RIP Lucio Montanaro

 

Italian popular cinema has lost one of its most genuine, loved and recognizable interpreters. Lucio Montanaro, famous actor and character actor originally from Martina Franca, Puglia Italy, died on August 13^th at the age of 75. According to initial information, the actor would have suffered a sudden illness while he was in the swimming pool of his home. Montanaro was born in Martina Franca on June 22, 1951. While the critics of the time looked at his films with snobbery, the public decreed them an overwhelming success. The Apulian actor has worked alongside the most famous directors of the genre and has been the sidekick and companion on the set of icons of laughter and entertainment such as Lino Banfi, Renzo Montagnani, Alvaro Vitali, Pippo Franco, Edwige Fenech, Mario Merola, Nino D'Angelo. Lucio Montanaro appeared in one Spaghetti western, Fabio Testi’s 1975’s “Giubbe rosse” (Red Coat) as Monkey.

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Sky Du Mont

[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.]

Sky du Mont (born Cayetano Neven du Mont on May 20, 1947) is a German-Argentine actor recognized for his extensive work in German cinema and television, spanning over five decades with more than 150 credits. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to a German father and Belgian mother, he spent his early years in England before relocating to Germany in 1969 to train at the Otto Falckenberg School in Munich, debuting on screen in 1974. Du Mont gained prominence in comedic roles, including Santa Maria in the blockbuster parody “Der Schuh des Manitu” (2001) and supporting parts in the Otto film series, while also appearing in international productions like Stanley Kubrick's “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999). His versatility extends to voice acting, notably as the German narrator for ‘Thomas & Friends’, and dramatic portrayals such as Nazi officers in “The Boys from Brazil” (1978)

Sky du Mont has been married four times and has three children.

Sky Du Mont appeared in three Euro-westerns: “Der Schuh des Manitu” (The Shoe of Manitu) as Santa Maria in 2000, “Bullyparade: der film” (Bullyparade: The Movie) as General Motors in 2017 and “Das Kanu des Manitu” (The Canoe of Manitu) as Santa Maria in 2024.

Du MONT, Sky (aka Sky DuMont) (Cayetano Neven du Mont) [5/20/1947, Buenos Aires, Argentina –     ] – film, TV, voice actor, married to Helga Lehner (1972-    ), married to Diane Stolojan (1992-1995) father of artist Clemens Neven du Mont [1991-    ], married to Cosima von Borsody (1995-2000), married to Mirja du Mont [1975-    ] (2000-2016) father of Tara Neven du Mont [2001-    ], Fayn Neven du Mont [2006-    ].

The Shoe of Manitu – 2000 (Santa Maria)

Bullyparade: The Movie – 2017 (General Motors)

Das Kanu des Manitu – 2024 (Santa Maria)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Sam Irvin

Sam Irvin was born on June 14, 1956, and is an American film and television director, producer, screenwriter, author, and educator renowned for his work in genres including horror, comedy, and romance, as well as his contributions to film journalism and biography.

Irvin was born in Asheville, North Carolina, into a family with deep roots in the film exhibition industry; his grandfather managed theaters in the Southeast, and his father co-owned a chain in the Carolinas. As a child, he developed a passion for filmmaking after touring studios in California and creating Super 8mm horror shorts, later working in family theaters to promote classic horror films by directors like Roger Corman and Hammer Studios. He edited and published the fanzine Bizarre from 1972 to 1975, interviewing icons such as Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing during trips to England.

Graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts, Irvin began his professional career as a production assistant on Brian De Palma's “The Fury” (1978), where he also contributed journalism to Cinefantastique magazine. He advanced to roles like associate producer on De Palma's “Home Movies” (1979) and assistant on “Dressed to Kill” (1980), before producing his first feature, the comedy “The First Time” (1981), released by New Line Cinema. In the 1980s, he held marketing positions at companies including United Artists Classics and Vestron, earning Key Art Awards for promotional work on films like François Truffaut's “Confidentially Yours” (1983).

