Guillermo Calles

<p> In 1912 Guillermo Calles (1893-1958) became the first Mexican actor to appear in films made in California. Despite limited resources he began directing and producing his own movies and in 1929 pioneered production of Spanish-language sound films. His major works among them the long-unavailable <I>El indio yaqui</I> and <I>Raza de bronce</I> (both 1927) represented Calles' tireless crusade to restore the image of Mexicans and Indians in an era dominated by Hollywood stereotypes.</p><p> This biography traces Calles' career from his earliest Hollywood days through the 1950s. Included are the only surviving images of the filmmaker's silent productions a closing commentary on his intimate circle of relatives and an appendix featuring two fascinating letters written by Calles during a filming trip.</p>