Pedro Armendáriz
Pedro Armendáriz in 3 Godfathers (1948)
Born
Pedro Gregorio Armendáriz Hastings

(1912-05-09)May 9, 1912
Mexico City, Mexico
DiedJune 18, 1963(1963-06-18) (aged 51)
Burial placePanteón Jardín, Mexico City, Mexico
OccupationActor
Years active1935–1963
Spouse
Carmelita Bohr
(m. 1938)
Children2, including Pedro Jr.
RelativesGloria Marín (cousin)

Pedro Gregorio Armendáriz Hastings (May 9, 1912 – June 18, 1963) 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.

Early life

Armendáriz was born in Mexico City, to Pedro Armendáriz García Conde, a Mexican father and Adela Hastings, an American mother. He was also the cousin of actress Gloria Marín. Armendáriz and his younger brother Francisco lived with their uncle Henry Hastings Senior in Laredo, Texas, after their mother died. He later studied in California, attending the California Polytechnic State University from September 1928 to May 1932. At Cal Poly, he studied mechanics and in May 1931 graduated from the academic course of the school. He remained an additional year as a freshman in the Junior College division, but in 1932 returned to Mexico after the end of the school year. While at Cal Poly, Armendáriz was active in student activities, including editing the student newspaper and the student yearbook and acting in several student dramatic productions.[1]

Career

Armendáriz with Harry Carey Jr. and John Wayne in 3 Godfathers (1949)

When Armendáriz finished his studies, he moved to Mexico, where he worked for the railroad, as a tour guide, and as a journalist for the bilingual magazine México Real. 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). Maria Felix was his other partner in such films as Enamorada (1946) or Maclovia (1948).[2]

In the late 40s, he made the jump to Hollywood by the hand of John Ford. Armendáriz was a favorite of Ford, appearing in three of his films: The Fugitive (1947), Fort Apache and 3 Godfathers (both 1948).

Armendáriz with Lana Turner in Diane (1956)

Besides his career in the Mexican cinema, Armendáriz made a remarkable career in Hollywood and Europe. His other prominent films in Hollywood were: We Were Strangers (1949, directed by John Huston), The Torch (1950), Border River (1954), The Conqueror (1956) and Diane (1956), among others. In Europe, highlighted his participation in the film Lucrèce Borgia (1953), filmed in France. In Mexico, his participation highlighted such notable films such as El Bruto (1953, directed by Luis Buñuel), La Cucaracha (1959) and La Bandida (1962).

Armendáriz's last appearance was in the second James Bond film, From Russia with Love (1963), as Bond's ally, Kerim Bey. Armendáriz was terminally ill with cancer during the filming of From Russia with Love, and towards the end of shooting he was too ill to perform his part; his final scenes were performed by his double, director Terence Young.[3] Armendáriz died four months before the release of the film.

Personal life

Armendáriz was married to actress Carmelita Bohr (née Pardo) by whom he had one son and one daughter. His son Pedro Armendariz Bohr (April 6, 1940 – December 26, 2011), also became an actor and appeared in the James Bond film Licence to Kill (1989). His daughter, TV producer Carmen Armendáriz Bohr(b. 1946, Mexico City), was married and then divorced Michel Pierson Cuadra, a Nicaraguan national.

Illness and death

In 1956, Armendáriz had a role in The Conqueror, produced by Howard Hughes. It was filmed in the state of Utah at the time when the US government was conducting atmospheric nuclear testing in neighboring Nevada. Within 25 years, 91 of the 220 people involved in the production (41%) developed cancer, 46 of whom died of cancer or complications related to it.

Armendáriz began to suffer pain in his hips; years later it was discovered that he had neck cancer.[4] He learned his condition was terminal while at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, and, reportedly, endured great pain to film From Russia with Love in order to assure his family financial resources.

On June 18, 1963, Armendáriz died by suicide by shooting himself in the chest with a gun he had smuggled into the hospital.[5] He was 51 years old.[6] He is buried in the Panteón Jardín cemetery in Mexico City, Mexico.[7]

Filmography

Hollywood

Year Title Role Notes
1947 The Fugitive A lieutenant of police a.k.a. El Fugitivo (Mexico)
1948 Fort Apache Sgt. Beaufort as Pedro Armendáriz
3 Godfathers Pedro "Pete" Roca Fuerte as Pedro Armendáriz
1949 Tulsa Jim Redbird
We Were Strangers Armando Ariete
1950 The Torch José Juan Reyes a.k.a. Del odio nace el amor (Mexico)
1954 Border River General Eduardo Calleja
1955 The Littlest Outlaw Gen. Torres
1956 Diane King Francis I
The Conqueror Jamuga as Pedro Armendáriz
1957 The Big Boodle Col. Mastegui as Pedro Armendáriz
1959 Little Savage El Tiburón
The Wonderful Country Cipriano Castro
1961 Francis of Assisi The Sultan
1963 Captain Sindbad El Kerim as Pedro Armendáriz

British cinema

Year Title Role Notes
1957 Manuela Mario Constanza
1963 From Russia with Love Ali Kerim Bey

Italian cinema

Year Title Role Notes
1955 Tom Toms of Mayumba Martinez
1957 Uomini e lupi Giovanni a.k.a. The Wolves
1962 Arrivano i titani Cadmo a.k.a. My Son, the Hero (USA)

French cinema

Year Title Role Notes
1953 Lucrèce Borgia César Borgia a.k.a. Lucretia Borgia
1955 Fortune carrée Igricheff

