Little Known Spaghetti Western Actor ~ Franco Doria

[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.]

Francesco ‘Franco’ Doria is/was a dwarf Italian cameraman and film actor best known for his work in 1960s and 1970s genre films. His acting credits include appearances in cult classics such as “Wild, Wild Planet” (1966), “The Tree of Guernica” (1975), and the holiday favorite “The Christmas That Almost Wasn't” (1966).

Like most European dwarf performers and actors very little is known about the. Doria is no exception. Many came from careers in the various circuses so that was probably the case for Franco. We do know he appeared in around a dozen films between 1964 and 1976. Among them was his only Spaghetti western appearance as a Mesilla deputy in 1966’s

Franco Doria appeared in one Spaghetti western, “l buono, il brutto, il cattivo” (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” in 1966.

DORIA, Franco (aka Frank Doris) (Francesco Doria) [Italian] – cameraman, film actor.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - 1966 (Mesilla deputy)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Gianni Grimaldi

Giovanni “Gianni” Grimaldi was an Italian screenwriter and film director known for his prolific contributions to popular Italian cinema, particularly in the genres of comedy, sexy comedies (commedia sexy all'italiana), Spaghetti westerns, and Eurospy films during the 1960s and 1970s.

Born on November 14, 1917, in Catania, Sicily, Grimaldi entered the film industry in 1952 as a screenwriter, penning scripts for numerous successful films before transitioning to directing in the mid-1960s, where he helmed around twenty features while continuing to write for many more. He was often credited as Gianni Grimaldi and became associated with light-hearted, sometimes satirical or erotic-infused comedies featuring exaggerated titles and broad humor characteristic of Italian commercial cinema at the time.

His notable works as a director and writer include films such as ''Johnny Colt'', ''The Handsome, the Ugly, and the Stupid'', ''Puro siccome un angelo papà mi fece monaco... di Monza'', ''Principe coronato cercasi per ricca ereditiera'', and ''Le inibizioni del dottor Gaudenzi, vedovo col complesso della buonanima''. Grimaldi's output reflected the vibrant and diverse landscape of Italian genre filmmaking, blending elements of parody, farce, and popular entertainment that defined much of the era's box-office successes.

He passed away on February 25, 2001, in Rome, leaving behind a legacy as one of the key figures in Italy's post-war popular film industry.

Gianni Grimaldi directed three Spaghetti westerns: “All’ombra di una colt” (In a Colt’s Shadow), “Starblack” (Johnny Colt) both in 1966 and “Il bello, il brutto, il cretino” (The Handsome, the Ugly and the Stupid) in 1967.

GRIMALDI, Gianni (aka Grimaldi, G. Grimaldi, Jean Grimaud) (Giovanni Grimaldi) [11/14/1917, Catania, Sicily, Italy – 2/25/2001, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – journalist, director, writer, composer, married to father of director, assistant director, writer Aldo Grimaldi (Arnaldo Grimaldi) [1942-1990].

In a Colt's Shadow – 1966

Johnny Colt - 1966

The Handsome, the Ugly and the Stupid – 1967

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Jaime Comas

Jaime Comas Gilwas a Spanish screenwriter, film producer, and distributor renowned for his pivotal role in the spaghetti western genre, particularly as co-writer of the screenplay for “A Fistful of Dollars” (1964), the first installment of Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy that launched Clint Eastwood to international stardom. Born in Terrassa, Barcelona in 1936, he began his career as a film critic after studying at the Escuela Oficial de Periodismo de Barcelona, transitioning into screenwriting in 1964 when he joined the production company Ocean Films and contributed to international co-productions, especially with Italy. Over his decades-long career, Comas Gil founded several production and distribution companies—including Arcos Films in 1968, Alas Films in 1973, and New World Films Internacional in 1998—through which he produced films across genres such as adventure, espionage, and drama, including “El espontáneo” (his debut production in 1964), “Caboblanco” (1980) with Charles Bronson, “Iguana” (1988), and “One Man's Hero” (1999) starring Tom Berenger. His work extended to other notable screenplays like “Nido de espías” (1967), “La esfinge de cristal” (1967), and “The Shark Hunter” (1979), often blending Spanish talent with global markets to foster cross-cultural filmmaking. Comas Gil passed away on December 21, 2021, in Madrid at the age of 85, leaving a legacy of over 20 writing and producing credits that bridged European cinema with Hollywood influences.

As mentioned above Jaime Comas wrote two screenplays for Spaghetti westerns: “Per un pugno di dollari” (A Fistful of Dollars with Adriano Bolzoni, Víctor Andrés Catena, Fernando di Leo, Duccio Tessari and Tonino Valerii in 1964 and “Heroes sin patria” (One Man’s Hero) with Milton S. Gelman in 1999.