Irvin's directorial debut was the short film “Double Negative” (1985), which premiered at Sundance and received praise from The New York Times as a "promising first effort." Over his career, he has directed more than 55 projects, including feature films such as “Guilty as Charged” (1991) starring Rod Steiger, “Oblivion” (1996) and its sequel with George Takei and Julie Newmar, Elvira's “Haunted Hills” (2001) featuring Cassandra Peterson, and recent TV movies like ‘Love's Second Act’ (2024). He also helmed all episodes of the queer horror series ‘Dante's Cove’ (2005–2007) and the comedy ‘From Here! On OUT’ (2014), as well as high-profile TV specials for Fox Sports, such as segments for the Super Bowl and World Series.

Currently, Irvin teaches graduate directing courses as adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and resides in Los Angeles with his partner of over four decades, Gary Bowers. His honors include Gold Special Jury Awards from the Houston Worldfest for “Guilty as Charged” and “Oblivion”, and an Audience Award for Elvira's “Haunted Hills” at the Provincetown International Film Festival.

Sam Irvin directed two Euro-westerns: “Oblivion” in 1993 and “Backlash: Oblivion 2” in 1994.

IRVIN, Sam [6/14/1956, Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.A. -     ] – producer, director, writer, actor, married to Gary Bowers [2016-    ].

Oblivion - 1993

Backlash: Oblivion 2 – 1994

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Antonio de Lara

Antonio de Lara is a Spanish humorist, playwright, cartoonist, and screenwriter known for his sharp satirical style and contributions to Spanish comic literature and theater under the pen name Tono. Born Antonio Lara Gavilán on September 22, 1896, in Jaén, Spain, he became a prominent figure in 20th-century Spanish humor, often associated with the humorous wing of the Generation of '27, and collaborated with contemporaries in creating witty plays, caricatures, and screenplays. His work spanned graphic art, journalism, and film, where he wrote and directed features noted for their clever dialogue and absurd situations.

De Lara's career emphasized light-hearted yet incisive commentary on society, earning him recognition as a leading humorist of his era in Spain. He produced numerous plays and cartoons that reflected the cultural shifts of mid-20th-century Spain, blending caricature with dramatic writing. He died on January 4, 1978, in Madrid at the age of 81.

Antoni de Lara co-wrote one screenplay for one Euro-western, “Tres eran tres” (Three Were Three) with Ángel Falquina and Eduardo Garcia Maroto in 1954

de LARA, Antonio (aka Antonio Lara 'Tono', Antonio de Lara 'Tono', Antonio Lara, Tono, Antonio 'Tono' de Lara, T. de Lara, Tono de Lara) (Antonio Lara Gavilán) [9/22/1896, Jaén, Andalusia, Spain – 1/4/1978, Madrid, Madrid, Spain] – director, writer, songwriter, actor.

Three Were Three – 1954 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Antonio Modica

Thirty-one films as a cameraman from 1953-1978 and twenty-three films as a cinematographer from 1966-1987. He’s best known for his work on “Kong Island” and “1001 Nights” both in 1968 and “The Uranium Conspiracy” ten years later in 1978.

Antonio Modica was a cinematographer on five Spaghetti westerns: “El Zorro de Monterrey” (Zorro the Conqueror) in 1968, “Rimase uno solo e fu la morte per tutti!” (Brother Outlaw), “I vendicatore dell’Ave Maria” (The Twilight Avengers) both in 1970, “El más fabuloso golpe del Far West” (The Boldest Job in the West) with Hans Burmann, “Jesse e Lester: due fratelli in un posto chiamoto Trinita” (Jesse and Lester Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity) in 1972. He was a cameraman on five other Spaghetti westerns: “Buckaroo – il Winchester che non perdona” (A Winchester Does Not Forgive) in 1967, “Chiedi perdono a Dio... non a me” (God May Forgive You, Not Me), “Ramon il messicano” (Ramon the Mexican) and “La vendetta è il mio perdono” (Shotgun) all in 1968 and “La taglia è tua... l'uomo l'ammazzo io” (El Puro) in 1969.

