Mario Almada Otero (January 7, 1922 – October 4, 2016) was a Mexican actor with a career lasting over seven decades. He appeared in over 300 films. He was most known for his roles in urban westerns,
narco pelicula
Narco pelicula, also known as narco film or narco filme, is a sub-genre of Mexican cinema's action film and Mexploitation genres. It deals with movies about drug trafficking and drug cartels, usually but not exclusively fictitious ones.
Although ...
s and action pictures. He was the brother of actor
Fernando Almada
Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa, the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka. It is equivalent to the Ge ...
.
Biography
Almada was born in
Huatabampo
Huatabampo () is a city in Huatabampo Municipality in the States of Mexico, state of Sonora, in northwestern Mexico. It is situated on the Gulf of California, near the mouth of the Mayo River, Mexico, Mayo River. It is located at latitude . Huata ...
,
Sonora
Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...
. Apart from acting he was also a
director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
,
writer
A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...
and
film producer
A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...
. He began his artistic career in Mexico during the 1930s. He has appeared in over 200 films, with his first being ''Madre Querida'' in 1935. In this film he acted alongside his brother Fernando as children as an extra. He would not appear in another film again until a few decades later.
Almada moved from his home city of Huatabampo to
Ciudad Obregón
Ciudad Obregón is a city in southern Sonora. It is the state's second largest city after Hermosillo and serves as the municipal seat of Cajeme, as of 2020, the city has a population of 436,484. Ciudad Obregón is south of the state's norther ...
and to
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Mexico, while the Guadalaj ...
, where he lived for many years until he settled down in
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
. Almada was born to a family connected to the film industry, and was exposed to film shootings from an early age and, when he moved to Mexico City, he began working at a nightclub called Cabaret Master that was owned by his father.
When his brother Fernando decided to take up acting, Mario decided to become a film producer. He wrote his first film script in 1963. The Almada brothers had their own family-run production company that eventually dissolved due to financial troubles from lack of profit.
In 1965 Mario played the role of Bruno Rey in the film ''Los Jinetes de la Bruja'', in which the Almada brothers produced and Fernando acted as protagonist. Rey was injured during the shooting and Mario agreed to take his place. At the end of the decade, Mario and Fernando were starting off as film protagonists in western films such as ''Emiliano Zapata''. The following year (1969), Mario acted as protagonist alongside
Julio Alemán
Julio Méndez Alemán (November 29, 1933 – April 11, 2012) was a Mexican actor.La viuda negra'' and was nominated for an
Ariel
Ariel may refer to:
Film and television
*Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award
* ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki
* ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', 1989 and 1991 anime video series based on the novel series ...
for his performance Biografía de Mario Almada /ref> Although according to the official website of the Ariel, this nomination was not made until 1984, although ''La Viuda Negra'' was released in 1977.
In the 1970s Almada worked on a large number of films of the most diverse types and genres. There were times in which Mexican cinema was forced to seek new paths. Private film production almost disappeared and turned (or intended to be) progressive. It was a time of change in which Almada wanted to secure his place in film as an actor with multiple facets. He worked with westerns (''Los doce malditos'', 1972); historical reconstructions (''Aquellos años'', 1972); eschatology tapes and alarmism (''La isla de los hombres solos'', 1973); in second versions (''Los desarraigados'', 1975, based on the eponymous film of Gilberto Gazcón 1958). He agreed to become co-star alongside
Vicente Fernandez
Vicente is an Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese name. Like its French variant, Vincent, it is derived from the Latin name ''Vincentius'' meaning "conquering" (from Latin ''vincere'', "to conquer").
Vicente may refer to:
Location
*São Vicente, Cap ...
