Leopoldo Antonio Carrillo (1880-1961)

Early Latino actor famous for his role of Pancho in the Cisco Kid television series. The Carrillo family is prominent in early California history and traces its roots back to early Spanish Conquistadores.

Vital Statistics

 * Son of Juan Jose Carrillo and Francisca Roldan
 * Born 08 Aug 1880
 * Died 10 Sep 1961 in Santa Monica (age 81) - interred at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetary
 * Married Edith Haeselbarth in 1940.

Biography
A university graduate, Leo Carrillo worked as a newspaper cartoonist for the San Francisco Examiner before turning to acting on Broadway. In Hollywood, he appeared in more than 90 films, in which he played supporting or character roles. However, he is best remembered from the television show The Cisco Kid, on which he portrayed Pancho, a role he had previously played in several films. Duncan Renaldo starred as the Cisco Kid. The popular TV series ran from 1950 until 1956.

Proud of his heritage, Leo Carrillo wrote a book, The California I Love, published shortly before his death in 1961.

A preservationist and conservationist, Carrillo served on the California Beach and Parks commission for eighteen years, and played a key role in the state's acquisition of Hearst Castle at San Simeon, the Los Angeles Arboretum, and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. He was eventually made a goodwill ambassador by the State Governor.

As a result of his service to the State, the Leo Carrillo State Park, west of Malibu on the Pacific Coast Highway, was named in his honor, and the city of Westminster, California named an elementary school for him. The Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park originally Rancho de los Qiotes, in Carlsbad, California is a registered California Historical Site.