Artie A. Ortego (February 9, 1890 – July 24, 1960) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 240 films between 1912 and 1955. Ortego portrayed cowboys,

henchmen A henchman (''vernacular:'' "hencher"), is a loyal employee, supporter, or aide to some powerful figure engaged in nefarious or criminal enterprises. Henchmen are typically relatively unimportant in the organization: minions whose value lies pri ...

and American Indians in a large number of

westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

and performed

horse riding stunts Trick riding refers to the act of performing stunts while horseback riding, such as the rider standing upright on the back of a galloping horse, using a specially designed saddle with a reinforced steel horn, and specialized kossak loops for h ...

. He was also a

stunt double In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes FOR another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...

for

Ramón Novarro José Ramón Gil Samaniego (February 6, 1899 – October 30, 1968), known professionally as Ramon Novarro, was a Mexican-American actor. He began his career in silent films in 1917 and eventually became a leading man and one of the top box ...

in '' The Barbarian'' (1933), which is set in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

and also stars

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. Trained as a dancer, Loy devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. ...

Biography

A full-blooded Mission Indian, Ortego was born in

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popu ...

, the son of Benjamin Ortega and Rosa Gardnos. His siblings were Mary Ortega and Ben Ortega. In 1900, the family lived at 753 Orchard Street in San Jose. His father was a butcher. His debut was in the role as Moon Face in

Bison Motion Pictures Bison Film Company, also known as 101 Bison Film Company, is an American film studio established in 1909 and disestablished in 1917. It partnered with Miller Brothers 101 Ranch to lease 20,000 acres to build a Western town set and an Indian villa ...

' silent western

short Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...

'' The Tattoo'' (1912) opposite

Mona Darkfeather Josephine M. Workman better known by her stage name, Princess Mona Darkfeather (January 13, 1882 – September 3, 1977) was an American actress who starred in Native American and Western dramas. During the silent era of motion pictures, from 1 ...

and William Bertram. Ortego starred in 41 movies with Darkfeather, 33 of which are known to be directed by her husband, Frank Montgomery. The last of their joint ventures was '' The Gambler's Reformation'' (1914), in which Ortego played an Indian named Brown Bear. Ortego played the role as Delgado in the

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

American Aristocracy American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

'' (1916) starring

Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thi ...

and

Jewel Carmen Jewel Carmen (born Florence Lavina Quick; July 13, 1897 – March 4, 1984) was an American silent film actress who appeared in over thirty films, primarily in the late 1910s. In addition to her film career, she was involved in several scan ...

. When he registered for the draft of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, on June 5, 1917, Ortego gave his home address as 771 Orchard Street, San Jose. He appeared in two movies that year, as The Rat in ''

The Great Secret "The Great Secret" is a science fiction story written by L. Ron Hubbard. It was originally published in April, 1943 in the pulp fiction magazine ''Science Fiction Stories''. Plot introduction The story revolves around Fanner Marston who as a slav ...

'' starring Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne and as Taggart's Indian in ''

The Avenging Trail ''The Avenging Trail'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Francis Ford and starring Harold Lockwood, Sally Crute, and Joseph Dailey. It was released on December 31, 1917. Plot Gaston Olaf returns home from college and finds out ...

'' starring

Harold Lockwood Harold A. Lockwood (April 12, 1887 – October 19, 1918) was an American silent film actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most popular matinee idols of the early film period during the 1910s. Early life and career Born in Brookl ...

and

Sally Crute Sally Crute (born Sally C. Kirby, June 27, 1886 – August 12, 1971) was an American actress of the silent film era. Biography Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before entering motion pictures Crute performed on stage. Crute was generally ca ...

In 1920, Ortego was living in a hotel at 920 West Third Street,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. He appeared in one movie that year, as Little Wolf in '' Skyfire'' starring and directed by

Neal Hart Neal Hart (April 7, 1879 – April 2, 1949) was an American actor and director of the silent era. Biography Hart was born in Staten Island, New York. Before he began working in films, he was a city marshal, cowboy, and stage driver. He wo ...

. That was followed by two shorts starring

Hoot Gibson Edmund Richard "Hoot" Gibson (August 6, 1892 – August 23, 1962) was an American rodeo champion, film actor, film director, and producer. While acting and stunt work began as a sideline to Gibson's focus on rodeo, he successfully transitioned ...

