The Cisco Kid was a film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his short story “The Caballero’s Way,” published in 1907 in the collection Heart of the West. (click here to read it) Films and television depicted the Cisco Kid as a heroic Mexican caballero, although in O. Henry’s original story, he was a non-Hispanic character and a cruel outlaw.
Numerous movies featured the character, beginning in the silent film era with William R. Dunn portraying the Cisco Kid in The Caballero’s Way (1914), followed by The Border Terror (1919). Warner Baxter won an Oscar for his portrayal of the Cisco Kid in the early sound film In Old Arizona (1928), directed by Irving Cummings and Raoul Walsh, who was originally slated to play the lead until a jackrabbit jumping through a windshield cost him an eye while on location. These shows came from the Internet Archive and were labeled public domain.
These Cisco Kid episodes are not in the public domain and of course were not included in the playlist
Back in the mid-1940s, I was a kid living in Los Angeles. My father was in the Coast Guard in WWII, having served as a Marine in WWI. My mother had a theatrical bent, and thought I was (gasp) attractive enough to be in films. We went to the various studios, and at one Leo Carillo talked to us. For many years, my mother thought I was blessed because he kissed me. I carried this curse (?) during my chldhood – “kissed by Leo Carillo”. How does one live this down??
during my chldhood – “kissed by Leo Carilloâ€. How does one live this down??
—> Oh Cisco!
Hmmm…. Nobody’s kissed me lately
I just came across this site and it brought back a number of wonderful childhood memories of saturday mornings, black & white TV and my favorite … The Cisco Kid. I loved his horse so much that when I got my first job, I saved for my first horse … of course it was a black & white paint horse.
Welcome.
I love O. Henry’s Works… and it always grated on me that O. Henry’s Stories are sited as the basis for the Cisco Kid Series…. because as you say, in The Cabellero’s Way, the Cisco Kid is a skunk !! The ONLY point of similarity is the name “Cisco Kid”….
I am impressed that you “caught” that the Cisco Kid may not be Hispanic !!
Keep up the Great Work !