Suave and swarthy, Don Alvarado was somewhat further down the Latin Lover food chain than Rudolph Valentino or Ramon Novarro. Like the similar Rod La Rocque, Alvarado (born Josè Paige) was perhaps a bit too American; in other words: not perceived as dangerous enough. Best remembered for the two films he did for D.W. Griffith (Drums of Love and The Battle of the Sexes [both 1928]), Alvarado was usually mere fodder for such high-powered female stars as Constance Talmadge, Dolores Del Rio, and Lya De Putti, none of whom found it difficult to steal the limelight from their co-star. Alvarado's sound films were mostly mediocre and a change of name to Don Page did nothing to resurrect the actor's floundering career. He later became an assistant director at Warner Bros., where his daughter, Joy Page, appeared in Casablanca (1942).
by Hans J. Wollstein
biography