, '' The Driftin' Kid'' with

Gertrude Olmstead Gertrude Olmstead (November 13, 1897 – January 18, 1975) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 56 films between 1920 and 1929. Her last name was sometimes seen as Olmsted. Career Olmstead was born in Chicago, Illinoi ...

, who later credited Ortego with teaching her to perform a flying mount, and '' The Man Who Woke Up'' (both 1921). Ortego appeared in his first

talkie A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

as a vaquero in ''

Beyond the Rio Grande ''Beyond the Rio Grande'' is a 1930 American pre-Code western film directed by Harry S. Webb and starring Jack Perrin, Franklyn Farnum and Jay Wilsey.Munden, p. 55 Cast * Jack Perrin as Bert Allen * Franklyn Farnum as Joe Kemp * Charline Bu ...

'' (1930) starring

Jack Perrin Jack Perrin (born Lyman Wakefield Perrin; July 25, 1896 – December 17, 1967) was an American actor specializing in Westerns. Early life Perrin was born in Three Rivers, Michigan. His father worked in real estate and relocated the famil ...

. In 1931, he played the stage driver in ''

Galloping Thru ''Galloping Thru'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by Lloyd Nosler and written by Wellyn Totman. The film stars Tom Tyler, Betty Mack, Alan Bridge, Si Jenks, Stanley Blystone and Gordon De Main. The film was released on December 5, ...

'' starring

Tom Tyler Tom Tyler (born Vincent Markowski; August 9, 1903 – May 1, 1954) was an American actor known for his leading roles in low-budget Western films in the silent and sound eras, and for his portrayal of superhero Captain Marvel in the 1941 ...

and

Betty Mack Betty Mack (November 30, 1901November 5, 1980) was an American stage and film actress who appeared in over 45 films between 1931 and 1941. She became Betty Yohalem after her marriage to George Yohalem in 1941. She wrote ''I remember…. Storie ...

. He appeared in 14 movies starring John Wayne, including '' Randy Rides Alone'' (1934), ''

The Desert Trail ''The Desert Trail'' is a 1935 American Monogram Western film starring John Wayne and directed by Lewis D. Collins (credited as Cullin Lewis). The movie also features Eddy Chandler, Mary Kornman, and Paul Fix. Plot Rodeo star John Scott an ...

'' (1935),

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's '' Stagecoach'' (1939) with

Claire Trevor Claire Trevor ( Wemlinger; March 8, 1910April 8, 2000) was an American actress. She appeared in 65 feature films from 1933 to 1982, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ''Key Largo'' (1948), and received nomina ...

, and '' A Lady Takes a Chance'' (1943) with

Jean Arthur Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American Broadway and film actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Arthur had feature roles in three F ...

. His final movie appearance was in director Allan Dwan's jungle

Escape to Burma ''Escape to Burma'' is a 1955 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Allan Dwan starring Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan and David Farrar (actor), David Farrar. The film was based on the short story "Bow Tamely to Me" by Kenneth Perkins, ...

'' (1955) starring Barbara Stanwyck and

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 B ...

for RKO Pictures. He also made a number of

guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...

s on

television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

s, including roles on ''

The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in '' Everybody's Magaz ...

'' (1950, 1951 and , 1952), ''

The Range Rider ''The Range Rider'' is an American Western television series that was first broadcast in syndication from 1951 to 1953. A single lost episode surfaced and was broadcast in 1959. ''The Range Rider'' was also broadcast on British television durin ...

'' (1951), ''

Cowboy G-Men ''Cowboy G-Men'' is an American Western series that aired in syndication from September 1952 to June 1953, for a total of thirty-nine episodes. Synopsis Russell Hayden and former child actor Jackie Coogan (who would later perform as Uncle Feste ...

'' (1953), '' Hopalong Cassidy'' (1953) and ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

'' (1959). Artie Ortego died at age 70 of a stroke in St. Joseph's Hospital, Burbank, California.Los Angeles County, California, Death Records, Cert. No. 13314, Arthur A. Ortego, Free Lance Actor. He is interred in

San Fernando Mission Cemetery The San Fernando Mission Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery located in the Mission Hills community of the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. The property adjoins the San Fernando Mission and Bishop Alemany Catholic High School. ThSan Fernando Mi ...

, Mission Hills.

