Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Renato De Martis

[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.]

Italian dancer and actor Renato De Martis has only one film credit and that was for his only Spaghetti western appearance as a dancer in 1967’s “Little Rita nel West” (Little Rita of the West).

I can find no biographical information on him.

De MARTIS, Renato [Italian] – film actor, dancer.

Little Rita of the West – 1967 (dancer)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director – Chip Baker

Chip Baker was born on November 15, 1970, somewhere in the U.K. I can find no biographical information on him.

Baker has directed two Spaghetti westerns: “The Price of Death” in 2015 and “Bullets for the Bad” in 2018.

BAKER, Chip [11/15/1970, U.K. -     ] – producer, director, writer, cinematographer, composer, film editor, founded Chip Baker Films.

The Price of Death - 2015

Bullets for the Bad - 2018


Spaghetti Western Screenwriter – Mario Amendola

Mario Natalino Concetto Amendola was an Italian screenwriter, film director and dramatist. was born in Recco, Liguria, Italy on December 8, 1910, to parents from Rome. He began his career on stage in 1931 as a writer for avanspettacolo shows. During that time, he wrote dialogue for Erminio Macario, Totò and others. He ended this profession and moved to cinema in 1949. He wrote stories and screenplays for 153 films between 1941 and 1987. He also directed 37 films between 1949 and 1975. Amendola collaborated with Bruno Corbucci on conceiving the Nico Giraldi film series starring Tomas Milian. He was the uncle of

Mario also used aliases such as Irving Jacobs and Dean Whitcomb and Armendola.

Mario Amendola died on December 12, 1993, from complications from diabetes. He was 83.

Mario wrote and co-wrote the screenplays for sixteen Spaghetti western films and one television episode: “Il sogno di Zorro” (The Dream of Zorro) in 1951 with Alessandro Continenza, Ruggero Maccari, Marcello Marchesi, Vittorio Metz, “La sceriffa” (The Sheriff) with Ruggero Maccari , “Il terrore dell’Oklahoma” (The Terror of Oklahoma) both in 1959 , “Le tre spade di Zorro” (Three Swords of Zorro) in 1963 with José Gallardo, Luis Lucas, Daniel Ribera, “El Zorro cabalga otra vez” (Behind the Mask of Zorro) in 1965 with José Gallardo, Luis Ojeda, Daniel Ribera, “Per un pugno di canzoni” (A Fistful of Songs) with José Luis Merino, Carlo Veo, Franz-Otto Krüger, Sigrid Werner, “Uccidi o muori” (Kill or be Killed) both in 1966, “I giorni della violenza” (Days of Vengeance) with Antonio Boccacci, Gian Luigi Buzzi), Paolo Lombardo, “Il grande silenzio” (The Great Silence) with Sergio Corbucci, Vittoriano Petrilli, Bruno Corbucci, “Odio per odio” (Hate for Hate) with Bruno Corbucci, Fernando di Leo, Domenico Paolella, “Totò Ciak! – Toto contro Ringo” (TV) with Bruno Corbucci all in 1967, “Killer, Adios” with José Mallorquí, Primo Zeglio, “Spara, Gringo, spara” (The Longest Hunt) [as Dean Whitcomb] with Bruno Corbucci

“…dai nemici guardo io!” (Three Silver Dollars) in 1968 with Bruno Corbucci both in 1968, “…e alla fine lo chiamarono Jerusalem l’implacabile” (Panhandle Caliber .38) in 1971 with Massimo Franciosa, Luisa Montagnani, Toni Secchi, “J. and S. – storia criminale del far west” (Sonny & Jed) as 1972 with Sergio Corbucci, Sabatino Ciuffini, Adriano Bolzoni, José María Forqué, “Kid il monello del West” (Bad Kids of the West) in 1973 with Bruno Corbucci, Roberto Amoroso

AMENDOLA, Mario (aka Amendola, Armendola, Irving Jacobs, Dean Whitcomb) [12/8/1910, Genoa, Liguria, Italy – 12/22/1993, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – director, writer, songwriter, film editor, actor, uncle of actor Ferruccio Amendola [1930-2001].