(El arracadas, 1977); in drug trafficking based films (''La banda del carro rojo'', 1976); in literary adaptations (''Divinas palabras'', 1977); ranchera melodramas, (''Mariachi'', 1976), and urban melodramas (''Para usted jefa'', 1979).(Mario Almada. Por Moisés Viñas. DICINE. No. 16, 8 de mayo de 1986) In his more than 200 films the subject of righteous revenge is something that remains as a constant, and especially in movies directed by Pedro Galindo such as 'Los desalmados'' (1970); ''Todo el horizonte para morir'' (1970); ''El pistolero del diablo'' (1973); in 1981 he reinforced this trend with ''Cazador de asesinos'' directed by Jose Luis Urquieta, which is based on the ballad of the same name by the band Cadetes de Linares.
During the 1970s, Almada's films were box office successes. In this decade, however, he changed his usual role of a hero/cowboy figure to a recurring villain in urban action films, highlighted in ''Peor Que Las Fieras'' alongside
Rogelio Guerra
Hildegardo Francisco Guerra Martínez (8 October 1936 – 28 February 2018), known artistically as Rogelio Guerra, was a Mexican actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the f ...
and
Yolanda Liévana
Yolanda may refer to:
* Yolanda (name), a given name derived from the Greek ''Iolanthe''
Places
* Yolanda, California
* Yolanda Shrine, monument located at Barangay Anibong, Tacloban, Leyte
Film
* ''Yolanda'' (film), a 1924 film starring ...
. Moreover, like in the end of the 1960s, he made another change, since he began to star without his brother in many of his films during the 1980s. In addition, he worked on films dealing with other subjects, such as '' La viuda negra'' (1977) and ''La fuga del rojo'' (1982). Almada recognizes that:
“Es difícil quedar satisfecho con el trabajo que uno hace, y siempre espera que la siguiente película sea mejor, aunque la gente lo que pide es acción. Hice películas de otro género como '' Divinas palabras'', ''La india'' y no tuvieron éxito, la gente no las fue a ver, prefieren la acción y eso ha sostenido a la industria.”
["It is difficult to be satisfied with the work you do, and you always hope that the next movie is better, but the people want action. I made films in other genres such as '' Divinas palabras'', ''La india'' and they did not succeed, people did not go to see them, they prefer action and that has sustained the industry."]
In 1987 he was again nominated for an Ariel for the second time with his starring role as Chido Guan in the film ''Tacos de Oro'', the story of a football team who are about to lose until Chido Guan (Almada) helps them win. Again, the film was shot in 1985, but the Mexican Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not nominate the film until 1987.
In 1990 Almada collaborated with
Los Tigres del Norte
Los Tigres del Norte (English: ''The Tigers of the North'') are a norteño band from San Jose, California. Originally founded in Mocorito, Sinaloa, Mexico, with sales of 60 million albums, the band is one of the most recognized groups in the g ...
again in the film ''La Camioneta Gris''. Previously in 1978, Almada, alongside his brother Fernando, had collaborated with the band in the film La Banda del Carro Rojo alongside Pedro Infante Jr. From 1997 to 2001, he played an important role in the Grupo Exterminador album "Narco Corridos 2" where he appeared on the cover and also conducted dialogues for most of the album's songs. In the 1997 album ''El Chile Pelaiz'' he reappeared on the cover. In 1999 he created dialogues for the track "Contrabando en los huevos" and participated in the video that was banned by the SCT and his last appearance for the band was on the album "Reunión de perrones" where he appeared with other Mexican actors. For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Almada has been inducted into the Paseo de las Luminarias in Mexico City.
Later years
Almada's films continued with themes of drug trafficking and violence. He played the role of a godfather in the 2006 film ''Bajo la misma luna''. The film is about a boy who crosses the Mexican-American Border in order to reunite with his mother. The film's name has been changed to ''
La Misma Luna
''Under the Same Moon'' ( es, La misma luna) is a 2007 Mexican-American drama film in Spanish and English directed by Patricia Riggen (in her feature film directorial debut) and starring Kate del Castillo, Adrián Alonso, and Eugenio Derbez.
Pl ...
'' since January 2007 and was officially released in
México
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
on September 7, 2007, and in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
on September 28, 2007.
In 2008 Almada played a secondary role during the second season of the Mexican television series
El Pantera
''El Pantera'' (English: ''The Panther'') is a Mexican television series that aired on Canal 5 from May 14, 2007 to November 26, 2009. It is based on a comic book of the same name. It narrates the life of Gervasio, a young man who fights crime ...
