[4] Later, he went on tour with a singing group, returning to New York City to appear on the Broadway stage including roles in Jeb (1946), Puppets of Passion (1927), What Never Dies (1926-1927), What's the Use (1926), and Marilyn's Affairs.

He first worked in radio in comedy, appearing on a variety show, Blackstone Plantation, where he played a character named Don Rodrigo.

"[6] He went on to be active in the medium, starring in The Adventures of Nero Wolfe (1943–1944) and narrating Gang Busters, as well as Stroke of Fate.

He played the title role in Bulldog Drummond (1942–43)[7] and was heard in the daytime radio serials Valiant Lady (as Edward Curran),[8] Perry Mason,[9] 1948's Roger Kilgore, Public Defender,[7]: 213  and as the title character in The Adventures of Charlie Chan (1947–1948),[7]: 9  The Affairs of Peter Salem from 1949 to 1953,[7]: 37  and Hannibal Cobb (1950–1951).

[7]: 126 Throughout the 1930s and 1940s and into the 1950s and early 1960s, the prolific Ortega lent his remarkable range of voice characterizations to numerous other radio drama series such as Inner Sanctum, The Mysterious Traveler, Suspense, Casey Crime Photographer, The Eternal Light, The Columbia Workshop, The Big Story, Perry Mason, You Are There, Dimension X, and X Minus One.

[2] On November 22, 1963, he was in the middle of a scene with actress Helen Wagner when CBS suddenly cut in with the first bulletin on President Kennedy's assassination.

Ortega died on April 10, 1976, in Broward General Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while he was visiting in that area.