.Westerns...All'Italiana!

Sunday, September 27, 2026

From the WAI! vault

Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Giuseppe Altamura

[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.]

Giuseppe Altamura is/was an Italian character actor who appeared in only three films all in 1968 according to the IMDb. Two of those films were Spaghetti westerns: “Straniero… fatti il segno della croce!” (Stranger Say Your Prayers) as Shorty Smith in 1967 and “Quanto costa morire” (A Taste of Death) as Scaife’s/Skede’s henchman in 1968.

The third film was “Il Profeta” (The Prophet) starring Ann Margaret and Vittorio Gassman where he had an uncredited role.

Was he related to the well-known actor Tullio Altamura (aka Tor Almayer) and that’s how and why he was given his first role? I can find no biographical information on him to confirm that.

ALTAMURA, Giuseppe [Italian] – film actor.

Stranger Say Your Prayers – 1967 (Shorty Smith)

A Taste of Death – 1968 (Scaife’s/Skede’s henchman)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Francois Legrand

Francois Legrand was an alias used by Franz Antel who was an Austrian film director, producer, and screenwriter renowned for his prolific output of over 100 films across genres such as Heimatfilme, comedies, musicals, and erotic cinema. Born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1913, he began his career as a camera assistant and production manager in the 1930s, including stints in Berlin for Tobis and Terra, Antel transitioned to directing after World War II with his debut feature “Das singende Haus” (1948), establishing himself as a key figure in Austria's post-war entertainment industry.

Antel's most notable achievements include the “Der Bockerer saga” (1981–2003), a series of historical dramas centered on a Viennese butcher navigating Austria's turbulent 20th-century politics, which was Austria's entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film but was not nominated, and remains a cornerstone of Austrian cinematic reflections on national history. His earlier works, such as the Wiener Film classics “Espionage” (1955), “The Congress Dances” (1955), and “Emperor's Ball” (1956), showcased his skill in light-hearted period pieces featuring stars like Hans Moser and Paul Hörbiger, while his 1960s–1970s output ventured into international erotic comedies under pseudonyms like François Legrand, including the Sexy Susan series and Frau Wirtin films starring Edwige Fenech. These productions highlighted his commercial versatility, often prioritizing meticulous entertainment over artistic depth, which initially led critics to dismiss him as a mere genre craftsman before later acknowledging his enduring popularity and genre-spanning legacy.

Antel's career was overshadowed by defining controversies, including his membership in the National Socialist Party during the 1930s, which prompted persecution in Vienna and relocation to Berlin, followed by unrepentant anti-Semitic remarks in his later years, such as derogatory references to figures like journalist Hans Weigel. Despite these elements, his body of work—encompassing collaborations with actors like Curd Jürgens, Tony Curtis, and Terence Hill, as well as television series and ice revues—solidified his role as a pivotal, if polarizing, architect of Austrian popular cinema, with films continuing to draw audiences for their accessible portrayal of imperial nostalgia and everyday Viennese life.

Legrand sided in Vienna on August 11, 2007 at the age of 94.

As Francois Legrand Franz Antel directed one Spaghetti western, “Prima ti suono e poi ti sparo” (Trinity, the Bell, the Guitar) in 1974.

LEGRAND, Francois (aka Prof. Franz Antel, Franz Arndt, Francois Legrand, François Legrand) (Franz Josef Antel) [6/28/1913, Vienna, Austria-Hungary - 8/11/2007, Vienna, Austria] –producer, production manager, director, writer, actor, married to Hilde Louise Wittke [1917-2004] (1938-1948), married to actress, singer Hannelore Bollmann [1925-2023] (1953-1958) father of Sascha Antel [1962- ], married to Baroness Elisabeth Freifrau von Ettingshausen [1943-1976] (1970-1976), married to secretary Sibylla Thin (1978-1989, 1995-2007).

Trinity, the Bell, the Guitar – 1974

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Wolfgang Ebeling

Wolfgang Ebeling is a former German screenwriter and dramaturge born in Halle an der Saale, Germany on March 25, 1929.

Ebeling attended high school and studied medicine at the University of Halle from 1947 to 1949. He then moved to the Theaterhochschule Weimar, where he graduated with a diploma in 1952. He then worked as a chief dramaturg in Gera and at the Landestheater in Halle. In 1955 he became a dramaturg in the DEFA - Studio for Feature Films in Potsdam-Babelsberg and in 1961 head of the Department of Contemporary Dramatics at Television in Berlin. In 1963 and 1964 he was involved in the construction of the television studio Halle. From 1964 he worked as a scenarist again in the DEFA studio for feature films and lived in Berlin.

