known for his portrayals of hardened cops and ruthless villains, Ryan performed for over three decades. He was nominated for the Academy Award for ...

(also 1953), ''

Rose Marie Rose Marie (born Rose Marie Mazzetta; August 15, 1923 – December 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer with a career ultimately spanning nine decades, which included film, radio, records, theater, night ...

'' with Fernando Lamas (1954), '' The Last Wagon'' (1956), '' Pork Chop Hill'' starring

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

(1959), ''

Madigan ''Madigan'' is a 1968 American neo-noir crime drama thriller film directed by Don Siegel (as Donald Siegel) and starring Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda and Inger Stevens The screenplay—originally titled ''Friday, Saturday, Sunday''—wa ...

'' with

Richard Widmark Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, '' Kiss of Death'' (1947) ...

(1968), '' Quicksilver'' (1986), and many more. He also appeared in the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

TV series ''

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin ''The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin'' is an American children's television series in the Western genre that aired from October 1954 to May 1959 on the ABC television network. In all, 164 episodes aired. The show starred Lee Aaker as Rusty, a boy orph ...

'' (with

Lee Aaker Lee William Aaker (September 25, 1943 – April 1, 2021)Goldrup, Tom & Goldrup, Jim (2002) Growing Up on the Set: Interviews with 39 Former Child Actors of Classic Film and Television', McFarland & Co Inc, , pp. 5–12 was an American child actor ...

) as an Apache warrior. He occasionally produced theatrical shows for disadvantaged children.

Death

Fernandez died on May 3, 2016 from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

at a hospital in

Whittier, California Whittier () is a city in Southern California in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, part of the Gateway Cities. The city had 87,306 residents as of the 2020 United States census, an increase of 1,975 from the 2010 United States ...

, at the age of 85. He had four children. A US Army veteran of World War II, he was buried at

Riverside National Cemetery Riverside National Cemetery (RNC) is a cemetery located in Riverside, California, dedicated to the interment of United States military personnel. The cemetery covers , making it the largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administration ...

Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...

Partial filmography

* '' Second Chance'' (1953) – Rivera * ''

'' (1954) – Ricci—tall crewman * ''

'' (1954) – Indian Warrior (uncredited) * ''

Many Rivers to Cross "Many Rivers to Cross" is a song written and recorded in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff. It has since been recorded by many musicians, including Harry Nilsson, John Lennon, Joe Cocker, Percy Sledge, Little Milton, Desmond Dekker, UB40, Cher, The Brand Ne ...

'' (1955) – Slangoh * ''

Strange Lady in Town ''Strange Lady in Town'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Greer Garson. She plays a doctor who plans to introduce modern techniques of medicine to old Santa Fe in 1880, but is opposed by an established docto ...

'' (1955) – Apache (uncredited) * '' The Last Command'' (1955) – Spanish Soldier (uncredited) * ''

Devil Goddess ''Devil Goddess'' (1955) is the sixteenth and final Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features Johnny Weissmuller in his third and last performance as the protagonist adventurer Johnny Weissmuller (a character previously called "Ju ...

'' (1955) – Teinusi * ''

'' (1955) – Mangas * ''

'' (1955) – Pvt. Geronimo (uncredited) * ''

The Harder They Fall The Harder They Fall may refer to: * ''The Harder They Fall'' (1956 film), an American boxing film noir directed by Mark Robson. * ''The Harder They Fall'' (2021 film), an American Western film directed by Jeymes Samuel. * "The Harder They Fall", ...

'' (1956) – Chief Firebird (uncredited) * '' The Last Wagon'' (1956) – Apache Medicine Man (uncredited) * '' The Tijuana Story'' (1957) – Policeman (uncredited) * ''

Decision at Sundown ''Decision at Sundown'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott. It is one of seven Boetticher/Scott western collaborations, including '' Seven Men from Now'', '' The Tall T'', '' Buchanan Rides Al ...

'' (1957) – Pete (uncredited) * '' Pork Chop Hill'' (1959) – Kindley * ''The Age of Violence'' (1964) – Gangster * ''

Rio Conchos The Río Conchos (Conchos River) is a large river in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It joins the Río Bravo del Norte (known in the United States as the Rio Grande) at the town of Ojinaga, Chihuahua. Description The Rio Conchos is the main rive ...

'' (1964) – Mexican at Corral (uncredited) * ''

Apache Uprising ''Apache Uprising'' is a 1965 American Technicolor Western (genre), Western Techniscope film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Max Lamb and Harry Sanford. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Corinne Calvet, John Russell (actor), John Russel ...

'' (1965) – Young Apache Chief * ''

The Appaloosa ''The Appaloosa'' (also known as ''Southwest to Sonora'') is a 1966 American Western (genre), Western film starring Marlon Brando, Anjanette Comer and John Saxon, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his portray ...

'' (1966) – Mexican Farmer (uncredited) * ''

Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round ''Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round'' is a 1966 crime film written and directed by Bernard Girard, and starring James Coburn, Camilla Sparv, Aldo Ray, Nina Wayne, Todd Armstrong, Robert Webber, Rose Marie and Harrison Ford in his film debut. P ...

'' (1966) – Aztec Airlines Attendant (uncredited) * ''

'' (1968) – Detective Rodriguez * ''

Topaz Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine with the chemical formula Al Si O( F, OH). It is used as a gemstone in jewelry and other adornments. Common topaz in its natural state is colorless, though trace element impurities can mak ...

'' (1969) – Cuban Guerrilla Fighter (uncredited) * '' Quicksilver'' (1986) – Guyamo * ''

Buster's Bedroom ''Buster's Bedroom'' is a 1990 independent German comedy film directed by Rebecca Horn. The film follows a young woman with an infatuation for Buster Keaton. The film was shown at the Marché du Film of the Cannes Film Festival in May 1990. Later ...

'' (1991) – Dr. Jacoby (final film role)

References

* "The TV Collector" (August–September 1985, p. 18) * "TV Radio Mirror" (February 1961, pp. 66 & 67)

External links

*
''Abel Fernandez'' bio from the ''Native American Celebrities'' website

Obituary

Obituary # 2
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernandez, Abel 1930 births 2016 deaths American male actors of Mexican descent American people of Yaqui descent Belmont High School (Los Angeles) alumni Burials at Riverside National Cemetery Male actors from Los Angeles Native American male actors People from East Los Angeles, California