- His role as a neurosurgeon on the television series Peyton Place (1964) broke ground because he was cast as an authority figure when relatively few black actors were given such roles.
- A couple of months before his death, Percy participated in "The Shark is Still Working", a new documentary on the tremendous cultural impact Jaws had on society. He recorded the voiceover for the new documentary's trailer as he had done on the movie Jaws (1975).
- Was an avid golfer, card player and jazz and blues enthusiast.
- He was usually credited as "Percy Rodriguez" on account of a common misspelling.
- Solid, articulate, imposing African-Canadian actor who managed to avoid most of the standard stereotypes in Hollywood, usually playing white-collar roles such as a neurosurgeon on Peyton Place (1964).
- He was seen as a symbol of intelligence, leadership and moral strength during his various roles in the 1960s and 1970s. He is also well-known for helping to break the racial barriers on television.
- Was only six years older than Cicely Tyson, who played his daughter in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968).
- Had two children from his first marriage: Hollis Rodrigues and Gerald Rodrigues.
- His surname used the Portuguese spelling (ending with an "S") rather than the Spanish spelling (ending with a "Z"). As the Spanish spelling is more commonly known in North America, his name was frequently misspelled.
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