RIP Giovanni Ukmar

 

Italian actor, stuntman, stunt coordinator, master of arms Giovanni Ukmar died in Rome on July 10^th he had just turned 86 two weeks earlier. Giovanni was born in Pisa, Tuscany n June 26, 1940. He and his five brothers: Franco, Giancarlo, Sergio, Bruno and Clemente were some of the best and most active stuntmen and supporting actors in Italian films in the 1960s and 1970s. Giovanni alone appeared in around 140 films between 1959 and 2000. If an Ukmar was seen or credited in a film most likely one or more were also present. Ukmar was married and has three children. Giovani Ukmar appeared in 45 Spaghetti westerns: “The Colt is My Law” as an O'Brien henchman in 1965, “Fort Yuma Gold” as a saloon patron and stunts, “Johnny Yuma” as a brawler and stunts, “Seven Dollars to Kill” as a saloon bouncer, “Two Sons of Ringo” as a henchman and “Zorro the Rebel” as a brawler and stunts all in 1966, “Beyond the Law” as a shootout victim and stunts, “The Great Silence” as an outlaw and stunts and “Last of the Badmen” as a Mendoza henchman all in 1967, “Ciccio Forgives…I Don’t!” as a brawler, “God Made Them, I Kill Them” as a member of the welcoming committee, “The Longest Hunt” as a brawler and “No Graves on Boot Hill” as a Fletcher henchman and stunts all in 1968, “Boot Hill” as a miner, “Death on High Mountain” as a brawler, “The 5-Man Army” as a Mexican soldier, “The Forgotten Pistolero” as a Francisco henchman and stunts, “God Will Forgive My Pistol” as a Clayton henchman, “Night of the Serpent” as a Hernandez soldier, “No Room to Die” as a Fargo henchman and stunts, and “The Stranger’s Gundown” as a Murdock henchman all in 1969, “Arizona Returns” as a saloon patron, “Have a Nice Funeral My Friend” as a casino brawler and stunts, “Shango” as a Martinez soldier all in 1970, “Kill Django… Kill First” as a saloon brawler, “Paid in Blood” as a Shannon henchman, “Trinity Is STILL My Name!” as a Parker henchman and stunts and “Two Sons of Trinity” as a Chan henchman all in 1971, “The Ballad of Ben and Charlie” as a brawler, “Beyond the Frontiers of Hate” as a brawler, “Alleluia and Sartana, Sons of God” as a McGregor henchman and stunts, “God is My Colt .45” as a Collins’ henchman, “Now They Call Him Sacramento” as a saloon patron and stunts, “They Call Me Providence” as a James’ henchman, “They Still Call Me Amen” as a saloon brawler, and “Trinity & Sartana Those Sons of Bitches” as a McGregor henchman all in 1972, “Hallelujah to Vera Cruz” as a Don Felipe henchman and stunts, “The Man Called Invincible” as a party guard, “The Three Musketeers of the West” as a gangster all in 1973, “Return of Shanghai Joe” as a peasant and “White Fang and the Gold Diggers” as a Taft henchman both in 1974 and “Keoma” as a Caldwell henchman, “White Fang and the Hunter” as a Ferguson henchman and “Zorro” as a dungeon guard all in 1975, “A Man Called Blade” as a Valler henchman in 1977 and coming out in 2027 "E continuano a mangiare fagioli"

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Óscar Cortina

[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.]

Óscar Cortina is/was a Spanish stuntman, coordinator and film actor who was active in Spanish cinema from at least 1960 to 1986. The IMDb lists fifteen films he appeared in but he was in many, many more. I have 20 Spaghetti western credits alone that he appeared and there are probably several more where he is uncredited and has not been identified in.

I can find no biographical information on him.

