René Cardona
Known for: Directing
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
Film
Cyclone
1978
Film
Prisión de mujeres
Mr. Williams
1977
Film
Mala yerba
Don Julián Andrade
1940
Sombras habaneras
1929
The Torment
1937
Film
El secreto del sacerdote
Gabriel
1941
Film
La vorágine: abismos de amor
1949
Film
El pequeño Robin Hood
1975
El deseo llega de noche
Pitanguelli
1969
Film
Un par de robachicos
1967
Film
El príncipe del desierto
Omar
1947
Film
Divorciadas
Luis Reiner
1943
Film
El misterioso señor Marquina
1942
Film
Con su amable permiso
1940
Film
The Children of Sanchez
1978
Film
Over the Waves
Raúl
1933
Film
Marihuana (El monstruo verde)
Antonio Pedroza
1936
Film
Unidos por el eje
1942
Film
The Brainiac
Baltasar de Meneses / Luis Meneses
1962
Film
Hand to Hand
Manuel Chávez
1932
Film
Guns and Guts
Monk
1974
Film
The Fury of the Karate Experts
Professor Williams
1982
Film
¡Ay qué rechula es Puebla!
Mauricio Gómez
1946
Film
Asesinato en los estudios
Director (uncredited)
1946
Film
El día de la boda
Ramón
1968
Film
Zindy, the Swamp Boy
Abuelo
1973
Film
Fantastic Voyage in a Baloon
1975
Film
El puma
1959
Film
The Rock of Souls
Manuel
1943
Film
El conde de Montecristo
Fernando Mondego / Conde de Morcef
1942
Film
The Vengeance of the Crying Woman
Severo Segovia
1974
Film
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
1972
Film
Crónica roja
1979
Film
Allá en el Rancho Grande
Felipe
1936
Film
Jesús, el niño Dios
Baltazar (as René Cardona Sr.)
1971
Film
Girl Merchants
1957
Film
La Casa Que Arde de Noche
American
1985
Film
La barca de oro
1947
Film
Yo el ejecutor
1987
Film
Un novio para dos hermanas
Sr. Mateos
1967
Film
Carne de Cabaret
Eddie Miller
1931
Film
The Three Perfect Wives
Jorge
1953
Film
Los hijos de Rancho Grande
Don Felipe
1956
Film
La casa del rencor
Hugo
1941
Film
El revólver sangriento
Comisario
1964
Film
Milagros de San Martín de Porres
1959
Film
El valle de los miserables
Don Luis Aguirre
1975
Film
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
Don Alonso Grijalva
1971
Film
La cuna vacía
1938
Film
Una luz en mi camino
1939
Film
Stranger in the House
Tomas
1968
Film
Santo vs. the King of Crime
Sr. Roberto de la Llata
1962
Film
La Bandida
General Robles
1963
Adventures of the X Sisters
1963
Film
La vida de Pedro Infante
Director
1966
Film
La disputa
1974
Film
Soy charro de Rancho Grande
Felipe
1947
Film
El matrimonio es como el demonio
Ramón
1967
Film
Viva la risa II
1989
Film
La hermana Trinquete
Inspector
1970
Film
Los buitres sobre el tejado
1946
Film
El abanico de Lady Windermere
1944
Film
When Love Laughs
1930
Film
Cartas Marcadas
1948
Film
Savage Summer
Papá
1980
La ley del más rápido
1959
Film
La Folle de Chaillot
Le rentier
1976
Film
La mula de Cullen Baker
Capitán
1971
Film
Malditas sean las mujeres
Conde Osvaldo de Valdemar
1936
Los encapuchados del infierno
1962
Film
Si me han de matar mañana
1947
Film
El genial Detective Peter Pérez
1952
Film
Mulata
Guevara
1954
Film
Night Dance Hall
1959
Film
El calvario de una esposa
Sebastián Urquizo
1936
Film
Honrarás a tus padres
Conde de los Pinares
1937
Film
Chanoc en las garras de las fieras
Gang Member (as René Cardona Sr.)
1970
Film
Nuevo amanecer
1954
Film
Juana Gallo
Capitán Esquivel
1961
La leyenda del bandido
1967
Film
A los cuatro vientos
1955
Film
La desconocida
1954
Film
La Banda De La Sotana Negra
1983
Film
El Llanto de los Pobres
1978
Pito Pérez se va de bracero
1948
Film
La faraona
(uncredited)
1956
Film
Operación carambola
Scorpio Leader
1968
Film
Las Limpias
Don Ignacio
1987
Siempre en domingo
1984
Film
The Diabolical Duchess
1964
Film
¡Que seas feliz!
Duarte
1956
Film
Soledad
Roberto Covarrubias
1947
Film
La casta divina
Consul Cubano
1977
Film
El socio
Corredor de bolsa (uncredited)
1946
Film
Jesusita en Chihuahua
1942
Film
Dos caballeros de espada
1964
Film
The Macabre Trunk
Dr. Armando del Valle
1936
Film
Common Clay
1930
Film
Tempestad
1978
Film
Brood of Vipers
1978
Film
¡Maten al fugitivo!
1986
Film
Peluquero de señoras
1973
Film
As negro
1954
Film
Don Juan Tenorio
Don Juan Tenorio
1937
Film
Masajista de señoras
1973
Film
Ave sin nido
1943