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.
Directed 132
1980s
- 1982
Las computadoras
Director
- 1981
Visita al Pasado
Director
- 1980
Burlesque
Director
Carlos El Terrorista
Director
1970s
- 1979
La Guerra de los Pasteles
Director
- 1978
Brood of Vipers
Director
- 1977
Una noche embarazosa
Director
- 1976
- 1975
El pequeño Robin Hood
Director
Noche de muerte
Director
The Yellow Mafia
Director
- 1974
Jalisco nunca pierde
Director
Island of Lost Souls
Director
- 1973
The Invasion of the Dead
Director
Zindy, the Swamp Boy
Director
El derecho de los pobres
Director
- 1972
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
Director
The Incredible Professor Zovek
Director
- 1971
Santo in the Vengeance of the Mummy
Director
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
Director
La mula de Cullen Baker
Director
The Revenge of Gabino Barrera
Director
Siete muertes para el texano
Director
- 1970
Santo vs. the Riders of Terror
Director
El pueblo del terror
Director
El asesino enmascarado
Director
1960s
- 1969
Santo vs. Capulina
Director
La maestra inolvidable
Director
Santo in the Treasure of Dracula
Director
Duelo en El Dorado
Director
Wrestling Women vs. the Killer Robot
Director
El Caballo Bayo
Director
- 1968
Valentín de la Sierra
Director
The Treasure of Moctezuma
Director
Caballo prieto azabache
Director
- 1967
Operation 67
Director
La vuelta del Mexicano
Director
The Panther Women
Director
- 1966
El alazán y el rosillo
Director
Santo vs. the Ghost of the Strangler
Director
El jinete justiciero en retando a la muerte
Director
- 1965
Pistoleros del oeste
Director
Santo vs. the Strangler
Director
Aquella Rosita Alvírez
Director
She-Wolves of the Ring
Director
Gabino Barrera
Director
Neutron Traps the Invisible Killers
Director
- 1964
La edad de piedra
Director
Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy
Director
El corrido de María Pistolas
Director
- 1963
María Pistolas
Director
Fuerte, audaz y valiente
Director
Doctor of Doom
Director
- 1962
¡En peligro de muerte!
Director
- 1960
The Crying Woman
Director
Juan Polainas
Director
Adventures of Joselito and Tom Thumb
Director
1950s
- 1959
El sordo
Director
Angel from Hell
Director
- 1958
Maratón de baile
Director
Tom Thumb
Director
Las tres pelonas
Director
Tú y la mentira
Director
La cama de piedra
Director
- 1957
The Living Idol
Director
Pancho López
Director
- 1956
La faraona
Director
Los margaritos
Director
Los tres amores de Lola
Director
- 1955
El pueblo sin Dios
Director
Una gallega en La Habana
Director
- 1954
De ranchero a empresario
Director
Sindicato de telemirones
Director
Cain y Abel
Director
El enmascarado de plata
Director
- 1953
Pompeyo el conquistador
Director
- 1952
Póker de ases
Director
Por qué peca la mujer
Director
Vive como sea
Director
- 1951
Mujeres de teatro
Director
Canasta Uruguaya
Director
El marido de mi novia
Director
Vuelva el sábado
Director
Port of Temptation
Director
Una viuda sin sostén
Director
- 1950
They also sing of pain
Director
Yo quiero ser hombre
Director
Gemma
Director
Gema
Director
Red Rain
Director
Yo quiero ser mala
Director
1940s
- 1949
Una canción a la vírgen
Director
El Charro del Cristo
Director
Ahí viene Vidal Tenorio
Director
- 1948
La última noche
Director
Cartas Marcadas
Director
Lazos de fuego
Director
Mi madre adorada
Director
- 1947
El tigre de Jalisco
Director
Felipe fue desgraciado
Director
- 1946
¡Ay qué rechula es Puebla!
Director
- 1945
El museo del crimen
Director
Una canción en la noche
Director
El precio de una vida
Director
- 1944
The Black Ace
Director
Hotel de verano
Director
The Headless Woman
Director
Mis hijos!