, playing the role of Don Almagro. In 2010 he appeared on the Narco satire ''El Infierno'', made by Luis Estrada. He played the role of the drug trafficker known as "El Texano", an intermediary between the highland narcotics producers and the people of Jose Reyes. It is an unusual role for him to take on in his career full of mafia-related films, where he often plays an incorruptible police officer or a peaceful civilian who ends up seeking revenge.
Death
Almada died in his sleep at the age of 94 on October 4, 2016.
* El Infierno (2010)
* La Misma Luna (2007)
* El Charro Juárez (2007)
* Una de Balazos (2005)
* El Dedos de Oro (2004)
* Tianguis, Ratas de la Ciudad (2003)
* La Noche De Los Guerreros (2002)
* Tengo Los Huevos Bien Puestos (2002)
* El Gavilán de la Sierra (2002)
* Avioneta Colombiana (2002)
* Las Ratas de la Frontera (2001)
* La Camioneta Gris II (2000)
* El Regreso de Camelia la Chicana (2000)
* La Vengadora de la Uzi (2000)
* El Corrido de José Ramón y María (1999)
* El Fantasma de la Coca (1999)
* Matar o Morir (1999)
* Tumba Para Dos (1999)
* Jueves de Corpus (1998)
* Amanecer Sangriento (1998)
* Rodeo de Media Noche II (1998)
* Tijuana, Ciudad de Narcos (1998)
* La Cheyenne del Año (1997)
* Halcón, Asesino Professional (1997)
* Rodeo de Media Noche (1997)
* Viajero (1996)
* La Juez Lobo (1996)
* Un Asesinato perfecto (1995)
* Un Indio Quiere Llorar (1994)
* Sinaloa (1994)
* Ranger: Muerte en Texas (1993)
* El Salario de la Muerte (1993)
* El Fiscal de Hierro III (1992)
* Chicago: Pandillas Salvajes (1991)
* Tijuana Jones (1991)
* Juan Nadie (1990)
* La Camioneta Gris (1990)
* El Fiscal de Hierro II (1989)
* El Fiscal de Hierro (1988)
* Un Hombre Violento (1986)
* El Extraño Hijo del Sheriff (1986)
* Tacos de Oro (1985)
* Gatilleros del Río Bravo (1984)
* Pistoleros Famosos (1981)
* Emilio Varela vs. Camelia la Texana (1980)
*
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
(1978)
*El Arracadas (1978)
* La Banda Del Carro Rojo (1978)
* Divinas palabras (1977)
* Ay Chihuahua No Te Rajes(1977)
* Puerto Maldito (1977)
*
Length of War
''Length of War'' ( es, Longitud de guerra) is a 1976 Mexican drama film directed by Gonzalo Martínez Ortega. The film was selected as the Mexican entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 49th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a n ...
(1976)
*
El valle de los miserables
''El valle de los miserables'' (English: ''The valley of the miserable'') is a 1975 Mexican drama film. Based in the novel ''El Valle Nacional'' by Enrique Albuerne.
Synopsis
In 1909, the former Judge Cristobal Zamarripa Zamarripa is the owner ...
*
Those Years
''Those Years'' ( es, Aquellos años) is a 1973 Mexican drama film directed by Felipe Cazals. It was entered into the 8th Moscow International Film Festival where it won a Special Prize.
Cast
* Jorge Martínez de Hoyos as Benito Juárez
* Helen ...
(1973)
Films by decade
Mario Almada has participated in over 500 films.
