Duncan Renaldo - Biography - IMDb Duncan Renaldo Biography Showing all 13 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trivia (4) | Personal Quotes (1) | Salary (1) Overview (4) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) To most audiences, Duncan Renaldo will always be identified as film and TV's "The Cisco Kid." However, this role occurred late in his career, which consisted of much more than just this western character. Not much is known about Renaldo's early life. In fact, his date and place of birth is still questioned. The usual given birth date is April 23, 1904. His birthplace has been generally stated as Spain--he has said that his first memories as a child were in Spain--although Romania and even New Jersey have been mentioned as well. An orphan, he never knew his actual parents and was never able to ascertain the exact date and place of his birth. He was raised and educated in various European countries and arrived in the US in the early 1920s as a stoker on a Brazilian coal ship.

Entering the country on a 90-day seaman's permit, he stayed when his ship caught fire at the dock and burned to the waterline. A paltry existence as a portrait painter forced him to seek other work, and he somehow found his way into films as a producer of short features, which in turn led to on-camera work as an actor with MGM in 1928. The studio capitalized on his dashing Hispanic looks and initially typed him as a "Latin lover", but it didn't last long. In the early 1930s his career was interrupted when he was arrested and faced deportation due to his illegal immigrant status. The actor was eventually pardoned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt --his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt , had bought one of Renaldo's paintings, looked into his case and persuaded her husband to pardon him. He returned to minor films for both Republic and Monogram, alternating as heroic sidekick and villain.

He co-starred as one of the Three Mesquiteers in the revamped film series, and showed up regularly in 1930s and 1940s cliffhangers, including The Painted Stallion (1937), Jungle Menace (1937), Zorro Rides Again (1937), King of the Mounties (1942), Secret Service in Darkest Africa (1943) The Tiger Woman (1944). In 1945 he began the Cisco Kid film series and transferred the character successfully to TV in the early 1950s, with Leo Carrillo as faithful sidekick Pancho. Renaldo made the character clean-shaven and more of a do-gooder than the roguish bandit who actually was in the books. Renaldo retired soon after the series' demise and died years later at Goleta Valley Community Hospital in California of lung cancer in 1980. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net Spouse (2) (?

- 1940) (divorced) Trivia (4) Renaldo was arrested for illegal immigration in 1934 (he was a sailor on a ship that docked in Maryland in the late 1920s but caught fire at the pier and burned, stranding him in the US). There was some confusion as to his birthplace--he was orphaned as a child in Europe and didn't know where he was born--and since the authorities didn't know to which country he should be deported, he was imprisoned for a year. He was "rescued" by Republic Pictures president Herbert J. Yates , who signed him to a contract and vouched for him, and he was eventually granted a pardon by President Franklin D. Roosevelt . As the Cisco Kid he rode on a black & white Overo named Diablo. Sidekick Pancho got along on a palomino named Loco. The horses' names came out of the radio series. During the 1953-1954 season of The Cisco Kid (1950), he was severely injured in a rock fall and hospitalized through nine episodes.

The producers had Cisco wearing masks, disguised as a ghost and used other gimmicks where they could use doubles. He had to record his lines--and shoot his close-ups--from his hospital bed, and the producers also used previously shot footage of him. His actual name consists of three surnames - Renault, Renaldo, and Duncan. Personal Quotes (1) We've taken all our fine western lore and splashed it with criminality and barbarism. The whole idea of these adult films is a fallacy. Nowhere did they ever shoot five or six men before breakfast. That quick-draw business, too, is a fake. Nobody can shoot accurately following a quick draw. Why bring kids up on this stupid craze? Nowadays, you frequently read where some kid has shot off his kneecap or wounded a friend trying to perfect a quick draw. A gun has become a plaything.

Salary (1) Duncan Renaldo | The Files of Jerry Blake The Files of Jerry Blake Movie Serial Reviews and Other Cliffhanging Material Duncan Renaldo April 23rd, 1904 (unverified) — September 3rd, 1980 Above: A 1950 publicity portrait of Duncan Renaldo as the Cisco Kid, a character he played in both film and television. Duncan Renaldo, who became one of television’s first Western stars in the later years of his career, served a long apprenticeship as a sidekick in many 1930s and 1940s B-westerns and serials. Suave and debonair, with a Latin facility of gesture and expression, Renaldo could lend energy to the most basic dialogue, and was more than athletic enough to be convincing in action scenes. Only his indeterminate but distinctive foreign accent prevented him from becoming a full-fledged serial and B-western star in his own right, since he was quite as charismatic as the stars he supported. Duncan Renaldo’s early life is somewhat shrouded in mystery.

He was apparently born Basil Couyanos in Oancea, Romania–although he might have been an orphan adopted by the Couyanos family. It seems that he grew up in Europe and began to travel the world as a ship stoker while still quite young. In 1921 or 1922, he was working aboard a Brazilian ship that burned in a Baltimore harbor, stranding him in the US. He remained in the States after the expiration of his 90-day seaman’s permit, working as a portrait painter before breaking into the movies in 1928. His first film assignment was a role in a lost silent film called The Devil’s Skipper, produced by the independent studio Tiffany-Stahl. After appearing in a few more Tiffany-Stahl productions, he was signed to a contract by T-S’s distributor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1929. The following year, MGM began production of their famed early talkie Trader Horn, and cast Renaldo as the film’s co-star and romantic lead. Horn’s on-location filming in Africa was a long and nightmarish process for all concerned, but it caused especial trouble for Renaldo.