COMAS, Jaime (Jaime Comas Gil) [1936, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain – 12/21/2021, Madrid, Madrid, Spain] – producer, production manager, writer, married to Maria Cruz Arenales Pinar (19??-2021), father of Patricia Gil, Eva Gil, Jaime Gil founded Arcos Films [1968], Alas Films [1973], New World Films International [1998].

Fistful of Dollars – 1964 (co)

One Man’s Hero – 1999 (co)

[Thanks to Michael Ferguson for additional information he was able to find in the posting of Jaime's funeral announcement.]

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Jacques Lefrancois

Jacques Lefrancois is/was a French cinematographer and cameraman who worked on eighteen films as a cameraman between 1961 and 1981. He was also a cinematographer on ten films between 1974 and 1984.

Jacques Lefrancois was a cinematographer on one Euro-western, “Un autre homme, une autre chance” (Another Man, Another Chance) with Stanley Cortez in 1977.

LEFRANCOIS, Jacques (Jacques Lefrançois) [French] – cinematographer, cameraman.

Another Man, Another Chance – 1977 (co)

‘Le théâtre de la jeunesse’

‘Le théâtre de la jeunesse’ was a French television youth theater program that ran from 1960 to 1968 on channel in 1963 one of the episodes was entitled ‘La case de l'oncle Tom’ (Uncle Tom’s Cabin). This children's program took the form of a drama and this episode is an adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 work Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which centers on a highly tolerant, respectful Black slave in the United States who is deeply imbued with Christian sentiments. The book highlights the reality of slavery as it existed at the time the novel was written. Regarding the program, Jean-Christophe Averty said his fondest memory was "casting Black actors—something rare in France at the time—and revitalizing the myth of Uncle Tom, whose sentimentality Black Americans could no longer abide"3. Musical interludes are performed by the great blues pianist Memphis Slim, a frequent collaborator of Jean-Christophe Averty. In this program, the director also draws parallels with current events in the United States during the 1960s, showing footage of police crackdowns on Black Americans.

Le théâtre de la jeunesse – French title

The Youth Theater – English title

 

A 1963 French television production [RTF, ORTF (Paris)]

Producer: Claude Santelli

Director: Jean-Christophe Averty

Story: Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Teleplay: Yves Jamiaque

Photography: [black & white]

Music: Memphis Slim (John Len Chatman)

Running time: 61 minutes

 

Story: Episode ‘La case de l'oncle Tom’: In the nineteenth century, in Kentucky, a southern state, Mr. Selby, a rich planter, and his wife, treat their slaves with kindness. Due to money problems, the couple is forced to part with several of them, including Uncle Tom, the most devoted, Eliza and her young son, Henri. Eliza and Henri manage to escape before the slave ship arrives. Uncle Tom's path crosses that of Miss Evangeline Saint-Clare, who encourages her father to buy Tom. But after a short stay with his new bosses, he was once again sold...

 

Cast:

Tom - Robert Liensol

Ophelia - Madeleine Clervanne

Saint-Clare - Daniel Ceccaldi

Simon Legree - Julien Guiomar

Marie - Claude Winter

Eva - Sylviane Margollé

Georges - Philippe Coussonneau

Cassy - Toto Bissainthe

Shelby - André Cellier

Sambo - Dia Fara

Samuel - Gérard Lemoine

Haley - Jacques Marin

Chloé - Jenny Alpha

Emily - Marie Mergey

Elisa - Lydia Ewandé

Slave merchants - Michel Trévières, Alain MacMoy

André - Abdel Moula Hakmi

Townswomen - Andrée Champeaux Flama Walter, Jacqueline Rivière

Adolphe - Ambroise Bia

Mammy - Louise Chanfrein

Poly - Juliette Justine

Same - Nanette Maya

Dinah - Darling Légitimus

Topsy - Joceline Alger

Doctor - Jacques Butin

Townsmen - Pierre Peloux, Maurice Coussonneau

Slave buyer - Jean Degrave

The man with the eyeglass - Alain Janey

Emmeline – Patricia Granger

Emmeline's mother - Marie-Thérèse Travantal

Old woman - Danièle Oranger

With: Memphis Slim (John Len Chatman)

Voices of the Spaghetti Western – “Shalako”

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 “Shalako”

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

Shalako Carlin – Sean Connery (I) Pino Locchi, (E) Sean Connery, (S) Arsenio Corsellas, (G) Gert Günther Hoffmann, (F) Jean-Claude Michel

Countess Irina Lazaar – Brigitte Bardot (I) Flaminia Jandolo, (E) Brigitte Bardot, (S) Rosa Guiñón, (G) Margot Leonard, F) Brigitte Bardot

Bosky Fulton – Stephen Boyd (E) Stephen Boyd, (I) Sergio Graziani, (S) Manuel Cano, (G) Claus Biederstaedt, (F) Jacques Deschamps

