Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ William Elie

[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.]

William Elie was a Belgium character actor. Born before the turn of the 20^th century he acted in at least ten films between 1913 and 1930.

Elie appeared in one silent Euro-western “À la manière de Zorro” (In the Way of Zorro) as the title character in 1926. This was first recorded European Zorro film and followed in the footsteps of the American films “The Mark of Zorro” in 1920 and “Don Q, Son of Zorro” in 1925, which starred Douglas Fairbanks.

As with so many silent film actors and actresses I can find no biographical information on William Elie.

ELIE, William [Belgium] – film actor.

In the Way of Zorro – 1926 (Zorro)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Joe Manduke

Joseph Manduke was an American film director, producer, and production manager known for his work in feature films and television from the 1960s through the 2000s. Born on March 7, 1928, in New York City, he started his career in production roles on acclaimed projects such as associate producer on “The Pawnbroker” (1964), producer on “Alice's Restaurant” (1969), and producer on “A New Leaf” (1971).

Manduke made his directorial debut with “Jump” (1971) and gained particular recognition for directing and producing “Cornbread, Earl and Me” (1975), a drama centered on a young basketball player. His later directing credits included “Beatlemania” (1981), “Omega Syndrome” (1986), “The Gumshoe Kid” (1990), and “Rockets' Red Glare” (2000).

In television, he directed episodes of series such as ‘Barnaby Jones’, ‘Falcon Crest’, ‘Dallas’, ‘Knots Landing’, and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’. Manduke also taught at the USC School of Cinema-Television.

Manduke died of COVID on March 1, 2020 at the age of 92..

Joe Manduke directed one Spaghetti western. “L’uomo di Santa Cruz” (Kid Vengeance) in 1976.

MANDUKE, Joe (Joseph Manduke) [3/7/1928, New York City, New York, U.S.A. – 3/1/2020, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. (COVID-19)] – producer, production manager, director, writer, married to Carol Sue Manduke [1936-    ] (19??-2020).

Kid Vengeance – 1976

 

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Luciano Ferri

Luciano Ferri is an Italian screenwriter born in Scandiano, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was a writer on twelve films between 1961 and 1971. He is now retired and living in his hometown of Scandiano.

Luciano Ferri co-wrote one Spaghetti western, “I quattro del Pater Noster” with Augusto Finocchi and Maurizio Costanzo in 1969.

FERRI, Luciano [19??, Scandiano, Emilia-Romagna, Italy -     ] – film actor.

In the Name of the Father – 1969 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Sergio Salvati

Sergio Salvati was an Italian cinematographer known for his distinctive visual style in Italian genre cinema, particularly his extensive collaborations with director Lucio Fulci on influential horror films. His work as director of photography on 11 Fulci-directed features helped define the atmospheric and graphically intense aesthetic of Italian horror during the late 1970s and 1980s, contributing to the director's reputation for groundbreaking gore and surreal imagery.

Sergio Salvatti was born in Trastevere, Rome, Lazio, Italy on June 16, 1934. His career began in the Italian film industry, where family connections, his father Adolfo Salvati was a key grip, provided early opportunities, leading to work across genres including spaghetti westerns and other exploitation films. His cinematography emphasized dynamic camera movements, creative lighting, and vivid color palettes that enhanced the tension and visual impact of cult classics in the horror genre. Salvati's contributions have been recognized for their role in shaping the look of Italian cult cinema.

Sergio Salvati died in Rome on September 17, 2025. He was 91.

Sergio Salvati was a cinematographer on three Spaghetti westerns: “I quattro dell’apocalise” (4 of the Apocalypse…) in 1974, “Sella d’argento” (Silver Saddle) in 1977 and “Thunder” (Thunder Warrior) with Federico Del Zoppo in 1983. He was a cameraman on “Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo” (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) in 1966, “Il mio nome è Nessuno” (My Name is Nobody) in 1973, “Dai nemici mi guardo io!” (Three Silver Dollars) in 1968 and “Il ritorno di Zanna Bianca” (Challenge to White Fang) in 1974.

SALVATI, Sergio [6/16/1934, Trastevere, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 9/17/2025, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – production manager, cinematographer, cameraman, actor son of key grip Adoflo Salvati.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – 1966 [cameraman]

Three Silver Dollars – 1968 [cameraman]

My Name is Nobody – 1973 [cameraman]

Challenge to White Fang – 1974 [cameraman]

4 of the Apocalypse… - 1974

Silver Saddle – 1977

Thunder Warrior – 1983 (co)

Lieutenant Daring Quells a Rebellion

 

Lieutenant Daring Quells a Rebellion – International title

 

A 1912 British film production [British & Colonial Kinematograph Company (London)]

Producer:

Director: Charles Raymond

Story: Harold Brett

Screenplay:

Cinematography: [black & white]

Running time: 359 meters

 

Story: The Lieutenant stops rebels from extinguishing a lighthouse beam as a signal for an uprising.