Óscar Cortina appeared in 20 Spaghetti westerns: “Murieta!” as a townsman in 1964, “Per mille dollari al Giorno” (Renegade Gunfighter) as a saloon patron, “7 pistole per i MacGregor” (7 Guns for the MacGregors) as a bank employee, Mexican gunman both in 1965, “La resa dei conti” (The Big Gundown) as one of the widow’s ranch hands, “Ringo, il volto della vendetta” (Ringo the Face of Revenge as a Paco gang member and “Sugar Colt” as a Colonel Haverbrook henchman all in 1966, “Dio non paga il sabato” (Kill the Wicked) as a Braddock henchman, “Il tempo degli avvoltoi” (Last of the Badmen) as a Don Jaime Morelos/Mendoza henchman and “Dos cruces en Danger Pass” (Two Crosses at Danger Pass) as a Moran henchman all in 1967, “I quattro dell’Ave Maria” (Ace High) as a bank employee, “I morti non si contano” (Dead Men Don’t Count) as Jack Logan, “Killer Adios” as a fake Ringold henchman, “Requiem per un Gringo” (Duel in the Eclipse) as a Carranza henchman, “La salvaje venganza del Gringo” (One by One) as a brawler and “El sabor del odio” (A Pistol for 100 Coffins) as a Corbett henchman all in 1968, “Vivi preferibilmente, morti” (Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid) as a robber in 1969, “Mátalo!” as a bandit in 1970, “Anda muchacho, spara!” (Dead Men Ride) as a Redfield henchman and “Un dólar para Sartana” (Raise Your Hands, Dead Man, You're Under Arrest) as a Grayson henchman both in 1971.

CORTINA, Óscar (Óscar A. Cortina) [Spanish] – stuntman, stunt coordinator, film actor.

Murieta – 1964 (townsman)

Renegade Gunfighter – 1965 (saloon patron)

7 Guns for the MacGregors – 1965 (bank employee, Mexican gunman)

The Big Gundown – 1966 (widow ranch hand)

Ringo the Face of Revenge – 1966 (Paco gang member)

Sugar Colt – 1966 (Colonel Haverbrook henchman)

Kill the Wicked – 1967 (Braddock henchman)

Last of the Badmen – 1967 (Don Jaime Morelos/Mendoza henchman)

Two Crosses at Danger Pass – 1967 (Moran henchman)

Ace High – 1968 (bank employee)

Dead Men Don't Count – 1968 (Jack Logan)

Killer, Adios – 1968 (fake Ringold gunman)

Blood and Guns – 1968 (soldier)

Duel in the Eclipse – 1968 (Carranza henchman)

One by One – 1968 (brawler)

A Pistol for 100 Coffins – 1968 (Corbett henchman)

Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid – 1969 (robber)

Matalo – 1970 (bandit)

Dead Men Ride – 1971 (Redfield henchman)

Raise Your Hands, Dead Man, You're Under Arrest – 1971 (Grayson henchman)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Henry Gruel

Henry Gruel was a French producer, director, writer, cinematographer, film editor and composer and sound effects specialist. He was born in Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire, France on February 5, 1923.

Gruel was director of such films as “Mayola” in 1959, of “La Ballade des Dalton” in 1978, and the sound arranger of “The King and the Bird”. He won the Grand Prize at the Tours International Short Film Days in 1957 for “The Mona Lisa: Story of an Obsession” (commentary by Boris Vian) and two years later won the international critics' prize at the same festival.

In 1974, René Goscinny appointed Henri Gruel and Pierre Watrin directors of animation at Studios Idéfix.

Henry died in Figanières, Var, France on November 23, 2007 at the age of 84.

Henry Gruel co-directed one animated Euro-western, “Lucky Luke la ballade des Dalton” (Lucky Luke: The Ballad of the Daltons) with Pierre Watrin, René Goscinny and Morris in 1976.

GRUEL, Henri [2/5/1923, Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire, France – 11/23/2007, Figanières, Var, France] – producer, director, writer, cinematographer, composer, film editor.

Lucky Luke: The Ballad of the Daltons – 1976 (co)

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Abronio Corti

Abronio Cesare Corti is/was an Italian writer. He was credited under several aliases such as Anthony Blond, Antonio Blond and Tony Corty. He appeared in and was a screenwriter on 1973’s “Three Supermen of the West” where he was credited as Anthony Blond as screenwriter and an uncredited part as an actor. His largest role was as Bobo in 1968’s “Find a Place to Die” starring Jeffrey Hunter and Pascale Petit.

Corti appeared on screen as Bobo in 1968’s “Joe! Cercati un posto per morire” (Find a Place to Die) where he’s credited as Anthony Blond.

Antonio Corti co-wrote the screenplay for two Spaghetti westerns: “… e cosi divennero i 3 supermen del West” (3 Supermen of the West) with Italo Martinenghi and George Martin, “Noi non siamo angeli” (We are No Angels) with Gianfranco Parolini in 1975.

