René Cardona
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 (101 Appearances)
Viva la risa II
Las Limpias
Yo el ejecutor
¡Maten al fugitivo!
La Casa Que Arde de Noche
Siempre en domingo
La Banda De La Sotana Negra
The Fury of the Karate Experts
Savage Summer
Crónica roja
El Llanto de los Pobres
Cyclone
The Children of Sanchez
Brood of Vipers
Tempestad
La casta divina
Prisión de mujeres
La Folle de Chaillot
Fantastic Voyage in a Baloon
El pequeño Robin Hood
El valle de los miserables
La disputa
The Vengeance of the Crying Woman
Guns and Guts
Zindy, the Swamp Boy
Masajista de señoras
Peluquero de señoras
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
Jesús, el niño Dios
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
La mula de Cullen Baker
Chanoc en las garras de las fieras
La hermana Trinquete
El deseo llega de noche
El día de la boda
Stranger in the House
Operación carambola
Un par de robachicos
Un novio para dos hermanas
La leyenda del bandido
El matrimonio es como el demonio
La vida de Pedro Infante
The Diabolical Duchess
Dos caballeros de espada
El revólver sangriento
Aventuras de las hermanas X
La Bandida
Santo vs. the King of Crime
The Brainiac
Los encapuchados del infierno
Juana Gallo
La ley del más rápido
El puma
Night Dance Hall
Milagros de San Martín de Porres
Girl Merchants
La faraona
Los hijos de Rancho Grande
¡Que seas feliz!
A los cuatro vientos
As negro
Mulata
Nuevo amanecer
La desconocida
The Three Perfect Married
El genial Detective Peter Pérez
La vorágine: abismos de amor
Cartas Marcadas
Pito Pérez se va de bracero
Soledad
Soy charro de Rancho Grande
La barca de oro
Si me han de matar mañana
El príncipe del desierto
El socio
¡Ay qué rechula es Puebla!
Los buitres sobre el tejado
El abanico de Lady Windermere
Divorciadas
Ave sin nido
The Rock of Souls
Jesusita en Chihuahua
El conde de Montecristo
El misterioso señor Marquina
La casa del rencor
El secreto del sacerdote
Con su amable permiso
Mala yerba
La cuna vacía
Don Juan Tenorio
Honrarás a tus padres
Allá en el Rancho Grande
El calvario de una esposa
The Macabre Trunk
Malditas sean las mujeres
Marihuana (El monstruo verde)
Over the Waves
Hand to Hand
Carne de Cabaret
When Love Laughs
Common Clay