The Dream of Zorro – 1951 (co)

The Sheriff – 1959 (co)

The Terror of Oklahoma – 1959

Three Swords of Zorro – 1963 (co)

Behind the Mask of Zorro – 1965 (co)

A Fistful of Songs – 1966 (co)

Kill or be Killed - 1966

Days of Vengeance – 1967 (co)

The Great Silence – 1967 (co)

Hate for Hate – 1967 (co)

Totò Ciak! – Toto contro Ringo (TV) – 1967 (co)

Killer, Adios – 1968 (co)

The Longest Hunt 1968 (co) [as Dean Whitcomb]

Three Silver Dollars – 1968 (co)

Panhandle Caliber .38 – 1971 (co)

Sonny & Jed – 1972 (co)

Bad Kids of the West – 1973 (co)


Spaghetti Western Cinematographer – Raul Artigot

Cinematographer Raul Artigot was born Raúl Artigot Fernández. He earned his diploma in Photography in 1961 at the Official School of Cinematography. He was a cinematographer and director of photography on 81 films and television programs from 1964 to 1985. He also directed three films and was a writer on four films.

Artigot had a brilliant career as a director of photography and cinematographer, with his own personality, his good work being requested by the most demanding filmmakers, between the mid-1960s and the 1980s of the last century, intervening in numerous erotic films where he worked for Mariano Ozores.

Artigot died in Arriondas, Asturias, Spain on Christmas day December 25, 2014. He was 78.

Raul Artigot was the cinematographer on one Spaghetti western: “Monta in sella... figli di...!” (The Great Treasure Hunt).

ARTIGOT, Raul (Raúl Artigot Fernández) [2/12/1936, Zaragoza, Spain – 12/25/2014, Arriondas, Asturias, Spain] – cinematographer.

The Great Treasure Hunt – 1972

New Italian CD re-issue “Il mio nome es nessuno”

 









“Il mio nome es nessuno”

(My Name is Nobody)

(1973)

 

Composer: Ennio Morricone

 

Country: Italy

Label BEAT

#BTR-DDJ37DLX

Tracks: 23

Listening time: 74:21

EAN13 8032539496582

Available: Now

 

Track listing:

01 Il Mio Nome E' Nessuno 3:09

02 Buona Fortuna Jack 5:05

03 Mucchio Selvaggio 2:40

04 Se Sei Qualcuno E' Colpa Mia 4:47

05 Con I Migliori Auguri 2:03

06 Uno Strano Barbiere 6:57

07 Più Delle Valchirie 2:19

08 Una Insolita Attesa 2:02

09 Balletto Degli Specchi 1:30

10 La Favola Dell'Uccellino 1:46

11 Il Mio None E' Nessuno #2 3:14

12 Buona Fortuna Jack #2 1:53

13 Mucchio Selvaggio #2 1:18

14 Uno Strano Barbiere #2 3:03

15 Il Mio Nome E' Nessuno 2:20

16 Se Sei Qualcuno E' Colpa Mia #2 7:20

17 Buona Fortuna Jack #3 5:27

18 Mucchio Selvaggio #3 1:15

19 Uno Strano Barbiere #3 3:08

20 Mucchio Selvaggio #4 3:34

21 Il Mio Nome E' Nessuno #4 1:31

22 Mucchio Selvaggio #5 2:34

23 Se Sei Qualcuno E' Colpa Mia #3 4:31

 

Beat Records is pleased to reissue on CD the Ennio Morricone score for the cult western "My name is nobody" directed in 1973 by Tonino Valerii, starring Terence Hill, Henry Fonda, Leo Gordon, Jean Martin, Geoffrey Lewis, Piero Lulli , Benito Stefanelli, RG Armstrong, Alexander Allerson, Franco Angrisano, Mario Brega, Marc Mazza, Remus Peets, Antoine Saint John. Ennio Morricone composed one of the most loved scores from his fans around the world using elements typical of his genius such as the whistle of Alessandro Alessandroni, the voice of Edda Dell'Orso (and many other highly valued soloists) mixed with some sonic innovations as in “Mucchio Selvaggio”, where the composer even ventures to include Wagner's La Cavalcata delle Valkyrie. This CD was made using the stereomono masters of the original session with the total duration of 74:21.