CORTI, Abronio (aka Anthony Blod, Antonio Blond, Tony Blond, Anthony Blood, Antoni C. Corti, Tony Corty) (Antonio Caesar Corti)) [Italian] – writer, film actor.

3 Supermen of the West 0 1973 (co) [as Anthony Blond]

We are No Angels – 1975 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Claus Loof

Claus Loof was a Danish cinematographer and director known for his extensive contributions to Danish cinema and television from the 1960s through the 1990s. Born on August 19, 1939, in Copenhagen, Denmark, he built a prolific career as a director of photography on numerous feature films and series, while also directing several short documentaries early in his career.

Loof began in the camera and electrical department, working as an assistant camera and camera operator on various projects before advancing to cinematographer. His notable credits include cinematography on films such as “Memories of a Marriage” (1989), “Katinka” (1988), “The Girl in a Swing” (1988), “Murder in the Dark” (1986), and his final film “Carl, My Childhood Symphony” (1994), as well as work on television series like ‘Landsbyen and Station 13’. In the early 1960s, he directed segments of the documentary series ‘Lewis Mumford on the City’. Loof was married to actress Sisse Reingaard and remained active in the industry until his death on April 20, 1994 in Denmark, at age 54.

Claus Loof was a cinematographer on two Euro-westerns: “Præriens skrappe drenge” (Tough Guys of the Prairie) in 1970 and “Guld til praeriens skrappe drenge” (Gold for the Tough Guys of the Prairie) in 1971

LOOF, Claus [8/19/1939, Copenhagen Denmark – 4/20/1994, Denmark] – cinematographer, cameraman, married to actress Sisse Reingaard (Anne-Marie Reingaard) [1946-2024] (19??-1994).

Tough Guys of the Prairie - 1970

Gold for the Tough Guys of the Prairie – 1971

Spaghetti Western locations Then & Now ~ “God Forgives… I’Don’t!”

In 1967’s “God Forgives… I Don’t!” we see a screengrab of Bill ‘Dead Man’ San Antonio’s hideout. This building was located in the village of El Puntal, Polopos in Almería, Spain. El Puntal is totally abandoned today and is ruins. A few of the structures have recently been reclaimed.

Here’s the same location as seen this year in 2026.

European Western Comics ~ COLLANA GOLDEN LADY

 

The Golden Lady

A luxury book series published by Editoriale Mercury (Bologna). Eleven volumes were released as supplements to the Grandi Avventure series. It reprints stories featuring various Italian comic book heroines, including Vartan (#1) by Furio Viano and Sandro Angiolini, Zora la Vampira (#2) by Renzo Barbier and Birago Balzano, Isabella (#3) by Giorgio Cavedon and Sandro Angiolini, and Lucifera (#4) by Giorgio Cavedon and Leone Frollo.

The comic book series was published by Editoriale Mercury in Bologna, Italy in 2000. 11 issues were published starting in September of that year. Each issue contained 96 color pages with color hard covers.

Titles

01 (00.09.00) - "Vartàn" (Viano/Angiolini) (Vartàn)

02 (00.12.00) - "Zora la vampira" (Barbieri/Balzano) (Zora the Vampire)

03 (00.04.01) - "Isabella" (Cavedon/Angiolini) (Isabella)

04 (00.09.01) - "Lucifera" (Cavedon/Frollo) (Lucifera)

05 (00.10.02) - "Vartàn" 2 (Viano(Angiolini) (Vartan 2)

06 (00.05.03) - "Zakimort" (Pier Carpi/Auro Brazzo Duro, Ardigò) (Zakimort)

07 (00.12.03) - "Pantera Bionda" (Dalmasso/Magni) (Blonde Panther)

08 (00.12.04) - "Zora la vampira" 2 (Barbieri/Balzano) (Zora the Vampire 2)

09 (00.10.06) - "La Poliziotta" (Barbieri/Angiolini) (The Policewoam)

10 (00.10.07) - "Pantera Bionda" 2 (Dalmasso/Magni) (Blonde Panther 2)

11 (00.00.00) - "Sally" (Senzò/Orer) (Sally)

Special Birthdays

Txema Blasco (actor) would have been 85 today but died in 2024.

Miroslav Saic (actor) is 85 today.

From the WAI! vault