Ebeling was a television and film writer. In 1959, together with Leo Oskarovich Arnstam, he wrote the script for his post-war drama ‘Five Days – Five Nights’, the first co-production of the GDR and the Soviet Union. His first television play, ‘Das Geschenk’, was written in 1961. Ebeling was also involved in the scripts of DEFA Indian films such as “Chingachgook”, (with Richard Groschopp) and “Blood Brothers” (with Dean Reed).

Wolfgang Ebeling co-wrote screenplays for three Euro-westerns: “Chingachgook, die große Schlange” (Chingachgook, the Great Snake) with Richard Groschopp in 1967, “Tecumseh” with Rolf Römer and “Blutsbrüder” (Blood Brothers) with Dean Reed.

EBELING, Wolfgang [3/25/1929, Halle an der Saale, Germany - ] – writer, actor.

Chingachgook, the Great Snake – 1967 (co)

Tecumseh – 1972 (co)

Blood Brothers – 1975 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ C. Pointis

Claude Pointis is/was a French cameraman and cinematographer who worked on one animated Euro-western “Lucky Luke - La ballata dei Dalton” (Lucky Luke: The Ballad of the Daltons) with Jacques Capo and Michel Gantier in 1976.

I can find no biographical information on him.

POINTIS, C. (Claude Pointis) [French] – cinematographer.

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

“Tampeko” [archived magazine article]

Katholisches Wochenblatt und der Landmann

June 23, 1967

Italian Film – American Story

The Turbulent Past of the New Worl

The setting for the thrilling color film “Tampeko” (Fort Yuma Gold) is the region between Colorado and New Mexico, shortly after the end of the American Civil War.

A Union patrol returns to Camp Davis, its numbers severely depleted by clashes with bandits. However, the unit brings two prisoners back to the camp. One is immediately shot on Captain Lefevre’s orders, while the other manages to save his life by revealing a crucial secret: 800 Confederates led by Major Sanders—who are continuing to fight despite the ceasefire—are preparing an attack on Fort Yuma. Sanders has joined forces with the bandit leader Riggs to seize the cash reserves held at the fort.

This message prompts the commander of Camp David to send a messenger to Yuma immediately. However, none of his men are familiar with the Colorado territory.

Among the prisoners in the camp is Gary, a young officer from Colorado. He agrees to guide Captain Lefevre and Sergeant Pitt in order to save his comrades from being wiped out by this senseless attack.

The three men set out on the dangerous journey. Pitt, an old hand, immediately strikes up a friendship with the young and daredevil Gary. Lefevre, however, remains reserved and suspicious.

In Alamosa, Gary meets a very sweet and spirited variety-show girl named Connie who is on her way to Brighton. He protects Connie from unwanted advances by other men, and it seems the two have taken a liking to each other—yet their paths lead in opposite directions.

[Sophie Daumer and Giuliano Gemma in a scene from the Western “Tampeko”, which recalls a tragic chapter in American history.]

[Giuliano Gemma as Gary Tampeko and Jose Calvo as Sam in the color film “Tampeko,” which depicts the adventures of a brave man during the Civil War.]

[Giuliano Gemma, one of the most sought-after heroes of the current wave of Westerns, also has to face many tests of courage in the film “Tampeko”.]

Riggs’s men are lying in wait for Gary and his companions in a treacherous canyon. They are met with a hail of bullets. Thanks to his alertness, Gary manages to evade the attackers just in time. Amidst a massive sandstorm, he and Pitt reach the canyon exit. But before they can reach safety, Pitt is struck by a bullet from behind. The angle of the shot puzzles Gary, as the bandits had entrenched themselves high above them. As the sandstorm reaches its peak, Gary forces the pursuing Lefevre to hand over the message. He ties him up and continues on alone. Has Gary broken his word, or is Lefevre the true traitor?

[The young, charming, and golden-blonde Frenchwoman Sophie Daumier plays the female lead—"Connie"—in the new Western color film “Tampeko”.]

Gary reaches the river and saves the ferry carrying the stagecoach, where Connie is in danger. Meanwhile, Lefevre is freed by a Union patrol and pursues Gary, immediately opening fire on him. A gunfight ensues, but Gary soon runs out of ammunition. He hides the message in Connie's suitcase just as a bullet strikes him; he falls into the water and is swept away by the current.