Mastering by Claudio Fuiano, liner notes by Andrea Morandi, graphic layout by Daniele De Gemini  featuring the German original artwork of the movie by Renato Casaro.

Who Are Those Guys? ~ Felix Fernandez

 

Félix Fernández García was born in Cangas de Onís, Oviedo, Spain on September 26, 1897. He appeared in more than two hundred films from 1942 to 1969.

Félix debuted on stage in a tour of Argentina in 1916. In Spain, he worked with the prestigious stage companies of María Guerrero and Catalina Bárcena. Between 1931 and 1934, he moved to Paris, where he joined the Joinville company as dubbing voice actor. After the Spanish Civil War, he began his prolific career in cinema, that spent twenty-five years and over 200 films. He was married to dubbing voice actress Irene Guerrero de Luna. He died on the set, while filming "El Tesoro de O'Hara Padre" of a heart attack, in Valdetorres del Jarama, Madrid on July 4, 1966. He was 68.

Fernandez appeared in five Spaghetti western in supporting and character roles.

FERNANDEZ, Félix (Félix Fernández García) [9/26/1897, Cangas de Onís, Oviedo, Spain – 7/4/1966, Madrid, Madrid, Spain (heart attack)] – film, T, voice actor, married to actress Irene Texidor Mendo (Irene Guerrero de Luna) [1911-1996] (1929-1966).

Juanito – 1959 (Doctor Agapito)

The Savage Guns – 1961 (Paco)

The Terrible Sheriff – 1962 (Barnum)

The Sign of the Coyote – 1963 (Don Goyo)

Three Swords of Zorro – 1963 (Father Jeronimo)

Special Birthdays

Heinz Engelmann [voice actor] would have been 115 today but died in 1996.








Gancho Gantscheff (actor) would have been 105 today but died in 1990.

Faye Dunaway (actress) would have been 85.



Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Mauro Del Vecchio

[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.]

Italian actor Mauro Del Vecchio was born in Rome and has appeared in three films beginning in 2017 with another upcoming film entitled “Un Milione per un Tik Toker” where he plays an eskimo. Del Vecchio also performed stunts in the 2020 TV series ‘Romulus’

His full-time job is working as the Information Security Director at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Nairobi, Kenya,

“Oro e Piombo” (The Dutchman) in 2017 as Pedro credited as Mauro De Vecchi, “Django Undisputed” in 2024 as a bandit and “Tex McKenzie” in 2025 as a saloon patron.

Del VECCHIO, Mauro (aka Mauro De Vecchi) [19??, Rome, Lazio, Italy -     ] – stuntman, film, TV actor.

The Dutchman – 2017 (Pedro) [as Mauro De Vecchi]

Django Undisputed – 2024 (bandit)

Tex McKenzie – 2025 (saloon patron)

Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers of the Spaghetti Western

Spaghetti Western Director – Helmuth M. Backhaus

Helmuth M. Backhaus was a German director, writer and actor born in Bonn, North Rhine Westphalia, Germany on June 6, 1920. In the 1930s, he moved to Munich with his mother and sister. After graduating from high school in 1939, he did labor service, military service in the air news and a few semesters of law and theater studies in Frankfurt. Through his first play "Wir unter uns" ("We Among Us"), which was performed in Munich in 1945, radio became aware of him. In January 1946, Backhaus started at Radio Munich. Together with the American control officer Walter Kohner, Backhaus built up the cabaret department. With programs such as the "Kleiner Gedeck", the "Zehnerlkabarett", the "Nachtwindmühle", the "Schlauen Stunde" or the "Blue Saturday", he was soon known as a conférencier beyond the white-blue ether - alongside other stars of his profession such as Hellmuth Krüger, Adolf Gondrell and Werner Finck.

He has appeared in entertainment films as a screenwriter, director and actor. On his professional and private travels as well as in his Schwabing and Gautingen apartment, he created over 1,500 paintings (oil paintings, watercolors, gouaches, etchings, caricatures). He also wrote manuscripts for radio plays, sketches, features and documentary programs, in which he often directed himself.

