Spaghetti Western Trivia – “The Price of Power” (A Bullet for the President)

 

The Price of Power released in 1969 was re-released in Canada under the title “A Buller for the President” starring Clint Eastman (Giuliano Gemma), Fernando Rey and Van Johnson.

 

Submitted by Michael Ferguson

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Mike Dietrich

[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.]

Michael Dietrich was born on March 16, 1965, in Berlin, Germany. He is a German director, author, and actor best known for his work in the Karl May theatre plays at Pullman City Bavaria, where he has directed and written plays, and has sometimes acted in or appeared as the character Winnetou in related projects. He has produced, written, and sometimes acted in films such as Winnetou und das Geheimnis der Geisterschlucht (2007) and Winnetou und der Schatz der Marikopas (2006)

Mike Dietrich appeared in three Euro-westerns: “Karl-May-Spiele: Der Schatz im Silbersee” a TV film as Utah Krieger, Rafter and a stableman in 2001, “Winnetou und der Schatz der Marikopas” as Winnetou in 2006 and again as Winnetou in “Winnetou und das Geheimnis der Geisterschlucht” (Winnetou and the Secret of Ghost Canyon) in 2007 where he was also stunt coordinator.

DIETRICH, Mike (Michael Dietrich) [3/16/1965, Berlin, Berlin, Germany -     ] – producer, director, composer, film editor, stuntman, theater, film, radio, actor, publisher, founded Freilichtbühne Burgrieden [2014].

Karl-May-Spiele: Der Schatz im Silbersee – (TV) - 2001 (Utah Krieger, Rafter,

     stableman)

Winnetou und der Schatz der Marikopas – 2006 (Winnetou)

Winnetou and the Secret of Ghost Canyon – 2007 (Winnetou) [stunt coordinator]

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Damiano Damiani

Damiano Damiani was an Italian screenwriter, film director, actor, and writer whose career spanned over five decades, focusing on socially conscious narratives often centered on organized crime and institutional corruption. Born in Pasiano di Pordenone, Friuli-Venezia Giulia on July 23, 1922, he began with short films in the late 1940s before directing features like “Arturo's Island” (1962), which earned the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Damiani gained prominence for mafia-themed works, including “Confessions of a Police Captain” (1971) and the long-running television series ‘La Piovra (The Octopus’, 1984–2001), which depicted systemic mafia influence in Italian society and became a cultural phenomenon for its unflinching portrayal of real-world criminal networks. His films received international recognition, such as a Silver Bear Honorable Mention at the 1985 Berlin International Film Festival for “The Sicilian Connection”, and multiple David di Donatello Awards in Italy. Damiani's oeuvre emphasized moral ambiguity and critique of power, influencing Italian genre cinema while avoiding sensationalism in favor of structural analysis of societal decay.

Damiano Damiani died in Rome on March 7, 2013, at the age of 90.

Damiano directed two Spaghetti westerns: “Quién sabe?” (A Bullet for the General) in 1966 and along with Sergio Leone “Un genio, due compari, un pollo” (The Genius) in 1975

DAMIANI, Damiano [7/23/1922, Pasiano, Pordenone, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Udine, Italy - 3/7/2013, Rome, Lazio, Italy (respiratory failure)] director, screenwriter, actor, married to Rosa Zetti [19??-2008] (1945–2008) father of Cristina Damiani [1951-    ], Sibilla Damiani [1955-    ], Francesco Damiani [1959-    ].

A Bullet for the General – 1966

The Genius - 1975 (co)

Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern (TV) - 2005 [himself]

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Franco Bucceri

Gianfranco ‘Franco’ Bucceri was an Italian producer, writer and actor. He appeared as an actor in twenty-seven films and television series between 1957 and 1969. He was a writer on twenty-four between 1967 and 2005. He was also a dubbing director.

I found a obituary notice for a Gianfranco Ettore Bucceri (author) who died in March but no date in the notice was given.

Franco Bucceri co-wrote screenplays for two Spaghetti westerns: “O tutto o niente” (A Man Called Amen) in 1968 with Renato Izzo and Guido Zurli and for “California” with Mino Roli, Nico Ducci, Roberto Leoni. Franco also wrote the story for “Requiescant” (Kill and Pray) in 1967.

BUCCERI, Franco (Gianfranco Ettore Bucceri) [Italy – 3/29/] – producer, writer, actor, married to Flavia Bucceri father of Agnese Maria Bucceri.

Kill and Pray – 1967 [story]

A Man Called Amen – 1968 (co)

California – 1977 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Benito Frattari

Benito Romano Frattari is/was an Italian film producer, cameraman and cinematographer. He was a producer on one film and a cameraman on another. He was a cinematographer on twenty-eight films between 1962 and 1981. He’s probably best remembered as the cinematographer on 1962’s “Mondo Cane” and 1973’s “Commandos” with Lee Van Cleef.