Director
- 1943
El espectro de la novia
Director
- 1942
Jesusita en Chihuahua
Director
Unidos por el eje
Director
- 1940
Love of my loves
Director
1930s
- 1939
El cobarde
Director
La reina del río
Director
- 1938
Tierra brava
Director
Dos cadetes
Director
Alarma
Director
- 1937
Don Juan Tenorio
Director
Acted in 111
1980s
- 1989
El Fiscal De Hierro
El abuelo
Viva la risa II
Movie
- 1987
Las Limpias
Don Ignacio
Yo el ejecutor
Movie
- 1986
¡Maten al fugitivo!
Movie
- 1985
La Casa Que Arde de Noche
American
- 1983
La Banda De La Sotana Negra
Movie
Allá en el rancho de las flores
Movie
- 1982
The Fury of the Karate Experts
Professor Williams
- 1980
Savage Summer
Papá
1970s
- 1979
- 1978
El Llanto de los Pobres
Movie
Brood of Vipers
Movie
Tempestad
Movie
- 1977
La casta divina
Consul Cubano
- 1976
La Folle de Chaillot
Le rentier
- 1975
El pequeño Robin Hood
Movie
El valle de los miserables
Don Luis Aguirre
- 1974
La disputa
Movie
The Vengeance of the Crying Woman
Severo Segovia
Guns and Guts
Monk
- 1973
Masajista de señoras
Movie
Zindy, the Swamp Boy
Abuelo
Peluquero de señoras
Movie
- 1972
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
Movie
- 1971
Jesús, el niño Dios
Baltazar (as René Cardona Sr.)
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
Don Alonso Grijalva
La mula de Cullen Baker
Capitán
Siete muertes para el texano
Movie
- 1970
Chanoc en las garras de las fieras
Gang Member (as René Cardona Sr.)
La hermana Trinquete
Inspector
1960s
- 1968
El día de la boda
Ramón
Stranger in the House
Tomas
Operación carambola
Scorpio Leader
- 1967
Un par de robachicos
Movie
Un novio para dos hermanas
Sr. Mateos
El matrimonio es como el demonio
Ramón
- 1966
- 1964
The Diabolical Duchess
Movie
Dos caballeros de espada
Movie
El revólver sangriento
Comisario
- 1963
Santo vs. the Diabolical Brain
Campesino en funeral
La Bandida
General Robles
- 1962
Santo vs. the King of Crime
Sr. Roberto de la Llata
The Brainiac
Baltasar de Meneses / Luis Meneses
- 1961
1950s
- 1959
Night Dance Hall
Movie
Milagros de San Martín de Porres
Movie
- 1957
Girl Merchants
Movie
- 1956
Los hijos de Rancho Grande
Don Felipe
La faraona
(uncredited)
¡Que seas feliz!
Duarte
- 1955
A los cuatro vientos
Movie
- 1954
As negro
Movie
Mulata
Guevara
La desconocida
Movie
Nuevo amanecer
Movie
- 1953
The Three Perfect Wives
Jorge
- 1952
El genial Detective Peter Pérez
Movie
1940s
- 1949
La vorágine: abismos de amor
Movie
- 1948
Cartas Marcadas
Movie
- 1947
Soledad
Roberto Covarrubias
Soy charro de Rancho Grande
Felipe
La barca de oro
Movie
Si me han de matar mañana
Movie
El príncipe del desierto
Omar
Chachita la de Triana
Don Roberto
- 1946
El socio
Corredor de bolsa (uncredited)
Asesinato en los estudios
Director (uncredited)
¡Ay qué rechula es Puebla!
