Carlos Alfonso Zelaya, a renowned pianist, was named after the King of Spain. He was the son of José Santos Zelaya, President of Nicaragua from 1893 to 1909. Born into a family of great prominence, Carlos was educated in Europe before his father sent him to America to pursue a career in the military.
As a graduate of West Point in 1910, Carlos served four years in the U.S. Army during World War I. Following his military service, he married his first wife, Marguerite Lee, a grandniece of General Robert E. Lee, in 1911. The couple had a son named José Santos.
As a pianist, Carlos played with the San Francisco and Minneapolis symphony orchestras, boasting a repertoire of over 300 classical pieces. His performances were not limited to the concert stage, as he also enjoyed bringing classical music to the vaudeville stage. His unique ability to present classical music in a humorous and philosophical way made him a crowd favorite.
Carlos's career extended beyond music, as he made sporadic film appearances, playing bit parts, starting from 1933. His last role was as "Gimpy," the piano player in the 1952 film Macao. Tragically, Carlos died on December 14, 1951, just one day before the death of celebrated Mexican composer María Grever.
Carlos was survived by his second wife, Olga Desmondae ("Des") Rieman, a singer who had previously performed in vaudeville with her first husband, Otis Mitchell. His widow later married famous comedian Bert Wheeler. Carlos was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale.
