Pilar Del Rey, a veteran character actor who appeared with James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor in Giant and guested on dozens of classic TV series, died February 25 of natural causes in Los Angeles. She was 95. A family spokesperson confirmed the news to Deadline.
In George Stevens’ 1956 epic Giant, Del Rey played the sickly Mrs. Obregon, who is cared for along with her baby by Taylor’s Leslie Benedict as an impatient Jett Rink (Dean) tries to rush her. Leslie’s learning of the local Mexican ranch workers’ living conditions and the racist attitudes toward them is a key early plot point in the film, which drew nine Oscar noms including Best Picture. Stevens won for Best Director.
Born on May 26, 1929, in Fort Worth, Texas, Del Rey made her film debut in the late 1940s and A Spanish-American, she portrayed characters from various ethnic backgrounds with depth and authenticity.
She joined the Screen Actors Guild in 1949 had an uncredited role opposite a young Rita Moreno in The Ring (1952). Del Rey went on to appear in a 1953 episode of TV’s Hopalong Cassidy and in such films as And Now Miguel (1953), The Siege at Red River (1954) and Black Horse Canyon (1954) before landing the Giant role.
By the late 1950s, Del Rey’s focus turned to the small screen. During the next quarter-century, she did guest turns in such memorable shows as Sea Hunt, Daniel Boone, Dragnet, Family Affair, My Three Sons, The Wild Wild West, Police Story, Mannix, Marcus Welby M.D., Barnaby Jones, Simon & Simon and Hart to Hart, among other.
Along the way, she had roles in films and TV movies including And Now Miguel (1966), Anatomy of a Seduction (1979), Fun and Games (1980), Travis McGee (1983), Stewartdess School (1983). Her final screen role was the 1990 movie The Forbidden Dance.
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Del Rey often appeared as different characters in multiple episodes of programs such as Fireside Theatre, The Adventures of Kit Carson, and Schlitz Playhouse, showcasing her remarkable ability to bring diverse characters to life.
In 1995, she was honored at the inaugural AFTRA/SAG Latino/Hispanic Heritage Celebration, where Ricardo Montalbán recognized Del Rey’s groundbreaking work and contributions to the entertainment industry.
Del Rey is survived by three nephews whom she raised as her own children. “Pilar will forever be remembered for her generosity and love,” said nephew David Bouzas of Palm Springs. “She truly was our Auntie Mame.”
