The death of Pedro Infante: An icon of Mexican cinema

• Pedro Infante: An icon of Mexican cinema.
• Learn about his most outstanding achievements.
• A tragic accident ended his life in 1957.

Learn about Pedro Infante’s death! This is the story of Pedro Infante. To this day he is an iconic figure in Mexican cinema, where he appeared in dozens of films between 1939 and 1956, a year before his unexpected and tragic death in Mexico.

The actor and singer began as an extra in the film En un Burro Tres Baturros, where he shared credits with the legendary actress Sara García. He died unexpectedly in a plane crash, in 1957. 

Pedro Infante: The beginnings of his career

Pedro Infante Cruz was born on November 18, 1917 in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. Pedro Infante’s acting career began when he appeared as an extra in the Mexican film En un Burro Tres Baturros. He was already somewhat known as a regional Mexican singer, both in his native Mazatlán and in Mexico City, where he moved with his wife, María Luisa León.

His first album was released on November 19, 1943. He had been performing live and becoming known at various radio stations in Mexico. In 1943, director Ismael Rodríguez invited him to appear in more films, with the promise of highlighting his talent for music and acting. This materialized with the film Mexicanos al Grito de Guerra in that same year.

His career as an actor and singer

The first film Pedro Infante starred in was Mexicanos al Grito de Guerra, although it could be said that the role with which he established himself as a film idol was Pepe el Toro in the trilogy of films Nosotros los Pobres, Ustedes los Ricos and Pepe el Toro.

Little by little, the actor and singer created a loyal fan base who closely followed his career. In a span of ten years, he filmed more than 20 movies and recorded four records, before suddenly dying in a plane crash in southern Mexico.

Pedro Infante’s death

On April 15, 1957, Pedro Infante, who was trained to fly the C-87 Liberator Express aircraft, was ready to leave the airport in Mérida, Mexico on his way to Mexico City. However, just a few minutes after takeoff, the aircraft began to experience engine failure. It plummeted to the ground killing him and three others.

Pedro Infante’s death caused great commotion in Mexico, due to the circumstances in which the accident occurred and to the reports of the witnesses, who say his body could only be recognized by a gold bracelet he always wore. A statue was erected right on the spot where the accident occurred, which is visited every year by hundreds of fans.

Pedro Infante lives on

Pedro Infante’s career included more than 60 films and approximately 300 songs. He was nominated seven times for the Ariel Awards in Mexican cinema, winning the award once, in 1957, for his performance in the film Tizoc.

It was for that same film that in the year of his death he was recognized with the Silver Bear at the International Film Festival of Berlin, in the category of best male performance. Since his death, Infante has remained an icon of Mexican culture and is remembered as one of the best Mexican actors and singers in all of history.