Pedro Gregorio Armendáriz Hastings (May 9, 1912 – June 18, 1963), better known as Pedro Armendáriz, was a Mexican-American actor who made films in both Mexico and the United States.

Early life

Pedro Gregorio Armendáriz Hastings was born in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico to Pedro Armendáriz García-Conde (Mexican) and Adela Hastings (American). He was also the cousin of actress Gloria Marín. Armendáriz lived with his parents in Texas and studied in California, where he graduated with anengineering degree from the California Polytechnic State University.

Career

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 Zacaríaswhen Armendáriz recited a soliloquy from Hamlet to an American tourist. He obtained his first role in a movie at the age of 22 and after that he made many films in Mexico, the United States, France, Italy and England. Under the direction of Emilio Fernández, and with Dolores del Río, he represented Mexican Cinema to all the world. He received a Silver Ariel Award in 1948 in the category of Best Actor for his role in La perla and another in 1952 for El Rebozo de Soledad. In 1947, he was the recipient of a Special Ariel for his works.

Armendáriz was a favorite of American director John Ford, appearing in three of his films: The Fugitive (1947), Fort Apache and 3 Godfathers (both 1948).

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.

Personal life

Armendáriz was married to Carmelita Pardo and has one son Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. is also an actor, who appeared in James Bond film Licence to Kill in1989 and Carmen Armendáriz as the former actress.

Later life and death

In 1954, Armendáriz had a role in the film The Conqueror produced by Howard Hughes. This movie was filmed in the state of Utah during the time when theUS government ran nuclear tests in the neighboring state of Nevada. 91 of the 220 people involved in the production of the film contracted cancer within 25 years, and 46 of these died as a consequence of this illness. In rebuttal, Pilar Wayne (John Wayne's widow) later wrote in her autobiography that she did not believe radiation was involved in the deaths of those associated with this film. She claimed she had visited the set many times as had others and did not become sick. Wayne said she believed the real cause of death of her husband and the others was solely due to smoking.

Armendáriz began to suffer pain in his hips and years later it was discovered that he had cancer in this region. He learned his condition was terminal while at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He reportedly acted in From Russia with Love while enduring great pain (he visibly limps in most scenes) in order to leave behind financial resources for his family after his impending death. On June 18, 1963, rather than waste away under the haze of pain medication, he took his own life by firing a bullet into his heart from a gun which he had smuggled into the hospital.

Hollywood

1947 The Fugitive A lieutenant of police aka 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 aka Del odio nace el amor (Mexico) 1954 Border River General Eduardo Calleja   1956 The Littlest Outlaw Gen. Torres   1956 The Conqueror Jamuga as Pedro Armendáriz Diane Francis I   1957 The Big Boodle Col. Mastegui as Pedro Armendáriz 1959 The Wonderful Country Cipriano Castro   Little Savage El Tiburón   1961 Francis of Assisi The Sultan 1963 Captain Sindbad El Kerim as Pedro Armendáriz From Russia with Love Ali Kerim Bey as Pedro Armendariz; his last film

Italian

1954 Tom Toms of Mayumba     1956 Uomini e lupi   aka Men and Wolves (USA) 1962 Arrivano i titani Cadmo aka The Titans (USA)

French

1953 Lucrèce Borgia César Borgia aka Lucretia Borgia 1955 Fortune carrée Igricheff   [edit]Mexican cinema Year Film Role Other notes 1935 Rosario     1936 Irma la mala     María Elena Eduardo 1937 Jalisco nunca pierde     Las cuatro milpas     Amapola del camino Juan Padilla   1938 Los millones de Chaflán     Mi candidato     Canto a mi tierra     La Adelita Sabino Estrada   1939 La reina del río     Una luz en mi camino     El indio Felipe   Con los Dorados de Villa     La china Hilaria     1940 Pobre diablo     Los olvidados de Dios     Mala yerba     El jefe máximo     El charro negro (1940)     1941 El zorro de Jalisco     El secreto del sacerdote     Ni sangre, ni arena     1942 Soy puro mexicano     Simón Bolívar     La epopeya del camino     Del rancho a la capital     Allá en el bajío     La isla de la pasión (Clipperton) El Toro   1943 Tierra de pasiones     Konga Roja     Guadalajara Pedro   Distinto amanecer Octavio   Flor silvestre Jose Luis Castro   1944 La guerra de los pasteles     El corsario negro     Las calaveras del terror     Alma de bronce     Maria Candelaria Lorenzo Rafael   1945 Entre hermanos     El Capitán Malacara     Bugambilia Ricardo Rojas   Las Abandonadas Juan Gomez   1946 Rayando el sol     Enamorada Gen. José Juan Reyes   1947 La casa colorada     Albur de amor     La perla Quino   1948 Juan Charrasqueado     En la hacienda de la flor     Maclovia José María   1949 La malquerida     Year Film Role Other notes 1949 El charro y la dama     Al caer la tarde     El abandonado     1950 Por la puerta falsa     La loca de la casa     Rosauro Castro Rosauro Castro   Vuelve Pancho Villa Pancho Villa   1951 Tierra baja     Por querer a una mujer     Ella y yo     Bodas de fuego Rodolfo Carrera   Camino del infierno Pedro Uribe   1952 Los tres alegres compadres     El rebozo de Soledad     Hambre nuestra de cada día     Carne de presidio     La noche avanza Marcos Arizmendi   1953 El bruto Pedro   El tirano de Toledo Don Blas   1954 Mulata     Dos mundos y un amor     Reto a la vida Diego Maldonado   La rebelión de los colgados Candido Costa   1956 Viva revolución     Canasta de cuentos mexicanos     La Escondida Felipe Rojano   1957 La mujer que no tuvo infancia     Así era Pancho Villa Pancho Villa   Manuela Mario Constanza   1958 Los salvajes     Quiero ser artista     1959 El zarco     Yo pecador     Sed de amor     Café Colón     Ando volando bajo     Flor de mayo Pepe Gamboa   Las Señoritas Vivanco Gen. Inocencio Torrentera   La Cucaracha Coronel Valentín Razo   1960 Verano violento     El impostor     Dos hijos desobedientes     La cárcel de Cananea     Calibre 44     Aquí está Pancho Villa Pancho Villa   Pancho Villa y la Valentina Pancho Villa   Los desarraigados Joe   1961 El indulto     Los hermanos del hierro General   1962 Los valientes no mueren     El tejedor de milagros     1963 La bandida Roberto  

References

^ BondMovies.com ^ "Inside From Russia with Love: An Original Documentary" (17 minutes, 20 seconds into the video) ^ Roberts, Randy; Olson, James Stuart (1995). "That'll Be The Day". John Wayne: American. Simon and Schuster. p. 412. ISBN 978-0-02-923837-0. Retrieved August 30, 2009.