When he returned to the US, unfounded rumors of an affair between him and Trader Horn’s female lead Edwina Booth shadowed the film’s 1931 release, and probably contributed to MGM’s decision to drop his contract. He freelanced for a few years in several low-budget independent films, playing leads and supporting parts, before being hit with more Horn-related woes in 1934. In obtaining a passport for his journey to Africa, Renaldo had misrepresented himself as an American citizen, and when this falsification became known he found himself facing federal charges. He spent about a year in prison before receiving a presidential pardon in 1936, after which he applied for US citizenship and resumed his movie career, taking multiple supporting roles in low-budgeted independent films like Rebellion and Lady Luck. In 1937, Renaldo signed a seven-year contract with Republic Pictures, which ultimately proved to be the pivotal step on his road to career recovery. His first Republic assignment was the serial The Painted Stallion. This well-produced Western chapterplay dealt with the battle between a corrupt Mexican ex-governor (LeRoy Mason) and the American wagon train that threatened his control of the Santa Fe region.

Renaldo played the slimy Zamorro, the governor’s bandit henchman, who continually led outlaw attacks against the wagon train’s champion Clark Stuart (Ray Corrigan). As Zamorro, Renaldo submerged his natural likability under an oily, furtive, and slightly foppish manner, and served as a enjoyably distinctive “action heavy.” Above: Duncan Renaldo and Maston Williams plot with a pair of Indian leaders in The Painted Stallion (Republic, 1937). Renaldo’s Republic contract didn’t bar him from working at other studios; shortly after completing Painted Stallion, he played another uncharacteristically villainous character in Columbia Pictures’ first serial, Jungle Menace (1937). A talky, poorly-plotted, but occasionally interesting serial, Menace starred the well-known Frank “Bring ’em Back Alive” Buck as himself and pitted him against a gang of jungle rubber pirates. Renaldo was cast as Armand Roget, the suave owner of a tropical night club called the Southern Cross; he was also the secret middleman between seemingly-respectable businessman Richard Tucker and the pirate gang.

Renaldo’s character was occasionally allowed to be slick or sinister in interactions with the good guys or with his underlings, but spent more time being alternately browbeaten by Tucker and by murderously rebellious henchman LeRoy Mason (who gunned down Renaldo in the final episode). Renaldo did do a good job of registering nervousness and cowardly suavity in these sequences, but his role was definitely one of the serial’s less rewarding ones. Above: Duncan Renaldo and LeRoy Mason confront each other in Jungle Menace (Columbia, 1937). Renaldo finished out 1937 with a third serial, Republic’s excellent Zorro Rides Again. The cliffhanger featured John Carroll as James Vega–the great-grandson of the original Zorro–who reassumed the family mask to combat modern-day outlaws preying on the California-Yucatan railroad. The thirty-something Renaldo, with his hair grayed, did a very convincing job as the Vegas’ old family servant (named Renaldo!), the only one aware of James’ double identity.

Renaldo’s elderly but enthusiastic character was slightly more comedic than the later sidekicks he played, but Renaldo gave him a dignity that overshadowed his occasional pratfalls. Above, from left to right (foreground only): Duncan Renaldo, Reed Howes, and Helen Christian in Zorro Rides Again (Republic, 1937). Above: Duncan Renaldo and the masked John Carroll in Zorro Rides Again. For some reason, Renaldo spent most of 1938 away from Republic, playing some small character roles in Paramount films like ZaZa and Spawn of the North, and a major role in Monogram’s Rose of the Rio Grande. However, early 1939 saw the release of The Lone Ranger Rides Again, the Republic serial that established Renaldo’s enduring screen image. Instead of being a villain or an elderly retainer, Renaldo played a vigorous and quick-thinking assistant hero–a New Mexico settler named Juan Vasquez. In the opening chapter, Vasquez’s brother was murdered by a fake Lone Ranger in the pay of land-grabbers, sending Juan off on a manhunt for the killer.

The real Lone Ranger (Robert Livingston) helped Vasquez bring the phony one to justice, then enlisted Juan to help him discover the man behind the land war. Though it fell short of Republic’s first Lone Ranger serial, Rides Again was entertaining, and was helped along by the engaging performances of Livingston and Renaldo, who played well off each other. Above: Robert Livingston aids a wounded Duncan Renaldo in The Lone Ranger Rides Again (Republic, 1939). Above, from left to right: Robert Livingston, Chief Thundercloud, and Duncan Renaldo in The Lone Ranger Rides Again. Republic planned to feature Livingston and Renaldo–along with Chief Thundercloud as Tonto–in a follow-up series of Lone Ranger B-westerns, but their rights to the Ranger were revoked by copyright holder George Trendle. Instead, Livingston and Renaldo joined Raymond Hatton to star in a new incarnation of Republic’s popular Three Mesquiteers B-western series. This version of the series lasted from 1939-1940, numbering seven films in all, and allowed Renaldo (in the role of Mexican cowboy hero Rico) to further develop his image as a carefree but dependable South-of-the-Border adventurer.

In 1941, Republic cast him in another serial, King of the Texas Rangers. One of the studio’s very best chapterplays, King chronicled the fight of a modern-day Texas Ranger (famed football star Sammy Baugh) against a gang of Axis spies and saboteurs; Renaldo played Lieutenant Pedro Garcia, an officer of the Mexican Rurales, who assisted King throughout. The helpful Renaldo gave the new-to-movies Baugh the benefit of his considerable experience, and helped him carry off many dialogue scenes; Baugh himself later recollected that “…[William] Witney and [John] English directed Texas Rangers but Duncan Renaldo directed Sammy Baugh.” Baugh and Renaldo’s genuine friendship was reflected on screen, which enhanced the already first-rate serial. Above: Kermit Maynard hands Duncan Renaldo a rope ladder required for a dangerous aerial rescue in King of the Texas Rangers (Republic, 1941). Above, from left to right: Pauline Moore, Duncan Renaldo, and Sammy Baugh in King of the Texas Rangers.