1960s
* Los jinetes de la bruja (En el viejo Guanajuato)(1966)
* El tesoro de Atahualpa (1968)
* Todo por nada (1968)
1970s
* Sculo(1970)
* Zapata (1970)
* El tunco Maclovio (1970)
* Eye for an Eye (1971)
* Los desalmados (1971)
* Todo el horizonte para morir (1971)
* No Exit (1971)
* Por Eso (1972)
* Indio (1972)
* Los indomables (1972)
* Los hombres no lloran (1973)
* Aquellos años (1973)
* La tigresa (1973)
* Los doce malditos (1974)
* Mulato (1974)
* Debieron ahorcarlos antes (1974)
* Island of Lost Souls (1974)
* Pistolero del diablo (1974)
* Los galleros de Jalisco (1974)
* La Banda del carro rojo (1975)
* Simon Blanco (1975)
*
El valle de los miserables
''El valle de los miserables'' (English: ''The valley of the miserable'') is a 1975 Mexican drama film. Based in the novel ''El Valle Nacional'' by Enrique Albuerne.
Synopsis
In 1909, the former Judge Cristobal Zamarripa Zamarripa is the owner ...
(1975)
* Un mulato llamado Martín (1975)
* Peor que las fieras (1976)
* El hombre (1976)
* La India (1976)
* Los desarraigados (1976)
* Longitud de guerra (1976)
* En defensa propia (1977)
* La viuda negra'' (1977)
* Dinastía de la muerte (1977)
* Los temibles (1977)
* Mariachi Fiesta de sangre (1977)
* Mil millas al sur (1978)
* Carroña (1978)
* El arracadas (1978)
* El cuatro dedos (1978)
* Divinas palabras (1978)
* The Whip (1978)
*
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
(1978)
* El fin del tahur (1979)
* 357 magnum (1979)
* La mafia de la frontera (1979)
* El cortado (1979)
* Puerto maldito (1979)
1980s
* El gatillo de la muerte (1980)
* Ay Chihuahua no te rajes! (1980)
* La sucesión (1980)
* Under Siege (1980)
* El rey de los tahures (1980)
* Para usted jefa (1980)
* Emilio Varela vs Camelia la Texana (1980)
* La muerte del Palomo (1981)
* Treinta segundos para morir (1981)
* Pistoleros famosos (1980)
* Herencia de muerte (1981)
* El extraño hijo del Sheriff (1982)
* El canto de los humildes (1982)
* Una leyenda de amor (1982)
* Contrabandos humanos (1982)
* Las pobres illegales (1982)
* San Miguel el alto (1982)
* La mugrosita (1982)
* Los cuates de la Rosenda (1982)
* Los dos matones (1983)
* Cazador de asesinos (1981)
* Aborto: Canta a la vida (1983)
* Siete en la mira (1984)
* Asalto en Tijuana (1984)
* Gatilleros del Río Bravo (1984)
* Encuentro con la muerte (1984)
* Caceria de un criminal (1984)
* La muerte del chacal (1984)
* Hombres de acción (1984)
* Cobra Gang (1985)
* Operación marihuana (1985)
* El escuadrón de la muerte (1985)
* Tacos de oro (1985)
* Escape sangriento (1985)
* La fuga del rojo (1985)
* El gatillo de la muerte (1985)
* Los dos frailes (1986)
* La venganza de la Coyota (1986)
* Cartucho cortado (1986)
* Verdugo de traidores (1986)
* La muerte de un pistolero (1986)
* At the Edge of the Law: Rescue Mission (1986)
* Un hombre violento (1986)
* La venganza del rojo (1986)
* The Killer Trailer (1986)
* Dias de matanza (1987
* Municipio de la muerte (1987)
* Emilio Varela vs. Camelia la Texana (1987)
* La jaula de oro (1987)
* Trágico terremoto en México (1987)
* Yo el ejecutor (1987)
* Ansia de matar (1987)
* The Bloody Monks (1988)
* Noche de buitres (1988)
* Me llaman violencia (1989)
* El fugitivo de Sonora (1989)
* Apuesta contra la muerte (1989)
* Violación (1989)
* Cargamento mortal (1989)
* El fiscal de hierro (1989) - Eduardo Lobo (El Fiscal De Hierro)