Mexican cinema

Year Title Role Notes
1935 Rosario Enrique
1936 Irma la mala
María Elena Eduardo
1937 Las cuatro milpas
Jalisco nunca pierde Pedro González
Amapola del camino Juan Padilla
1938 Mi candidato Pancho García
La Adelita Sabino Estrada
Los millones de Chaflán Antonio
Canto a mi tierra Antonio
1939 El indio Felipe
La reina del río Pescador joven
La china Hilaria Apolonio
Una luz en mi camino Daniel
Con los Dorados de Villa Mayor Pedro Mondragón
1940 Los olvidados de Dios Zenón Rojas
Poor Devil Raúl Solares
El charro negro Ramón
Mala yerba Chuy Rodríguez
El jefe máximo
1941 El secreto del sacerdote
El zorro de Jalisco Leonardo
Neither Blood nor Sand Frank
1942 Allá en el bajío Juan Hernández
La epopeya del camino Raúl
Del rancho a la capital Pedro Rodríguez
Simón Bolívar General Briceño Méndez
La isla de la pasión (Clipperton) El Toro
I'm a Real Mexican Guadalupe Padilla
1943 Wild Flower Jose Luis Castro
Tierra de pasiones Porfirio
Guadalajara Pedro
Red Konga Federico Robles
Another Dawn Octavio
1944 María Candelaria Lorenzo Rafael
La guerra de los pasteles Antonio del Valle
El corsario negro El corsario negro
Las calaveras del terror Rolando
Alma de bronce
1945 Entre hermanos
Las Abandonadas Juan Gomez nominated — Ariel Award for Best Actor
El Capitán Malacara Capitán Leonardo Buenrostro
Bugambilia Ricardo Rojas
1946 Rayando el sol Pedro, adulto
Enamorada Gen. José Juan Reyes nominated — Ariel Award for Best Actor
1947 La casa colorada Gaspar
Albur de amor
The Pearl Quino Ariel Award for Best Actor
1948 Juan Charrasqueado Juan Robledo / Juan Charrasqueado
En la hacienda de la flor Juan Robledo - el hijo de Juan Charrasqueado
Maclovia José María
1949 Al caer la tarde Sebastian del Llano
1949 El abandonado Dámian López
The Unloved Woman Esteban
El charro y la dama Pedro Meneses
1950 Vuelve Pancho Villa Pancho Villa
La loca de la casa José María Cruz
Por la puerta falsa Bernardo Celis
Rosauro Castro Rosauro Castro nominated — Ariel Award for Best Actor
1951 Tierra baja Manelic
Bodas de fuego Rodolfo Carrera
Camino del infierno Pedro Uribe
Por querer a una mujer José Renteria
Ella y yo Pedro Múñoz
1952 Los tres alegres compadres Baldomero Mireles
La noche avanza Marcos Arizmendi
Carne de presidio Pablo González
El Rebozo de Soledad Roque Suazo Ariel Award for Best Actor
1953 Lovers of Toledo Don Alvaro Blas Basto y Mosquera
El Bruto Pedro
1954 Reto a la vida Diego Maldonado
Mulata Captain Martín
La rebelión de los colgados Cándido Costa nominated — Ariel Award for Best Actor
Dos mundos y un amor Ricardo Anaya
1956 La Escondida Felipe Rojano
Canasta de cuentos mexicanos Carlos Cosio segment "Tigresa, La"
Viva revolución
1957 La mujer que no tuvo infancia Lic. Alberto Garza Cifuentes
Los salvajes Pedro Matías
Así era Pancho Villa Pancho Villa
1958 Quiero ser artista Himself
1959 Ando volando bajo Pedro
Café Colón General Sebastián Robles
Las Señoritas Vivanco Gen. Inocencio Torrentera
El zarco El Zarco
Flor de mayo Pepe Gamboa
Sed de amor Pedro Ortiz
La Cucaracha Coronel Valentín Razo
Yo pecador Francisco Bracamontes
Hambre nuestra de cada día Macario Férnandez
1960 Los desarraigados Joe Pacheco
Verano violento Francisco Peña
Dos hijos desobedientes Pedro
Calibre 44 Don Pedro
Pancho Villa y la Valentina Pancho Villa
Aquí está Pancho Villa Pancho Villa
El impostor Professor César Rubio
Los hermanos del hierro General
La cárcel de Cananea Pedro
1961 El indulto Lucas Sánchez Parrondo
1962 El tejedor de milagros Señor cura
Los valientes no mueren Pedro
1963 La Bandida Roberto Herrera

Bibliography

  • García, Gustavo (1997). Pedro Armendáriz. Clío. ISBN 968-6932-96-8.
  • Tierney, Dolores (2012). "Latino Acting On Screen: Pedro Armendáriz Performs Mexicanness in Three John Ford Films". Revista Canadiense de Estudios Hispanicos, 37 (1). pp. 111–134. ISSN 0384-8167.

References

  1. Garcia, Gustavo (1997). Pedro Armendáriz: México en el alma. México: Clío. pp. 20–22. ISBN 968-6932-97-6.
  2. Pedro Armendáriz Biography
  3. BondMovies.com Archived 2010-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Los últimos minutos de Pedro Armendáriz, el hombre que se mató de un disparo en la cama del hospital". Univision (in Spanish). Univision Communications Inc. January 21, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  5. Avendaño, Reyna (June 18, 2018). "Pedro Armendáriz y la trágica historia detrás de su suicidio". El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  6. Holston, Kim R. (July 11, 2015). Susan Hayward: Her Films and Life. McFarland Publishing. p. 217. ISBN 9780786480883.
  7. EFE (June 22, 2013). "A 50 años de la muerte de Pedro Armendariz". El Tiempo Latino (in Spanish). Retrieved March 5, 2019.


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