Henry Darrow: Lightning in the Bottle

2014 Readers' Favorite International Book Gold Medal for Biography/Autobiography

Henry Darrow (born Enrique Tomás Delgado) catapulted to international stardom as sexy complex “Manolito Montoya” in the television Western series The High Chaparral (1967-1971) with Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell.
He was the ­first actor of Puerto Rican heritage to star in a television series. Born in New York, but raised in Puerto Rico as a teen, Henry grew up in Tucson, and then he headed to California after receiving an acting scholarship during college.
He didn't have instant success in the entertainment industry. From humble beginnings in an unaccredited role in Curse of the Undead (1959) to Wagon Train (1959), General Hospital (1963), and The Outer Limits (1963), among dozens of others, to more prominent roles on Bonanza, Mission: Impossible, and Gunsmoke, he was chosen for the breakthrough role in The High Chaparral. His opportunity finally arrived in a flash.
“Henry survived and had a career when if you were Latino, you couldn’t be just good, you had to be beyond great and that’s Henry,” says noted writer/entertainer Rick Najera. At the height of his fame,
Henry put his career on the line to open doors for other Latinos. He has continued to break ground for over fifty years as a working actor, and he was recently featured on the PBS series Pioneers of Television.
Lightning in the Bottle is the must-read inspirational portrait of the fiercely determined, endearing, and enduring Emmy Award-winning performer. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Ricardo Montalbán Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 ALMA (American Latino Media Arts) Awards, Darrow achieved numerous milestones in his career that paved the way for future actors.

KIRKUS REVIEWS
... Darrow and Pippins skillfully intersperse the historical context with thoughtful analyses and often-lighthearted vignettes regarding various gigs and circumstances...the subject of ethnic identity is treated with focused consideration...An entertaining, well-organized account...