This Spanish violinist and band leader was born in Spain and raised in Havana. He emigrated to the U.S.

and worked as a cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times. In 1928 he began appearing with his first band at the Cocoanut Grove in Hollywood. Greatly helping to popularize Latin rhythms in the U.S.

, by the 30s and 40s he became known as America's "rumba king." Occasionally he appeared in films, often as himself leading his band through several musical numbers; sometimes played genial fictional characters. He gave up his career after suffering a stroke in 1971. His third wife was singer Abbe Lane and his fourth was singer and TV personality Charo.