René Cardona
- Directing
- October 9, 1905 · Havana, Cuba
- April 25, 1988
Biography
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
Filmography
- Viva la risa II
- Las Limpias · Don Ignacio
- Yo el ejecutor
- ¡Maten al fugitivo!
- Se Sufre pero se Goza · Writer
- La Casa Que Arde de Noche · American
- Siempre en domingo
- La Banda De La Sotana Negra
- The Fury of the Karate Experts · Professor Williams
- Las computadoras · Director
- Visita al Pasado · Director
- Savage Summer · Papá
- Carlos El Terrorista · Director
- Crónica roja
- La Guerra de los Pasteles · Director
- El Llanto de los Pobres
- Cyclone
- The Children of Sanchez
- Brood of Vipers · Director, Writer
- Tempestad
- Una noche embarazosa · Director
- La casta divina · Consul Cubano
- Prisión de mujeres · Mr. Williams, Director
- La Folle de Chaillot · Le rentier
- Survive! · Director
- Fantastic Voyage in a Baloon
- El pequeño Robin Hood · Director
- Noche de muerte · Director
- The Yellow Mafia · Director
- El valle de los miserables · Don Luis Aguirre
- Jalisco nunca pierde · Director
- La disputa
- The Vengeance of the Crying Woman · Severo Segovia
- Island of Lost Souls · Screenplay, Director
- Guns and Guts · Monk
- El Hijo Del Pueblo · Director, Screenplay
- The Invasion of the Dead · Director
- Masajista de señoras
- Zindy, the Swamp Boy · Abuelo
- Peluquero de señoras
- Entre Monjas Anda El Diablo · Director
- El derecho de los pobres · Director, Adaptation
- Manuel Saldivar, el texano · Director
- The Incredible Professor Zovek · Writer, Director
- Jesús, el niño Dios · Baltazar (as René Cardona Sr.)
- Capulina vs. the Vampires · Director, Screenplay
- Santo in the Vengeance of the Mummy · Director
- Santo vs. the Head Hunters · Don Alonso Grijalva, Director
- La mula de Cullen Baker · Capitán, Writer
- The Revenge of Gabino Barrera · Director
- Siete muertes para el texano · Director
- Santo vs. the Riders of Terror · Director, Screenplay
- Chanoc en las garras de las fieras · Gang Member (as René Cardona Sr.)
- El pueblo del terror · Director
- La hermana Trinquete · Inspector, Story
- El asesino enmascarado · Director
- La Captura De Gabino Barrera · Director
- Two Mules for Sister Sara · Second Unit Director
- Santo vs. Capulina · Director
- La maestra inolvidable · Director
- Santo in the Treasure of Dracula · Director
- The Vampire and Sex · Director
- Duelo en El Dorado · Director
- El deseo llega de noche · Pitanguelli
- Lauro Puñales · Director
- Night of the Bloody Apes · Director, Writer
- Wrestling Women vs. the Killer Robot · Director
- El Caballo Bayo · Director
- El día de la boda · Ramón
- Stranger in the House · Tomas
- Valentín de la Sierra · Director
- Operación carambola · Scorpio Leader
- The Treasure of Moctezuma · Director
- Lucio Vazquez · Director
- The Bat Woman · Director
- Caballo prieto azabache · Director
- Operation 67 · Director
- Un par de robachicos
- Un novio para dos hermanas · Sr. Mateos
- La vuelta del Mexicano · Director