RIP Angela Portaluri

 

I discovered at the “Dying Off The Radar” website yesterday that Italian model, actress Angela Portaluri died in Lecce Italy on October 28, 2024 at the age of 87. Angela was born in Maglie, Puglia, Italy on March 5, 1937. She was a contestant in the 1956 Miss World Beauty Contest. Later she worked as a model and appeared fotoromanzi magazines and as a film actress. Her acting career spanned genres including comedies, dramas, and spaghetti westerns, with notable roles in films such as “The Monsters” (1963) as Ersilia, “Girl with a Suitcase” (1961), “Legend of the Lost” (1957). Over her two-decade career from the late 1950s to the 1970s, she contributed to more than a dozen Italian productions, often portraying supporting characters in both mainstream and genre films. Angela appeared in three Spaghetti westerns: “Born to Kill” as a saloon girl and “Django's Cut Price Corpses” as Donna Dolores Ramirez both in 1967 and in “Anything for a Friend” as Concepcio in 1972.

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Juan Antonio Elices

[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.]

Juan Antonio Elices was a Spanish film and television character actor whose face was seen in dozens of films usually given no credit beginning in the late 1950s and ended in 1972. He would pop up in crowd scenes, as a townsman and saloon patron.

Little is known about these types of actors as they seldom rose above these small character and extra roles but were always reliable and ready to work. Looking at photos of Elices I would guess he was born in the early 1910s and most likely passed away in the 1970s.

Juan Antonio Elices has appeared in eighteen Spaghetti westerns: “Due contro tutti” (The Terrible Sheriff) as a saloon patron in 1962, “Le tre spade di Zorro” (Three Swords of Zorro) as a tavern patron in 1963, “Fuerte perdido” (Massacre at Fort Grant) as a saloon patron and “Minnesota Clay” as a prisoner both in 1964, “Rebeldes en Canada” (Rebels in Canada) as a spectator at the executions and “7 pistole per i MacGregor” (7 Guns for the MacGregors) as a Mexican both in 1965, “La resa dei conti” (The Big Gundown) as a Willow Creek townsman, “Dove si spara di piu” (Fury of Johnny Kid) as a townsman, “El regreso de los siete Magnificos” (Return of the Seven) as a prisoner El regreso de los siete Magnificos” (Return of the Seven) as a prisoner all in 1966, “Custer, l’homme de l’Ouest” (Custer of the West) as a man in the crowd at the dock, “Dio non paga il sabato” (Kill the Wicked) as a townsman, “Un hombre viene a matar” (Rattler Kid) as a saloon patron) all in 1967, “I morti non si contano” (Dead Men Don’t Count) as Harrison in 1968, “La morte sull alta’collina” (Death on High Mountain) as Chulato and “La marca de Cain” (The Desperados) as a member of the lynch mob) and a “Talento por amor” (A Talent for Loving) all in 1969, “Condenados a vivir” (Cut-Throats Nine) as the grandpa bandit in 1970 and “Viva la muerte... tua!” (Long Live Your Death” as a Mexican peon in 1971. 

ELICES, Juan Antonio (aka Antonio Elices, Juan A. Elices) [Spanish] – film, TV actor.

The Terrible Sheriff – 1962 (saloon patron)

Three Swords of Zorro – 1963 (tavern patron)

Massacre at Fort Grant – 1964 (saloon patron)

Minnesota Clay – 1964 (prisoner)

Rebels in Canada – 1965 (spectator at the executions)

7 Guns for the MacGregors – 1965 (Mexican)

The Big Gundown – 1966 (Willow Creek townsman)

Fury of Johnny Kid – 1966 (townsman)

Return of the Seven – 1966 (prisoner)

Custer of the West – 1967 (man in crowd at dock)

Kill the Wicked – 1967 (townsman)

Rattler Kid – 1967 (saloon patron)

Dead Men Don't Count – 1968 (Harrison)

Death on High Mountain – 1969 (Chulato)

The Desperados – 1969 (member of lynch mob)

A Talent for Loving – 1969 (Molina villager)

Cut-Throats Nine – 1970 (grandpa bandit)

Long Live Your Death – 1971 (Mexican peon) 

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Louis Malle

Louis Marie Malle was a French film director and screenwriter whose career spanned documentaries and fiction, marked by stylistic innovation and unflinching examinations of human frailty, moral ambiguity, and social taboos.

