Leo Carrillo

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Leo Carrillo

Born Leopoldo Antonio Carrillo
August 6, 1880(1880-08-06)
Flag of the United States Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died September 10, 1961 (aged 81) (age 81)
Santa Monica, California, United States
Years active 1915-1957
Spouse(s) Edith Haeselbarth (1940-1953)

Leo Antonio Carrillo (August 6, 1880 – September 10, 1961), was an actor, vaudevillian, political cartoonist, and conservationist.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Family roots

Although he played stereotypical Latinos, Leo Carrillo was part of an old and respected Californio family who could trace their roots back to the conquistadores. His great-great grandfather, José Raimundo Carrillo (1749–1809) was an early Spanish settler of San Diego, California. His great-grandfather Carlos Antonio Carrillo (1783-1852) was Governor of Alta California from 1837 to 1838, his great-uncle, José Antonio Carrillo, was a Californio defender and three-time mayor of Los Angeles, and his grandfather Pedro Carrillo, educated in Boston, was a writer.

[edit] Early history

The family moved from San Diego to Los Angeles then to Santa Monica, where Carrillo's father Juan José Carrillo (1842-1916), served as the city's police chief and later the first mayor. His cousin was Broadway star William Gaxton (real name Arturo Antonio Gaxiola). Proud of his heritage, Leo Carrillo wrote a book, The California I Love, published shortly before his death in 1961.

[edit] Career

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.

[edit] Civic contributions

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.

[edit] Death

Leo Carillo Grave at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery, Santa Monica
Leo Carillo Grave at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery, Santa Monica

Leo Carrillo died of cancer in 1961 and was interred in the Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Santa Monica.

[edit] Legacy

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Leo Carrillo has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1635 Vine Street.

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Carrillo, Leo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Leopoldo Antonio Carrillo
SHORT DESCRIPTION Actor
DATE OF BIRTH 1880-8-6
PLACE OF BIRTH Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH 1961-9-10 (age 81)
PLACE OF DEATH Santa Monica, California, United States
Languages