Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Luisa Della Noce

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Maria-Luisa Della Noce was born in San Giorgio di Nogaro, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy on May 28, 1923. She appeared in fourteen films between 1951 and 1982. Her film career began in 1951 with a supporting role in the film by Mario Bonnard, “L’ultima sentenza”, but success came only in 1956 when alongside Pietro Germi, in the double role of lead actor and director, played the part of his wife in “The Railwayman”. The skill and naturalness in the role demonstrated by Luisa Della Noce contributed to the great success of the film and, with this performance, won in 1956 the award for best female performance at the San Sebastian Festival.

Her last appearance on the big screen was in a minor role in 1982 in “Identification of a Woman” by Michelangelo Antonioni.

Luisa appeared in two Spaghetti westerns: “Con lui cavalca la morte” (Death Rides Alone) in 1967 as a pioneer woman and in “John il Bastardo” (John the Bastard) in 1967 as Sara Donald.

DELLA NOCE, Luisa (aka Malù Della Noce, Maria Luisa Della Noce) (Maria-Luisa Della Noce) [5/28/1923, San Giorgio di Nogaro, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy – 4/15/2008, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – film, voice actress.

Death Rides Along – 1967 (pioneer woman)

John the Bastard - 1967 (Sara Donald)

New U.S.A. Blu-ray release of “Forgotten Pistolero”

 

Forgotten Pistolero

(1969)

 

Director: Ferdinando Baldi

Starring: Leonard Mann, Luciana Paluzzi, Peter Martell, Pilar Velázquez

 

Country: U.S.A.

Label: Diabolik DVD

Blu-ray

Region Free

Discs: 2

Disc 1 - Feature in English

Disc 2 - Feature in Italian with Non-Removable English Subtitles

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Language: Disc 1 English, Disc 2 Italian

Subtitles: Disc 2 English

Running time: 84 minutes

Extras: Leonard Mann Interview conducted by tough guy expert Mike Malloy

ASIN: ‎B0FRVC3JXK

Available: December 16, 2025

Behind the Scenes of Death Rides a Horse (1967)

Thebad.net

By Aaron

November 22, 2025

When fans talk about the golden age of Spaghetti Westerns, Death Rides a Horse (1967) always gallops into the conversation. Directed by Giulio Petroni and starring Lee Van Cleef and John Phillip Law, the film stands out for its moody atmosphere, stylish cinematography, and one of Ennio Morricone’s most haunting revenge-themed scores. But the story behind the film’s production is just as intriguing as the movie itself.

A Director with a Bold Vision

Giulio Petroni wasn’t as widely known as Sergio Leone, but he brought his own sharp eye and political sensibility to the genre. During filming, Petroni pushed for a more psychological approach to the story—focusing on memory, trauma, and the uneasy partnership between an older outlaw and a young man bent on revenge.

Petroni and Van Cleef reportedly enjoyed a strong working relationship, with Van Cleef appreciating Petroni’s willingness to let him shape the character of Ryan into a world-weary mentor figure rather than a typical gunslinger.

Lee Van Cleef at His Post-Leone Peak

Fresh off his international breakthrough in Leone’s films, Lee Van Cleef was now a marquee star in Europe. On set, he was known for his professionalism and calm demeanor. Italian crew members often mentioned that Van Cleef preferred to stay focused between takes, conserving energy for the film’s demanding riding and action sequences.

Despite knee issues that bothered him throughout the late 1960s, Van Cleef insisted on doing much of his own riding, adding authenticity to the film’s rugged tone.

John Phillip Law’s First Ride into the West

This film was John Phillip Law’s first Spaghetti Western, and he approached the role of Bill with a surprising level of seriousness. Cast partly because of his intense eyes and stoic expression, Law trained with horses and firearms before filming began.

Law later mentioned in interviews that he and Van Cleef barely spoke off-camera—something fans have speculated helped enhance their on-screen tension. However, both actors respected each other and worked together seamlessly.

Filming in the Wild Landscapes of Almería

Like many iconic Italian Westerns, Death Rides a Horse was shot in the desert landscapes of Almería, Spain. The region’s dry terrain, isolated hills, and abandoned mining towns provided the perfect visual backdrop for Bill’s journey of vengeance.

Production faced the typical problems of desert shoots: blistering heat during the day, freezing winds in the evenings, and dust storms that sometimes-halted production for hours.