MODICA, Antonio (aka Modica Antonio, Antonino Modica, Tonino Modica) [Spanish] - cinematographer, cameraman

A Winchester Does Not Forgive – 1967 [cameraman]

God May Forgive You, Not Me – 1968 [cameraman]

Ramon the Mexican – 1968 [cameraman]

Shotgun – 1968 [cameraman]

Zorro the Conqueror – 1968 [cinematographer]

El Puro – 1969 [cameraman]

Brother Outlaw – 1970 [cinematographer]

The Twilight Avengers – 1970 [cinematographer]

The Boldest Job in the West – 1971 (co) [cinematographer]

Jesse and Lester Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity – 1972 [cinematographer]

Giuliano Gemma [archived newspaper article]

 

The Guardian

By Ronald Bergan

November 11, 2013

 

Strikingly handsome star of spahhetti westerns including A Pistol for Ringo

When the spaghetti western was born in the early 1960s, some of the Italian lead actors disguised their names under American-sounding ones (though nobody was fooled). Among those competing successfully with bona fide Yanks such as Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef were Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti), Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli) and Montgomery Wood, a pseudonym taken by Guiliano Gemma, who has died aged 75 in a car accident.

     The strikingly handsome Gemma was one of the brightest stars of the once deprecated, now revered genre. After five years in sword-and-sandal epics, usually supporting muscle men, Gemma made a name for himself (even if, initially wasn’t his own name) in two westerns directed by Duccio Tesari: A Pistol for Ringo (1965) and The Return of Ringo (1965). Their big box-office success granted Gemma stardom and a cult following in more than a dozen similar above-average and average westerns all’Italiana (as the Italians prefer to call them).

     Gemma was born in Rome but spent part of his youth in Reggio Emilia, in the north of Italy. Sport was his main interest from an early age, and he competed as a gymnast, swimmer and boxer. He also enjoyed the movies, dreaming of emulating his favorite actor, Burt Lancaster, whose athletic prowess he admired.

     On leaving school, Gemma got some parts in films at the Cinecitta studio in Rome, such as Ben Hur (1959) where he can be spotted as a Roman officer with Stephen Boyd in a bathhouse scene. Gemmas first real role was in Vittorio Cottafavi’s Messalina (1960), as a young would-be assassin, lured into the Roman empresses’ bed only to be beheaded. The following morning Messalina (Belinda Lee) triumphantly displays his severed head in the palace quarters of the plotters.

     Apart from looking fetching in a toga as a friend of the titular heroes of Goliath and the Sins of Babylon (1963) and Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun (1964) both played by the bodybuilder Mark Forest (born Lorenzo Luis Degni), Gemma appeared briefly as an actor playing Hercules on the set of a movie in the Federico Fellini episode of Boccaccio ’70 (1962).

     A turning point came with A Pisto for Ringo, Gemma as Ringo (the name taken from John Wayne’s role in Stagecoach) quickly established his persona, distancing himself from Eastwood’s Man With No Name in the Sergio Leone “Dollars” trilogy. Ringo, nicknamed Angel Face, is boyish, neatly dressed clean-shaven and drinks milk. But the tow anti-heroes share the same ruthlessness and accuracy with a gun. As Ringo says, “You know, we got an old sayin’ in Texas God created all men equal… but the six-gun made them different.”

     Gemma played another character with the same name in The Return of Ringo but the protagonist has little in common with the previous one. Gemma is serious and less flippant as a soldier who returns from the American civil war only to find that a Mexican gang has overrun his town, and his wife has been kidnapped. In order to rescue her and seek revenge, he poses as one of the gang. This was the first of the so-called “Ulysses type” revenge westerns, set in the aftermath of the civil war, and concerned with veterans’ difficulties in rebuilding their lives in a postwar society. Falling into that category is Blood for a Silver Dollar also known as One Silver Dollar. (1965) with Gemma tracking down a bandit who is wreaking havoc in the community to which he has returned from being a prisoner of war. Another favorite theme had Gemma. Wrongly accused of a crime, having to prove his innocence, generally by killing people in Long Days of Vengeance and Wanted (both 1967).

      While the spaghetti western was in decline Gemma appeared in several crude buddy comic westerns including Alive or Preferably Dead (1969) and Ben and Charlie (1972). Happily among the dross, Gemma retained his prestige in a number of mainstream non-westerns, notably Valerio Zurlini’s superb colonial adventure The Desert of the Tartars (1976), in which he makes a strong impression in one of his rare villainous roles as well as disciplinarian major with a sadistic streak, for which he won the David di Donatello award - Italy’s Oscar.