Sir Charles Daggett – Jack Hawkins (E) Charles Gray, (I) Ennio Balbo, (S) Luis Posada Mendoza, (G) Curt Ackermann, (F) Louis Arbessier

Baron Frederick von Hallstatt - Peter Van Eyck (E) Peter Van Eyck, (I) Aldo Giuffré (S) Rogelio Hernández, (G) Peter van Eyck, (F) Peter Van Eyck

Lady Daggett - Honor Blackman (E) Honor Blackman, (I) Rita Savagnone, (S) María Luisa Solá, G) Gisela Reißmann, (F) Paule Emanuele

Chato – Woody Strode (E) Woody Strode, (I) Ferruccio Amendola, (S) Antonio Fernández Sánchez, (G) Edgar Ott, (F) Henry Djanik

Charles Gray  (1928 – 2000)

Charles Gray was born Donald Marshall Gray on 29 August 29, 1928. He was an English stage, film, and television actor renowned for portraying suave villains and authoritative figures, most notably Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971) and the Criminologist in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975). With a career spanning nearly five decades, he appeared in over 100 productions, including Shakespearean roles at the Old Vic and Royal Shakespeare Company, horror films like “The Devil Rides Out” (1968), and acclaimed television series such as ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ (1971–1975). Gray's distinctive velvety voice and imposing 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) stature made him a versatile performer in both comedic and dramatic parts, earning praise for his elegant portrayals of arrogance and self-importance.

Born in Bournemouth, Dorset, to a surveyor father, Gray initially pursued acting under his birth name Donald Gray, making his professional debut in 1952 at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in a production of “As You Like It”. He changed his professional name to Charles Gray to avoid confusion with another actor and honed his vocal skills through training with the Royal Shakespeare Company. By the mid-1950s, he joined the Old Vic Company, where he took on significant Shakespearean roles, including Achilles in “Troilus and Cressida” (1956) and Macduff in “Macbeth”.

Charles Gray's distinctive aristocratic tone made him a sought-after narrator for BBC productions, particularly in atmospheric and educational pieces. He provided the voice-over narration for the 1979 BBC ghost story adaptation ‘Schalcken the Painter’, directed by Leslie Megahey, where his measured delivery heightened the gothic tension and incorporated explanatory elements on 17th-century Dutch art and history. Similarly, Gray narrated Megahey's 1987 BBC drama ‘Cariani and the Courtesans’, a stylized exploration of Renaissance painter Cariani's life and work, leveraging his authoritative timbre to blend historical context with dramatic flair.

Beyond BBC specials, Gray's narration extended to other documentaries, such as the 1973 historical film ‘On the Game’, directed by Stanley A. Long, which examined the evolution of prostitution through the ages; his mellifluous voice lent gravitas to the factual recounting. His voice work also featured in radio dramas, including BBC Radio adaptations within collections like ‘Daphne du Maurier: The BBC Radio Collection’, where he contributed to full-cast dramatizations of classic stories, showcasing his versatility in audio storytelling.

In the 1980s and 1990s, as on-camera roles became less frequent, Gray capitalized on his resonant timbre for commercial voice-overs, appearing regularly in television advertisements that benefited from his commanding presence. Overall, his voice credits—estimated at 20 to 30 across various formats, many uncredited—sustained his professional output into the late 20th century, emphasizing his enduring appeal in auditory media.

Gray died of cancer on March 7, 2000, at Brompton Hospital in London, aged 71.

Special Birthday

Amedeo Trilli (writer, actor, actor) would have been 120 today but died in 1971.

Dakar (actor) would have been 105 today but died in 2004.

Lino Banfi (actor) is 90 today.

 

Yosef Shiloach (actor) would have been 85 today but died in 2011.

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actor ~ Sandro Dori

[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.]

Sandro Dori was an Italian actor known for his prolific career spanning over six decades in Italian cinema, television, and international productions, often appearing in memorable supporting and character roles across genres including comedy, drama, giallo thrillers, and historical epics. Born in Ostiglia, Lombardy on December 21, 1938, Dori began his acting career in the late 1960s and quickly became a familiar face in Italian films, collaborating with prominent directors such as Federico Fellini and Dario Argento on projects that defined Italian popular cinema during its golden age. His versatility allowed him to excel in both comedic bit parts and more dramatic supporting performances, contributing to classic works of the era.

Dori's filmography includes appearances in influential movies like Fellini's Satyricon, Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, and international features such as The Name of the Rose, showcasing his ability to enhance ensemble casts with distinctive presence.  He continued working in Italian television and film into the 21st century until his death in Civitavecchia, Rome, Lazio, Italy on February 17, 2021 at the age of 82.

