By long-standing tradition, Rudy Diaz is coming back to Mazatlán this month to participate in his own memorial service. Yes, it’s true. But to explain, the former Los Angeles police sergeant-turned-movie actor began coming to Mazatlán to celebrate his birthday (Oct. 16) with a gang of 8-10 of his Hollywood pals. October after October, for more than 35 years, they piled into the Hotel Playa Mazatlan because Rudy knew Gene George, a member of the hotel’s owning family, from the days when George was a lieutenant with the LAPD. And what a gang Rudy had — sometimes it included Tony Curtis, or Rock Hudson, or maybe Merlin Olson of the LA Rams who retired from football and became a movie actor, too. Rudy had the kind of rubbery face that could play many types of character roles. A Hollywood producer had run across him when he was still a cop, took a good look at his strong, malleable features, and said, “Here’s my card. Come and see me when you retire.” Rudy did that, and began a highly successful second career that included appearances in some 20 feature length films and more than 30 TV shows. A handout from his agent includes photos that reveal the versatility of the man. He could

look like a hardedged lawyer in a business suit, an Indian chief on the rampage, a mild-mannered Western sheriff or a menacing Mexican bandito sporting crossed bandoliers and a six-shooter besides. To read the list of actors with whom he appeared is like a Who’s Who of Hollywood during golden age of film making: Sidney Poitier, Gregory Peck, Clint Eastwood, Dean Martin, John Wayne, Shelly Winters, Anthony Quinn, James Garner . . . you get the idea. Somehow throughout his acting career Rudy always managed to gather up a group of buddies for the annual October birthday trip to Mazatlan. It became such a tradition that a couple of years ago, when he had to be placed in a nursing home because of ill heath, his son Ron Diaz rounded up the gang and they all came to Mazatlán for the October trip anyway. Rudy died in December of last year, at age 88. But this October, he will be making the trip himself once again. His widow Beverly and son Ron and about a dozen of his gang will be arriving to say a belated goodbye to Rudy along with some 35 local friends. His Will specified that his ashes be scattered at sea between the Hotel Playa and Deer Island. And of course it had to be in October.