Born into a prosperous industrial family in Thumeries, France on October 30, 1932, Malle initially gained prominence through underwater documentaries co-directed with Jacques Cousteau, including “The Silent World” (1956), which secured the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Transitioning to narrative cinema, his early features like “Ascenseur pour l'échafaud” (1958) and “Les Amants” (1958) featured jazz scores by Miles Davis and explicit depictions of adultery that provoked censorship battles and positioned Malle as a precursor to the French New Wave, though he operated more independently. Later works delved into suicide “Le Feu follet” (1963), incest “Le Souffle au cœur” (1971), and World War II-era collaboration “Lacombe Lucien” (1974); “Au Revoir les Enfants” (1987), the latter earning Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film and Original Screenplay. His American productions, including “Pretty Baby” (1978), ignited controversy for portraying child prostitution in early 20th-century New Orleans with 12-year-old Brooke Shields in nude scenes, resulting in bans and debates over artistic license versus exploitation. Malle's oeuvre, characterized by autobiographical elements and a rejection of didacticism, earned him César Awards, BAFTA nominations, and enduring recognition for prioritizing narrative authenticity over conventional morality.

Malle died in Beverly Hills, California on November 23, 1995 from lymphoma at the age of 63.

Louis Malle directed on Euro-western, “Viva Maria!” in 1965.

MALLE, Louis [10/30/1932, Thumeries, Nord, France – 11/23/1995, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A. (lymphoma)] – producer, director, writer, cinematographer, cameraman, composer, songwriter, brother of producer, Vincent Malle [1944–2011], married to actress Anne-Marie Deschodt [1938-2014] (1965-1967), father of producer, director, writer, cameraman, film editor Manuel Cuotemoc Malle (Manuel Luis Maria Cuauthémoc Malle) [1971-    ], with actress Gila von Weitershausen (Gisela Freiin von Weitershausen) [1944-    ], daughter director,  Justine Malle [1974-    ], with Alexandra Stewart [1939-    ], married to producer, actress, Candice Bergen (Candice Patricia Bergen) (1980-1995) [1945-     ] father actress Chloe Malle (Chloe F. Malle) [1985-    ].

Viva Maria! – 1965

 

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Alessandro Ferrau

Alessandro Ferrau was an Italian journalist and film writer. He wrote screenplays for twenty-two films between 1952 to 1967.

Interested in cinema at a very young age, since the mid-1930s he had been editor of several magazines, including Il Corriere Cinematografico, Cinestar, Cinespettacolo and Cinema d'oggi. For many years, in the periodical Il Giornale dello Spettacolo he published and analyzed the takings of Italian-produced films. In 1950, together with Gino Caserta, he was the creator of the series of volumes Annuario del Cinema Italiano and, starting in 1954, promoted the Una vita per il cinema award, which was interrupted in 1992 and resumed in 2009. Together with Eduardo Passarelli, in 1952 he edited the first biography of Totò, Siamo uomini o caporali, published again posthumously in 1996 with additions, by Liliana de Curtis and edited by Matilde Amorosi with the title Totò. Are we men or corporals? Semi-serious diary of Antonio De Curtis. In 1964 he published the volume Prontuario dei termini politico, economico e sociali in uso in Italia. From 1970 he was the editor of the Actors' Yearbook.

From 1951 to 1955 and, later, from 1961 to 1968 he was also the screenwriter and, sometimes, the screenwriter, of about twenty genre films, ranging from melodramatic to mythological, to Italian westerns, up to espionage. He collaborated mainly with Domenico Paolella, but also, among others, with Carlo Lizzani and Vittorio Cottafavi. Married since 1939 to Tetella Onorati, he died on April 2, 1994, the day after turning 81.

Alessandro Ferrau co-wrote screenplays for two Spaghetti westerns: “Ric & Gian alla conquista del West” (Rick & John Conquerors of the West) with Tito Carpi and Osvaldo Civirani and “Il figlio di Django) (The Son of Django) again with Tito Carpi and Osvaldo Civirani both in 1967.

