Mixed thin films of (CdO)(1-x)(PbO)(x)(0 <= x <= 1) were deposited from spray pyrolytic decomposition of aqueous solutions of cadmium and lead acetates on glass substrates at a substrate temperature of 350 degrees C. These films were characterized for their structural (X-ray diffraction (XRD)) and optical (UV-Vis-NIR spectrum) properties as a function of PbO volume percentage (x). XRD studies confirm the cubic phase of CdO and orthorhombic phase of alpha-PbO. The crystallinity of (I 11) and (200) planes of the cubic phase of CdO is found to increase with increasing PbO vol. % until x=0.25 and then decreases for x=0.50 whereas the crystallinity of the (001)*, (111)* and (002)* planes of PbO increases with increasing vol.% of x from 0.25 to 1.00. The mean crystallite size calculated from XRD data is ranging from 1 91 to 671 A. The average transmittance in the visible region (500-850 nm) varies between 40 and 68%. The direct optical band gap value of these films varies from 1.96 to 2.69 eV. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.