* Cabalgando con la muerte (1989)
* El cuatrero (1989)
* Tres veces mojado (1989)
* Programado para morir (1989)
1990s
* Emboscada (1990)
* Prisioneros de la selva (1990)
* Agentes federales (1990)
* La secta de la muerte (1990)
* Atentado (1990)
* La mujer judicial (1990)
* En la línea del fuego (1990)
* Los demonios del desierto (1990)
* Atrapados en la coca (1990)
* Desafiando a la muerte (Agentes federales) (1990)
* La zona del silencio (1990)
* Noche de pánico (1990)
* Vivir o morir (1990)
* La justicia en sus manos (1990)
* La camioneta gris (1990)
* El homicida (1990)
* Carrera contra la muerte (1990)
* El último escape (1990)
* Un corazón para dos (1990)
* El fiscal de hierro 2: La venganza de Ramona (1990) - Eduardo Lobo (El Fiscal De Hierro)
* Juan Nadie (1990)
* Policía rural (1990)
* Pueblo de madera (1990)
* Orden de aprehensión (1991)
* El silla de ruedas (1991)
* Chicago, pandillas salvajes (1991)
* Tijuana Jones (1991)
* Armas, robo y muerte (1991)
* Furia de venganza (1991)
* Maverick... Lluvia de sangre (1991)
* La huella de un asesino (1991)
* El corrido de los Perez (1991)
* Chicago, pandillas salvajes II (1991)
* Reportera en peligro (1991)
* Tengo que matarlos (1991)
* Los tres gallos (1991)
* Hembras de tierra caliente (1991)
* Jóvenes delincuentes (1991)
* Traición (1991)
* Cadenas de violencia (1992)
* Terreno prohibido (1992)
* El ofico de matar (1992)
* Armas de fuego (1992)
* El fiscal de hierro 3 (1992) - Eduardo Lobo (El Fiscal De Hierro)
* Pandilleros: (olor a muerte 2)(1992)
* Traficantes de niños (1992)
* Muerte en Tijuana (1992)
* El prófugo (1992)
* Alcohol, odio y muerte (1993)
* El salario de la muerte (1993)
* Tempestad de odio (1993)
* Un pistolero implacable (1993)
* Mariachi (1993)
* El silla de ruedas II (1993)
* Ranger II: El narcotunel (1993)
* Village of the Damned (1993)
* Transplandes illegales (1994)
* El hombre de Medellín (1994)
* Guardianes de la dimensión prohibida (1994)
* Duelo final (1994)
* Sinaloa, tierra de hombres (1994)
* Atrapados en la venganza (1994)
* El silla de ruedas 3 (Tienes que morir) (1994)
* El policía y el pareja (1994)
* Secuestro salvaje (1994)
* Morir a mi manera (1994)
* Uzi ráfaga mortal (1995)
* Yaqui indomable (1995)
* Un asesinato perfecto (1995)
* Fuerza maldita (1995)
* Una mujer con oficio (1995)
* La fuga de los Pérez (1995)
* Secuestro (1995)
* A sangre fría (1995)
* Mestizo (1995)
* El depredador voraz (1995)
* Traficantes de muerte (1995)
* Venganza silenciosa (1995)
* Señalado para morir (1995)
* La hiena humana (1995)
* El fiscal de hierro 4 (1995) - Eduardo Lobo (El Fiscal De Hierro)
* La sombra del negro (1996)
* El gato de Chihuahua (1996)
* Viajero (1996)
* Tumba para un narco (1996)
* La juez Lobo (1996)
* El llamada de la sangre (1996)
* Violencia urbana (1996)
* Campeón (1997)
* El extraño visitante (1997)
* Vengarse matando (1997)
* Masacre nocturna (1997)
* Halcon asesino profesional (1997)
* Agentes de servicios especiales (1998)
* El séptimo asalto (1998)
* Conspiración exterminio (1998
* Justicia para un criminal (1998)
* El regreso de la bestia (1998)
* El dientes de oro (1998)
* El último cartucho (1999)
* El fantasma de la coca (1999)
* Sendero mortal II (1999)
* Kilos de muerte (1999)
* Tumba para dos (1999)
* Ranger, la última misión (1999)
* Caminos chuecos (1999)