René Cardona
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.
Filmography
Viva la risa II
Viva la risa II
La Casa Que Arde de Noche
as American
La Casa Que Arde de Noche
as American
Las Limpias
as Don Ignacio
Las Limpias
as Don Ignacio
Yo el ejecutor
Yo el ejecutor
¡Maten al fugitivo!
¡Maten al fugitivo!
Siempre en domingo
Siempre en domingo
La Banda De La Sotana Negra
La Banda De La Sotana Negra
The Fury of the Karate Experts
as Professor Williams
The Fury of the Karate Experts
as Professor Williams
Savage Summer
as Papá
Savage Summer
as Papá
Crónica roja
Crónica roja
El Llanto de los Pobres
El Llanto de los Pobres
Cyclone
Cyclone
The Children of Sanchez
The Children of Sanchez
Brood of Vipers
Brood of Vipers
Tempestad
Tempestad
La casta divina
as Consul Cubano
La casta divina
as Consul Cubano
Prisión de mujeres
as Mr. Williams
Prisión de mujeres
as Mr. Williams
La Folle de Chaillot
as Le rentier
La Folle de Chaillot
as Le rentier
Fantastic Voyage in a Baloon
Fantastic Voyage in a Baloon
El pequeño Robin Hood
El pequeño Robin Hood
El valle de los miserables
as Don Luis Aguirre
El valle de los miserables
as Don Luis Aguirre
La disputa
La disputa
The Vengeance of the Crying Woman
as Severo Segovia
The Vengeance of the Crying Woman
as Severo Segovia
Guns and Guts
as Monk
Guns and Guts
as Monk
Masajista de señoras
Masajista de señoras
Zindy, the Swamp Boy
as Abuelo
Zindy, the Swamp Boy
as Abuelo
Peluquero de señoras
Peluquero de señoras
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
Jesús, el niño Dios
as Baltazar (as René Cardona Sr.)
Jesús, el niño Dios
as Baltazar (as René Cardona Sr.)
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
as Don Alonso Grijalva
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
as Don Alonso Grijalva
La mula de Cullen Baker
as Capitán
La mula de Cullen Baker
as Capitán
Chanoc en las garras de las fieras
as Gang Member (as René Cardona Sr.)
Chanoc en las garras de las fieras
as Gang Member (as René Cardona Sr.)
La hermana Trinquete
as Inspector
La hermana Trinquete
as Inspector
El deseo llega de noche
as Pitanguelli
El deseo llega de noche
as Pitanguelli
El día de la boda
as Ramón
El día de la boda
as Ramón
Stranger in the House
as Tomas
Stranger in the House
as Tomas
Operación carambola
as Scorpio Leader
Operación carambola
as Scorpio Leader
Un par de robachicos
Un par de robachicos
Un novio para dos hermanas
as Sr. Mateos
Un novio para dos hermanas
as Sr. Mateos
La leyenda del bandido
La leyenda del bandido
El matrimonio es como el demonio
as Ramón
El matrimonio es como el demonio
as Ramón
La vida de Pedro Infante
as Director
La vida de Pedro Infante
as Director
The Diabolical Duchess
The Diabolical Duchess
Dos caballeros de espada
Dos caballeros de espada
El revólver sangriento
as Comisario
El revólver sangriento
as Comisario
Adventures of the X Sisters
Adventures of the X Sisters
La Bandida
as General Robles
La Bandida
as General Robles
Santo vs. the King of Crime
as Sr. Roberto de la Llata
Santo vs. the King of Crime
as Sr. Roberto de la Llata
The Brainiac
as Baltasar de Meneses / Luis Meneses
The Brainiac
as Baltasar de Meneses / Luis Meneses
Los encapuchados del infierno
Los encapuchados del infierno
Juana Gallo
as Capitán Esquivel
Juana Gallo
as Capitán Esquivel
La ley del más rápido
La ley del más rápido
El puma
El puma
Night Dance Hall
Night Dance Hall
Milagros de San Martín de Porres
Milagros de San Martín de Porres
Girl Merchants
Girl Merchants
Los hijos de Rancho Grande
as Don Felipe
Los hijos de Rancho Grande
as Don Felipe
La faraona
as (uncredited)
La faraona
as (uncredited)
¡Que seas feliz!
as Duarte
¡Que seas feliz!
as Duarte
A los cuatro vientos
A los cuatro vientos
As negro
As negro
Mulata
as Guevara
Mulata
as Guevara
La desconocida
La desconocida
Nuevo amanecer
Nuevo amanecer
The Three Perfect Married
as Jorge
The Three Perfect Married
as Jorge
El genial Detective Peter Pérez
El genial Detective Peter Pérez
La vorágine: abismos de amor
La vorágine: abismos de amor
Cartas Marcadas
Cartas Marcadas
Pito Pérez se va de bracero
Pito Pérez se va de bracero
Soledad
as Roberto Covarrubias
Soledad
as Roberto Covarrubias
Soy charro de Rancho Grande
as Felipe
Soy charro de Rancho Grande
as Felipe
La barca de oro
La barca de oro
Si me han de matar mañana
Si me han de matar mañana
El príncipe del desierto
as Omar
El príncipe del desierto
as Omar
El socio
as Corredor de bolsa (uncredited)
El socio
as Corredor de bolsa (uncredited)
Asesinato en los estudios
as Director (uncredited)
Asesinato en los estudios
as Director (uncredited)
¡Ay qué rechula es Puebla!
as Mauricio Gómez
¡Ay qué rechula es Puebla!
as Mauricio Gómez
Los buitres sobre el tejado
Los buitres sobre el tejado
El abanico de Lady Windermere
El abanico de Lady Windermere
Divorciadas
as Luis Reiner
Divorciadas
as Luis Reiner
Ave sin nido
Ave sin nido
The Rock of Souls
as Manuel
The Rock of Souls
as Manuel
Jesusita en Chihuahua
Jesusita en Chihuahua
Unidos por el eje
Unidos por el eje
El conde de Montecristo
as Fernando Mondego / Conde de Morcef
El conde de Montecristo
as Fernando Mondego / Conde de Morcef
El misterioso señor Marquina
El misterioso señor Marquina
La casa del rencor
as Hugo
La casa del rencor
as Hugo
El secreto del sacerdote
El secreto del sacerdote
Con su amable permiso
Con su amable permiso
Mala yerba
as Don Julián Andrade
Mala yerba
as Don Julián Andrade
Una luz en mi camino
Una luz en mi camino
La cuna vacía
La cuna vacía
Don Juan Tenorio
as Don Juan Tenorio
Don Juan Tenorio
as Don Juan Tenorio
Honrarás a tus padres
as Conde de los Pinares
Honrarás a tus padres
as Conde de los Pinares
Allá en el Rancho Grande
as Felipe
Allá en el Rancho Grande
as Felipe
El calvario de una esposa
as Sebastián Urquizo
El calvario de una esposa
as Sebastián Urquizo
The Macabre Trunk
as Dr. Armando del Valle
The Macabre Trunk
as Dr. Armando del Valle
Malditas sean las mujeres
as Conde Osvaldo de Valdemar
Malditas sean las mujeres
as Conde Osvaldo de Valdemar
Marihuana (El monstruo verde)
as Antonio Pedroza
Marihuana (El monstruo verde)
as Antonio Pedroza
Over the Waves
as Raúl
Over the Waves
as Raúl
Hand to Hand
as Manuel Chávez
Hand to Hand
as Manuel Chávez
Carne de Cabaret
as Eddie Miller
Carne de Cabaret
as Eddie Miller
When Love Laughs
When Love Laughs
Common Clay
Common Clay