From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Perry Lopez July 22 1929 February 14 2008 was an American film and television actor His acting career lasted over 40 years before his death in 2008 Lopez was born in New York City Lopez began his acting career on in theater based in New York He was signed to a contract at Warner Bros Studios in 1955 Lopez appeared in a number of Bmovies and Westerns early on in his career including the Creature from the Black Lagoon Young Guns and The Lone Ranger Lopez was perhaps best known as Lieutenant Lou Escobar in the 1974 film Chinatown which he starred in opposite Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway He reprised the role sixteen years later with Escobar promoted to Captain in The Two Jakes in 1990 Among his many television appearances one of his more wellknown roles is that of Esteban Rodriguez in the classic Star Trek episode Shore Leave Lopez also appeared in an episode of Bonanza as the coldblooded outlaw Duke Miller who kills a man over being first in line to get a haircut He was Joaquín Castañeda a mestizo that fought to free his people on El Zorro starring Guy Williams Lopez also appeared in episode 14 Night Of The Long Knives originally airing December 16 1966 of The Time Tunnel television series in the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode Savage Jungle and played Pvt Petuko in Kellys Heroes 1970 Lopez died of lung cancer in at The Rehabilitation Centre of Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills California at age 78 He was survived by several nieces and nephews Description above from the Wikipedia article licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia