Hollywood ? When you meet Ricardo Montalban, you half expect to find Mr. Roarke, the mysterious character he played on the long-running TV series “Fantasy Island” (1978-84). The role may have been one-dimensional, but it imbued the veteran Mexican actor with a memorable image – the gallant host in the crisp white suit who had the power to grant wishes for strangers desperate to change their lives.

So it’s a shock to see Montalban today, immobilized by partial paralysis after three operations for a congenital condition that affects his spine. The 85-year-old struggles with constant pain, wincing occasionally as he shifts his weight in his chair at his home in the Hollywood Hills.

The pain forces him to interrupt his answers now and then, muttering a restrained “ay” in Spanish and politely excusing himself. During the conversation, he constantly lifts his lifeless left leg with both hands in an attempt to relieve his discomfort.

It soon becomes clear, though, that but for the physical limitations he calls “a mechanical thing,” Montalban is still the man we imagine – virile, courtly, proud and passionate. His hair is thinner, but he remains remarkably handsome. His well-shaped upper body still shows signs of the athleticism that led him to love tennis and allowed him to perform graceful dance numbers in his early MGM movies with stars such as Cyd Charisse.

Ricardo Montalban, the driving force behind The Ricardo Montalban Theatre, which opened last year in Hollywood with the promise of staging Latino productions, has yet to produce a play and has fallen on financial misfortune.

Return to the spotlight

Last year, in a rare public appearance, the actor came out in a wheelchair for the debut of the Ricardo Montalban Theatre, established to carry out his lifelong goal of providing opportunities for Hispanics in the entertainment industry. But the spotlights and the smiles of the moment soon faded as growing pains afflicted the fledgling theater, which has yet to produce an original play.

In June, The Los Angeles Times reported that the theater was struggling with unfinished renovations, a deteriorating physical appearance and serious fiscal mismanagement that prompted the state to suspend the nonprofit foundation set up to operate it.

For Montalban, whose tenacity made him a Hollywood survivor through six decades, the theater’s troubles were just another reminder of his powerlessness.

“I wish I could walk. I wish I could run. I wish I could do certain things that need to be done with a new organization,” he says, lightly pounding a clenched fist on his armchair. “It’s frustrating to me that I can’t be out there fighting for it.”

Pedestrians walk past The exterior of the Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood.

This is the first time Montalban has publicly addressed the challenges facing the theater that bears his name.

Montalban said The Times’ story unfairly gave the impression that the theater was out of business when it’s actually in good financial shape and just needs time to grow.

“I really wasn’t aware of the complete picture of what was happening,” the actor admits. “But I don’t think the complete picture is as bleak as you might think. … It just takes time. This is all new for us.”

Montalban and his supporters feared that reports of the theater’s management troubles would hurt their cause and their fundraising efforts. He was especially upset by the suggestion that the theater was being neglected, calling such descriptions “demeaning.” He blamed the homeless for defacing the exterior.

“Inside, the theater is pristine,” Montalban said.

Taking control

Managers of the 1,200-seat facility are far from planning a season or even producing its first play. Skeptics say the task of operating a theater this size is just too expensive. Some believe it would be better if the theater were leased to an outside group to stage concerts and other events.

Some agencies have expressed interest, but Montalban rejects the idea.

“No, we have to have control over it,” the actor says. “It’s our theater, thanks to a generous donor, and we want to show that, yes, we’re able to run it by ourselves.”