Several years ago, “El Zorro” was broadcast on television in Peru, a series that brought together adults and children in front of the television to see its funny scenes. Starring Guy Williams, the fiction led us to meet the version of the masked hero who fought for justice in California.
But beyond its main actor, there was an interpreter who stole the attention of viewers, this was Henry Calvin, known in Latin America as Sergeant Garcia.
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Wimberly Calvin Goodman was born on May 25, 1918 in Dallas, United States. Interested in art from a very young age, he began as a singer in his community choir and later as a soloist. His baritone voice appealed to the public, so he tried his luck at Broadway, where he would adopt the stage name of Henry Calvin.
But his plans to succeed in music would change when World War II burst: he was drafted as a soldier at age 21 while working at Radio City Music Hall.
After his time in the army, Calvin returned to the United States and sought to resume his career in music. In one way or another, he came to television and had participations in “The Chocolate Soldier (1947); Sally (1948) and Happy as Larry (1950).
These works would give him the opportunity to arrive in 1957 to the series “The Fox”, fiction produced by Disney. Here he had the role that brought him to fame, Demetrio Lopez Garciathe Sergeant Garcia.
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Those who came to see “El Zorro” in Peru know that Calvin was an important part of the series and another example of the good cast that had been made for the main characters. On his website, series historian Bill Cotter says the following about the actor:
“It’s hard to imagine that the show would have been as successful as it was without the unfortunate sergeant garcia and his many efforts to catch the elusive Fox”.
After the end of the series, which was in 1959, the actor sought to keep the rights to his character, but was unsuccessful. So he continued to look for roles in various programs.
His time in Argentina and the sad death of Sergeant García
As we mentioned in a previous note, the actor Guy Williams, who gave life to Zorro, came to Argentina to meet his fans, who considered his series one of the most popular on television. In the early 1970s, Calvin did the same and was invited to participate in some local TV shows.
The actor’s fans packed the airport to see him, causing chaos and excitement to see the popular actor. But the press would be shocked to see Calvin’s thinness. The actor was 80 kilos less than the 152 he showed on screen.
When the visit ended, he promised to visit that country again, but the promise was not fulfilled. In the United States, the truth behind his weight loss was discovered: throat cancer. Without a correct and timely diagnosis, the disease rapidly consumed his health. At just 57 years old, Henry Calvin died at his home in Dallas.
Without a doubt, he and Guy Williams became important pieces for the childhood and adolescence of thousands of viewers, who today can see the chapters of “El Zorro” again through Disney Plus.
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