Throughout his career, Dori was recognized for his reliability as a character actor, often bringing nuance and authenticity to roles that might otherwise be overlooked, cementing his status as a respected figure in Italian entertainment.

Sandro Dori appeared in two Spaghetti westerns: “Un fiume di dollari” (The Hills Run Red) as a saloon barker in 1966 and “…e per tetto un cielo di stelle” (And for a Roof a Sky Full of Stars) as a sideshow owner in 1968.

DORI, Sandro (aka Alessandro Dori) (Alberto Schiappadori) [12/21/1938, Ostiglia, Lombardy, Italy – 2/17/2021, Civitavecchia, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – film, TV, voice actor.

The Hills Run Red - 1966 (saloon barker)

And for a Roof a Sky Full of Stars – 1968 (sideshow owner)

 

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

 Spaghetti Western Director ~ Aldo Grimaldi

Aldo Grimaldi is an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his contributions to the musicarello genre and popular comedy films in Italy during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in 1942 in Catania, Sicily, he was the son of director and screenwriter Giovanni Grimaldi and began his career in the early 1960s primarily as an assistant director on films including musical comedies and other light-hearted productions. He made his directorial debut with “Nel sole” in 1967 and quickly established himself with a series of commercially oriented works blending music, humor, and often romantic or comedic elements.

His notable films include “L'oro del mondo” (1968), “Il ragazzo che sorride” (1969), “Pensando a te” (1969), “Franco e Ciccio sul sentiero di guerra” (1970), and later entries such as “Quando le donne si chiamavano madonne” (1972) and “Champagne in paradiso” (1984), many of which featured collaborations with comedy duo Franco and Ciccio or incorporated erotic undertones typical of the era's commedia all'italiana variations. Grimaldi's output reflected the vibrant, populist Italian cinema of the period, though he directed fewer projects in the 1980s before his death on 5 August 1990 in Rome at the age of 47.

Aldo Grimaldi directed one Spaghetti western, “Franco e Ciccio sentiero di guerra” (Franco & Ciccio on the Warpath) in 1969.

GRIMALDI, Aldo (Arnaldo Grimaldi) [1942, Catania, Sicily, Italy – 8/5/1990, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – director, assistant director, writer, son of director, writer, composer, songwriter Giovanni Grimaldi [1917-2001].

Franco & Ciccio on the Warpath – 1969

Italian Western Screenwriter ~ Oreste Coltellacci

 

Oreste Coltellacci is/was an Italian film producer and screenwriter. Coltellacci began in 1958 as a producer for various companies: until 1960 for Cei-Incom, from 1961 to 1963 for Incei, then for Aster and from 1965 to 1970 for Colt Produzioni. In 1975 he directed a film based on his own script.

 

Oreste Coltellacci wrote the screenplays for two Spaghetti westerns: “Lo chiamavano Verità” (They Call Him Veritas) in 1972 and “Prima ti suono e poi ti sparo” (Trinity, the Bell, the Guitar) with John Loffredo Michele Massimo Tarantini and Heinz Orthofer in 1974.

 

COLTELLACCI, Oreste [Italian] – producer, director, writer.

They Call Him Veritas - 1972

Trinity, the Bell, the Guitar – 1974 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Robert Lefebvre

Robert Gerard Charles Le Febvre was a French director and cinematographer born in Paris on March 19, 1907. Although most of career he was a cinematographer working on 138 films between 1927 and 1975 her did venture being a cameraman on six films and even directed one short film “Paris sur Seine” in 1941.

Lefebvre began his ascent in the field of cinematography in the early 1930s, building on his foundational experience as a camera assistant since 1923. By 1932, he had transitioned to director of photography, debuting in this role on the feature film “Azaïs” (1931) and continuing with early works such as “Sapho” (1934), marking the start of a prolific career in French cinema.

Throughout his professional life, Lefebvre contributed as cinematographer to over 138 projects, with the bulk of his output occurring between the 1930s and 1950s. During this era, he honed his expertise in black-and-white photography, delivering visuals noted for their emotional resonance and technical precision in capturing period settings and character-driven narratives.

As post-war cinema evolved, Lefebvre adeptly transitioned to color processes, such as Eastmancolor, evident in his work on “Les Grandes Manœuvres” (1955), one of the early French features to embrace full-color production. His approach emphasized atmospheric depth, often leveraging available light sources to enhance the moody, evocative quality of historical dramas.

Robert Lefebvre was cinematographer on one Euro western, “Moartea lui Joe Indianul” (Death of Injun Joe) with Ovidiu Gologan in 1967/

LEFEBVRE, Robert (aka Le Febvre) (Robert Gerard Charles Le Febvre) [3/19/1907, Paris, Île-de-France, France – 2/15/1989, Montfort-l'Amaury, Yvelines, France] – director, cinematographer, cameraman, actor.

Death of Injun Joe – 1967 (co)