After some supporting roles in Republic (Down Mexico Way, Gauchos of El Dorado) and non-Republic B-westerns (the Hopalong Cassidy entry Outlaws of the Desert), Renaldo made another serial appearance in Republic’s King of the Mounties (1942). His role in this fast-moving wartime adventure was small; he played a villainous French-Canadian trading post clerk who worked for quisling Douglas Dumbrille, and did nothing but occasionally relay messages to Dumbrille until the eleventh chapter, when he was exposed as a traitor and got into a fight with Mountie hero Allan Lane; he was arrested and forced into helping to trap Dumbrille in the succeeding chapter, and was then gunned down by Lane after another fight. Following another turn in a Hoppy film (Border Patrol) and a minor role in the big-budget picture For Whom the Bell Tolls, Renaldo took another major serial part in Secret Service in Darkest Africa (Republic, 1943). This time, he was a Free French Captain (Pierre LaSalle) in Allied North Africa, aiding hero Rod Cameron in his fight against a band of Nazi agents.

Secret Service was probably Republic’s most action-packed and frenetically-paced cliffhanger, and–perhaps as a result–Renaldo’s performance was most subdued and least energetic of his serial turns. He might have felt that there was little point in establishing a strong characterization, since his stunt double would be playing LaSalle in more than half of the serial. Above: Duncan Renaldo (standing) reports to the Sultan’s council in Secret Service in Darkest Africa (Republic, 1943). Lionel Royce is at the head of the table, Rod Cameron is seated opposite Renaldo, and John Davidson is next to Cameron. Renaldo made his last serial, Republic’s The Tiger Woman, in 1944. Set in South American, this cliffhanger introduced “serial queen” Linda Stirling to Republic’s audiences as an heiress raised in the jungle by a native tribe. She was targeted by villains who coveted her inheritance and her tribe’s oil lands, and defended by hero Allan Lane, agent of a non-villainous oil company. Renaldo was Jose Delgado, the South American representative of Lane’s company and Lane’s regular ally in his fight against his unscrupulous rivals.

Renaldo played his part very seriously here, with little of his usual cheerfulness, but showed much more energy than he had displayed in Secret Service in Darkest Africa; his character came off as a worry-prone but dependable and likable “company man.” Off-screen, he found time to play acting and riding instructor for the newcomer Linda Stirling, helping her as he had Sammy Baugh. Above, from left to right: Duke Green, George J. Lewis, Allan Lane, Duncan Renaldo, and Linda Stirling in The Tiger Woman (Republic, 1944). Above: Allan Lane comes to the rescue of Duncan Renaldo and Linda Stirling in The Tiger Woman. Renaldo reunited with Lane and Stirling to play another second lead in his final Republic production, the 1944 B-western Sheriff of Sundown. His Republic contract now expired, Renaldo moved to Monogram to star in three Cisco Kid B-westerns in 1945. He had finally found a starring role that jibed with his accent, but the clean-cut persona he had created in his serials and Three Mesquiteers films didn’t quite square with the roguish Cisco Kid image established by earlier actors like Warner Baxter.

Gilbert Roland replaced him as Monogram’s Cisco in 1946, and Renaldo almost dropped out of acting work for a few years, making only a few movie appearances but writing and co-producting several low-budget films like Screen Guild’s Bells of San Fernando and PRC’s Don Ricardo Returns. In 1948, he became a producer with an outfit called Inter-American, which acquired the rights to the Cisco Kid character. Renaldo returned to the role of the Cisco Kid as both producer and star, and retooled the happy-go-lucky outlaw into a genial but incorruptible wandering caballero. After starring in five Cisco features (beginning with 1948’s Valiant Hombre and ending with 1950’s Girl From San Lorenzo), Renaldo bade farewell to feature films for good when the TV studio ZIV Productions launched a Cisco Kid show–the first American color TV series–in 1950. Renaldo, paired with Leo Carillo as comic sidekick Pancho, starred in the Cisco series for six seasons, winning a loyal following among young TV viewers.

In 1956, he retired from acting and moved to Santa Barbara in 1956, but remained in touch with his many fans and continued to make personal appearances as Cisco–touring with circuses, hosting local pioneer celebrations, and the like. He passed away in a hospital in Goleta, California, in 1980. Duncan Renaldo’s initial serial work, coming at a low point in during his Hollywood tenure, set him back on an upward path that eventually led to his television success and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Renaldo more than repaid his debt to the genre that resuscitated his career by giving multiple chapterplays the full benefit of his gentlemanly but effervescent presence. Few actors could make routine sidekick lines like “We must try and beat them to the refinery” or “Ah, now I see why they tried to prevent us from reaching the ranch” sound as lively or intelligent as Duncan Renaldo did. Above: Duncan Renaldo and Sammy Baugh in King of the Texas Rangers (Republic, 1941).

Acknowledgments: Some of my sources for this article include a transcript of the judge’s ruling on Renaldo’s appeal from his federal conviction, the Old Corral’s excellent page on Renaldo and some of its appurtenant links, two Google-derived newspaper articles (one an article referring to Renaldo’s citizenship application, the other his obituary ), and issue 26 of the serial magazine Those Enduring Matinee Idols–which featured a 1974 interview with Sammy Baugh that’s also available online at the Old Corral. Share this: One thought on “Duncan Renaldo” Woody Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid You know what I liked best about the Cisco Kid? His horse Diablo! I was a real "horse nut" when I was a kid, but Diablo was beautiful! More than just a black and white horse, he was a spectacular pinto with dramatic, jagged markings. Even his eyes were like albino - white! I can still see Diablo in my mind. And, of course, the 2 stars - Cisco and Pancho. Want to see a clip of the opening of the show? Just click on the center button in the video box below and watch Cisco and Pancho ride across the screen again!