Incredibly there’s no biographical information on line and he’s not even listed in Italian Film: A Who’s Who.

Benito Frattari was the cinematographer on one Spaghetti western “Quanto costa morire” (A Taste of Death) in 1968

FRATTARI, Benito (aka Benito R. Frattari) (Benito Romano Frattari) [Italian] – producer, cinematographer, cameraman,

A Taste of Death - 1968

New German Blu-ray, DVD release "Die 4 Geier der Sierra Nevada"

"Die 4 Geier der Sierra Nevada"

(The Relentless Four)

(1965)

 

Director: Primo Zeglio

Starring: Adam West, Robert Hundar, Howard Ross

 

Country: Germany

Label: HanseSound / Lighthouse Entertainment

Blu-ray, DVD

HD Scan

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Languages: German, English, Italian 2.0 mono

Running time: 91 minutes

ASIN: ‎B0GLHS8TKV

Available: April 24, 2026

Voices of the Spaghetti Westerns - “The Nephews of Zorro”

As we know most of the Euro-westerns were co-productions from Italy, Spain, Germany and France which incorporated British and American actors to gain a worldwide audience. The films were shot silent and then dubbed into the various languages where they were sold for distribution. That means Italian, Spanish, German, French and English voice actors were hired to dub the films. Even actors from the countries where the film was to be shown were often dubbed by voice actors for various reasons such as the actors were already busy making another film, they wanted to be paid additional salaries for dubbing their voices, the actor’s voice didn’t fit the character they were playing, accidents to the actors and in some cases even death before the film could be dubbed.

I’ll list a Euro-western and the (I) Italian, (S) Spanish, (G) German and (F) French, (E) English voices that I can find and once in a while a bio on a specific voice actor as in Europe.

Today we’ll cover “The Nephews of Zorro”

[(I) Italian, (S) Spanish, (G) German, (F) French, (E) English

Franco La Vacca – Franco Franchi (I) Franco Franchi

Cicco La Vacca – Ciccio Ingrassia (I) Ciccio Ingrassia

Raphael/Zorro – Dean Reed (I) Pino Colizzi

Don Diego de La Vega – Franco Fantasia (I) Glauco Onorato

Carmencita – Agata Flori (I) Rita Savagnone

Captain Martines – Ivan Staccioli (I) Sergio Graziani

Sergeant Alvarez - Pedro Sanchez (I) Carlo Romano

Special Birthdays

Gina Mascetti (actress) would have been 115 today but died in 1995.

Jaroslav Mareš (actor) would have been 105 today but died in 2003.

Harald Philipp (director, writer) would have been 105 today but died in 1999.

Jill Ireland (actress) would have been 90 today but died in 1990.

23 Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Axel Dietrich

[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.]

Axel Dietrich was born in Lichtenberg, Berlin, Germany on September 30, 1944. He attended primary school in Karlshorst at the time, was "discovered" at a holiday camp in 1955 for the leading role in the DEFA children's film "Bärenburger Schnurre" by Ralf Kirsten. From this point on, he was used in other films for both the DEFA and GDR television. In the role of Peter, he appeared in the first two stage plays with Clown Ferdinand ("Clown Ferdinand in the Magic Land" 1957 and "Holiday Journey with Clown Ferdinand" 1958) in the old Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin. At this time, he also appeared at the Theater der Freundschaft in Berlin in the play "Bund der Haifische" by Gerd Prager. Axel also dubbed children's roles in foreign films.

After graduating from high school in 1963 at the "Hermann von Helmholtz" Extended High School in Potsdam, he studied acting with Marie Borchardt in Berlin. He studied theatre studies at the Humboldt University of Berlin in the second half of the 1960s.

From the mid-sixties onwards, film roles increasingly followed as a teenager or young adult. During this time, he also took part in role offers in Polish and Slovak films.

His professional acting career in theatre directing began in the early seventies with assistant duties at the Städtische Bühnen Magdeburg in a collective that included Hans-Dieter Meves, Frank Borisch, Heinz Czechowski, Henry Hübchen and Heiner Maaß. In 1973, his directorial work at the theatre was associated with his departure from his work as a film actor. His first independent productions were entrusted to him at the theatre in Karl-Marx-Stadt. The subsequent activity at the Stadt-Theater Plauen, since the end of the seventies, was also associated with the function of senior director. In the eighties, he moved to the Kleist Theater in Frankfurt as drama director and director. He then worked for GDR television as a dialogue director in dubbing projects. After 1990 he worked as a theatre director on various stages in Germany, especially at the theatre in Lübeck.

In all Dietrich appeared in twenty-two films and television appearances between 1957 and 1973.

Axel’s only Euro-western appearance was in “Spur des Falken” (The Falcon’s Trail) as a soldier in 1967.

DIETRICH, Axel [9/30/1944, Lichtenberg, Berlin, Germany – 2/25/2017, Germany] – theater, film, TV actor.

The Falcon’s Trail – 1967 (soldier)