
In the 1960s, Padilla was a popular child actor, usually playing the Mexican or Indian boy in TV westerns such as "Rawhide," "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke". He was a regular in the 1960s TV series "Tarzan", with actor Ron Ely, in dozens of episodes as native boy 'Jai', and as also a semi-regular in the TV series, "The Flying Nun", with actress Sally Field. In featured films, as an adult, Padilla made appearances in the films, "The Great White Hope", "American Graffiti", "A Man Called Horse", and "Scarface", among others.
Padilla died unexpectedly at age 52, just after making a public appearance at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, in January 2008.

Scarface
1983 · as Kid #2

American Graffiti
1973 · as Carlos

Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964 · as Orphan Boy

A Man Called Horse
1970 · as Leaping Buck

More American Graffiti
1979 · as Carlos

Cotton Candy
1978 · as Julio Sanchez

Tarzan and the Great River
1967 · as Pepe

Sylvia
1965 · as Pancho Guzman (uncredited)

Tarzan's Deadly Silence
1970 · as Jai

Cutter's Trail
1970 · as Paco Avila

The Great White Hope
1970 · as Paco

Tarzan and the Valley of Gold
1966 · as Ramel

Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion
1967 · as Jai

Dime with a Halo
1963 · as Rafael

The Young and the Brave
1963 · as Han

The Mountains of the Moon
1967 · as Jai

Tarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones
1971 · as Jai

Taffy and the Jungle Hunter
1965 · as Beau