Elsa Cardenas Renteria, a renowned Mexican leading actress, was born in Tijuana to Victor Cardenas and Hortencia Renteria. Her illustrious acting career began in 1954, with numerous appearances in Mexican films and telenovelas.
Elsa's first international exposure came with the independently produced film The Brave One (1956),shot in Mexico and distributed in the United States by RKO. Her outstanding performance in this film caught the attention of director George Stevens, who subsequently chose her to play the role of a Mexican girl in the film Giant (1956),based on Edna Ferber's novel.
Elsa Cardenas had the extraordinary experience of acting alongside Hollywood legends Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean in Giant (1956). She later recalled that this experience was the most memorable of her professional life. Her subsequent roles included co-starring with Elvis Presley in Fun in Acapulco (1963),and according to interviews, she was briefly in a romantic relationship with the King four years prior to his marriage to Priscilla.
Elsa married Houston-based oilman Guy Preston Patton (1918-1966),but the union ended in divorce. Throughout her Hollywood stint between 1959 and 1960, she had featured roles in several American films, including For the Love of Mike (1960),Of Love and Desire (1963),and Sam Peckinpah's seminal western The Wild Bunch (1969).
During her time in Hollywood, Elsa also appeared in various TV westerns, such as Black Saddle (1959),Have Gun - Will Travel (1957),and Pony Express (1959),portraying diverse characters including senoritas and Indian girls. After retiring from acting in 2015, Elsa Cardenas remained gainfully employed on Mexican television.
In addition to her acting career, Elsa Cardenas qualified with a Bachelor of Communication Sciences from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 1992.
