Duncan Renaldo
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- April 23, 1904
- Died
- September 3, 1980 (aged 76)
- Birthplace
- Oancea, Galați, Romania
Biography
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Western von gestern
TV · as Renaldo · 2 eps
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Capture
Movie · as Carlos
The Girl from San Lorenzo
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
The Cisco Kid
TV · as The Cisco Kid · 156 eps
The Daring Caballero
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
The Gay Amigo
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
Satan's Cradle
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
Sword of the Avenger
Movie · as Fernando
The Valiant Hombre
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
Jungle Flight
Movie · as Police Captain Costa
Jungle Terror
Movie · as Armand Roget
In Old New Mexico
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
The Cisco Kid Returns
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
South of the Rio Grande
Movie · as The Cisco Kid
Hands Across the Border
Movie · as Juan Morales
San Antonio Kid
Movie · as Johnny Bennett
The Tiger Woman
Movie · as José Delgado
Call of the South Seas
Movie · as Commissioner Charcot
The Fighting Seabees
Movie · as Construction Worker at Party
Sheriff of Sundown
Movie · as Chihuahua Ramírez
Tiger Fangs
Movie · as Peter Jeremy
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Movie · as Lt. Berrendo
Border Patrol
Movie · as Commandante
Around the World
Movie · as Dragoman
Mission to Moscow
Movie · as Italian Reporter (uncredited)
Secret Service In Darkest Africa
Movie · as Capt. Pierre LaSalle
A Yank in Libya
Movie · as Sheik David
King of the Mounties
Movie · as Pierre (Ch. 1, 11-12)
Outlaws of the Desert
Movie · as Sheik Suleiman
Down Mexico Way
Movie · as Juan
King of the Texas Rangers
Movie · as Lt. Pedro Garcia
Gauchos of El Dorado
Movie · as Gaucho / José Ojara
South of Panama
Movie · as Captain of Police
Bad Men of Missouri
Movie · as Dan
Heroes of the Saddle
Movie · as Rico
Covered Wagon Days
Movie · as Rico Rinaldo
Oklahoma Renegades
Movie · as Rico Rinaldo
Pioneers of the West
Movie · as Rico
Rocky Mountain Rangers
Movie · as Rico
Gaucho Serenade
Movie · as Gaucho Don José
South of the Border
Movie · as Andreo Mendoza
Cowboys from Texas
Movie · as Rico Rinaldo
The Lone Ranger Rides Again
Movie · as Juan Vasquez
Rough Riders' Round-up
Movie · as Alcalde Don Enriguez
The Kansas Terrors
Movie · as Renaldo
The Mad Empress
Movie · as Col. Miguel López
Spawn of the North
Movie · as Ivan
Rose of the Rio Grande
Movie · as Sebastian
Tropic Holiday
Movie · as Young Blood (uncredited)
Zorro Rides Again
Movie · as Renaldo
Jungle Menace
Movie · as Armand Roget
Sky Racket
Movie · as Count Barksi
Mile a Minute Love
Movie · as Count Ribalto
The Painted Stallion
Movie · as Zamorro
Rebellion
Movie · as Ricardo Castillo
Special Agent K-7
Movie · as Tony Blank
Lady Luck
Movie · as Tony Morelli
Ten Laps to Go
Movie · as Eddie DeSylva
Moonlight Murder
Movie · as Pedro
Two Minutes to Play
Movie · as Lew Ashley
The Moth
Movie · as Don Pedro
Public Stenographer
Movie · as Henchman Orsini
Trapped in Tia Juana
Movie · as Lt. Kenneth Holbert / El Zorro
Trader Horn
Movie · as Peru
Pals of the Prairie
Movie · as Francisco Valencia
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Movie · as Esteban
Clothes Make the Woman
Movie