Nestor Paiva

Nestor Paiva

  • Highest Rated: 100% Les Girls (1957)
  • Lowest Rated: 0% They Saved Hitler's Brain (1963)
  • Birthday: Jun 30, 1905
  • Birthplace: Fresno, California, USA

  • Nestor Paiva had the indeterminate ethnic features and gift for dialects that enabled him to play virtually every nationality. Though frequently pegged as a Spaniard, a Greek, a Portuguese, an Italian, an Arab, an even (on radio, at least) an African-American, Paiva was actually born in Fresno, California. A holder of an A.B. degree from the University of California at Berkeley, Paiva developed an interest in acting while performing in college theatricals. Proficient in several languages, Paiva made his stage bow at Berkeley's Greek Theatre in a production of Antigone. His subsequent professional stage career was confined to California; he caught the eye of the studios by appearing in a long-running Los Angeles production of The Drunkard, which costarred another future film player of note, Henry Brandon. He remained with The Drunkard from 1934 to 1945, finally dropping out when his workload in films became too heavy. Paiva appeared in roles both large and small in so many films that it's hard to find a representative appearance. Fans of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby can take in a good cross-section of Paiva's work via his appearances in Road to Morocco (1942), Road to Utopia (1945) and Road to Rio (1947); he has a bit as a street peddler in Morocco, is desperado McGurk in Utopia, and plays the Brazilian theatre manager who isn't fooled by the Wiere Brothers' attempt to pass themselves off as Americans ("You're een the groove, Jackson") in Rio. During his busiest period, 1945 through 1948, Paiva appeared in no fewer than 117 films. The familiar canteloupe-shaped mug and hyperactive eyebrows of Nestor Paiva graced many a film and TV program until his death in 1966; his final film, the William Castle comedy The Spirit is Willing (1967), was released posthumously.

