Spaghetti Western Director ~ Luigi Maggi
Luigi Maggi was an Italian actor and film director who
played a significant role in the development of early silent cinema,
particularly through his work with the Ambrosio Film company in Turin. Born in
Turin on December 21, 1867, and educated as a typographer, Maggi began his film
career as an amateur actor and recruiter for extras before transitioning to
professional acting and directing around 1908
His directorial debut was the short film “Gli ultimi
giorni di Pompei” (The Last Days of Pompeii, 1908), an adaptation of Edward
Bulwer-Lytton's novel that showcased innovative special effects and spectacle
for the time. Over the next two decades, Maggi directed approximately twenty
films, many of which were historical epics or literary adaptations, including “Nerone”
(Nero, or The Fall of Rome, 1909), “Il conte di Montecristo” (The Count of
Monte Cristo, 1908), and “Maciste alpino” (1916, co-directed). He also appeared
as an actor in numerous productions and was the father of actress Rina Maggi.
Maggi's films contributed to Italy's reputation as a leader in early
feature-length cinema, emphasizing grand narratives and visual storytelling
during the pre-World War I era.1
Luigi Maggi was a director of one silent Euri-western, “Il
bersaglio vivente” (The Human Target) in 1913.
MAGGI, Luigi [12/21/1867, Turin,
Piedmont, Italy – 8/22/1946, Turin, Piedmont, Italy] – director, assistant
director, writer, actor, married to ? father of actress Rina Maggi (Caterina Maggi).
The Human Target –
1913
Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Marco Fenelli
Mario Fenelli is/was an Argentine writer, screenwriter,
and director known for his novel Las Huellas, which was adapted into the cult
classic film “Footprints on the Moon” (Le Orme, 1975), as well as his
contributions to other Italian genre films and his personal connection to
Argentine literature through his friendship with Manuel Puig.
Fenelli was born in Buenos Aires on July 16, 1925 and
attended film school in Rome during the 1950s, where he met Manuel Puig and
provided crucial encouragement for Puig's shift from aspiring film director to
novelist. Their relationship endured for three decades, documented in 311
letters from Puig to Fenelli, culminating shortly before Puig's death in 1990,
and included collaboration on two unproduced screenplays. Fenelli also worked
on films such as “The Fifth Cord” (1971), showcasing his involvement in the
Italian giallo genre.
Little public information is available about Mario
Fenelli's life after his film work in the 1970s, with no date of death listed
in major film databases such as IMDb.
As Marco Fenelli he was a co-screenwriter on one
Spaghetti western, “Blu gang vissero per sempre felici e ammazzati” (Brothers
Blue) in 1971.
FENELLI, Marco (Mario Ángelo Fenelli) [7/16/1925, Buenos
Aires, Argentina - ] – writer.
Brothers Blue – 1971
(co)
Spaghetti Western
Cinematographer ~ Manuel Ruiz
Manuel Ruiz is/was a
Spanish cinematographer and cameraman. He has one film credit to his name
according to the IMDb and that was for his only Spaghetti western “…Altrimenti
vi ammucchiamo” (Kung Fu Brothers in the Wild West) with Hsun Yang in 1973.
I can find no
biographical information on him.
RUIZ, Manuel [Spanish] –
cinematographer, cameraman.
Kung Fu Brothers in
the Wild West – 1973(co)
