René Cardona
Born
October 9, 1905
Died
April 25, 1988 (82 years old)
Known For
Directing
Place of Birth
Havana, Cuba
René Cardona (October 8, 1905 – April 25, 1988) was a Mexican director, actor, producer, screenwriter, and film editor, who was prominent during part of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.
René Cardona was born in Havana, Cuba, on October 8, 1905, and began medical school in Cuba, but due to the political problems of the island, he and his family moved to New York City in 1926, where he continued his studies. Economic circumstances experienced by his family caused him to leave his studies. He befriended famous actor Rodolfo Valentino and obtained work as an extra in several films, until 1929 when he produced, wrote, directed and starred in the first Spanish-language film made in Hollywood, Sombras habaneras (Havana Shadows). He also had the opportunity to work in various positions in the film industry such as second assistant, technical advisor and first assistant director, and learned film and lighting technique. In 1932, he moved to Mexico, where he debuted as an actor and met Julieta Zacarías, sister of the director Miguel Zacarías, and soon after married her. His wife's support would be central to his career in Mexican cinema, in films Mano a mano (1932) directed by Ramón Peón and Sobre las olas (1932) directed by Zacarías. At this early stage as an actor, Cardona participated in three key Mexican films Marihuana (1936), El baúl macabro (1936) and Allá en el Rancho Grande (1936), which officially inaugurate the golden age of Mexican cinema and made stars of its protagonists: Esther Fernández, Tito Guízar, and Cardona.
Known For
Viva la risa II
1989
Las Limpias
Don Ignacio
1987
Yo el ejecutor
1987
¡Maten al fugitivo!
1986
La Casa Que Arde de Noche
American
1985
Siempre en domingo
1984
La banda de la sotana negra
1983
The Fury of the Karate Experts
Professor Williams
1982
Savage Summer
Papá
1980
Crónica roja
1979
El Llanto de los Pobres
1978
Cyclone
1978
The Children of Sanchez
1978
Raza de viboras
1978
Tempestad
1978
La casta divina
Consul Cubano
1977
Prisión de mujeres
Mr. Williams
1977
La folle de Chaillot
Le rentier
1976
Fantastic Voyage in a Baloon
1975
El pequeño Robin Hood
1975
El valle de los miserables
Don Luis Aguirre
1975
La disputa
1974
The Vengeance of the Crying Woman
Severo Segovia
1974
Guns and Guts
Monk
1974
Masajista de señoras
1973
Zindy, the Swamp Boy
Abuelo
1973
Peluquero de señoras
1973
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
1972
Jesús, el niño Dios
Baltazar (as René Cardona Sr.)
1971
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
1971
La mula de Cullen Baker
Capitán
1971
Chanoc en las garras de las fieras
Gang Member (as René Cardona Sr.)
1970
La hermana Trinquete
Inspector
1970
El deseo llega de noche
Pitanguelli
1969
El día de la boda
Ramón
1968
Stranger in the House
Tomas
1968
Operación carambola
Scorpio Leader
1968
Un par de robachicos
1967
Un novio para dos hermanas
Sr. Mateos
1967
La leyenda del bandido
1967
El matrimonio es como el demonio
Ramón
1967
La vida de Pedro Infante
Director
1966
The Diabolical Duchess
1964
Dos caballeros de espada
1964
El revólver sangriento
Comisario
1964
Aventuras de las hermanas X
1963
La Bandida
General Robles
1963
Santo vs. the King of Crime
Sr. Roberto de la Llata
1962
The Brainiac
Baltasar de Meneses / Luis Meneses
1962
Los encapuchados del infierno
1962
Juana Gallo
Capitán Esquivel
1961
La ley del más rápido
1959
El puma
1959
Night Dance Hall
1959
Milagros de San Martín de Porres
1959
Girl Merchants
1957
La faraona
(uncredited)
1956
Los hijos de Rancho Grande
Don Felipe
1956
¡Que seas feliz!
Duarte
1956
A los cuatro vientos
1955
As negro
1954
Mulata
Guevara
1954
La desconocida
1954
Nuevo amanecer
1954
The Three Perfect Married
Jorge
1953
El genial Detective Peter Pérez
1952
La vorágine: abismos de amor
1949
Cartas Marcadas
1948
Pito Pérez se va de bracero
1948
Soledad
Roberto Covarrubias
1947
Soy charro de Rancho Grande
Felipe
1947
La barca de oro
1947
Si me han de matar mañana
1947
¡Ay qué rechula es Puebla!
Mauricio Gómez
1946
Los buitres sobre el tejado
1946
El abanico de Lady Windermere
1944
Divorciadas
1943
Ave sin nido
1943
The Spirit's Canyon
Manuel
1943
Jesusita en Chihuahua
1942
El conde de Montecristo
Fernando Mondego / Conde de Morcef
1942
El misterioso señor Marquina
1942
La casa del rencor
Hugo
1941
El secreto del sacerdote
1941
Con su amable permiso
1940
Mala yerba
Don Julián Andrade
1940
La cuna vacía
1938
Don Juan Tenorio
Don Juan Tenorio
1937
Honrarás a tus padres
Conde de los Pinares
1937
Allá en el Rancho Grande
Felipe
1936
El calvario de una esposa
Sebastián Urquizo
1936
The Macabre Trunk
Dr. Armando del Valle
1936
Malditas sean las mujeres
Conde Osvaldo de Valdemar
1936
Marihuana El Monstruo Verde
1936
Hand to Hand
Manuel Chávez
1932
Carne de Cabaret
Eddie Miller
1931
When Love Laughs
1930
Common Clay
1930