FERRAU, Alessandro (A. Ferraù) (Alessandro Ferraù) [4/1/1913, Messina, Sicily, Italy - 4/2/1994, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – journalist, writer, married to Tetella Onorati (1932-1994).

Rick & John Conquerors of the West – 1967 (co)

The Son of Django – 1967 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Hermann Saalfrank

Hermann Saalfrank was a German cinematographer of the silent film era. He worked on eighteen films between 1920 and 1921.

Hermann Saalfrank was a cinematographer on one silent Euro-western, “Apachenrache, 3. Teil - Die Verschwundene Million” in 1920

SAALFRANK, Herrmann (aka Hans Saalfrank) [German] [18??-19??] – cinematographer.

Apachenrache, 3. Teil - Die Verschwundene Million - 1920

 

Burgos repeats at the Almería Western Film Festival 2026

The 60th anniversary of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' brings together representatives of the Sad Hill project, relatives of Carlo Simi, film personalities and international collaborators of the European western in Tabernas.

TuVozenPinares

Burgos has once again been present in the official program of the Almería Western Film Festival 2026 (AWFF). For the second time, after its participation in 2018 with the presentation of the documentary Unearthing Sad Hill, the Carlo Simi Cultural Association has taken to Tabernas the project to recover the mythical cemetery of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly', as part of the activities commemorating the 60th anniversary of Sergio Leone's film, Partially filmed in the province of Burgos and in the landscapes of Almeria.

This new invitation is a recognition of the work of recovery, conservation and dissemination of the cinematographic heritage carried out around Sad Hill. It also represents an opportunity to share experiences, establish new collaborations and strengthen the links between the territories that are part of the history of the European western. [Round table with numerous voices linked to westerns.]

 

             [Joseba del Valle, Roberta Wallach, Rada Rasimo and Christpher Frayling.]

 Throughout the days, the Burgos representation held meetings with film professionals, historians, researchers and personalities linked to both 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' and the legacy of Carlo Simi, designer, architect and artistic director essential in the creation of some of the most emblematic scenarios of Sergio Leone's cinema.

Among these meetings, the one held with Rada Rassimov, an actress who participated in the cast of the film and who shared memories and anecdotes of a production that, six decades later, continues to arouse the interest and admiration of several generations, stood out.

[McBain Ranch]

 AN EXCITING ENCOUNTER WITH ELI WALLACH'S DAUGHTER 

One of the most emotional moments of the festival was the meeting with Roberta Wallach, daughter of the unforgettable actor Eli Wallach, who gave life to Tuco, one of the most emblematic characters of the mythical film. In addition to attending the tribute dedicated to her father, Roberta Wallach was able to learn, from Joseba del Valle, president of the Carlo Simi Cultural Association and promoter of the recovery project, the work carried out in the Sad Hill cemetery.

Through images of the enclave and its current state, he discovered the evolution of an intervention that has made it possible to recover for the collective memory one of the most recognizable scenarios of the film. He was also able to see the symbolic cross that the Burgos collective has dedicated to the memory of the actor. The match was marked by deep emotion.

Moved by the result of the recovery and to know first-hand the effort made in Burgos to preserve this film set, Roberta was moved to tears before Joseba del Valle. During the conversation, he shared numerous anecdotes about his father and memories linked to the filming, thus bringing his family closer to a place that is part of his artistic legacy. The intensity and closeness of that moment led the president of the Burgos collective to personally invite her to visit Sad Hill and learn about the project on the ground. An invitation that Roberta welcomed with special affection and that opens the door to a future meeting in Burgos, reinforcing the link between the memory of the film's protagonists and the enclave that, six decades later, continues to keep its history alive.

[MiniHollywood Round Table]

 A ROUND TABLE THAT MARKED THE FESTIVAL

On Friday, October 9, Mini Hollywood hosted one of the central events of this edition: a round table that brought together prominent voices linked to westerns and the history of cinema. Christopher Frayling, Sergio Leone's biographer; Roberta Wallach, daughter of Eli Wallach; Carlos Aguilar; Anita Haas; José E. Martínez Moya, and Joseba del Valle, president of the Carlo Simi Cultural Association. The meeting was moderated by journalist Evaristo Martínez.

