From the WAI! vault

 

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Altiero di Giovani

[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.]

 

Altiero di Giovani is/was an Italian character actor. He appeared in around ten films between 1967 and 1979. I can find no biographical information on him. 

Altiero di Giovani appeared in nine Spaghetti westerns: “Un fiume di dollari” (The Hills Run Red as a saloon patron), “Uccidi o muori” (Kill or be Killed) as Burkhart both in 1966, “Bill il taciturno” (Django Kills Silently) as a bandit in 1967, “Una pistol para cien tumba” (A Pistol for 100 Coffins) as Butcher the town sheriff in 1968, “Sledge) (A Man Called Sledge) as Kehoe and “Giunse Ringo e… fu tempo di massacre” (Ringo It’s Massacre Time) as the sheriff both in 1970, “Uomo avvisato mezzo ammazzato…parola di Spirito Santo” (Blazing Guns) as the Holy Ghost messenger in 1971, “Una Colt in mano del diavolo” (When the Devil Grips a Colt) as a prison guard in 1972 and “Dieci bianchi uccisi da un piccolo indiano” (Blood River) as El Vengador) in 1973.

di GIOVANNI, Altiero [Italian] – film actor.

The Hills Run Red – 1966 (saloon patron)

Kill or be Killed – 1966 (Burkhart)

Django Kills Silently – 1967 (bandit)

A Pistol for 100 Coffins – 1968 (Butcher Town sheriff)

A Man Called Sledge – 1970 (Kehoe)

Ringo, It's Massacre Time – 1970 (sheriff)

Blazing Guns – 1971 (Holy Ghost messenger)

When the Devil Grips a Colt – 1972 (prison guard)

Blood River – 1973 (El Vengador)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Marino Darés

Marino Darés is a Spanish director and screenwriter born in Valencia, Spain on June 7, 1994. At 21, he premiered his feature film, “Nubes rojas” (Red Clouds) (2016), a western shot in natural landscapes with a small independent crew. The film won the Audience Award at the Almería Western Film Festival in 2016. In 2018, he released “Blind Hawk”, a neo-noir thriller that premiered at the 33rd Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove. In recent years, he has directed several short films, including “Last Trial: A Star Wars Collateral Story” (2023), which was selected at festivals such as Cinema Jove, the Lanzarote International Film Festival, the Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival, FIFF London, and the Birmingham Film Festival. Recently, he directed “Rebel Storm: A Star Wars Collateral Story” (2025), selected and awarded internationally, including a premiere at LA Comic Con.

Marino Darés has directed two Euro-westerns: “Sin Sombra” in 2012 and the above mentioned “Nubes rojas” in 2016.

DARES, Marino (Marino Darés) [6/7/1994, Valencia, Valencia, Spain -     ] – director, assistant director, writer, film editor,

Sin Sombra – 2012

Nubes rojas – 2016

Spaghetti Western Screenplay ~ Julio Buchs

Julio Buchs García was born on March 10, 1926, in Madrid, Spain. He was the son of José Buchs Echeandía, a pioneering Spanish film director known for his work in the early decades of Spanish cinema.

Buchs was a Spanish film director, screenwriter, and assistant director known for his contributions to genre cinema, particularly westerns and thrillers, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He began his career in the film industry as an assistant director during the 1950s and later transitioned to directing and writing his own projects. His directorial works include notable titles such as “A Bullet for Sandoval” (1969), “Murder by Music” (1969), “Alta tension” (1972), and “El apartamento de la tentación” (1971), reflecting a style marked by technical care and engagement with popular genres of the era.

Buchs’ father’s career influenced his entry into the industry. He directed approximately fifteen films (including shorts) as a director, often handling writing duties as well, before his untimely death from a heart attack on January 20, 1973, in Madrid at the age of 46. His output, though relatively brief, exemplifies the vibrant and diverse landscape of Spanish commercial filmmaking during the Franco era's later years

Julio Buchs wrote screenplays for three Spaghetti westerns which he also directed: “El Mestizo” (Django Does Not Forgive) in 1966, “El hombre que mató a Billy el Niño” (A Few Bullets More) in 1967 and “Los desesperdados” (A Bullet for Sandoval) in 1969.