Highest Rated Movies

Filmography

Movies

Rating

Title

Credit

Box
Office

Year

No Score Yet Fly by Night Grube — 1993
No Score Yet The Spirit Is Willing Felicity's Father — 1967
No Score Yet Let's Kill Uncle (Let's Kill Uncle, Before Uncle Kills Us) Steward — 1966
14% Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter Saloon Owner — 1965
No Score Yet Ballad of a Gunfighter Padre — 1964
No Score Yet California Gen. Micheltorena — 1963
0% They Saved Hitler's Brain Police Chief Alaniz — 1963
No Score Yet The Madmen of Mandoras (Amazing Mr. H ) Police Chief Alaniz — 1963
33% Girls! Girls! Girls! Arthur Morgan — 1962
No Score Yet The Three Stooges in Orbit Chairman — 1962
No Score Yet The Wild Westerners Gov. John Bullard — 1962
No Score Yet The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse Miguel — 1962
No Score Yet Can-Can Bailiff — 1960
No Score Yet Pier 5, Havana Lopez — 1959
No Score Yet Alias Jesse James Bixby — 1959
No Score Yet The Case Against Brooklyn Finelli — 1958
89% The Left Handed Gun Maxwell — 1958
No Score Yet The Deep Six Pappa Tatos — 1958
No Score Yet Outcasts of the City Pastor Skira — 1958
No Score Yet The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca Actor — 1958
100% Les Girls Spanish Peasant Man — 1957
No Score Yet The Guns of Fort Petticoat Tortilla — 1957
43% The Mole People Prof. Etienne Lafarge — 1956
No Score Yet Comanche Puffer — 1956
93% All That Heaven Allows Manuel — 1955
22% Revenge of the Creature Lucas — 1955
No Score Yet New York Confidential Martinelli — 1955
94% Tarantula Sheriff Jack Andrews — 1955
No Score Yet Hell on Frisco Bay Lou Fiaschetti — 1955
No Score Yet Casanova's Big Night Gnocchi — 1954
85% Creature from the Black Lagoon Lucas — 1954
No Score Yet Thunder Pass Daniel P. Slaughter — 1954
No Score Yet Killer Ape Andrews — 1953
80% Call Me Madam Miccoli — 1953
65% Viva Zapata! New General — 1952
No Score Yet Diplomatic Courier Train Conductor — 1952
67% With a Song in My Heart Doctor — 1952
100% 5 Fingers Turkish Ambassador — 1952
No Score Yet Phone Call From a Stranger Headwaiter — 1952
94% On Dangerous Ground Gabini, Newsdealer — 1952
No Score Yet Mara Maru Capt. Van Hoten — 1952
No Score Yet My Favorite Spy Fire Chief — 1951
No Score Yet Double Dynamite (It's Only Money) `Hot Horse' Harris — 1951
No Score Yet Jim Thorpe---All American Hiram Thorpe — 1951
No Score Yet The Great Caruso Egisto Barretto — 1951
No Score Yet Guilty of Treason Actor — 1950
80% Young Man With a Horn Louis Galba — 1950
No Score Yet Rope of Sand Ship's Captain — 1949
No Score Yet Follow Me Quietly Benny — 1949
90% The Inspector General Gregor — 1949
No Score Yet Alias Nick Beal Carl — 1949
95% Mighty Joe Young Brown — 1949
No Score Yet Bride of Vengeance The Mayor — 1949
100% The Paleface Patient — 1948
100% Joan of Arc Henri le Royer — 1948
No Score Yet Mr. Reckless Gus — 1948
82% Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House Joe — 1948
No Score Yet A Likely Story Tiny — 1947
No Score Yet Shoot to Kill Gus Miller — 1947
100% Road to Rio Cardoso — 1947
No Score Yet Robin Hood of Monterey Actor — 1947
60% Humoresque Orchestra Leader — 1946
No Score Yet The Last Crooked Mile Ferrara — 1946
No Score Yet Suspense Man with Blond — 1946
No Score Yet Badman's Territory Sam Bass — 1946
No Score Yet Fear Schaefer — 1946
No Score Yet Cornered Police Official — 1945
No Score Yet Along the Navajo Trail Janza — 1945
No Score Yet A Thousand and One Nights Kahim — 1945
No Score Yet Nob Hill Luigi — 1945
No Score Yet Salome, Where She Danced Panatela — 1945
No Score Yet A Medal for Benny Frank Alviso — 1945
91% The Southerner Bartender — 1945
100% Road to Utopia McGurk — 1945
No Score Yet Kismet Captain of Police — 1944
No Score Yet The Falcon in Mexico Actor — 1944
No Score Yet Shine On, Harvest Moon Romero, the Chef — 1944
No Score Yet Tampico Naval Commander — 1944
No Score Yet The Purple Heart Francisco De Los Santos — 1944
86% The Song of Bernadette Baker — 1943
No Score Yet The Dancing Masters Silvio — 1943
No Score Yet Background to Danger Koylan — 1943
No Score Yet The Hard Way Max Wade — 1943
No Score Yet The Crystal Ball Stukov — 1943
No Score Yet Tornado Big Joe Vlochek — 1943
No Score Yet The Desert Song Benoit — 1943
No Score Yet The Fallen Sparrow Jake — 1943
No Score Yet Pittsburgh Barney — 1942
No Score Yet Ship Ahoy Felix — 1942
No Score Yet Johnny Eager Tony — 1942
92% Road to Morocco Arab Sausage Vendor — 1942
78% Reap the Wild Wind Man with Suspenders — 1942
No Score Yet Rise and Shine Captain — 1941
100% Hold Back the Dawn Flores — 1941
No Score Yet Pot o' Gold Guide — 1941
100% Hold That Ghost Glum — 1941
No Score Yet They Knew What They Wanted Pals at Table — 1940
No Score Yet Arise, My Love Uniformed clerk — 1940
No Score Yet He Stayed for Breakfast Gendarme — 1940
100% The Sea Hawk Slavemaster — 1940
No Score Yet Primrose Path Bluebell Manager (uncredited) — 1940
83% Santa Fe Trail Agitator — 1940
No Score Yet North West Mounted Police Half-breed — 1940
81% Another Thin Man Headwaiter — 1939
100% Beau Geste Corporal — 1939
No Score Yet Bachelor Mother Actor — 1939
No Score Yet Union Pacific C.P. Conductor — 1939
92% Midnight Woman's escort — 1939
No Score Yet Ride a Crooked Mile Leroyd — 1938
No Score Yet Prison Train Sullen — 1938
No Score Yet Spider's Web Henchman Red — 1938
No Score Yet Ramrod Curley — 1930

TV

Rating

Title

Credit

Year

No Score Yet Gunsmoke
1955-1975
Barman
  • 1965
No Score Yet Jonny Quest
1964-1965
Voice
  • 1964
No Score Yet The Beverly Hillbillies
1962-1971
Auctioneer
  • 1964
No Score Yet Bonanza
1959-1973
Thornton Tenino Chief Crazy Fox
  • 1964
  • 1961
  • 1960
No Score Yet The Andy Griffith Show
1960-1968
Big Jack Anderson
  • 1963
No Score Yet Rawhide
1959-1965
Hagerty
  • 1962
No Score Yet Perry Mason
1957-1966
Nico
  • 1961
No Score Yet Maverick
1957-1962
Louie
  • 1958
  • 1957

QUOTES FROM Nestor Paiva CHARACTERS

Lucas
It is impossible. But I, Lucas, will do it.