The quality of the interventions, the exchange of knowledge and the climate of collaboration generated during the session were especially valued by the director of the festival, Juan Francisco Viruega, who placed the round table among the most outstanding of the sixteen editions of the event.

The conversation allowed different perspectives on the film, the importance of its locations, the legacy of those who made these productions possible and the role that heritage recovery projects play today in the conservation of its memory.

[Joseba with the mayor of Tabernas]

 FROM TABERNAS TO BURGOS, A LEGACY THAT CONTINUES TO BUILD BRIDGES

On Saturday, October 10, the visit to Rancho Leone with Giuditta and Lorenzo, daughter and grandson of the architect and set designer Carlo Simi, creator of this emblematic space, and Joseba del Valle, president of the Carlo Simi Cultural Association, added a new chapter to this experience. Conceived for the filming of Until His Time Came, another of Sergio Leone's great productions, this setting allowed the Burgos representative to share the tour with the family of its creator and reunite with one of the essential places in the history of the European western.

The visit took on a special meaning when recalling the previous presence of Burgos in the official program of the festival, in 2018, when its representatives shared a meeting with Claudia Cardinale, protagonist of 'Until her time came', in an event that also had the participation of members of the Simi family and the president of the association. These meetings were joined by conversations with collaborators and admirers of westerns from Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Kazakhstan and other countries.

This international dimension shows that the footprint of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' is still alive and that the recovery of its stages can become a meeting point between communities, generations and cultures.

On Sunday, October 11, the visit to Fort Bravo put the finishing touch to the days. The high influx of audiences once again evidenced the ability of the western to attract viewers of different generations and the cultural and tourist potential of a film genre that continues to arouse enormous interest.

[Fort Bravo]

 SAD HILL AND THE FUTURE CARLO SIMI MUSEUM: TWO PROJECTS UNITED BY THE MEMORY OF CINEMA

Participation in the AWFF 2026 once again shows that the work carried out in Burgos goes far beyond the recovery of a film set. Sad Hill has become a space for collective memory, citizen participation and heritage enhancement, capable of connecting the history of cinema with the territory and with the people who keep its legacy alive.

On this path, the Carlo Simi Cultural Association reaffirms its commitment to the conservation and dissemination of Carlo Simi's work, the memory of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' and the collaboration with initiatives that contribute to preserving this shared cinematographic heritage.

The work promoted over the years by the Burgos collective has made it possible to move towards a new milestone for the Arlanza region: the Carlo Simi Museum. The museum project has been completed and the materials that make up Carlo Simi's legacy have been in Burgos for months, laying the foundations for Burgos to host a unique space dedicated to the Italian creator and his extraordinary contribution to the history of cinema.

[Joseba with Roberta Wallach]

 The future launch of this space would be a new step in the conservation and dissemination of an artistic legacy of international projection, while strengthening the cultural and tourist potential of the Arlanza region and its link with one of the most recognisable stages in the history of European cinema. Burgos and Tabernas, united by the history of the western

The presence of the Carlo Simi Cultural Association in Tabernas contributes to strengthening the ties between the two great Spanish territories linked to the work of Sergio Leone. At the same time, it allows the work carried out in Burgos and the cultural and heritage possibilities offered by the Arlanza region to be projected internationally. Sixty years after its premiere, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly continues to generate encounters, emotions and new opportunities for collaboration.

 Burgos continues to be part of this shared history, building bridges with Tabernas and with an international community that keeps alive the passion for the western, its settings and the people who made its legend possible.

European Westerns ~ COLLANA WINCHESTER

 

 

 

 

 

Winchester

A monographic comic book series that publishes, in a deluxe, large-format edition, three titles from the Western series The Adventures of Buddy Longway by Claude De Ribaupierre (Derib).

It was published in 1982 with issue #1 being released in July and ending with issue #3 in May of 1983. It was published in Rome, Italy by EPC under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Arturo G. Bernacchi. Each issued contained 48 black & white pages with color covers

 

Titles

01 (00.07.82) - "Chinook" (Chinook)

02 (00.09.82) - "Il nemico" (The Enemy)

03 (00.05.83) - "Tre uomini sono passati" (Three Men Have Passed)