# Rafael Campos

Rafael Campos (May 13, 1936 – July 9, 1985) was an American actor whose credits include Blackboard Jungle (1955), Dino (1957), The Light in the Forest (1958), Slumber Party '57 (1976), The Astro-Zombies (1968), McMillan and wife (1973), Centennial (1978) and V (1983). He was briefly married to blues singer and pianist Dinah Washington.

## Background

Originally from the Dominican Republic, he moved to the United States in 1949. From 1961 to 1962, he was married to Dinah Washington, who was 12 years his senior. In 1961, Jet magazine published a photo with Washington embracing both Campos, reportedly her seventh husband, and her ex-husband Eddie Chamblee, reportedly her fifth husband. He then married the model Sally Boyd, with whom he had two daughters.
One of Campos's brothers is the cryptographer, artist, and poet Luis Campos; another brother, Fernando Campos, is the president of New York's Latin ACE awards.

## Career

Campos had a career that lasted 30 years. He was spotted by the director Richard Brooks during a theater production of Heavenly Express. Thanks to Brooks, he had a starring role alongside Glenn Ford, Vic Morrow, Margaret Hayes and Sidney Poitier in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle. In the 1955 film Trial, he reunited with Glenn Ford to play the part of a Chicano teenager wrongfully accused of murdering a white girl from a rich family at a beach party. Ford portrays a college law instructor who defends Campos' character. Other appearances include an episode of Have Gun – Will Travel, playing a teenager who stole a statue of St. Francis of Assisi and the episode "Pancho" in 1959. Also that year, he played the title character in "The Swift Cloud Story" (S2E27) on Wagon Train.
During the 1960s, he was in the Ted V. Mikels-directed film The Astro-Zombies, which starred John Carradine, Wendell Corey and Tura Satana. He played the part of Juan.
Among his TV credits is a 1962 appearance on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, titled "The Big Score." He also played a young Mexican boy, Juan De La O, who stole a horse in an episode of Laramie (season 3, episode 15), titled "The Barefoot Kid". He played the lead as a teen gang member who kills and robs a man who turns out to be a mob boss. Rafael played a young soldier on S12 E4 of Gunsmoke The Mission on October 8, 1966. Rafael had a memorable role in an episode of All In the Family where Archie is told to lay off part of his crew at work and from 1977 to 1978, the actor had a recurring role as Ramon Diaz Jr. in the series Rhoda. He appeared in 10 episodes of the show.
Possibly his last credited film role was in 1986 in The Return of Josey Wales, in which he played Chato.

## Death

Campos was diagnosed with stomach cancer and entered the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles in December 1984. He died at the hospital on July 9, 1985, aged 49. He was survived by his two daughters, five brothers and three sisters, and was buried at Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | Blackboard Jungle | Pete V. Morales | |
| 1955 | Trial | Angel Chavez | |
| 1956 | The Sharkfighters | Carlos | |
| 1957 | This Could Be the Night | Hussein Mohammed | |
| 1957 | Dino | Boy #2 | |
| 1958 | The Light in the Forest | Half Arrow | |
| 1958 | Tonka | Strong Bear | |
| 1959 | Wanted Dead or Alive | Pachito | Season 2 Episode 11: "Desert Seed" |
| 1959 | Wagon Train | Swift Cloud | Season 2 Episode 27: "The Swift Cloud Story" |
| 1959 | The Restless Gun | El Diablo | Season 2 Episode 33: "Ride with the Devil" |
| 1959 | Have Gun – Will Travel | Pancho | Season 3 Episode 6: "Pancho" |
| 1960 | Wagon Train | Dr. Swift Cloud | Season 3 Episode 33: "Dr. Swift Cloud" |
| 1962 | Have Gun – Will Travel | Paco | Season 6 Episode 10: "A Miracle for St. Francis" |
| 1962 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Gino | Season 7 Episode 22: "The Big Score" |
| 1963 | Savage Sam | Young Warrior | |
| 1964 | Lady in a Cage | Essie | |
| 1966 | Agent for H.A.R.M. | Luis | |
| 1966 | Mister Buddwing | Dice Player #7 | |
| 1966 | The Appaloosa | Paco | |
| 1968 | Girl in Gold Boots | | Uncredited |
| 1968 | The Astro-Zombies | Juan | |
| 1971 | Outlaw Riders | Pedro | |
| 1973 | Oklahoma Crude | Jimmy | |
| 1973 | The Doll Squad | Rafael | |
| 1974 | Hangup | Longnose | |
| 1976 | Slumber Party '57 | Dope Fiend | |
| 1978 | Centennial | Nacho Gomez | |
| 1980 | Where the Buffalo Roam | Rojas | |
| 1983 | Heartbreaker | Alfonso | |
| 1984 | V The Final Battle | Sancho Gomez | |
| 1985 | Fever Pitch | Rafael | |
| 1986 | The Return of Josey Wales | Chato | (final film role) |