by Jonathan A. Ward

“Oh Cisco!” “Oh Poncho!” Thus ended most episodes of the Cisco Kid — a show which many of us fondly recall watching in the 1960s or earlier. Leo Carrillo played Poncho, the hilarious sidekick to the star, The Cisco Kid, played by Duncan Renaldo. Beyond “Poncho” just who was Leo Carrillo, our famous neighbor who lived just west of Lake San Marcos?

Leo Carrillo descended from Jose R. Carrillo, a Spanish soldier who settled in Alta California in the late 1700s. Leo’s forefathers included a governor of California (Carlos A. Carrillo) and mayor of Los Angeles (Jose A.E. Carrillo). His father (Juan Jose Carrillo) was the first mayor of Santa Monica.

Leo Carrillo was born in Santa Monica in 1880. Later in life he would purchase 5 acres and a home in Santa Monica Canyon, now a high-end suburb which straddles Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica. In 1913 Carrillo married Edith Haeselbarth (called Dede) whom he met while acting in vaudeville. They adopted a daughter, Marie Antoinette (called Tony).

In Hollywood Carrillo became a TV and movie star. He was popular as a comedian, and was in constant demand because of his ability to speak 7 different dialects or accents. During the depression era and afterward, Carrillo earned an average of $4,000 per week. He appeared in over 90 movies and has 2 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — 1 for TV and 1 for cinema.

Leo Carrillo was also a noted conservationist. He served 18 years on the California Beach and Parks Commission. He was instrumental in the acquisitions of Hearst Castle, The L.A. Arboretum, Anza-Borrego State Park among other California parks. To honor his service, a state park in Malibu is named for him. Governor Earl Warren made him a state goodwill ambassador, calling him “Mr. California.”

How is Leo Carrillo pertinent to Lake San Marcos? A 5-minute drive away is “Carrillo City Park” where Carrillo’s former ranch still stands, along with descendants of his peacock flock. In the mid-1930s, Carrillo was looking for a second home — specifically a ranch where he could retreat from the limelight of Los Angeles. He heard about a 2400-acre ranch for sale in present-day Carlsbad and bought it in 1937. A man named Robert Kelly once owned the ranch and had built a hacienda using adobe bricks. Carrillo hired a man named Mendoza who was familiar with adobe construction, and they designed and built the home that still stands in the park — constructing over the remains of the Kelly home. Carrillo called it “Rancho de los Quiotes” or “Ranch of the Spanish Daggers” because he thought the native agave leaves looked like Spanish swords. Over time it became a working cattle ranch with over 600 cows and many horses. Besides the house, the park includes Carrillo’s barn, cantina, garage, pool, barbecue, foreman’s cottage, and several other buildings. At the ranch, Leo famously partied with and entertained other actors like Cary Grant and Carole Lombard.

Homes now occupy most of Carrillo’s former ranch. But 27-acres are devoted to the Leo Carrillo City Park, and it’s worthy of a visit. It’s an easy, short stroll around the ranch, through Leo’s former hacienda and remaining buildings. The Visitor’s Center contains a gift shop and plays an informative video about Leo Carrillo’s life. On weekends docents guide tours through the house. There’s also a hiking trail, appropriately named The Leo Carrillo Trail, which encircles that entire valley. It’s a fun, not too strenuous loop. Leo Carrillo passed away in 1961 at age 81, but his legacy lives on just over the hill in nearby Carlsbad. On the doorstep of his hacienda Leo wrote in cement: “Su Casa, Amigo” (Your House, Friend) — a very friendly invitation into his home. Check it out.