Background of the Show Back in about 1929 there was a short story written that was called The Caballero's Way. It was about a bandit like Robin Hood who took from the rich and gave to the poor. This character turned up in silent films and later, in the 1940's, in a popular radio series; there was even a comic strip that lasted until 1968. So the TV character of the Cisco Kid was modeled after that bandito from the short story. All about the Show The Cisco Kid flick was on TV from 1950 to 1956. An actor named Duncan Renaldo played the part of Cisco. His trusty sidekick Pancho was played by a guy named Leo Carrillo. They made quite a team on TV! Cisco and Pancho wandered all around the old Southwest, running off bad guys and saving the day for whoever was in need. They were a fun-loving pair. Cisco was a Mexican charmer and Pancho was the guy who was always good for a laugh! But, picture this - Cisco wore an all black outfit with fancy embroidery (and it never got dirty)!

He was very dashing and super charming and all the ladies fell for him! Of course Cisco was dedicated to doing good everywhere, so the most a lady ever got was a kiss before he and Pancho rode off together! As you know, Cisco's horse was "Diablo" and, by the way, was all decked out in silver saddle and bridle! Pancho's horse was "Loco". Cisco did carry a gun but usually all he ever did with it was shoot the gun out of the bad guy's hand. Pancho, a big funny guy, did most of the fighting (see, he didn't wear a fancy outfit!) and he was really good with a bullwhip. So, The Cisco Kid flicks didn't have a lot of gunplay. Pancho didn't speak English very well and you may remember one of his regular lines - "Ceesco! Let's went!" He was always looking out for Cisco because the local sheriff (or "shereef" as Pancho would say!) was usually hot on their trail! This colorful duo had exactly 156 episodes on TV; everyone of them ended with a corny joke that had something to do with the adventure they just had.

They would both laugh, and Cisco would say "Oh, Pancho!" and Pancho would say "Oh, Cisco!" and then they would ride off into the sunset as the credits rolled. I probably didn't see all 156 of the episodes, but I saw a lot! How many do you think you saw? More about the Actors! DUNCAN RENALDO, whose real name was Renault Renaldo Duncan, had a rather uncertain history. He is thought to have been from Spain but that is just because his earliest childhood memories were from Spain. He was orphaned and never knew his exact place and date of birth, though that is thought to be April 23, 1904. He emigrated to the United States in the early 1920's on a 90-day seaman's permit, but stayed because the ship caught fire and burned to the waterline. Duncan tried to make a living as a portrait painter but couldn't support himself and, somehow, got into producing short films and, eventually, signed a contract with MGM in 1928. Since he looked Hispanic he was usually cast as a Latin lover.

In the early 1930's he was arrested and almost deported because he was an illegal immigrant. As luck would have it, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, who owned one of Duncan's paintings, heard about his problem and persuaded her husband, President Franklin Roosevelt, to intervene on his behalf which he did by issuing a pardon for him. Duncan Renaldo starred in several minor films, playing both hero and villain. He also co-starred as one of the Three Musketeers. He retired soon after the end of "The Cisco Kid" series, his best-known role, and died of lung cancer at the Goleta Valley Community Hospital in California in 1980, at the age of 76. After "The Cisco Kid" series ended production, LEO CARRILLO appeared in the episode "Rescue at Sea" of the military drama series "Men of Annapolis". He died in Santa Monica, CA on September 10, 1961 at the age of 81. What do you remember most about The Cisco Kid? What are your special memories of The Cisco Kid? Please share them!

The Cisco Kid Memories Duncan Renaldo (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - the title lobby card from THE GIRL FROM SAN LORENZO (United Artists, 1950), Renaldo's last as the movie Cisco Kid ... and the last of the B grade Cisco films. The pretty gal being romanced by Renaldo in the upper right is Jane Adams. In 1945, he was tapped to star in a Monogram series as the Cisco Kid, starting with THE CISCO KID RETURNS. The series was abbreviated, having only two other titles --- SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE and IN OLD NEW MEXICO. Martin Garralaga originated the role of Pancho on the screen (it had been created earlier on a radio series featuring the Cisco Kid). The character had its origin in a 1907 magazine story by O. Henry called THE CABALLERO'S WAY, in which the Cisco Kid not only is not Mexican (he seems patterned on the U.S. outlaw, Billy the Kid) but is not the hero, although he is triumphant.

He is, in fact, a rather ruthless individual who calculatingly arranges for his sweetheart, who betrays him to a ranger, to take the bullet meant for him. The character was first adapted for silent movies, with an actor named Herbert Stanley Dunn in the role. The first sound version featured Warner Baxter in IN OLD ARIZONA (1929) and cleaned up the character quite a bit. Baxter reprised the role in two more movies, and Cesar Romero (who had appeared as one of Baxter's pals in his last Cisco outing in 1939) took over the role in THE CISCO KID AND THE LADY (1939). Romero continued the role for six films at 20th Century Fox through RIDE ON VAQUERO (1941) when Fox relinquished the property. Monogram grabbed it three years later, and gave Duncan Renaldo the role with which he would be identified forever. Supposedly Renaldo had input into the characterization, and wanted to do away with its shady side. He suggested that the Pancho character be like that of Pancho Sanza, the comic sidekick to Cervantes' classic DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA.

But there was an interim Cisco, starting in 1946 with THE GAY CAVALIER. Monogram starred Gilbert Roland in the role as Cisco and did away with Pancho (although there would be sidekicks by other names). Roland smoked cigarettes (which he often parked behind one ear), enjoyed tequila, and proved an exciting if less savory B-western hero through his sixth Cisco picture, KING OF THE BANDITS (1947). (From Old Corral image collection) Monogram's other Cisco Kid was Gilbert Roland, shown above with helper Chris-Pin Martin in a lobby card from KING OF THE BANDITS (Monogram, 1947), the last appearance of Gilbert Roland as Cisco and Monogram's last Cisco Kid film. Duncan Renaldo, during those years, appeared in several non-series films, and wrote some screenplays as Renault Duncan: DON RICARDO RETURNS (1946) and BELLS OF SAN FERNANDO (1947). Phil Krasne was the key figure in resurrecting Cisco yet again, this time at United Artists.

