Pedro Armendariz

Pedro Armendáriz was a Mexican-American film actor who made films in both Mexico and the United States. With Dolores del Río and María Félix, he was one of the best-known Latin American movie stars of the 1940s and 1950s. He was discovered by film director Miguel Zacarías when Armendáriz recited a soliloquy from Hamlet to an American tourist. His meeting with the director Emilio Fernández was providential, whereupon the actor and director began working in numerous films: Soy puro mexicano (1942), Flor silvestre (1942) and specially María Candelaria (1943) were the first films of intense common path. Under the guidance of Emilio Fernández, Pedro Armendáriz developed the film personality traits of strong nationalist; often, he played tough and manly men, indigenous, peasants and revolutionaries. Amendáriz repeatedly portrayed Pancho Villa and played opposite actresses such as Dolores del Río and María Félix. With Dolores del Río, Amendáriz formed one of the most legendary couples of the Mexican cinema. María Candelaria provided Armendáriz with international visibility. The film was awarded the Palme d'Or at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. Other prominent titles where Armendáriz appeared with Dolores del Río were Las Abandonadas (1944), Bugambilia (1944) and La Malquerida (1949). He also worked in Hollywood, where he appeared in films such as Fort Apache (1948), 3 Godfathers (1948), We Were Strangers (1949), The Fugitive (1947) and From Russia with Love (1963). He found out he had cancer during the production of From Russia with Love. The schedule of production was altered so he could finish his scenes in a timely fashion. He wanted to finish the movie so his family could receive his salary. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Los Angeles after finding out he had terminal cancer. He was the father of actor Pedro Armendáriz Jr., who also appeared in a James Bond film, Licence to Kill (1989).