      His final screen appearance was in the small part of the hotel manager in Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love (2012). He had his largest fanbase in Japan where a fashion house named a clothing line after him and the Suzuki company introduced two types of scooters called Suzuki Gemma. Apart from his acting, Gemma was a talented sculptor, and had several exhibitions of his work.

      He is survived by his second wife, Baba Richerme and two daughters, Vera and Giuliana.

Special Birthdays

Jean Gonnet [cinematographer] would have been 105 today but died in 2005.

Gino Mangini (director, writer) would have been 105 today but died in 1991.

René Goscinny (director, writer) would have been 100 today but died in 1977.

Ben Carruthers (actor) would have been 90 today but died in 1983.

Aurora Clavel (actress) would have been 90 today but died in 2025.

Fern Water (actress) is 85 today.

 

Lennart Eriksson (actor) is 70 today.

 

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Doru Dumitrescu

[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.]

Doru Dumitrescu was one of Romania’s premier stuntmen. Born in in 1942 he appeared in one hundred fifty-eight films and television appearances between 1971 and 2015 performing stunts and he’s credited with twenty-five acting roles between 1973 and 2014. He’s a member of the Member Uniunea Cineastilor din Romania.

Doru died in Romania of cancer on June 24, 2017, at the age of 75.

Doru Dumitrescu performed stunts in seven Euro-westerns: “Apachen” (Apaches) in 1973, “Profetul, aurul şi ardelenii” (The Prophet, the Gold and the Transylvanians) in1977, “Artista, aurul si ardelenii” (The Actress, the Dollars and the Transylvanians) in 1978, “Blauvogel” (Blue Bird) and “Pruncul, petrolul si Ardelinii” (The Oil, the Baby and the Transylvanians) both in 1979, “Phantom Town” as a party attendee in 1997 and the “The Timber” in 2015. He also was a stuntman on the 2012 Euro-coproduced television series ‘Hatfields & McCoys’ in 2012

DUMITRESCU, Doru (aka Doru Dumitrascu, D. Dumitrescu, Doru Dunitrescu) [1942, Romania – 6/24/2017, Romania (cancer)] – stuntman, film actor.

Apaches – 1973 [stunts]

The Prophet, the Gold and the Transylvanians – 1977 [stunts]

The Actress, the Dollars and the Transylvanians – 1978 [stunts]

Blue Bird – 1979 [stunts]

The Oil, the Baby and the Transylvanians 1979 [stunts]

Phantom Town – 1997 (party attendee) [stunts]

Hatfields & McCoys (TV)- 2012 [stunts]

The Timber – 2015 [stunts]

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Ignacio Iquino

Ignacio F. Iquino is a Spanish filmmaker known for his extraordinarily prolific career as a director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, and editor, with credits spanning over one hundred films across five decades of Spanish cinema. Born on October 25, 1910, in Valls, Tarragona, Catalonia, the son of film composer Ramón Ferrés and actress Teresa Iquino. and active from the 1930s until 1984, he founded production companies such as Emisora Films in 1934 and later IFISA, helping sustain film production in Catalonia during challenging periods including the post-Civil War era and the Franco dictatorship. He died on April 29, 1994, in Barcelona.

Iquino worked in virtually every popular genre, including melodrama, comedy, religious cinema, police procedurals, youth-oriented stories, paella westerns, and erotic films that capitalized on the relaxation of censorship after 1975. He is especially noted for directing “El Judás” (1952), which was intended as the first feature film spoken in Catalan since the Spanish Civil War, though it encountered censorship difficulties. Known for his technical expertise, rapid production pace, and low-budget approach—often compared to the Spanish equivalent of Roger Corman—he also produced early works by emerging directors such as Mario Camus and influenced a generation of Catalan filmmakers through his persistent activity in the industry.

His output, while commercially driven and sometimes opportunistic, reflected adaptability to changing political and market conditions, from wartime shorts to post-censorship exploitation cinema, though much of his work has been lost due to the recycling of original negatives. Retrospective recognition, including a centenary cycle by the Filmoteca de Catalunya in 2010, has highlighted his role in maintaining a Catalan film ecosystem amid broader Spanish industry constraints.