Renaldo came back to the role, shaving off his mustache, and made the first clean-shaven Cisco a do-gooder rather than a carefree bandit. Leo Carrillo (1881-1961), who had already had a long career in films, became the new and best-known Pancho. With one exception (THE CAPTURE, a 1950 detective picture with Lew Ayers and Teresa Wright), Duncan Renaldo would play Cisco for the rest of his career. The movie series started with THE VALIANT HOMBRE (1948), THE GAY AMIGO, THE DARING CABALLERO and SATAN'S CRADLE (1949) and THE GIRL FROM SAN LORENZO (1950). Cisco had ridden a palomino named Diablo in his earlier threesome, and kept the name for his paint horse in the later movies and TV series. Pancho got a palomino named Loco. As with the Pancho character himself, the horses' names came out of the radio series. The final Cisco movie sequed nicely into the TV series, which was shot in color (which would come in handy once color television came along).

The series featured many actors and actresses previously seen in B-westerns, and produced 156 half-hour shows. The show continued even when Renaldo was injured during the fourth season in 1953-54 in a rock fall and hospitalized through nine episodes (the producers had Cisco wearing masks, disguised as a ghost and other gimmicks where they could use doubles. They had Renaldo record his lines from the hospital, and inserted previously-shot footage of him). The sixth season proved the final outing for the show, although it has been popular in re-runs. Cisco's only other appearance has been in the 1993 Turner Pictures TV movie, THE CISCO KID, with Jimmy Smits and Cheech Marin as Cisco and Pancho. Renaldo retired at the end of the TV series, and died in Goleta Valley Community Hospital of lung cancer at the estimated age of 76. Despite the TNT-TV movie, Duncan Renaldo remains the definitive Cisco Kid to most of us. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - the title lobby card from IN OLD NEW MEXICO (Monogram, 1945) ... with Renaldo wearing a moustache.

Martin Garralaga is shown in the lower left. In the lower right are Gwen Kenyon and Renaldo. (From Old Corral image collection) Above - Duncan Renaldo at United Artists ... with no moustache. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above is a crop from a lobby card from DON RICARDO RETURNS (PRC, 1946) crediting "Renault Duncan" as associate producer and co-author of the screenplay. "Renault Duncan" was Duncan Renaldo. (From Old Corral image collection) Above right are Duncan Renaldo as the Cisco Kid, and Leo Carrillo (1881-1961) as Pancho during their work on the Cisco films. Renaldo's hoss was named Diablo and Carrillo's palomino was named Loco. Renaldo rode several hosses during his reign as the movie and TV Cisco Kid, including a white during the series at Monogram Pictures. (Photo courtesy of Joe Taylor & Patty Corbett) Above, the Red Birds country-western singing group with Duncan Renaldo, at Buck Lake Ranch near Fort Wayne, Indiana, circa 1955.

The Red Birds noted that Renaldo was soft spoken, beautifully costumed, and the ultimate gentleman, and they were impressed by his gentle manner and gracious treatment of his audience/fans. (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Renaldo Addendum • Most of the info on the Old Corral about the contracts and salaries at Republic Pictures has been gleaned from Jack Mathis' excellent Republic Confidential, Volume 2, The Players (Jack Mathis Advertising, 1992), and I've given Jack credit in the Acknowledgements & Thanks page. Renaldo's credits at Republic Pictures numbers about two dozen films from 1937-1944, of which seven were serials and the remainder being B westerns. Apparently, Renaldo was under standard 'picture commitment' contracts at Republic during most of this time (x dollars for x days/weeks work on picture y). During his Three Mesquiteers work, Republic opted to put him under a Term Player Contract, and the agreement(s) ran from October 2, 1939 through October 1, 1940. This simply meant that for security and a regular paycheck, Republic could utilize him as much as they wanted.

• The funeral service for Duncan Renaldo was held on Friday evening, September 5, 1980 at The Mission At Santa Barbara. The funeral program included the following (italics added): "Dignity can be defined as nobleness, excellence, character which inspires or commands respect. There is no better description of Duncan Renaldo." • Rick Albright checked the 1930 online census database for Renaldo and found the following info: "... after several previous failed attempts to find him in the 1930 California census, I hit pay dirt. By varying spellings of his name I found him listed as DUNCAN RENALDS, possibly a writing error by the census official. His age is given as 25, as it should be, and it says he was married at age 20 but by 1930 was divorced. His occupation is listed as 'actor/motion pictures'. He was living at 1737 North Whitley Ave., Los Angeles, as were many other unrelated people. I assume this was a hotel or large boarding house. He was paying $100 per month rent, pretty hefty for the Depression.

Best of all, he told the census taker he was BORN IN NEW JERSEY, and that one parent was also born in NEW JERSEY and the other in SPAIN. Of course, he may have fibbed but if not, his jailing on immigration charges would seem to have been a bogus conviction." The Family Search website and the California Death Records database provide more on Renaldo: 1940 census - 35 year old Duncan Renaldo (born Romania) and his 30 year old wife Lea (born Nebraska) are in Los Angeles: 1940 census takers worksheet - Duncan and Lea are renting at 2700 Rutherford Drive, Los Angeles. In 1935, he resided in the Los Angeles area while Lea lived in Douglas, Nebraska. Renaldo's occupation is "Actor - Motion Picture Production", and in 1939, he worked 15 weeks and earned $2600.00: You may want to visit the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and the California Death Records database.

