Spaghetti Western Director ~ Fred Evans
Frederick William Evans was born in Lambeth, London,
England on February 20, 1889. He was a prominent British music hall and silent
film comedian, best known for creating and portraying the anarchic character
Pimple in over 200 short comedies produced between 1912 and the end of World
War I. Born into a family of entertainers, Evans drew from music-hall and
circus traditions to develop Pimple as a clownish, rootless chancer who
parodied popular films, plays, and historical events through broad burlesque
and slapstick gags. His films, often scripted and co-directed by his brother
Joe Evans, achieved massive popularity in Britain during the 1910s, with Evans
polling as one of the top British film stars in contemporary fan votes, though
his career declined sharply after the war amid the rise of Hollywood imports
and changing tastes.
Evans' early career included stage performances with his
family's Florador Quartette and initial film roles as the mishap-prone
"Charlie Smiler" for Cricks and Martin starting in 1910, before he
and Joe launched their independent Folly Films company in 1912, setting up a
studio on Eel Pie Island. Notable Pimple shorts, such as Pimple's “Battle of
Waterloo” (1913), a farcical send-up of epic historical dramas, and the “Lieutenant
Pimple” series mocking adventure serials like “Lieut. Daring”, exemplified his style
of substituting absurdity for drama with punning intertitles, pantomime props,
and relentless physical comedy. Despite enlisting for an army recruitment tour
in 1915 and sustaining an injury that led to his discharge, Evans continued
producing films until bankruptcy in 1920, after which he returned to the stage,
including wartime revues with his family and a later puppet show collaboration
with Joe during World War II. His work, preserved only as a handful of films,
mostly fragments, in archives like the BFI National Archive, represents a key
chapter in early British screen comedy, influencing a wave of topical clowns
while highlighting the era's volatile stardom compared to contemporaries like
Charlie Chaplin.
Evans died in St. Germans, Cornwall, England on August
31, 1951 at the age of 62.
Fred Evans directed six Silent Euro-westerns: “The
Adventures of Pimple: The Indian Massacre” 1913 (co) with Joe Evans and
“Broncho Pimple” with Joe Evans, “Lieutenant Pimple Goes to Mexico” with Joe
Evansand the “The Passing of Black Pete” all in 1914 and “Ragtime Cowboy Pimple”
with Joe Evans in 1915.
For more details check out his biography Pimple's Progress: Fred Evans, Britain's First Film Comedy Star by author Barry Anthony
EVANS, Fred (Frederick William Evans) [2/10/1889, Lambeth, London, England,
U.K. – 8/31/1951, St. Germans, Cornwall, England, U.K.] – producer, director,
writer, puppeteer, circus performer, actor, grandson of clown Fred Evans,
nephew of director, writer, actor Will Evans (William Edward Evans)
[1873–1931], brother of director, writer, actor Joe Evans [1891-1967], married
to ? father of two daughters, co-founded Folly Films
[1912].
The Adventures of
Pimple: The Indian Massacre – 1913 (co)
Big Chief Little
Pimple – 1914 (co)
Broncho Pimple –
1914 (co)
Lieutenant Pimple
Goes to Mexico – 1914 (co)
The Passing of Black
Pete – 1914
Ragtime Cowboy
Pimple – 1915 (co)
Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Benjamin Carr
Benjamin Carr is an alias for Neal Marshall Stevens. He is
an American screenwriter, author, teacher and writer, best known for writing
several Hollywood horror films such as “Thirteen Ghosts”.
He began his career on Laurel Entertainment’s series, ‘Monsters’
which aired from 1988 to 1991. He went on to work as Laurel’s Senior Story
editor on other projects, including “The Vernon Johns Story”, “Precious Victims”
and Stephen King’s “The Stand”. He wrote “Thirteen Ghosts”, a 2001 remake of
the 1960 film “13 Ghosts” by William Castle, for Dark Castle Entertainment.
Into the late 2000s and 2010s, much of Stevens' output
would veer towards direct-to-video releases. He would write “Puppet Master:
Axis Termination”, the twelfth film in the titular series for Full Moon
Pictures, and the later sequel “Blade: The Iron Cross” in 2020.
In 2012, Stevens wrote the comic “Havoc Brigade”. In
2022, Stevens published a screenwriting manual, A Sense of Dread: Getting
Under the Skin of Horror Screenwriting. The book draws from his extensive
film experience and analyzes concepts of fear and how they can be applied in
cinema. He also teaches screenwriting at Maharashi International University
Benjamin Carr wrote the screenplay for one Euro-western
“Phantom Town” in 1997.
CARR, Benjamin (aka Neal Steven) (Neal Marshall Stevens) [195?, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
- ] – producer, director, author,
writer, married to Judith Ann Stevens father of Zachary N. Stevens
Phantom Town – 1997
Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Carles Gusi
Carles Gusi is a Spanish cinematographer known for his
atmospheric and often stark visual style in both Spanish and international
films.
Gusi has collaborated with prominent Spanish directors on
acclaimed projects, including Manuel Huerga on “Salvador” (Puig Antich) (2006),
a historical drama, and Guillem Morales on “Julia's Eyes” (2010), a horror
thriller.
His filmography also includes other notable Spanish
productions such as “The Method” (2005) and “Eva” (2011), showcasing his
versatility across genres from drama to science fiction.
Throughout his career, Gusi has been praised for his
ability to enhance narrative through lighting and composition, establishing
himself as a key figure in contemporary Spanish cinematography.
Carles Gusi was a cinematographer on two Euro-westerns:
“Atolladero” in 1994 and “Orson Wes” in 2010.
GUSI, Carles [1953, Barcelona,
Catalonia, Spain - ] –
cinematographer, cameraman, film editor.
Atolladero - 1994
Orson West – 2010
