Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Susan Denny

[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.]

Beryl Mary Susan Denny was a British supporting actress who was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England on July 3, 1934. Susan started out her professional career as a singer and dancer in several plays and musicals. Using the stage name of Susan Denny was a semi-regular on the Benny Hill television show in 1957 before making her only Euro-western: “The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw" (1958) in the role of Cora.

Susan went on to appear in several films and TV series such as “The Pursuers” (1962), the television series “Glamour” 1962 and “Tales from the Crypt (1972)”. Eighteen films and TV appearances in all from 1957 to 1972.

Susan died in Lymington, Hampshire, England on December 1, 2012. She was 78.

DENNY, Susan (Beryl Mary Susan Denny) [7/3/1934, Gosport, Hampshire, England, U.K. – 12/1/2012, Lymington, Hampshire, England, U.K.] – film, TV actress, singer, married to Nicholas Anthony Spanos [1924- 2016] (1956-2012).

The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw – 1958 (Cora)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Tanner Beard

Tanner Beard is an Emmy nominated film and television actor, CEO of Silver Sail Entertainment, Co-Founder Mammoth Film Festival and has written and directed several motion pictures, series and documentaries over the last few decades.

The American director Tanner Beard hails from Texas where he was born in Big Spring, Texas on September 16, 1984. He attended the New York Film Academy in Hollywood, California shortly after finishing high school in his hometown of Snyder, Texas. This culminated with his first comedy television series "Valley Peaks," which Tanner produced, wrote, directed and starred in for over two seasons early on in his career.

Tanner has since split his time in various fields of motion pictures and television. As a director, he turned his Western short film, "Mouth of Caddo" into the feature film "Legend of Hell's Gate," which he also wrote, produced and starred in alongside Kevin Alejandro, Summer Glau, Henry Thomas and Glenn Morshower. His love of producing stories from the old west would continue with the European Western "6 Bullets To Hell." Shot on the same sets from famous Sergio Leoni and Clint Eastwood classics in Spain, the film features music by Ennio Morricone and is a painstaking recreation of the cult classic style from the 1960s and 1970s receiving several awards and most recently associate producer on Kevin Costner's epic tale "Horizon: An America Saga" Part II.

As CEO of Silver Sail Entertainment and now an Emmy nominated creator, we can't wait to see what more will come from Mr. Beard.

Beard has directed two Spaghetti westerns: “Six Bullets to Hell” in 2016 and more recently “In the Name of the Gun” in 2024

BEARD, Tanner (Neal Tanner Beard) [9/16/1984, Big Spring Texas, U.S.A. -     ] – producer, director, assistant director, writer, composer, film editor, cameraman, stuntman, film, TV actor, brother of producer, composer Lexie Shae Beard [1982-    ] founded Silver Sail Entertainment, founded the Mammoth Film Festival [2018], White Buffalo Golf Apparel.

Six Bullets to Hell – 2016

In the Name of the Gun – 2024

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Arthur Askey

Arthur Bowden Askey was born in Liverpool, England on June 6, 1900. Askey was an English comedian and actor who was known for his short stature (5' 2") and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humor incorporating improvisation and catchphrases including "Hello playmates!", "I thank you" (pronounced "Ay-thang-yaw") and "Before your very eyes".

Askey achieved prominence in the 1930s in the BBC's first radio comedy series ‘Band Waggon’ and subsequently starred in several Gainsborough Pictures comedy films during the Second World War including “Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt” (1940) and “The Ghost Train” (1941). His novelty recordings for His Master's Voice include "The Bee Song" (1938), a lasting part of his act. From the 1950s, Askey was a prominent television presence and made regular appearances on the BBC's long-running music hall program ‘The Good Old Days’. Askey was made an OBE in 1969 and a CBE in 1981; he continued to appear frequently on television, radio and the stage until his death on November 16, 1982.

Askey was married to Elizabeth May Swash [1899-1974] and their daughter was actress Anthea Askey [1933-1999] who often appeared with her father on TV and films.

Arthur’s only Euro-western which he starred in and co-wrote with John Baxter, Glenn Melvyn, Geofrey Orme, Basil Thomas was in the 1956 British comedy western “Ramsbottom Rides Again”

 

ASKEY, Arthur (Arthur Bowden Askey) [6/6/1900, Liverpool, England, U.K. – 11/16/1982, London, England, U.K. (gangrene)] – writer, actor, singer, married to Elizabeth May Swash [1899-1974] (1925-1974) father of Anthea Askey (Anthea Shirley Askey) [1933–1999], awarded CBE [1981].

Ramsbottom Rides Again – 1956 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Eugenio Bentivoglio

 

Eugenio Bentivoglio was an Italian cameraman and cinematographer who worked on five films as a cameraman and twenty-one as a cinematographer from 1964 to 1992. I can find no biographical information on him.

Eugenio worked on two Spaghetti westerns: “Django sfida Sartana” (Django Defies Sartana) in 1970 and “La vendetta è un piatto che si serve freddo” (Vengeance Trail) [cameraman]

BENTIVOGLIO, Eugenio [Italian] – cinematographer, cameraman.