BUCHS, Julio (aka J. Buchs, Julio Busch) (Julio Buchs Garcia) [3/10/1926, Madrid, Madrid, Spain – 1/20/1973, Madrid, Madrid, Spain (heart attack)] – director, assistant director, writer, son of producer, production manager, production designer, director, writer, actor José Buchs (José Buchs Echeandía) [1896-1973], married to ?

Django Does Not Forgive – 1966 (co)

A Few Bullets More – 1967 (co)

A Bullet for Sandoval – 1969 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographers ~ Albert Frisch

Albert Frisch is a young Austrian cinematographer, cameraman and actor. He’s worked on two Euro-westerns, “Im Westen nur Bohnen” (In the West Only Beans) in 2006 and “McFinnen & Wallace” in 2007

Examples of his work can be viewed at Vimeo https://vimeo.com/mfuw

FRISCH, Albert [Austrian] – cinematographer, cameraman, film actor.

In the West Only Beans - 2006

McFinnen & Wallace – 2007

Spaghetti Western Locations for "I Want Him Dead"

We continue our search for Spaghetti western locations for “I Want Him Dead”. The final scene shows Clayton paying off Mac for his ranch. When Mac asks how he got the money so quickly Clayton says the wind brought it to him. While Aloma pours Clayton a cup of coffee Mac reads a newspaper article to them both telling that the war is almost over.  

This scene was filmed at a location is in the back country of Alquian in Almeria, Spain.

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi Yasuda’s location site: http://y-yasuda.net/film-location.htm and Captain Douglas Film Locations http://www.western-locations-spain.com/

Special Birthdays

Fritz Schulz (actor) would have been 130 today but died in 1972.

Davey Kaye (actor) would have been 110 today but died in 1998.

Gerald Hirschfield (cinematographer) would have been 105 today but died in 2017.

Bertrand Tavernier (actor) would have been 85 today but died in 2021.

Spaghetti Western Trivia – “The Price of Power” (A Bullet for the President)

 

The Price of Power released in 1969 was re-released in Canada under the title “A Buller for the President” starring Clint Eastman (Giuliano Gemma), Fernando Rey and Van Johnson.

 

Submitted by Michael Ferguson

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Mike Dietrich

[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.]

Michael Dietrich was born on March 16, 1965, in Berlin, Germany. He is a German director, author, and actor best known for his work in the Karl May theatre plays at Pullman City Bavaria, where he has directed and written plays, and has sometimes acted in or appeared as the character Winnetou in related projects. He has produced, written, and sometimes acted in films such as Winnetou und das Geheimnis der Geisterschlucht (2007) and Winnetou und der Schatz der Marikopas (2006)

Mike Dietrich appeared in three Euro-westerns: “Karl-May-Spiele: Der Schatz im Silbersee” a TV film as Utah Krieger, Rafter and a stableman in 2001, “Winnetou und der Schatz der Marikopas” as Winnetou in 2006 and again as Winnetou in “Winnetou und das Geheimnis der Geisterschlucht” (Winnetou and the Secret of Ghost Canyon) in 2007 where he was also stunt coordinator.

DIETRICH, Mike (Michael Dietrich) [3/16/1965, Berlin, Berlin, Germany -     ] – producer, director, composer, film editor, stuntman, theater, film, radio, actor, publisher, founded Freilichtbühne Burgrieden [2014].

Karl-May-Spiele: Der Schatz im Silbersee – (TV) - 2001 (Utah Krieger, Rafter,

     stableman)

Winnetou und der Schatz der Marikopas – 2006 (Winnetou)

Winnetou and the Secret of Ghost Canyon – 2007 (Winnetou) [stunt coordinator]