There you will find a record for: Duncan Renaldo, birthdate of 4/23/1904, and he passed away on 9/3/1980. His Mother's maiden name and Father's last name are not listed. There is no record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), apparently because the family did not file for the death benefit. The Cisco Kid on the Radio The Cisco Kid radio show ran from about 1942 through the mid 1950s, and was heard over the MBS (Mutual Broadcasting System), the Don Lee Network (California), and via syndication. In the early version, Jackson Beck was Cisco and Louis Sorin played Pancho. In the later episodes, Jack Mather was Cisco and his sidekick (Pancho/Porfirio) was played by Harry Lang and Mel Blanc. Jerry Haendiges has an Old Time Radio (OTR) site which has a bunch of logs/listings of radio shows.

The log notes there were over 600 shows in the Mather series: Duncan Renaldo, Leo Carrillo and the Cisco Kid on TV The Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo Cisco Kid TV show consisted of 156 half-hour episodes filmed during 1949-1956. It was syndicated, filmed in color, and produced by Frederick W. Ziv's Ziv Television Programs company. The opening had Renaldo (on his paint horse "Diablo") and Carrillo (on his palomino "Loco") riding hard against a dusty and cactus strewn backdrop with an exciting musical score in the background - "The Cisco Kid Theme" was written by Albert Glasser. The introduction/opening narration on the TV show was also memorable: "Here's adventure! Here's romance! Here's O. Henry's famous Robin Hood of the old west - The Cisco Kid!" In addition to THE CISCO KID, Frederick Ziv did a bunch of radio and many 1950s syndicated and network TV shows including HIGHWAY PATROL, BAT MASTERSON, SEA HUNT and SCIENCE FICTION THEATER.

More info on Ziv is at: Duncan Renaldo with the Three Stooges??? Several years ago, there was a question about Renaldo working in a couple of Columbia shorts with the Three Stooges. He may have portrayed a Japanese envoy in I'LL NEVER HEIL AGAIN (Columbia, 1941) as well as a bullfight announcer in WHAT'S THE MATADOR? (Columbia, 1942). Three Stooges researcher Brent Seguine came to the rescue and advised that Renaldo never appeared with the zany trio. Brent adds that the short-statured 'Japanese Envoy' in I'LL NEVER HEIL AGAIN was played by Nick Arno (5' 4" tall) and Paul Ellis is the 'Announcer' in WHAT'S THE MATADOR?. The Cisco Kid Comic Books As with most western film and TV heroes, there was a comic book series.

The Grand Comics Database (GCD) has more on the Dell Cisco Kid comics and some covers are photos of Renaldo in his Cisco costume (the cover on the left is Issue 37 from late 1957): There were many other Cisco comics/series and GCD has further info: Duncan Renaldo and Cisco Kid Links You'll find some additional information and photos of Duncan Renaldo on the Cisco Kid page on the Old Corral. Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo: Leo Carrillo: Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website - Duncan Renaldo is interred at Calvary Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California: Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website - Leo Carrillo is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica, California: The Classic TV Themes website is a great reference source on the music used on old TV shows. The opening theme music to the Cisco Kid TV series was written by Albert Glasser (1916-1998). Glasser did music work at Republic Pictures in the early 1940s.

This was followed by conducting and/or music composing on the Cisco Kid films, Russell Hayden mountie adventures, and Don Barry westerns churned out by Lippert. In the mid 1950s, Glasser was composing and conducting on Sci-Fi films for director Bert I. Gordon and American-International (THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (1957), THE CYCLOPS (1957), ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE (1958), more). More on the Cisco Kid TV theme at: Following are some articles by Utah historian D. Robert Carter about movie heroine Edwina Booth, and there's a lot of info about Harry Carey, Sr., Duncan Renaldo and the filming of TRADER HORN (MGM, 1931). The writeups also include details on the 1931 alienation of affection lawsuit brought by Renaldo's wife Suzette (regarding a romance between Booth and Renaldo) as well as comments about Renaldo's arrest and jailing for illegal entry and for falsely testifying that he was born in Camden, New Jersey in order to obtain a passport.

Another article on Booth, Renaldo, Carey and TRADER HORN (MGM, 1931) was authored by Byron Riggan: Duncan Renaldo's gunbelt, costume, and many other artifacts and memorabilia were donated to the University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Laramie, Wyoming. More info is available at: ~S1 The Leo Carrillo Ranch is located in Carlsbad, California and is designated as an historic landmark: Tom Yanul's father was a Chicago motorcycle police officer who escorted Duncan Renaldo during a visit in 1951. Some nice photos at: The Tacoma Public Library website has a great photo of Renaldo visiting children at the Cushman Indian Hospital: The 'Whirligig' website in the UK has a page on the Renaldo/Carrillo Cisco Kid TV show, including the opening and closing themes: Want to see if Duncan Renaldo - or your fav western hero - is enshrined on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame?

Search the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce / Walk Of Fame website at: Duncan Renaldo (Actor) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Duncan Renaldo Male Born Apr 23, 1904 Renault Renaldo Duncan, better known as Duncan Renaldo, was a Romanian-born American actor best remembered for his portrayal of The Cisco Kid in films and on the 1950-1956 American TV series, The Cisco Kid. related links News + Updates Browse recent news and stories about Duncan Renaldo. Jesse James Pocket Pistol, Cisco Kid Items, More Now In An Online Auction At ... Online Pr News (Press Release) Google News - Aug 26, 2011 'The first is a lot comprising the 1950s-era shirt, bolo tie, guns and holsters worn by <mark>Duncan Renaldo</mark>, the actor who portrayed Cisco Kid on the hit TV series.

