Fernando Rey (September 20, 1917 – March 9, 1994) — best known as Fernando Rey — was a Spanish film, theatre, and TV actor, who worked in both Europe and the United States. A suave, international actor best known for his roles in the films of surrealist director Luis Buñuel (Tristana, 1970; Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, 1972; That Obscure Object of Desire, 1977) and as a drug lord in The French Connection (1971), he appeared in more than 150 films over half a century.
The debonair Rey was described by French Connection producer Philip D'Antoni as "the last of the Continental guys". He achieved his greatest notoriety after he turned 50: "Perhaps it is a pity that my success came so late in life", he told The Times of Madrid in 1973. "It might have been better to have been successful while young, like El Cordobes in the bullring. Then your life is all before you to enjoy it."
Cannes Film Festival
Best Actor
Known For
That Obscure Object of Desire
(1977)
Mathieu Faber
The French Connection
(1971)
Alain Charnier
Return of the Seven
(1966)
Priest
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
(1972)
Don Rafael
1492: Conquest of Paradise
(1992)
Marchena
Tristana
(1970)
Don Lope
The Miracle of Marcelino
(1955)
Monje narrador
Viridiana
(1962)
Don Jaime
Villa Rides
(1968)
Fuentes
Guns of the Magnificent Seven
(1969)
Quintero
Navajo Joe
(1966)
Reverend Rattigan
French Connection II
(1975)
Alain Charnier
White Fang
(1973)
Father Oatley
Chimes at Midnight
(1965)
Worcester
The Hit
(1984)
Policeman
Seven Beauties
(1975)
Pedro the Anarchist Prisoner
Full Filmography
Acting
Los cuatro robinsones
(1939)
Leyenda rota
(1940)
Extra (uncredited)
El rey que rabió
(1940)
Extra (uncredited)
Eugenia de Montijo
(1944)
Duque de Alba
Los últimos de Filipinas
(1945)
Juan Chamizo
La pródiga
(1946)
José
Don Quixote
(1947)
Sansón Carrasco
Fuenteovejuna
(1947)
Frondoso
Reina santa
(1947)
Infante Alfonso
Mare nostrum
(1948)
Ulises / Capitán Ferragut
Locura de amor
(1948)
Don Felipe "el Hermoso"
Noche de reyes
(1948)
Si te hubieses casado conmigo
(1948)
Enrique Marín Rubio
Aventuras de Juan Lucas
(1949)
Juan Lucas
Sabela De Cambados
(1949)
Narrator (voice)
Black Sky
(1951)
Ángel López Veiga
La señora de Fátima
(1951)
Air Lashings
(1951)
La laguna negra
(1952)
Miguel
The Devil's Roundup
(1952)
Airport
(1953)
Fernando
Welcome Mr. Marshall!
(1953)
Narrador (voice)
Cabaret
(1953)
Carlos Jiménez
The Lovers of Toledo
(1953)
Comedians
(1954)
Miguel
El alcalde de Zalamea
(1954)
Crimen en el entreacto
(1954)
Cristo
(1954)
The Miracle of Marcelino
(1955)
Monje narrador
Don Juan
(1956)
Don Iñigo
La vida en un bloc
(1956)
(voice) (uncredited)
Playa prohibida
(1956)
The Adventures of Gil Blas
(1956)
Faustina
(1957)
Valentín
Un marido de ida y vuelta
(1957)
Paco
Day of Fear
(1957)
Madrugada
(1957)
Mauricio (voice) (uncredited)
The Singer from Mexico
(1957)
Cartoni - l'impresario (uncredited)
The Night Heaven Fell
(1958)
Tío (alternate version)
Sevilla Penitente
(1958)
La Rana Verde
(1958)
Narrator (voice)
¡Viva lo imposible!
(1958)
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Revenge
(1958)
Writer
The Last Days of Pompeii
(1959)
Arbaces, High Priest of Isis
Sonatas
(1959)
Captain Casares
Poison at 2:30
(1959)
Ramón
Parque de Madrid
(1959)
Don Luis
Mission in Morocco
(1959)
Princ Achmed
Culpables
(1960)
Mario
The Revolt of the Slaves
(1960)
Valerio
Don Lucio and Brother Pío
(1960)
Señor Aguilar
Vida sin risas
(1960)
The Savage Guns
(1961)
Don Hernán
Fantasmas en la casa
(1961)
Raimundo Rodríguez de Toledo
Teresa
(1961)
Profesor Héctor de la Barrera
Goliath Against the Giants
(1961)
Bokan the Usurper
Siempre es domingo
(1961)
Juez Andonelli
Viridiana
(1962)
Don Jaime
Face of Terror
(1962)
Dr. Charles Taylor
Rogelia
(1962)
Máximo García
My Son, the Hero
(1962)
Hoher Priester
The Castilian
(1963)
Ramiro II, rey de León
Scheherazade
(1963)
Al Fakid
The Running Man
(1963)
Police Official
The Ceremony
(1963)
Sanchez
El señor de La Salle
(1964)
Luis XIV
Backfire
(1964)
Commissioner of Beirut harbor
The Palomos
(1964)
Don Alberto
The New Cinderella
(1964)
Juan Echarre
La hora incógnita
(1964)
Sacerdote
The Rash One
(1964)
El Rico Pintor
Fin de semana
(1964)
Entrevistador
Chimes at Midnight
(1965)
Worcester
Legacy of the Incas
(1965)
President Castillo
Espionage in Lisbon
(1965)
Agent of the New World Organization
Son of a Gunfighter
(1965)
Don Pedro Fortuna
España insólita
(1965)
(voice)
The Devil Also Cries
(1965)
Ramòn Quiroga
Don Quijote
(1965)
Der Herzog
Der Marquis - der Mann, der sich verkaufen wollte
(1965)
Verleger Ramos
Samson and Gideon
(1965)
Lo straniero / The Stranger - Angel of the Lord
The Amazing Doctor G
(1965)
Goldginger
Navajo Joe
(1966)
Reverend Rattigan
Return of the Seven
(1966)
Priest
Attack of the Robots
(1966)
Sir Percy
El Greco
(1966)
Felipe II.
