Leo Carrillo () (1881–1961) was an American cartoonist, a comedian in vaudeville, and an actor on stage, film and television. He was best known in the United States as the Cisco Kid's sidekick Pancho on 1950s children's television, a role which capped a long show business career that began decades earlier.
Growing up in culturally diverse Los Angeles, Carrillo was conversant in five languages with a keen ear for dialects. When he went to work for the San Francisco Examiner as a cartoonist,Slide (2012) pp. 87–88;Carrillo (1961) pp. 165–170, 176 he began performing humorous monologues on the San Francisco stage, easily transforming himself into a variety of personas. Soon he began working in vaudeville with Major Bowes,Cullen, Hackman, McNeilly (2007), pp. 198–199;Carrillo (1961), pp. 171–172 and toured the Orpheum Circuit with Walter C. Kelly.Slide (2012) pp. 87–88;Carrillo (1961), pp. 173–176, 180–182 Theatrical producer Oliver Morosco offered him a role in the original Broadway play Upstairs and Down in 1916, and within a year, he landed the title role in Lombardi, Ltd. For the next decade he performed on the vaudeville circuit in between acting in Broadway productions. A 1927 touring revival production of Lombardi, Ltd., again featured Carrillo in the lead, and began at George M. Cohan's Theatre before going on the road.; Slide (2012) pp. 87–88;Carrillo (1961), pp. 192–196
Carrillo's first screen appearances were in 1927 Vitaphone shorts.Bradley (2005) p. 366 In the early decades of his film career, he was often the starring lead. And while he played many different ethnic roles, or characters with no discernible ethnicity, he was often cast as Italian or Hispanic. He played everything from the hero to the villain, in straight dramatic parts as well as appearing in light comedy and musical films. Over the course of his movie career, Carrillo appeared in over 80 feature-length films, ending in 1950 with Pancho Villa Returns. He was 68 years old when he first teamed with Duncan Renaldo to co-star in five Cisco Kid movies in 1949–1950. The ensuing popular The Cisco Kid television series ran for 156 episodes 1950–1956.
For his contributions to the entertainment industry, Carrillo received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960 . The star for his contributions to motion pictures is located at 1635 Vine Street, and the star for his television work is a block away at 1517 Vine Street.
Stage + Broadway credits of Leo CarrilloYearTitleRoleTheatre NotesFads and Fancies1915Sir Giovanni GasoliniKnickerbocker TheatreVaudeville skits and monologuesSlide (2012) pp. 87–88;Upstairs and Down1916 —Cort TheatreCarrillo's play debutSlide (2012) pp. 87–88; Lombardi, Ltd.1917Tito LombardiMorosco TheatreDurham (1987), p. 301; Bordman, Hischak (2004), p. 396;Mike Angelo1923Mike AngeloMorosco TheatreHirschak (2009), p. 300;Magnolia1923TomLiberty TheatreBordman (1995), p. 212;Gypsy Jim1924Gypsy Jim49th Street TheatreHirschak (2009), p. 183;The Saint1924ValdezGreenwich Village TheatreBordman (1995), p. 240;The Padre1926Father PellegrinRitz TheatreBordman (1995), p. 306;Lombardi, Ltd.1927Tito LombardiGeorge M. Cohan's TheatreTouring production went on the road. Bordman, Hischak (2004), p. 396;Slide (2012) pp. 87–88;
Television + Television credits of Leo CarrilloYearTitle Role Notes1950–56Pancho156 episodesBrooks, Marsh (2007), pp. 255–256TV Club1951HimselfEpisode #1.18Tournament of Roses Parade1954HimselfJanuary 1, 19541958Latin American DictatorEpisode: "Calypso Clem"This Is Your Life1959HimselfApril 15, 1959Hollywood Without Make-Up1963HimselfKen Murray home movies of actors2002Himself (footage)DocumentaryCalifornia's Golden Parks2007Himself (footage)#156, "Leo Carrillo Ranch"
Films Film shorts + Film short credits of Leo CarrilloYearTitleStudio/DistributorNotes At the Ball Game1927VitaphoneVaudeville skitBradley (2005) p. 366; Liebman (2010) p. 211928VitaphoneVaudeville skitBradley (2005) p. 366; Liebman (2010) p. 1851928VitaphoneVaudeville skitBradley (2005) p. 366; Liebman (2010) p. 188Running Hollywood1932Universal Pictures1933Warner BrothersStar Night at the Cocoanut Grove1934MGMMaster of CeremoniesHollywood on Parade1934Paramount PicturesNo. B-8A Dream Comes True1935Vitaphone(uncredited)La Fiesta de Santa Barbara1935MGMThings You Never See on the Screen1935Warner Brothers(never released; blooper reel compiled for studio personnel)Cinema Circus1937Lewis Lewyn ProductionsScreen Snapshots1938Columbia PicturesSeries 17, No. 8Screen Snapshots1938Columbia PicturesSeries 17, No. 9Screen Snapshots1938Columbia PicturesSeries 18, No. 2Screen Snapshots1939Columbia PicturesSeries 19, No. 3, Outdoor PartiesScreen Snapshots1940Columbia PicturesSeeing Hollywood, Rodeo Parade ParticipantHedda Hopper's Hollywood1942Paramount PicturesNo. 4Screen Snapshots1944Columbia PicturesSeries 24, No. 4, Rodeo Star. With Gloria Jean, Alan Mowbray, Bela Lugosi.Screen Snapshots1945Columbia PicturesSeries 25, No. 3, Fashions and RodeoAround the World in California1947MGM (uncredited)Screen Snapshots1950Columbia PicturesThe Great SnowmanScreen Snapshots1953Columbia PicturesSeries 33, No. 4, Hollywood's great entertainers. Gene Nelson, Sid Grauman testimonial dinner, December 24, 1953
Feature and serial films