The items come with a personal appearance advance advertising poster and certificate of' Suddenly Feeling My Age Escanaba Daily Press (Blog) Google News - Aug 11, 2011 'One of the pictures was when <mark>Duncan Renaldo</mark> came to Escanaba in 1956 and made a stop at OSF St. Francis Hospital and posed for a photo with a little patient there. I couldn&#39;t resist asking around the newsroom again. Same blank stare' Sf Giants Asked To Take A Stand Against Racism San Francisco Bay Guardian Google News - Aug 01, 2011 '...

the pre-Colombian artifacts at the De Young and 24th Street BART station opening, the Cisco Kid Festival with <mark>Duncan Renaldo</mark>, and the Latin American Theatre Festival with Enrique Buenaventura, and low rider car exhibit at the US Presidio' Television/Radio; The Networks Barely Hear The Latin Boom Outside NYTimes - Oct 29, 2000 'WITH singers like Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony leading a Latin music explosion, and with Jennifer Lopez able to open one of the summer\'s biggest movies (\'\'The Cell\'\'), can a Hispanic wave on network television be far behind? Well, yes. While the networks say they are trying to embrace more Latinos -- \'\'The general atmosphere at CBS is one of' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Duncan Renaldo. CHILDHOOD 1904 Birth Born in 1904. TWENTIES 1928 24 Years Old He eventually took up acting and signed with MGM in 1928 where he worked in at least two major films, The Bridge of San Luis Rey and Trader Horn.

… Read More The latter film was shot on location in Africa and is notorious for adventures that rivaled the source book's and film's plot of a "great white hunter" and a white blonde jungle queen, the lost daughter of a missionary. One crew member was taken by a crocodile and another killed by a charging rhino. Many crew and stars were stricken with malaria but Renaldo told one interviewer in 1971 that he never contracted the parasite because he took a hunter's advice to "race the blood" with a shot of whiskey in the morning and another at dusk. Read Less THIRTIES 1934 30 Years Old In 1934, he was arrested for illegal entry into the United States, but eventually was pardoned by President Franklin Roosevelt and returned to acting. 1939 35 Years Old He found minor roles at Republic Studios and other Poverty Row studios until he convinced Republic head Herbert Yates in 1939 to introduce a Latin cowboy into The Three Mesquiteers series. … Read More The character only lasted a year, though, and Renaldo was back to minor roles in B-films, for example Tiger Fangs (1943).

Renaldo did play some roles in mainstream films as well, including in Spawn of the North (1938) with George Raft, Henry Fonda and John Barrymore; and For Whom the Bell Tolls with Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman. He was also a producer, writer and director. Read Less FORTIES 1950 46 Years Old In the late 1940s, Renaldo starred in several Hollywood Westerns as The Cisco Kid, and in 1950, he began playing the role in a popular television series that ran until 1956. … Read More In the age of black-and-white television, the show was filmed in color. As Cisco, Renaldo roamed the Old West on a black-and-white horse named Diablo, accompanied by his constant companion, Pancho, played by Leo Carrillo, who was 24 years Renaldo's senior. The Cisco Kid always helped where needed, and unlike most Western heroes, rarely killed anyone. Read Less LATE ADULTHOOD 1971 67 Years Old Renaldo illustrated a book of poetry by Moreton B. Price titled Drifter's Dreams.

His illustrations are ink sketches of idyllic scenes, primarily seascapes and landscapes. He also painted in oils. Two of his large paintings of members of the Maasai tribe whom he met in Kenya while filming "Trader Horn" were prominently displayed in his Santa Barbara home in 1971. 1974 70 Years Old … His interment took place in Calvary Cemetery in Santa Barbara, California. <br /><br />For his contributions to the television industry, Renaldo has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1680 Vine Street. Read Less He is pictured with the band War on their 1974 album, War Live, which includes the group's 1973 song, "The Cisco Kid." 1980 76 Years Old Renaldo died of lung cancer in 1980, aged 76, in Goleta, California. Original Authors of this text are noted on . Duncan Renaldo - IMDb IMDb Actor | Writer | Producer To most audiences, Duncan Renaldo will always be identified as film and TV's "The Cisco Kid." However, this role occurred late in his career, which consisted of much more than just this western character.

Not much is known about Renaldo's early life. In fact, his date and place of birth is still questioned. The usual given birth date is April 23, ... See full bio » Born: a list of 275 people created 28 Sep 2011 a list of 12 people created 21 Nov 2013 a list of 28 images created 20 Apr 2015 a list of 50 people created 24 Apr 2015 a list of 28 images created 1 month ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Duncan Renaldo's work have you seen? User Polls 1 win.

See more awards » Known For The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid / Jean La Fitte / The Cisco Kid posing as Professor Lombardi / The Cisco Kid posing as Tex (1950-1956) The Gay Amigo The Cisco Kid (1949) 1951 The Highwayman (screen story - originally as Renault Duncan) 1947 Bells of San Fernando (screenplay - as Renault Duncan) / (story - as Renault Duncan) 1946 Don Ricardo Returns (associate producer - as Renault Duncan) Hide 1939 The Kansas Terrors (performer: "Cielito Lindo" - uncredited) Hide 2006 Jake's Progress: Interview (Video documentary short) Cisco (uncredited) 1995 Jake's Progress (TV Mini-Series) Cisco Stage: Appeared in production of "Her Cardboard Lover". Publicity Listings: 1 Print Biography | 3 Articles | See more » Alternate Names: Did You Know? Personal Quote: We've taken all our fine western lore and splashed it with criminality and barbarism. The whole idea of these adult films is a fallacy.

Nowhere did they ever shoot five or six men before breakfast. That quick-draw business, too, is a fake. Nobody can shoot accurately following a quick draw. Why bring kids up on this stupid craze? Nowadays, you frequently read where some kid has shot off his ... See more » Trivia: As the Cisco Kid he rode on a black & white Overo named Diablo. Sidekick Pancho got along on a palomino named Loco. The horses' names came out of the radio series. See more » Star Sign: War ~ The Cisco Kid (1972) - YouTube War ~ The Cisco Kid (1972) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Oct 2, 2014 The Cisco Kid was a popular TV show that ran from 1950-1956, and also a series of movies.