Still, the crew made creative use of the harsh environment. Many of the wide shots—especially the scenes of Bill tracking his memories in fragmented flashbacks—benefited from Almería’s vast, empty horizons.

Morricone’s Score: A Soundtrack with a Life of Its Own

One of the film’s most enduring legacies is its Morricone soundtrack. The composer created a unique blend of eerie chimes, rhythmic guitars, and a lonely vocal motif that would later be sampled in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.

During recording, Morricone experimented with unusual percussion and echo effects to give the flashback scenes a dreamlike, almost ghostly quality. Even Petroni admitted the score elevated the film far beyond what was on the page.

The Flashback Technique

The movie’s use of stylized flashbacks—distorted visuals, close-ups of key objects, and dramatic lighting—was innovative for the genre at the time. These sequences were filmed with special filters and gels to enhance the feverish sense of trauma and memory.

Petroni reportedly spent more time on these scenes than any other part of the film. The goal: make the audience feel Bill’s childhood memories as fragmented, painful snapshots rather than clear recollections.

A Cult Legacy

While Death Rides a Horse wasn’t the biggest box-office hit of its day, it steadily grew into a cult favorite. Home-video releases in the 1980s and 1990s introduced new fans to its stylish action, morally complex characters, and unforgettable score.

Today, the film is considered one of Lee Van Cleef’s finest post-Leone Westerns and a defining work of Giulio Petroni’s career.

Special Birthdays

Paolo Moffa (director, writer) would have been 110 today but died in 2004.

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Luccio Dell’Aera

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Luccio Dell’Aera is/was an Italian character actor who has only one film credit and that was an uncredited role in 1962’s “Il segno di Zorro” (The Sign of Zorro) starring Sean Flynn.

Dell’AERA, Luccio – film actor.

The Sign of Zorro - 1962

Spaghetti Western locations Then & Now “Silver Saddle”

In this scene from 1978’s Silver Saddle we see Geoffrey Lewis leading his horse down a dirt road past a building in the background. This scene was filmed in Nueva Frontera, Tabernas, Almería, Spain.

Here’s the same location as it looked in 2023. Nothing remains of the building. A highway now looms in the background.

European Western Comic Books - OLLANA ALMANACCHI > MAGAZINE (Nathan Never - Nick Raider - Martin Mystère - Mister No - Tex - Dylan Dog - Zagor - Julia - Dragonero - Dampyr - Il Commissario Ricciardi - Furio - Varie)

 

ALMANAC SERIES / MAGAZINE (Nathan Never - Nick Raider - Martin Mystère - Mister No - Tex - Dylan Dog - Zagor - Julia - Dragonero - Dampyr - Inspector Ricciardi - Furio - Various)

An almanac series featuring annual special issues dedicated to Bonelli's most famous characters. Each Almanac contains a previously unpublished comic strip and informative and critical articles related to the genre to which the character refers.

These alternate with the Science Fiction Almanac dedicated to Nathan Never (numbers 1, 8, 14, 20, 26, 32, 38, 44, 50, 56, 62, 68, 74, 80, 86, 92, 98, 104, 110, 116, 122, 128); Almanac of Mystery dedicated to Nick Raider (numbers 2, 7, 13, 19, 25, 31, 37, 43, 49, 55, 61, 67) and then to Julia (numbers 73, 79, 85, 91, 97, 103, 109, 115, 121, 127); Mystery Almanac dedicated to Martin Mystere (started as Martin Mystere Presents Mystery Almanac in which the first six issues are published) (numbers 3, 10, 16, 22, 28, 34, 40, 46, 52, 58, 64, 70, 76, 82, 88, 94, 100, 106, 112, 118, 124, 130); Adventure Almanac dedicated to Mister No (umbers 4, 9, 15, 27, 39), to Zagor (numbers 21, 33, 45, 51, 57, 63, 69, 75, 81, 87, 93, 99, 105, 111) and to special issues on authors (numbers 117, 123, 129); Western Almanac dedicated to Tex (numbers 5, 11, 17, 23, 29, 35, 41, 47, 53, 59, 65, 71, 77, 83, 89, 95, 101, 107, 113, 119, 125, 131); Almanacco Della Paura dedicated to Dylan Dog (begun as Dylan Dog Presenta Almanacco Della Paura, in which the first three issues were published) (numbers 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72, 78, 84, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126). In April 2015, the series changed its format and title to a magazine and expanded to include other series from the publishing house, such as Dragonero and Dampyr. #176 ("The Forgotten") is not a magazine but is called Dragonero #33 Summer 2022.

