The Second Calderón Generation
José Luis Calderón
José Luis began his career as a producer with the support of his father, José U. Calderón. He would continue producing films through the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, including Posada sangrienta/The Bloody Inn (Fernando A. Rivero, Mexico: Cinematográfica Calderón, 1943) and Los miserables (Fernando A. Rivero, Mexico: Azteca Films, 1943).
Pedro Calderón
Pedro began his career as a producer with the support of his father, José U. Calderón. His first production would be the successful Lupe Vélez vehicle Zandunga (Fernando de Fuentes, Mexico, 1939).
He and his brother Guillermo would join forces to form Producciones Calderón, which specialized in the production of popular genre films. After the brothers parted ways as business partners in the early 1950s, he would continue to produce films until he passed away in 1970.
Rubén Calderón
The son of Rafael Calderón, Rubén was placed in charge of Azteca Films Distribution Company, which was established in 1932 with the express purpose of distributing Mexican cinema to the United States. Azteca Films was in operation until 1956, when the Mexican government nationalized the film industry.
Guillermo Calderón
Guillermo began his career as a producer with the support of his father, José U. Calderón. Along with brother Pedro (Perico), he would go on to form Producciones Calderón until the two parted ways in the 1950s. As owner of Cinematográfica Calderón he is perhaps best known for pioneering a number of popular genres in Mexico, including lucha libre, cabaretera, teen pics, and ficheras. His inclination toward pleasing the masses and pushing the boundaries of acceptable content often placed him at odds with film critics and cultural authorities in Mexico. His life and career are the subject of the 2009 film Perdida/Lost, co-directed by his great niece Viviana García Besné.
Jorge García Besné
Jorge García Besné married Marte Calderón, the daughter of José U. Calderón. He was soon recruited by the family to join the movie business and became a producer. Notably, he produced a number of lucha libre films, including the first two films to feature the legendary wrestler El Santo: Santo contra el cerebro del mal/Santo vs. the Evil Brain (Joselito Rodríguez, 1961) and Santo contra los hombres infernales/Santo vs. the Infernal Men (Joselito Rodríguez, 1961).
The Calderón Family