Henry Darrow, nee Henry Thomas Delgado, was born In New York City. When he was 13 years old, he and his parents moved back to their native Puerto Rico.
"I had my own television show in Puerto Rico," said Darrow. "Everyone always said I would be an actor. However, my 'bag' was political science which I studied at the University of Puerto Rico. I was going to be an interpreter." A friend told him of a contest that offered a dramatic scholarship. "I gave it a go. I won and I was given a choice of the Yale Neighborhood Playhouse or the Pasadena Playhouse. I asked how far Hollywood was from Pasadena. They said 10 miles. I chose the Pasadena Playhouse."
He graduated with a B.A. in theatre arts. From 1956-65 he played in 12 feature films and 75 television shows, including such series as "Gunsmoke,""The Iron Horse," "Wild, Wild West," "Bonanza," "Daniel Boone," and "T.H.E. Cat."
About his role in High Chaparral, Darrow didn't seem to mind being typecast again, because he found the role of Manolito Montoya intriguing.
"Manolito has a dual nature," he said. "When he is well dressed, he is one person. When he wears his beard he is another. When the beard comes on, Manolito starts feeling feisty and he gets the itch to shove on. He becomes a rogue." Darrow enjoyed playing cowboys and Indians weekly. He had one ambition. "I would like to play an Indian," he said, "When we were kids playing cowboys and Indians, I always wanted to be an Indian." But then, why not? He'd already done Shakespeare.
The year 1990 was a memorable one for Darrow, as he also won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work on the soap opera Santa Barbara.
Darrow died on March 14, 2021, of natural causes at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina.
