Alfonso Bedoya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alfonso Bedoya
Bedoya (right) with Dona Drake, in Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950)
Born	April 16, 1904 Vícam, Mexico
Died	December 15, 1957 (aged 53) Mexico City, Mexico
Other names	Alfonso Bedolla Alfonso 'El Indio' Bedoya
Years active	1935–1957

Alfonso Bedoya (born April 16, 1904 – died December 15, 1957) was a famous Mexican actor. He often appeared in movies made in the United States. He is most remembered for his role in the film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. In this movie, he played a bandit leader and said a very famous line about "stinking badges". This line is considered one of the greatest movie quotes ever by the American Film Institute.

Early Life of Alfonso Bedoya

Alfonso Bedoya was born in a small town called Vícam in Sonora, Mexico. His family had Yaqui Indian heritage. He had a childhood where his family moved around a lot in Mexico. He traveled with his parents and his 19 brothers and sisters.

When he was 14, he moved to the United States. He went to school in Houston, Texas. However, he left school and worked many different jobs. He was a railroad worker, a dishwasher, a waiter, and even picked cotton.

Alfonso Bedoya's Film Career

Alfonso Bedoya started working as a character actor in the 1930s and 1940s. A character actor is someone who plays unusual or interesting characters, not usually the main hero or heroine. He worked in both American and Mexican movies. During this time, he acted in over 175 Mexican films! His very last movie, The Big Country, came out in 1958, after he had passed away.

The Famous "Stinking Badges" Line

Alfonso Bedoya is best known for his role as "Gold Hat" in the 1948 adventure film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. This movie was directed by John Huston. In the film, Bedoya's character says a very famous line: "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!"

This line is so well-known that it was ranked number 36 on AFI's list of 100 Greatest Movie Quotes. Many TV shows, movies, songs, and books have used or made fun of this famous quote. The movie Treasure of Sierra Madre itself was also ranked number 30 on AFI's list of 100 Greatest Movies.

Alfonso Bedoya's Personal Life

Alfonso Bedoya married Gertrude Elizabeth Larky Karas on March 8, 1950. They were married in Mexico City.

Alfonso Bedoya finished filming his last movie, The Big Country, in November 1957. He was in California at the time. He returned to Mexico City on December 8. Eight days later, on December 15, 1957, Alfonso Bedoya passed away at the age of 53.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of the movies Alfonso Bedoya appeared in:

See Also

In Spanish: Alfonso Bedoya para niños