Selected filmography

*'' A Forest Romance'' (1913, Short) *'' For the Peace of Bear Valley'' (1913, Short) - Ortega *'' The Girl of the Golden West'' (1915) - Antonio *''

'' (1916) - Delgado *''

'' (1917, Serial) - The Rat *''

'' (1917) - Taggart's IIndian *'' Broadway Bill'' (1918) - Wabishke *''Skyfire'' (1920) - Little Wolf *'' The Driftin' Kid'' (1921, Short) *'' The Man Who Woke Up'' (1921, Short) *''Riding with Death'' (1921) - Tony Carilla *''

The Riddle Rider ''The Riddle Rider'' is a 1924 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film serial directed by William James Craft starring William Desmond (actor), William Desmond and Eileen Sedgwick. The film is considered to be lost film, lost. ...

'' (1924) *''Dangerous Odds'' (1925) *''

Two-Fisted Jones ''Two-Fisted Jones'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Edward Sedgwick and written by Scott Darling. The film stars Jack Hoxie, Kathryn McGuire, William Steele, Harry Todd, Frank Rice, and Paul Grimes. The film was release ...

'' (1925) - Buck Oxford *'' The Winking Idol'' (1926) * '' The Valley of Bravery'' (1926) *'' Under Western Skies'' (1926) * ''

'' (1930) * '' Hidden Valley'' (1932) *''

The Lucky Texan ''The Lucky Texan'' is a 1934 American Lonestar Films B-movie Western film featuring John Wayne (five years before his breakthrough appearance in ''Stagecoach''), Barbara Sheldon, Gabby Hayes, and the legendary stuntman and actor Yakima Canut ...

'' (1934) *'' West of the Divide'' (1934) *'' Blue Steel'' (1934) *''

The Man from Utah ''The Man from Utah'' is a 1934 pre-Code Monogram Western film starring John Wayne, Polly Ann Young and the stuntman/actor Yakima Canutt. It was written by Lindsley Parsons and directed by Robert N. Bradbury. Wayne has a "singing cowboy scene" ...

'' (1934) *'' Randy Rides Alone'' (1934) *''

The Star Packer ''The Star Packer'' is a 1934 Western film directed by Robert N. Bradbury and starring John Wayne, George "Gabby" Hayes, Yakima Canutt, and Verna Hillie. Plot U.S. Marshal John Travers becomes the sheriff of a turn-of-the-20th century wes ...

'' (1934) * ''

The Man Trailer ''The Man Trailer'' is a 1934 American pre-Code western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and starring Buck Jones and Cecilia Parker. It was a remake of the 1930 film ''The Lone Rider'' which had also starred Jones.Pitts p.207 It was shot at the Iv ...

'' (1934) *''

The Trail Beyond ''The Trail Beyond'' is a 1934 Western film directed by Robert N. Bradbury and starring John Wayne, Noah Beery Sr., and Noah Beery Jr. The motion picture was based on the novel ''The Wolf Hunters'' by James Oliver Curwood, which was also ada ...

'' (1934) *''

The Lawless Frontier ''The Lawless Frontier'' is a 1934 American Monogram Western film directed by Robert N. Bradbury and starring John Wayne, Sheila Terry, George "Gabby" Hayes, and Earl Dwire. It was the tenth of the Lone Star westerns. The picture was made on a ...

'' (1934) *'' 'Neath the Arizona Skies'' (1934) *'' Texas Terror'' (1935) *''

Lightning Triggers ''Lightning Triggers'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and starring Reb Russell, Yvonne Pelletier and Fred Kohler.Pitts p. 212-13 Plot Cast * Reb Russell as Reb Russell * Yvonne Pelletier as Marion * Fred Kohl ...

'' (1935) *'' Rainbow Valley'' (1935) *''

'' (1935) *'' Stagecoach'' (1939) *'' A Lady Takes a Chance'' (1943) *'' The Ghost Rider'' (1943) *'' Robin Hood of Monterey'' (1947) * ''

Desert Pursuit ''Desert Pursuit'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by George Blair and starring Wayne Morris, Virginia Grey and George Tobias. The film is based on the story "Horse Thieves' Hosanna" by Kenneth Perkins, originally published in the De ...

'' (1952)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ortego, Artie 1890 births 1960 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors American male television actors American stunt performers Male actors from San Jose, California American people of Spanish descent 20th-century American male actors Burials at San Fernando Mission Cemetery Male Western (genre) film actors