From the WAI! vault

 

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Steve Emerson

[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.]

Stephen ‘Steve’ John Emerson was born on October 31, 1934, in Lambeth, London, England. He’s a stuntman/actor best known for combining both skills as John the Bartender in “Shaun of the Dead”. His character, turned into a zombie, is beaten with pool cues to the Queen song "Don't Stop Me Now" before he gets his head bashed through the jukebox. Ironically, he also gets thrown into a jukebox in the John Wayne action film “Brannigan” as well, both filmed in England.

Steve appeared in forty-nine films as a stuntman from 1962 to 2021 and as an actor in seventy-five films and TV appearance between 1963 and 2005.

Steve Emerson appeared in one Euro-western, “Carry on Cowboy as a rider in 1965 and one Euro-western television series ‘Queen of Swords’ as Padre Quinterra in 2001.

EMERSON, Steve (Stephen John Emerson) [10/31/1934, Lambeth, London, England, U.K. -     ] – stuntman, film, TV actor.

Carry on Cowboy – 1965 (rider)

Queen of Swords (TV) – 2001 (Padre Quinterra)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Italo Martinenghi

Italo Martinenghi was an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter known for his work in low-budget Italian genre cinema, particularly the long-running "Three Supermen" series of action-comedy films.

Born on October 25, 1930, in Milan, Italy, Martinenghi began his career in the film industry during the 1960s, initially focusing on production roles for genre pictures including “The Three Fantastic Supermen” (1967). He transitioned to directing in the 1970s, often handling writing and production duties as well, with notable works such as “Three Supermen of the West” (1973), “3 Supermen contro il Padrino” (1979), “Lady Football” (1979), and “Three Supermen in Santo Domingo” (1986).

These films typically featured parodic elements, blending superhero tropes, international intrigue, and humor within modest production constraints, contributing to the tradition of Italian B-movies and exploitation cinema during that era. Martinenghi continued working into the 1980s before his death on January 26, 2008, in Italy at the age of 77.

AS mentioned above Italo Martinenghi co-directed one Spaghetti western, “… e cosi divennero i 3 supermen del West” (Three Supermen in the West) with George Martin in 1973.

MARTINENGHI, Italo [10/25/1930, Milan, Lombardy, Italy – 1/26/2008, Milan, Lombardy Italy] – producer, production manager, director, writer, songwriter, film editor

Three Supermen in the West – 1973 (co)

 [photo courtesy Michael Ferguson]

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Benjamin Fisz

Benjamin Fisz was a Polish-born British film producer known for his contributions to British cinema, particularly through producing and occasionally writing action, adventure, and war films during the mid-20th century.

Born on November 4, 1922, in Poland, Fisz immigrated to England as a teenager and later served as a fighter pilot in the Polish Air Force squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II, where he earned several medals for courage from the exiled Polish government. After the war, he settled in the United Kingdom and entered the film industry, establishing himself as a key producer of British films from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s.

Among his most notable productions are the critically acclaimed war epics “The Heroes of Telemark” (1965) and “Battle of Britain” (1969), as well as the action thriller “Hell Drivers” (1957).

His work often featured high-stakes narratives and strong ensemble casts, contributing to the post-war British film landscape across various genres. Fisz continued producing into the 1980s with titles such as “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” (1979) and “The Jigsaw Man” (1984), before his death on November 17, 1989, in London two weeks after turning 67.

Benjamin Fisz was a co-screenwriter on one Spaghetti western, “Una ciudad llamada bastarda” (A Town Called Hell) with Richard Aubrey in 1971.

FISZ, Benjamin (aka Ben Fisz) (Szlomo Benjamin Fisz) [11/4/1922, Poland – 11/17/1989, London, England, U.K.] – producer, writer, founded S.Benjamin Fisz Productions.