Amor en el aire
(1967)
Carlos Mª Saldiez
The Desperate Ones
(1967)
Ibram
Run Like a Thief
(1967)
Col. Romero
Historia de la frivolidad
(1967)
Gent
Cervantes
(1967)
Filipe II
The Viscount
(1967)
Villa Rides
(1968)
Fuentes
The Immortal Story
(1968)
Merchant
Guns of the Magnificent Seven
(1969)
Quintero
The Price of Power
(1969)
Pinkerton
A Candidate for a Killing
(1969)
Marco Augusto
Land Raiders
(1969)
Priest
Tristana
(1970)
Don Lope
Compañeros
(1970)
Prof. Xantos
Wrath of the Wind
(1970)
Don Antonio
The Adventurers
(1970)
Jaime Xenos
Aoom
(1970)
The French Connection
(1971)
Alain Charnier
The Great Swindle
(1971)
Luis
A Town Called Hell
(1971)
Old Blind Man
The Light at the Edge of the World
(1971)
Captain Moriz
Cold Eyes of Fear
(1971)
Juez Flower
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
(1972)
Don Rafael
La duda
(1972)
Don Rodrigo - Conde de Albrit
Antony and Cleopatra
(1972)
Lepidus
White Sister
(1972)
le directeur de l'hôpital
Canticle
(1972)
Padrino Elisa
This Kind of Love
(1972)
Giovanna's father
The Two Faces of Fear
(1972)
Inspector Nardi
Tarot
(1973)
Arthur
Fall of a Body
(1973)
M. Nansoit
White Fang
(1973)
Father Oatley
High Crime
(1973)
Cafiero
One Way
(1973)
Mr. David
Violent Blood Bath
(1974)
Oscar
The Murri Affair
(1974)
Prof. Murri
Say it with Flowers
(1974)
Jacques Berger
The Woman with Red Boots
(1974)
Perrot
¿... Y el prójimo?
(1974)
Luis Ignacio
French Connection II
(1975)
Alain Charnier
Seven Beauties
(1975)
Pedro the Anarchist Prisoner
Smiling Maniacs
(1975)
Judge Vanini
Illustrious Corpses
(1976)
Security Minister
The Desert of the Tartars
(1976)
Nathanson
Voyage of the Damned
(1976)
President Bru
A Matter of Time
(1976)
Charles Van Maar
Manuela
(1976)
Don Ramón
Striptease
(1976)
Alfonso
El segundo poder
(1976)
Cardenal
That Obscure Object of Desire
(1977)
Mathieu Faber
Eyes Behind the Wall
(1977)
Ivano
Elisa, My Life
(1977)
Luis
The Assignment
(1977)
Bidara
Rebeldía
(1978)
Don Luis
The Last Romantic Lover
(1978)
Max
Quintet
(1979)
Grigor
Traffic Jam
(1979)
Carlo
Cabo Blanco
(1980)
Police Captain Torredo
Memorias de Leticia Valle
(1980)
Don Fernando Valle
Honey
(1981)
Editor
Lady of the Camelias
(1981)
Count Stackelberg
Chaste and Pure
(1981)
Antonio Di Maggio
Trágala, perro
(1981)
Juez
The Crime of Cuenca
(1981)
Contreras
Monsignor
(1982)
Cardinal Santoni
A Estrangeira
(1982)
André
Looking for Jesus
(1982)
Don Filippo
Bearn
(1983)
Don Antonio
The Life and Times of Don Luis Buñuel
(1983)
Self
The Hit
(1984)
Policeman
A Strange Passion
(1984)
Piacchi
Angel of Death
(1985)
Ohmei Felsberg
Star Knight
(1985)
Fray Lupo
Our Father
(1985)
Cardinal
Black Arrow
(1985)
Warwick
Rustlers' Rhapsody
(1985)
Railroad Colonel
The House of Ulloa
(1985)
Saving Grace
(1986)
Cardinal Stefano Biondi
Paradise Hotel
(1986)
Joseph
Luis Buñuel: constructor de infiernos
(1986)
Himself
Mi general
(1987)
Director Almirante
The Enchanted Forest
(1987)
Sr. D'Abondo
Winter Diary
(1988)
Padre
Pasodoble
(1988)
Don Nuño
The Tunnel
(1988)
Allende
Scent of a Crime
(1988)
Fayón
Esmeralda Bay
(1989)
Ramos
La moglie ingenua e il marito malato
(1989)
Il professor Rune
Buñuel
(1989)
Self
Le Grand Secret
(1989)
Paul Corbet
Naked Tango
(1990)
Judge Torres
Drums of Fire
(1990)
Papa Pablo V
Breath of Life
(1990)
Gran Magno
Picture of Europe
(1990)
Self
1492: Conquest of Paradise
(1992)
Marchena
The Sow
(1992)
Fray Juan
L'Atlantide
(1992)
Father Mauritius
El Quijote de Miguel de Cervantes
(1992)
Don Quijote
After the Dream
(1992)
Ramiro Lanza
Don Quixote
(1992)
Closing Scene Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Madregilda
(1993)
Franco's Father
On the Far Side of the Tunnel
(1994)
Miguel
El cianuro… ¿solo o con leche?
(1994)
Gregorio
El Quijote desde la platea
(2019)
Self - Actor / Don Quixote (archive footage)