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Home seven-facts 7 Facts of Last Man Standing Actor Hector Elizondo: Marriage, Net Worth, Family, and Alzheimer's Disease

7 Facts of Last Man Standing Actor Hector Elizondo: Marriage, Net Worth, Family, and Alzheimer's Disease

Dahlia Published On Fri May 01 2020   Modified On Fri May 01 2020
7 Facts of Last Man Standing Actor Hector Elizondo: Marriage, Net Worth, Family, and Alzheimer's Disease

American actor Hector Elizondo is prominent for his performance as Dr. Phillip Watters on the medical drama Chicago Hope. His versatility can be noted in the eighty-plus movies and television shows he has appeared on, winning Emmy and earning nominations at Academy and Gloden Globe Award.

Some notable credits of Elizondo include The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, American Gigolo, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, and Beverly Hills Cop III.

7. Hector Elizondo: Age and Height

Born on December 22, 1936, Elizondo is 83 years old as of now. He stands 5 and feet 10 inches tall (1.78 m). 

Hector Elizondo
Hector Elizondo at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel. Source: Pinterest

Hector would get chased by bullies as a child while commuting to school. To this, his father 'simply and calmly said, “We’re not moving.” implying him to figure the matter on his own. 

6. He Is of Spanish descent 

Elizondo is the son of Carmen Medina Reyes and Martín Echevarría Elizondo. Hector's father belongs to the European ethnic group, Basques, and was born while his parents were traveling in a boat to Argentina from Spain, according to Washington Post. He worked as a notary public and accountant. 

On the other hand, Hector's mother was a Puerto Rican, daughter of a land-owning family. Elizondo's parents were both Puerto Ricans of Spanish descent and had moved to New York City in hopes of finding a better life.

Carmen and Martin raised Hector on the Upper West Side. The 83 years old actor considers his father a 'fount of wisdom' regarding the saying: “Do not be a part of the problem and never show off — makes you look like an amateur.” as his favorite one among all. 

5. Switched to Drama After Sustaining Injury

Elizondo held different jobs in his youth before entering the realms of the entertainment industry. He worked in a neon light factory, driving a truck in the day and attending the City College of New York at night, intending to become a history teacher. 

After dropping out of college, he started working as a conga drum player in a Latin band. He was also a classical guitarist and singer at some point. Besides, he worked as a weightlifting coach, manager of a bodybuilding gym, and as a ballet dancer. However, a knee injury led him to end his dance career and switch to drama, eventually making his way into the New York theater. 

4. Became the Spokesman of The Alzheimer's Foundation

In 2010, Elizondo took the position of celebrity spokesman for the New York City-based nonprofit organization, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. He has traveled around the country with Alzheimer’s specialists, promoting awareness and sharing his own experience about the disease that took the lives of his parents. 

Hector Elizondo
Hector Elizondo lost his mother to Alzheimer's disease. Source: PopSugar

Elizondo's mother died from Alzheimer's disease, and his father, who took the responsibility of primary caregiver throughout the time, died from the physical and mental toll of being a full-time caregiver. 

"People need to understand Alzheimer’s disease is not a mental illness—it’s neurological… and there is no reason to be ashamed. That’s why it’s imperative that caregivers have all the information they can about what this is, how to deal with it and who to go to.", he told in a conversation with The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation. 

3. Elizondo has a Net Worth of $10 Million

Receiving significant recognition with roles in shows as Chicago Hope and the Last Man Standing, Elizondo has been part of dozens of other projects in his almost six-decades-long career. 

The 83 years old actor made a guest appearance and starred in primary roles in television series like The Doctors,  Foley Square, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Tales from the Crypt, Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Grey's Anatomy. 

He made a big-screen debut with The Landlord, appearing in commercially successful movies in later years. Recently, Elizondo voiced Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon character in the $312 million-grossing animated film, The Lego Batman Movie. His works in movies and television can be credited to his net worth of $10 million.

2. Is Hector Elizondo Married?

Elizondo is married to Emmy-award winning actress, Carolee Campbell, since April 13, 1969. Campbell is known for her work in movies as This Is My Son and The Doctors. She is also a renowned photographer and publisher. Elizondo and Campbell live in Sherman Oaks, California. 

Hector Elizondo and Carolee Campbell
 Hector Elizondo with wife Carolee Campbell at the 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Source: Pinterest

Hector was briefly married to his second wife, Marie Mandry, in 1963; both divorced a year later in 1964. 

At the age of 19, Elizondo became a father with his first wife, Marie Rivera. They had tied the knot in1956 and welcomed their first child, a son, Rodd Elizondo, on September 5, 1956. However, they separated in 1957, making Elizondo a single father at 20 since he had received a full-custody of Rodd because his life was more stable than that of his wife, Rivera, at the time. 

Rodd died on February 24, 2017, at the age of 60. Hector has a granddaughter named Juliette.

1. Is the Main Cast of Last Man Standing 

Hector Elizondo plays as Edward "Ed" Alzate in the sitcom Last Man Standing. The show originally ran on ABC from 2011 to 2017. It was picked by Fox in 2018 and renewed for an eighth season in 2019.

Hector's character, Ed, is introduced as a longtime business partner of  Michael Martin "Mike" Baxter. Ed is of Basque heritage like another character,  Kyle Anderson.

The show also features actors Tim Allen, Nancy Travis, Alexandra Krosney, Molly Ephraim, Kaitlyn Dever, Christoph Sanders, Amanda Fuller, Flynn Morrison, Jordan Masterson, Jonathan Adams, Molly McCook, and many more.