A Town Called Hell – 1971 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Aldo Scavarda

Aldo Scavarda was an Italian cinematographer, director, and producer whose work significantly shaped post-war Italian cinema through his innovative visual style and collaborations with prominent directors. Born in Turin on August 22, 1923, he began his career in the 1950s as a camera operator and assistant on films such as “Viaggio in Italia” (1954) and “La signora senza camelie” (1953), before ascending to director of photography roles in the 1960s His most acclaimed contribution was the black-and-white cinematography for Michelangelo Antonioni's landmark film “L'Avventura” (1960), which captured the stark landscapes of Sicily and emphasized themes of alienation and existential isolation, earning international recognition at the Cannes Film Festival. Scavarda's career spanned over two decades, encompassing more than 20 films as cinematographer, including Bernardo Bertolucci's “Prima della rivoluzione” (1964) and Nelo Risi's “Una stagione all'inferno” (1971), where he also served as producer.

In addition to his technical prowess, Scavarda received prestigious accolades for his craft, notably the Nastro d'Argento for Best Cinematography in Black and White from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists in 1969 for Salvatore Samperi's “Grazie zia” (1968, known internationally as “Come Play with Me”).

He ventured into directing with “La linea del fiume” (1976), a war drama featuring international stars like John Hurt and Riccardo Cucciolla, for which he also wrote the screenplay, demonstrating his multifaceted talents in the industry. Scavarda's passing in Rome marked the end of a legacy defined by his ability to blend technical precision with artistic depth, influencing generations of filmmakers in Italian and European cinema.

Scavarda died in Rome on May 6, 2000 at the age of 76.

Aldo Scavarda was a cinematographer on two Spaghetti westerns: “Que viva Carrancho!” (The Man from Canyon City) with Alfio Contini in 1965 and “Execution” in 1968

SCAVARDA, Aldo [8/22/1923, Turin, Piedmont, Italy – 5/6/2000, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – producer, cinematographer, cameraman.

The Man from Canyon City – 1965 (co)

Execution - 1968

The Cowboy Village

1915, United Kingdom

Aka… Cowboy Village 

Production Company: Gaumont British Picture Corporation [A. C. Bromhead]

Distributor: Gaumont British Distributors [A. C. Bromhead] (10/15, UK); Société des Etablissements L. Gaumont [Léon Gaumont] (?)

Director: J.L.V. Leigh [John Louis Victor Leigh]

Cast: J.L.V. Leigh [?]

Synopsis: UK. Village boys emulate the film cowboys they watch.

Comments: The British branch was established in 1898 as an offshoot of France’s Gaumont Film Company.

Director Leigh was a British filmmaker active in the silent film era, best known for directing and acting in a handful of early 1910s–1919 productions. He worked with such performers as Peggy Hyland & Malcolm Mortimer, who may have appeared in THE COWBOY VILLAGE.

Leigh as an actor had been in the earlier feature length western THE SCAPEGRACE (1913, UK) playing a Mexican.

Producer Alfred Claude Bromhead, who ran Gaumont British, was also an actor and a cameraman, may have done the same here.

Despite the war (1914-18) it is believed that Gaumont France was still involved in decision making within Gaumont British during those years. After the war their films may have been too primitive for audience consumption.

 

[Submitted by Michael Ferguson]

Special Birthdays

Hans Klering (actor) would have been 120 today but died in 1988.

Luana Strode (actress) would have been 110 today but died in 1980.

Verna Lisi (actress) would have been 90 today but died in 2014.

Jill Banner (actress) would have been 80 today but died in 1982.

Karoline Mardeck  is 70 today.

From the WAI! vault

 

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ John Ely

[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.]

John Ely was an alias used by Italian actor Giangiacomo Elia. He appeared in eight films between 1971 and 1975 such as “Slaughter Hotel” (1971), “Lady Dynamite” (1973) and “The Return of the Exorcist” (1975). Either he felt he wasn’t getting better roles or decided to try something else to make a living he suddenly left the film industry and his trail ends.

John Ely appeared in two Spaghetti westerns: “Prega il morto e ammazza il vio” (Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead) as Dick in 1970 and “Il 13 e’sempre Giuda” (The Last Traitor) as Cayuse in 1971.

ELY, John (aka Gian Giacomo Elia) (Giangiacomo Elia) [Italian] – film actor.

Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead - 1970 (Dick)

The Last Traitor - 1971 (Cayuse)