The Almanac was published in 1993 with issue #1 being released in January of that year and ending in October with issue #192 in 2025. It was published in Milan, Italy by Sergio Bonelli Editore under the editor Graziano Frediani. Each issue contained 176 black and white pages with color covers.

ALMANAC
005 (00.01.94) - Tex - Almanacco del West 1 - 1994
011 (00.01.95) - Tex - Almanacco del West 2 - 1995
021 (00.10.96) - Zagor (1) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 4 - 1997
023 (00.01.97) - Tex - Almanacco del West 4 - 1997
029 (00.02.98) - Tex - Almanacco del West 5 - 1998
033 (00.10.98) - Zagor (2) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 6 - 1999
035 (00.02.99) - Tex - Almanacco del West 6 -1999
041 (00.02.00) - Tex - Almanacco del West 7 - 2000
045 (00.10.00) - Zagor (3) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 8 - 2001
047 (00.02.01) - Tex - Almanacco del West 8 - 2001
051 (00.10.01) - Zagor (4) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 9 - 2002
053 (00.02.02) - Tex - Almanacco del West 9 - 2002
057 (00.10.02) - Zagor (5) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 10 - 2003
059 (00.02.03) - Tex - Almanacco del West 10 - 2003
063 (00.10.03) - Zagor (6) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 11 - 2004
065 (00.02.04) - Tex - Almanacco del West 11 - 2004
069 (00.10.04) - Zagor (7) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 12 - 2005
071 (00.02.05) - Tex - Almanacco del West 12 - 2005
075 (00.10.05) - Zagor (8) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 13 - 2006
077 (00.02.06) - Tex - Almanacco del West 13 - 2006
081 (00.10.06) - Zagor (9) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 14 - 2007
083 (00.02.07) - Tex - Almanacco del West 14 - 2007
087 (00.10.07) - Zagor (10) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 15 - 2008
089 (00.02.08) - Tex - Almanacco del West 15 - 2008
093 (00.10.08) - Zagor (11) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 16 - 2009
095 (00.02.09) - Tex - Almanacco del West 16 - 2009
099 (00.10.09) - Zagor (12) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 17 - 2010
101 (00.02.10) - Tex - Almanacco del West 17 - 2010
105 (00.10.10) - Zagor (13) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 18 - 2011
107 (00.02.11) - Tex - Almanacco del West 18 - 2011
111 (00.10.11) - Zagor (14) - Almanacco dell’Avventura 19 - 2012
113 (00.02.12) - Tex - Almanacco del West 19 - 2012
119 (00.02.13) - Tex - Almanacco del West 20 - 2013
125 (00.02.14) - Tex - Almanacco del West 21 - 2014
131 (00.02.15) - Tex - Almanacco del West 22 - 2015

MAGAZINE
137 (00.02.16) - Tex Magazine 1 - 2016
143 (00.02.17) - Tex Magazine 2 - 2017
144 (00.04.17) - Dylan Dog Magazine 3 - 2017
149 (00.00.18) - Tex Magazine 3 - 2018
150 (00.03.18) - Dylan Dog Magazine 4 - 2018
153 (00.00.18) - Tex Magazine 4 - 70 Anni - 2018
155 (00.00.19) - Tex Magazine 5 - 2019
161 (00.02.20) - Tex Magazine 6 - 2020
167 (00.02.21) - Tex Magazine 7 - 2021
172 (00.12.21) - Zagor Magazine 15 - 1961-2021 La grande avventura - 2021
173 (00.02.22) - Tex Magazine 8 - 2022
179 (00.02.23) - Tex Magazine 9 - 2023
184 (00.12.23) - Tex Magazine 10 - Tex 75 - 2023
185 (00.02.24) - Tex Magazine 11 - 2024
186 (00.04.24) - Avventura Magazine 12 - Tex presenta: I Grandi Eroi di G.L. Bonelli 7 - 2024
189 (00.12.24) - Avventura Magazine 13 - Tex presenta: I Grandi Eroi di G.L. Bonelli 8 - Kociss - 2024
190 (00.02.25) - Tex Magazine 12 - 2025
191 (00.04.25) - Avventura Magazine 14 - Tex presenta: I Grandi Eroi di G.L. Bonelli 9 - Hondo - 2025
192 (00.10.25) - Avventura Magazine 15 - Tex presenta: I Grandi Eroi di G.L. Bonelli 10 - Furio – 2025