The title character, played by Duncan Renaldo in the TV show, was a Mexican cowboy who embarked on various adventures in the Old West. War guitarist Howard Scott came up with the idea for this song. Drummer Harold Brown told us how it came together: "Howard has always been a major contributor. He was in Compton, he had this apartment. I came up there and when I got up there he was sitting on his amp. He said, 'Harold, I got this idea. Cisco kid was a friend of mine.' That idea came about because there were no ethnic heroes at that time. Mainly, we were seeing people like Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers. There wasn't really anybody to relate to except Cisco Kid. He was like the total different kind of person. We wanted to give kids, people, another alternative besides the ones that were right in our face, obvious heroes. And it worked out really good, because it had the right kind of hook, it was a fun song. People at that time didn't want to be hearing about no more wars or anything, they just wanted fun music.

And the tonality was brilliant." Brown's drumming was inspired by a Sam & Dave song called "I Thank You." He used a technique where he played on the rim. The band got to meet Cisco Kid star Duncan Renaldo. Says Brown: "We went up to his house, and his wife made sure to let everybody know, 'He don't drink. He don't drink no wine.' I remember that to this day. They were beautiful, warm people. We sat there with him. He lived up in Camarillo, up outside of Santa Barbara, California." During War's live shows, they sometimes used a Cisco Kid movie clip to open the show. In the clip, The Cisco Kid would say, "See you later, amigo," and War would go into this song. (Thanks to Harold Brown for speaking with us about this song. Along with 3 other original members of War, Brown formed The Lowrider Band in 2007.

The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine He drink whiskey, Poncho drink the wine He drink whiskey, Poncho drink the wine We met down on the fort of Rio Grande We met down on the fort of Rio Grande Eat the salted peanuts out of can Eat the salted peanuts out the can The outlaws had us pinned down at the fort The outlaws had us pinned down at the fort Cisco came in blastin', drinkin' port Cisco came in blastin', drinkin' port They rode the sunset, horse was made of steel They rode the sunset, horse was made of steel Chased a gringo last night through a field Chased a gringo last night through a field Cisco Kid was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid, he was a friend of mine Cisco Kid was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine Cisco Kid was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid, he was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine Cisco Kid, he was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid, he was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid, he was a friend of mine Songwriters ALLEN, SYLVESTER / BROWN, HAR

OLD RAY I.

/ DICKERSON, MORRIS DEWAYNE / JORDAN, LE ROY L. / MILLER, CHARLES / OSKAR, LEE / SCOTT, HOWARD E. Category Duncan Renaldo (1904 - 1980) - Find A Grave Memorial Santa Barbara County California, USA Actor. He is best remembered for his title role in the 1950s television series, The Cisco Kid (1950-1956), along with actor Leo Carrillo, who played his sidekick, Pancho. Born probably in Spain, Renaldo was an orphan and never knew his birth parents. He was raised in several European countries, passed on to a series of stepparents, relatives and guardians. He would often say that he was unsure of where and when he was born (his given birth date is assumed for legal purposes), but that his earliest memories were of Spain. Renaldo initially worked as a stoker aboard a Brazilian coal ship. When the ship docked in Baltimore, Maryland, it caught fire and burned to the waterline, and Renaldo decided to stay in the United States.

He made a bare living painting portraits and landscapes, and in 1928, found a job with MGM Studios in Hollywood as a background "extra" actor. His first (uncredited) film is believed to be the silent film, "Clothes Make the Woman" (1928). Eventually he received talking roles, and his good looks got him into better roles, with Hollywood transforming him into the Latin Lover type roles. In 1934, he was arrested for illegal entry into the United States (his original occupation as a sailor allowed him only 90 days in the country between cruises; he overstayed his visa). Due to the uncertainty of his country of origin, he was held in prison for nearly a year, before Republic Studios President Herbert J. Yates decided to intercede in his behalf, vouching for his good behavior and promising him employment at Republic. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the President, who had purchased one of his paintings, then aided his cause by asking her husband to pardon him. By early 1936, his legal status problems were over and he returned to Hollywood to make films.

He would act in films for both Republic and Monogram studios, alternating as a hero or as a villain, often in numerous westerns or in the popular serial cliffhangers of the late 1930s and early 1940s, such as "Jungle Menace" (1937), "Zorro Rides Again" (1937), and "The Secret Service in Darkest Africa" (1943). In 1945, he starred in the Cisco Kid film series, making seven films based on the radio series, which in turn had been taken from the teen-adventure book series. Beginning with "The Cisco Kid Returns" (1945) and ending with "The Girl from San Lorenzo" (1950), he transferred the movie role to television in 1950, in which he remade the Cisco Kid character more of a clean-shaven do-gooder than the roguish bandit who was in the original books. The television version of the Cisco Kid would always help where needed, and unlike most western heroes, he never killed anyone.

In the 1953 television season, he was severely injured in a rock fall, and hospitalized while the studio shot nine more episodes. The producers used doubles, disguises, previously shot footage and voice-overs to keep the public from knowing the truth about his injuries, until he was healed enough to return to acting. He would also try his hand at producing films during the late 1940s, but gave it up to return to acting on television. He retired as an actor in 1956, when the television series ended, and was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to television. He died of lung cancer in 1980 at the age of 76 in Goleta, California. (bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson) 1000+ images about The Cisco Kid on Pinterest | Radios, Bari and TVs Forward The Cisco Kid TV series (1950-56) was one of my favs when I was little. Leo Carrillo (who played Pancho) and Duncan Renaldo (who played The Cisco Kid).

They were really the bad guys (desparados) but somehow ('cause it was early TV) they seemed sympathetic and sometimes even helped the 'good guys!' They road their horses fast and did lots of hoop and hollering every episode - just what a little kid wants to see - action, shooting and dust kicking up all over! See More

Question: Duncan Renaldo played which cowboy character in a famous US TV series?
Answer: Cisco Kid