BACKHAUS, Helmuth M. (aka H. M. Backhaus, Helmut Backhaus, Gregory Tracy, Gregor Trass) (Helmuth Manuel Backhaus) [6/6/1920, Bonn, North Rhine Westphalia, Germany – 5/5/1989, Munich, Bavaria, Germany] – director, writer, actor, painter.

The Bandits of the Rio Grande – 1965


Spaghetti Western Screenwriter – Piero Anchisi

Piero Giovanni Anchisi was an Italian actor and writer who was born in Gattinara, Piedmont, Italy on June 29, 1928. He wrote film stories and screenplays for thirteen films between 1968 and 1999. He appeared as an actor in thirty-five films and television programs between 1965 and 2006.

Anchisi co-wrote the screenplays for three Spaghetti westerns: “Il pistolero dell'Ave Maria” (The Forgotten Pistolero) in 1969 with Vincenzo Cerami, Mario di Nardo, Federico De Urrutia and Ferdinando Baldi, “L'odio è il mio Dio” (Hate is My God) in 1969 with Vincenzo Cerami and Claudio Gora and “Blindman” in 1971 with Tony Anthony and Vincenzo Cerami.

Piero Giovanni Anchisi died in Rome on September 15, 2012, at the age of 84.

ANCHISI, Piero (aka Piergiovanni Anchisi, Pietro Anchisi, Piero Anghisi, Piero Luigi Anchisi, Piero Archisi) (Piero Giovanni Anchisi) [6/29/1928, Gattinara, Piedmont, Italy – 9/15/2012, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – writer, actor.

The Forgotten Pistolero – 1969 (co)

Hate Is My God 1969 (co) [as Pietro Anchisi]

Blindman – 1971 (co)


Spaghetti Western Cinematographer – Fernando Arribas

Fernando Arribas Campa was born in 1940 in Madrid, Spain. He was a cinematographer on over 110 films and TV series between 1961 and 2004. He’s also credited as a cameraman on thirty-five films and TV programs between 1964 and 2002. He was the film editor on the 1976 film “Blood and Passion”

At the age of 19 he began to train in camera and photography at the Institute of Cinematographic Research and Experiences, where he was a disciple of José F. Aguayo and Juan Julio Baena, while being influenced by the innovative style of Luis Cuadrado Encinar and Luis Enrique Torán Peláez. He then worked as a photojournalist in Triunfo, Nuestro cine and Primer acto and as an assistant professor at the Official Film School. He received his diploma in 1963.

An expert in tricks and special optical effects, he began in 1963 making some short films and in 1964 he was second operator in the film “A Fistful of Dollars”, a task that he continued in “Oscuros sueños de Agosto” (1966) and “La residencia” (1969). In 1969 he made his debut as a director of photography in “Las crueles”. He then became a director of photography in television and theater, collaborating in the series ‘La señora García se confiesa’ (1976) by Adolfo Marsillach, ‘Los desastres de la guerra’ (1982) and ‘La forja de un rebelde’ (1989). In 1997 he was appointed president of the Spanish Association of Film Photography Authors.

Arribas died in Madrid on January 24, 2021. He was 80 years old.

Fernando Arribas was the cinematographer on four Spaghetti westerns: “Aventuras del Oeste” (Seven Hours of Gunfire) in 1965, “El valle de las viudas” (Valley of the Dancing Widows) in 1974, “Las mujeres de Jeremías” (Garden of Venus) -m 1979 as Fred Upland and “Yendo hacia ti” (Comin’ at Ya!) in 1980.

ARRIBAS, Fernando (aka Fernando Arrivas, Fred Upland) (Fernando Arribas Campa) [1940, Madrid, Madrid, Spain – 1/24/2021, Madrid, Madrid, Spain] – cinematographer, cameraman, film editor, married to ? father of Luisito Arribas,  father of director, assistant director, writer Manuel Martínez Velasco [1976-    ] with actress, singer Concha Velasco (Concepción Velasco Varona) [1939-2023] married to singer, actress Tania Helfgott [1964-    ] (2002-2021), founded the Spanish Association of Cinematographers.

Seven Hours of Gunfire – 1965

The Valley of the Dancing Widows – 1974

The Garden of Venus – 1979 [as Fred Upland]

Comin’ at Ya! – 1980