Sam, an old prospector, finds Gary, rescues him, and nurses him back to health. Gary first entrusts his rescuer with the message that absolutely must be delivered to Yuma. Together, they set out for Brighton to look for Connie. However, Gary is ambushed once again; he is knocked unconscious and taken to Riggs' hideout, where he comes face-to-face with the traitor Lefevre.

The bandits now try to force Gary to reveal the location of the message through inhumane torture. But Gary remains silent. He is a broken wreck of a man when Connie finds him. She succeeds in persuading Riggs to spare Gary's life.

Gary, who was only seemingly blinded by the torture, now turns on his guards. Meanwhile, Sam has reached Fort Yuma and delivered the message to the commander. He then rides out toward the Confederates with a white flag to prevent their attack.

In the tunnel leading to the fort, Gary kills the bandit leader and Major Sanders in a deadly fight. Captain Lefevre flees outside and sets fire to the wooden shack where Connie is being held captive. Gary is forced to use his last two rounds to blow open the shack's door so Connie can escape. Gary’s situation appears hopeless, as Lefevre knows he must be out of ammunition. A small revolver—a keepsake from Sergeant Pitt—proves to be Gary’s salvation. Lefevre dies, and Gary carries Connie, dazed by the smoke, away from the burning shack. When she opens her eyes, she says with a smile: "You’re one hell of a guy, Cowboy!"

[The era of the American Civil War offers a wealth of material for novelists and filmmakers alike. One film that seeks to reconnect with the classic Western tradition is “Tampeko”, in which Giuliano Gemma portrays the title character with remarkable sensitivity.

“Rivals”

RIVALS

1911, Czechoslovakia

Aka… Sokové / ‘Rivals’ / ‘Juices’ / ‘Shocks’ (Cz)

Running Time: (Cz), 9:16m (Cz, truncated)

Production Company: Kinofa Film [Antonín Pech] (Prag)

Distributor: Kinofa [Antonín Pech] (12/31/11, Cz), NFA-Národní filmový archiv / europeanfilmgateway.eu (2020’s, WW)

Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Photographer: Antonín Pech

C: [unk]

Syn: A description of the surviving scenes: Two girls are dancing in the inn, one wearing a white dress, the other in black - a bandit arrives - the bandit has an argument with another guest about one of the girls - the fight continues on the rocks - the bandit throws his rival off the cliff - the girl in black mourns the dead man - a cowboy appears on a horse - the girl in black laments the crime to him - the cowboy catches up with the bandit, he disarms him and ties him to a tree - the old man who is to watch over the captive gets drunk and falls asleep - the girl in white, armed with a revolver, frees the bandit, her lover, and they both tie the watchman to the tree instead - the cowboy returns and again fights with the bandit - the girl in white is accidently shot during the ensuing duel - the cowboy leads the handcuffed bandit away.

Comments: Filmed in Czechoslovakia. The version of RIVALS aka “Sokové” available online at europeanfilmgateway.eu is surprisingly crisp and authentic looking, made up mostly of longshots. It was filmed and assembled just before the language of film matured during the First World War. Only a handful of medium close-ups occur as the actors and cameraman move about. Other scenes appear to be in the wrong order due to unedited second takes that remain. These faux pas are confusing but can be ignored and forgiven allowing the viewer to follow along.

Director Antonín Pech was born on 21 October 1874 in Cizice, near Plzen, Austria-Hungary and died on February 20, 1928, in Prague, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia. He was a photographer, film pioneer, and entrepreneur. Along with Josef Kejř (coffeehouse owner), Vladimír & Ladislav Rottové (steelworks owners) and Karel Novák (professor of engineering) he founded ‘Kinofa Film’ on May 1, 1911. It was the first professional film production company in the country. They built a production facility at Riegrovo nábřeží (now Masarykovo nábřeží) in Prague and made a dozen films before the start of the Great War (1914-18).

Pech employed such performers as Frantisek Beranský, Anna Buriánová, J. Eichler, Frantisek Fort, Jirí Hojer, Katy Kaclová-Valisová, Antonín Michl, Václav Piskácek, Viktor Ponrepo, Josef Rovenský, ‘Rudi’ [Emil Artur Longen] & Ms. Rybáková who all may have appeared here.

The Czechs later made a pair of talkie comedy westerns PANCHO’S WEDDING aka “Pancho se žení” (1946) and LEMONADE JOE (1964) that should be checked out.