Totally immersed in the world of Henry Darrow — The ‘High Chaparral’ actor speaks
Henry Darrow, best known for his starring turns on two venerable western series — The High Chaparral and the Family Channel’s revival of Zorro in the early ‘90s — is disarmingly honest charting his long and often rocky boulevard to success. As a young boy coming of age in World War II-era New York, Darrow relished spending time in his family’s combination inn and restaurant. Movie icons like Humphrey Bogart and Tallulah Bankhead regularly rubbed shoulders, but the business was inexplicably closed after a scant three years.
The Puerto Rican family had no alternative except to return to their native country, where Darrow’s dream of becoming an actor could have easily faded into the ether. Fate had other plans. Darrow was drawn to a neighborhood movie theater after school. Watching his favorite cowboy heroes ride off into the sunset became a tempting allure for the punk kid who refused to follow a stern nun’s warning in Catholic school.
A return to American with an apprenticeship at the Pasadena Playhouse put the wheels in motion for a valuable lesson regarding overacting for the “Spanish Barrymore.” Bonanza creator David Dortort attended an evening theater performance and gave Darrow his big break nearly 10 years after graduating from the Pasadena Playhouse alongside a future…