Ignacio Iquino directed five Spaghetti westerns: “Oeste Nevada Joe” (Joe Dexter) in 1964, “Río maldito” (7 Pistols for a Gringo) with Juan Xiol in 1965, “5 pistolas de Texas” ($5.00 for Ringo) with Juan Xiol in 1966, “Il suo nome e Qualcano” (4 Candles for My Colt) in 1971 and “Los fabulosos de Trinidad” (The Fabulous Trinity) and

IQUINO, Ignacio (aka Iquino, Ignasi F. Iquino, Steve MacCohy, Steve McCohy Steve McCoy, Steve McCoy, Prada-Iquino) (Ignacio Farrés Iquino) [10/5/1910, Valls, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain – 4/29/1994, Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain] – producer, director, writer, songwriter, film editor, son of composer, musician Ramón Ferrés [1878-1962], actress, singer Teresa Iquino (Teresa Iquino Prada) [1873-19??], married to producer, production manager assistant director, writer  Jackie Kelly (Juliana San José de la Fuente) [1928-2004], founded Emisora Films [1943], I.F.I. España S.A. (IFISA) [1949].

Joe Dexter – 1964 [as Ignacio F. Iquino]

7 Pistols for a Gringo – 1965 (co)

$5.00 for Ringo – 1966 (co)

4 Candles for My Colt – 1971 [as Steve McCoy]

The Fabulous Trinity – 1972 (co) [as Steve McCoy]

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Alain De Lannoy

Alain De Lannoy is/was a French writer, artist and animator. He worked as an artist and animator on six films between 1976 and 1996 and wrote screenplays for four films between 1971 and 1996.

I can find no biographical information on him.

Alain De Lannoy co-wrote screenplays for one animated Spaghetti western film: “Daisy Town” (Lucky Luke: Daisy Town) with Morris, René Goscinny and Pierre Tchernia in 1971. He also co-wroter two teleplays for animated Euro-westerns: “Lucky Luke” with Morris, Gilberte Goscinny, Alain De Lannoy and Philippe Landrot from 1983-1984 and “Lucky Luke” with Morris, Philippe Landrot, René Goscinny, Alain De Lannoy, Xavier Fauche, Jean Léturgie, Elisabeth Bazerli, Lo Hartog van Banda, Guy Vidal, Patrick Cauvin, Bob de Groot from 1991-1992.

De LANNOY, Alain (aka Alain Delannoy) [French] – writer, animator.

Lucky Luke: Daisy Town – 1971 (co)

Lucky Luke (TV) – 1983-1984 (co)

Lucky Luke (TV) – 1991-1992 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Antonio Millán

Antonio Millán was a Spanish cameraman and cinematographer. Born in Spain on April 29, 1941 he worked as a cameraman on twenty-two films between 1958 and 1970 and was a cinematographer on twenty-seven films between 1968 and 1980. He was the nephew od director, cameraman, cinematographer Ricardo Albiñana (Ricardo Albiñana Abella).

Millán died in Barcelona, Spain on October 3, 2016 at the age of 75.

Antonio Millán was a cinematographer on one Spaghetti western, “El más fabuloso golpe del Far-West” (The Boldest Job in the West) with Hans Burmann in 1971. He was a cameraman on four Spagghetti westerns: “Pistoleros de Arizona” ($5,000 on One Ace), “Oklahoma John) and “Il ritorno di Ringo” (The Return of Ringo) all in 1965 and “Texas Kid” (The Texican) in 1966.

MILLAN, Antonio (aka Antonio Millán, Albiñana, Anthony Millan, Antonio Millán) (Antonio Alejandro Millán Albiñana) [4/29/1941, Spain – 10/3/2016, Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain] – cinematographer, cameraman, nephew of director, cinematographer, cameraman, Ricardo Albiñana (Ricardo Albiñana Abella).

$5,000 on One Ace – 1965 [cameraman]

Oklahoma John – 1965 [cameraman]

The Return of Ringo – 1965 [cameraman]

The Texican – 1966 [cameraman]

The Boldest Job in the West – 1971 (co) [cinematographer]