 

Cast:

Lieutenant Daring – Percy Moran

Carmencita – Ivy Martinek (Elfride Caroline Steigerwald)

Jose – H.O. Martinek (Oceano Martinek)

Bianca – A. Brian Plant

Carlos – Jack Houghton

Garcia – F. Barrington

 

 [submitted by Michael Ferguson]

 

Who Are Those Guys ~ Gilberto Galimberti

 

Gilberto Galimberti could do it all. He was one of the most reliable and often seen particpants in the Spaghetti western genre. Gilberto was an assistant director, stunt coordinator, stuntman, master of arms, and actor, and also a judo expert. Born in Rome on February 25, 1933m he began his film career in the early 1960s, leveraging his acrobatic skills to become a prominent master of arms and stuntman.

In 1976, he co-founded The Acrobat Cinematography Organization, which worked on various films, including those of Tomas Milian. He is best remembered for his appearances in the two Trinity films starring Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. Credited as Gil Roland in many of his 180 plus films, he concluded his career in the early 1990s, having appeared in 56 Euro-westerns.

GALIMBERTI, Gilberto (aka Gilberto Gacimberti, Gill Roland, Gil Roland, Gill Rolland) [2/25/1933, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 6/16/2017, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – stuntman, film actor, married to Anna Maria Sperabene father of Gian Luca Galimberti, Giulio Galimberti, co-founded the ‘Acrobat Cinematography Organization’.

Lost Treasure of the Aztecs – 1964 (Aztec) [stunts]

Adiós gringo - 1965 (Ranchester cowboy) [stunts]

Django – 1965 (Klan member) [Franco Nero stunt double]

Gold Train – 1965 (townsman) [stunts]

Blood at Sundown – 1966 (Tim) [stunts]

The Man from Nowhere – 1966 [stunts]

Buckaroo – 1967

Colt in the Hand of the Devil – 1967 (gunman) [stunts]

Days of Vengeance – 1967 (Rebel) [stunts]

Death Sentence – 1967 (gunman) [stunts]

Django Kills Silently – 1967 (bandit) [stunts]

The Moment to Kill – 1967 (Forrester henchman) [stunts]

Pray to God and Dig Your Grave – 1967 (officer catching Cipriano) [stunts]

Sartana – 1967 (Lasky henchman) [stunts]

Shotgun – 1967 (Kildare henchman) [stunts]

Viva Django – 1967 (Martin/Barry henchman)

A Winchester Does Not Forgive – 1967 (Wes)

And Then a Time for Killing - 1968 

Heads or Tails – 1968 (stranger) [stunts]

If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death - 1968

Full House for the Devil – 1968 (Sean) [as Gill Roland] [stunts]

One After the Other – 1968 (Espartaco bandit) [stunts]

Tequila Joe – 1968 (Trianas henchman) [stunts]

Zorro the Fox – 1968 (soldier)

Boot Hill – 1969 (Fisher henchmen) [stunts]

God Will Forgive My Pistol - 1969 (Ross henchman) [stunts]

Hate is My God – 1969 (Carter henchman) [stunts]

No Room to Die – 1969 (Carl Smart) [stunts]

Sabata – 1969 (Shotgun) [stunts]

The Unholy Four – 1969 (Zeb)

A Man Called Apocalypse Joe - 1970 (Moe) [stunts]

The Beast – 1970 (saloon patron) [stunts]

Shango – 1970 (Martinez henchman) [stunts]

They Call Me Trinity – 1970 (Harriman henchman)

Holy Water Joe - 1971

In the Name of the Father, of the Son and of the Colt – 1971 (Collins) [as Gil Roland]

     [stunts]

A Man Called Django! – 1971 (Jeff henchman) [stunts]

Return of Sabata – 1971 (circus gunfighter) [stunts]

Trinity is STILL My Name! – 1971 (poker player with eye patch)

Two Sons of Trinity – 1971

An Animal Called Man – 1972 (Joe) [stunts]

A Bounty Killer for Trinity – 1972 (wagon guard)

Gunmen and the Holy Ghost – 1972 (priest) [stunts]

Man of the East – 1972 (saloon patron)

They Call Me Providence – 1972 (‘The Challenger’ henchman)

They Called Him Veritas - 1972

Trinity & Sartana Those Sons of Bitches - 1972 (Willie)

Court Martial – 1973 (Smith henchman) [stunts]

Fast-Hand is Still My Name – 1973 (Harrueco/Raul) [as Gil Roland] [stunt coordinator]

For a Book of Dollars – 1973 (Catapult henchman) [as Gill Roland] [stunt coordinator]

Behold the Strange, Stimulating Smell of Dollars – 1973 (Fernandez) [stunts]

The Man Called Invincible – 1973 [stunts]

The Three Musketeers of the West - 1973 (hoedown attendee)

The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby – 1974 (bandit) [stunts]

White Fang and the Hunter – 1975 (brawler)

Macho Killers – 1977 (deputy) [stunts]

Arizona Road – 1990 (referee) [stunts]

Special Birthdays

Carlo Taranto (actor) would have been 105 today but died in 1986.

Ilarion Ciobanu (actor) would have been 95 today but died in 2008.

 

Nino Castelnuovo (actor) would have been 90 today but died in 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Anton (actor) is 85 today.

Rodrigo Obregón (actor) would have been 75 today but died in 2019.