Django Defies Sartana – 1970

Vengeance Trail – 1971 (cameraman)

New German Blu-ray release of “Vier Fäuste für ein Halleluja”

 

“Vier Fäuste für ein Halleluja”

(Trinity is Still My Name)

(1971)

 

Director: E. B. Clucher

Starring: Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, Harry Jr. Carey, Jessica Dublin,

Country: German

Label: WME Film Klassiker

"Comedy" Version: this is a repack of the RetroGold release

Discs: 1

Aspect ratio: 16:9, 2.35:1

Language: German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

Running time: 118 minutes

Release date: February 2, 2026

ASIN: ‎B0FJ76PRX4

Bullets For The Bad Review

Film Threat

By Bobby LePire

January 18, 2026

Chip Baker’s sticking to what he knows; in that case of Bullets For The Bad, that means westerns. The director and screenwriters, Danny Garcia and Jose Villanueva, bring audiences on a journey alongside a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter. The unnamed Bounty Hunter (Crispian Belfrage), who is addicted to opium, is traveling to the next town for a new job. That town happens to be Las Cruces, which is in the midst of turmoil.

Everyone in the town is on edge because a group of ruthless bandits stormed in on a wedding. They killed several people, including the groom, and took the bride hostage. So when the Bounty Hunter comes to town, Gonzalo (Antonio Mayans), offers the man $10,000 to retrieve his daughter, Guadalupe (Lila Victoire), and find out who is behind such an evil act. The PTSD-suffering killer, due to his time in the Civil War, agrees but demands an advance.

The Bounty Hunter rides out to Sweetwater, as the few hunches Gonzalo has point to its corrupt mayor, Gordon (David Gilliam). The hunter isn’t there long until he finds out for himself just how unscrupulous Gordon and his goons are. Will the Bounty Hunter find Guadalupe alive? For that matter, will he leave Sweetwater in one piece?

“…a group of ruthless bandits stormed in on a wedding. They killed several people, including the groom, and took the bride hostage.”

Bullets For The Bad fits neatly into the spaghetti western of old. Nameless, badass lead? Check. Just enough backstory to make the protagonist engaging while still being an enigma? Check. Extreme close-ups during gunfights? Check. Just being a lot of fun despite several cliches and tropes in play? Check.

It is very evident that Baker is a huge fan of spaghetti westerns. Here, he has turned that reverence into an exciting and cool entry. When the unnamed hero grits his teeth during a poker game at the beginning, viewers instantly buy his lethal abilities. The mayor’s corruption is a little over-the-top, but it still works completely. However, the filmmaker really proves his accolades in the fights. The gunplay is terrific, well-edited, and fun throughout the entire 87-minute runtime.

Belfrage makes Bullets For The Bad cool all by himself. He’s tough, charismatic, and just plain cool. Gilliam is clearly having fun as the over-the-top villain, owning every cliche with scenery-chewing bravado. Victoire is sweet and likable, adding to the danger her character is in.

Bullets For The Bad uses almost every cliche one can think of. But that doesn’t mean it is bad, far from it. Baker directs with confidence and love, creating an exciting spaghetti western that has old-school and modern appeal. The cast understands the assignment and plays into the dusty grit well, especially Belfrage, who exudes badassery. Spaghetti westerns who have been feeling pangs for something new and fun will love this from start to finish.

"…an exciting spaghetti western that has old-school and modern appeal."

Bullets For The Bad (2026)

Directed: Chip Baker

Written: Danny Garcia, Jose Villanueva

Starring: Crispian Belfrage, David Gilliam, Lila Victoire, Antonio Mayans, etc.

Movie score: 8/10

 

REVENGE OF THE NEGRO, THE

1911, France / UK [?]

Aka… Die Rache des Negers / ‘The Negro’s Revenge’ / 'Revenge of the Slave’ [?] (Ger)

T: 218mt (Ger)

Pc: Société Générale des Cinématographes Éclipse [George Henri Rogers & Paul Joseph

Roux] (Par)

Dist: Pc: Société Générale des Cinématographes Éclipse [George Henri Rogers & Paul

Joseph Roux], Éclipse-Urban Trading Co. [Charles Urban?] (06/22/11, Ger)

C: [unk] (Negro)

Syn: 1800's [?] / 1900's [?]. America [?]. Plantation. A Slave gets revenge.

Comm: [Filmed in France, [?]  French title unknown.

     Éclipse ran an ad in Kinematograph, n232 (June 07, 1911, Ger).

Their tag line read: "Don't forget to order! Highly exciting sensational drama, gripping poster".

 Ref: Kinematograph, n232 (June 07, 1911, Ger).

 

Submitted by Michael Ferguson

Special Birthdays

Lidia Biondi (actress) would have been 85 today but died in 2016.

RIP Fernando Esteso

 

Spanish comedian, singer and actor Fernando Esteso died in Valencia, Spain on February 1st. He had just turned 81 two weeks before. Fernando Esteso Allué was born on January 14, 1945 in Zaragoza, Spain into a family of jota artists. His destiny was on stage from the beginning: he debuted at the age of six in "The Boy of the Jota" and cut his teeth in variety theater and revue. This early training gave him a versatility that would allow him to master humor, singing and acting, soon becoming one of the most recognized figures in show business in Spain at the time. His golden age came between the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s, when he formed with Andrés Pajares the most profitable comedy duo in Spanish cinema. Under the direction of Mariano Ozores, they starred in massive hit films like his only Euro-western “Al este del Oeste” as Bill Golden Pistol in 1983.