Robert Beltran
About
Biography
Biography
Handsome and athletic performer of stage, screen and TV who proved charismatic and very funny playing self-consciously macho Mexican-Americans in two droll satires helmed by Paul Bartel, "Eating Raoul" (1982) and "Scenes From the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills" (1989). Beltran was also Chuck Norris' sidekick in "Lone Wolf McQuade" (1982), the male lead in the sci-fi comedy "Night of the Comet" (1984) and the star of cinematographer-director Haskell Wexler's controversial war drama "Latino" (1985). In the latter, he was a conflicted American Green Beret of Latin descent assigned to Honduras to train the Contras for raids on Nicaragua.
Beltran honed his acting skills as a member of the California Shakespeare Festival appearing in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Hamlet," and "Henry IV." He met celebrated playwright, screenwriter and director Luis Valdez and played a small role in his film adaptation of his play "Zoot Suit" (1981). Beltran went on to work with Valdez's "workers'" theater company "El Teatro Campesino" and had his first starring stage role in Valdez's "Corridos." He also collaborated with the playwright on "Rose of the Rancho," "La Pastorela" and "I Don't Have to Show You No Stinkin' Badges." Beltran remains active on the LA stage where he co-founded and serves as co-artistic director of the East Los Angeles Classic Theater Group.
Beltran tends to be cast as Chicanos and American Indians. He made his TV acting debut playing a Sioux brave in "The Mystic Warrior" (ABC, 1984), a historical miniseries. He went on to numerous guest shots and TV-movies as well as starring in several busted pilots. Beltran also had a recurring role on the primetime soap "Models Inc." (Fox, 1994) as the intrepid Lieutenant Soto. He hitched his fortunes to the stars as a regular on "Star Trek: Voyager" (UPN, 1995-2001) playing the spiritual Native American First Officer Chakotay.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1979
Joined the California Shakespeare Festival
1981
Met actor-writer-director Paul Bartel
1981
Made feature acting debut in a small role in Valdez's film version of his play "Zoot Suit"
1982
First substantial film role, played Raoul in Paul Bartel's "Eating Raoul"
1984
Played the male lead in "The Night of the Comet"
1984
TV acting debut, starred as a Sioux brave in "The Mystic Warrior", an ABC miniseries
1984
TV-movie debut, "Calendar Girl Murders"
1985
Starred as a Chicano Green Beret advisor to the Contras in Honduras in Haskell Wexler's "Latino"
1986
Starred in "The Family Martinez", a busted CBS sitcom pilot
1987
Co-starred in "Barrington", a busted crime drama pilot broadcast on "CBS Summer Playhouse"
1989
Reteamed with Paul Bartel for a featured role in "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills"
1990
Played the title character in "El Diablo", a Western-comedy made-for-cable movie co-scripted by John Carpenter on HBO
1994
Played the recurring role of Lt. Louis Soto on "Models, Inc.", primetime soap
1995
Debut as a series regular, played First Officer Chakotay on "Star Trek: Voyager"
1997
Appeared in title role of "Hamlet" at the Actors' Gang Theater
1999
Co-starred in "Luminarias"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