Mauricio Gómez
Los buitres sobre el tejado
Movie
- 1944
El abanico de Lady Windermere
Movie
- 1943
Divorciadas
Luis Reiner
Ave sin nido
Movie
The Rock of Souls
Manuel
- 1942
Jesusita en Chihuahua
Movie
Unidos por el eje
Movie
El conde de Montecristo
Fernando Mondego / Conde de Morcef
El misterioso señor Marquina
Movie
Caballería del imperio
Conde Rudolph
- 1941
La casa del rencor
Hugo
El secreto del sacerdote
Gabriel
Amor chinaco
Movie
- 1940
Con su amable permiso
Movie
The Nun's Secret
Don Pedro
Mala yerba
Don Julián Andrade
Allá en el Trópico
Felipe Cervantes
1930s
- 1939
Una luz en mi camino
Movie
- 1938
La cuna vacía
Movie
- 1937
Don Juan Tenorio
Don Juan Tenorio
Honrarás a tus padres
Conde de los Pinares
La gran cruz
Gilberto Villalba
Nostradamus
Movie
- 1936
Allá en el Rancho Grande
Felipe
El calvario de una esposa
Sebastián Urquizo
The Macabre Trunk
Dr. Armando del Valle
Malditas sean las mujeres
Conde Osvaldo de Valdemar
Marihuana (El monstruo verde)
Antonio Pedroza
Así es la mujer
Cantante
- 1935
Mystery of the Ghastly Face
Luis Montes
Silencio sublime
Ricardo
- 1933
Over the Waves
Raúl
- 1932
Hand to Hand
Manuel Chávez
- 1931
Carne de Cabaret
Eddie Miller
- 1930
When Love Laughs
Movie
Common Clay
Movie
Wrote 55
1970s
- 1978
Brood of Vipers
Writer
- 1977
- 1974
Jalisco nunca pierde
Screenplay
Island of Lost Souls
Screenplay
- 1973
El derecho de los pobres
Adaptation, Story, Dialogue
- 1972
Manuel Saldivar, el texano
Screenplay
The Incredible Professor Zovek
Writer
- 1971
Santo vs. the Head Hunters
Writer
La mula de Cullen Baker
Writer
- 1970
Santo vs. the Riders of Terror
Screenplay
La hermana Trinquete
Story
1960s
- 1969
- 1968
Caballo prieto azabache
Screenplay
- 1966
Santo vs. the Ghost of the Strangler
Writer
- 1965
Santo vs. the Strangler
Writer
Gabino Barrera
Writer
Neutron Traps the Invisible Killers
Writer
- 1960
Adventures of Joselito and Tom Thumb
Screenplay
Herencia trágica
Screenplay
1950s
- 1959
Angel from Hell
Screenplay
- 1958
Maratón de baile
Screenplay
Tom Thumb
Screenplay
Las tres pelonas
Screenplay
Tú y la mentira
Screenplay
La cama de piedra
Screenplay
- 1957
Pancho López
Screenplay
- 1954
De ranchero a empresario
Writer
El enmascarado de plata
Story
- 1953
Pompeyo el conquistador
Screenplay
- 1952
Por qué peca la mujer
Screenplay
- 1951
Port of Temptation
Screenplay
- 1950
They also sing of pain
Screenplay
Gemma
Screenplay
1940s
- 1949
Una canción a la vírgen
Screenplay
El Charro del Cristo
Screenplay
- 1948
La última noche
Screenplay
Cartas Marcadas
Screenplay
Lazos de fuego
Adaptation
Mi madre adorada
Writer
- 1947
El tigre de Jalisco
Screenplay
- 1945
El museo del crimen
Screenplay
- 1944
The Black Ace
Story, Adaptation
Hotel de verano
Writer
The Headless Woman
Story, Adaptation
Mis hijos!
Writer
- 1943
El espectro de la novia
Adaptation
- 1942
Jesusita en Chihuahua
Screenplay
1930s
- 1938
Alarma
Screenplay
- 1937
Las cuatro milpas
Screenplay
Don Juan Tenorio
Screenplay
Produced 1
1940s
- 1945
El museo del crimen
Producer
Edited 1
1940s
- 1940
Love of my loves
Editor