Francisco Reiguera

Francisco Reiguera
Born
Francisco Reiguera Pérez

(1899-11-09)November 9, 1899
Madrid, Spain
DiedMarch 15, 1969(1969-03-15) (aged 69)
Mexico City, Mexico
OccupationActor

Francisco Reiguera Pérez (November 9, 1899 – March 15, 1969) was a Spanish actor, long based in Mexico. He was known as a character actor during the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, as well as for playing the title role in Orson Welles’ unfinished film version of Don Quixote.[1]

Life and career

Born in Madrid in 1899, Reiguera began his acting career at the age of 8 in the Arte Español theatre company.[2] The Cineteca Nacional de Mexico states he worked as a bit part actor and extra during the silent era in Europe and Hollywood, making his debut in the 1913 French film Germinal.[2] However, these credits are not well-documented.

At some point residing in Paris, he emigrated to Mexico in 1940 shortly before the Nazi German occupation of France. Reiguera became a prolific and well-known character actor during the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, appearing in over 100 films between 1942 and 1969.[3] He worked with many of the major directors of Mexican cinema, including Luis Buñuel, Emilio Fernández, and Fernando Cortés. He also wrote screenplays and directed two films: 1944's Yo soy usted (featuring Amparo Arozamena) and 1954's Ofrenda (with Carlos López Moctezuma and Carmelita González).[2]

In 1957, Reiguera was cast by Orson Welles to play the title character in his never-to-completed film adaptation of Don Quixote. Principal photography took place on-and-off between 1957 and 1969.[4] By 1968, the ailing Reiguera asked Welles to finish shooting his scenes before his health gave out. Shortly after his scenes were completed, Reiguera died.[4] Spanish filmmaker and former Welles collaborator Jesús Franco released a version of the project in 1992.[4]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ↑ Cowie, Peter. “The Cinema of Orson Welles.” 1973, A.S. Barnes & Co.
  2. 1 2 3 "Francisco Reiguera Pérez - Director de cine". DDCM. Retrieved 2026-05-15.
  3. ↑ “Biography for Francisco Reiguera,” Turner Classic Movies
  4. 1 2 3 Brady, Frank (1989). Citizen Welles. Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0-684-18982-8
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