In the 1960s, Padilla was a popular child actor, usually playing the Mexican or Indian boy in TV westerns such as "Rawhide," "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke". He was a regular in the 1960s TV series "Tarzan", with actor Ron Ely, in dozens of episodes as native boy 'Jai', and as also a semi-regular in the TV series, "The Flying Nun", with actress Sally Field. In featured films, as an adult, Padilla made appearances in the films, "The Great White Hope", "American Graffiti", "A Man Called Horse", and "Scarface", among others.
Padilla died unexpectedly at age 52, just after making a public appearance at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, in January 2008.
1983
as Kid #2
1979
as Carlos
1978
as Julio Sanchez
1973
as Carlos
1971
as Jai
1970
as Paco
1970
as Jai
1970
as Leaping Buck
1970
as Paco Avila
1967
as Jai
1967
as Jai
1967
as Pepe
1966
as Jai
1966
as Ramel
1965
as Beau
1965
as Pancho Guzman (uncredited)
1964
as Orphan Boy
1963
as Han
1963
as Rafael
1955
as Paco Avila