Halloween 2010

YouTube "Ghost Riders in the Sky" 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWTjjm-Gg3c 

Bang

BANG! THE SPAGHETTI WESTERN BOARD GAME - WORLD’S FIRST ‘MULTI-PLATFORM MULTIPLAYER’ GAME


Italian production company Palzoun, together with leading Italian developer SpinVector, announced today that BANG! The Spaghetti Western Board Game is coming to Apple iPhone, iPad, Atom Netbook and PC.

BANG! is the original card-based board game from Italian board game publisher dVGiochi which, since launch, has sold over 600,000 copies worldwide. BANG! The Official Videogame will be the first time players on a variety of platforms will be able to play together and enjoy the dynamic, quick-fire action that BANG! offers, as the Outlaws tussle with the Sheriff and his Deputies!

Players can assume the roles of many Western characters, including: Calamity Janet, Bart Cassidy and Jose Delgado, BANG! puts the players in the thick of the action, where being quick on the draw is paramount...or you’ll be sure to find yourself in the Undertaker’s window!

Since dVGiochi awarded the official licence to Palzoun, both companies have worked together closely to ensure the videogame version maintains the original experience’s excitement and universal appeal.

For those of you who want to see and play the first playable version of BANG! The Official Videogame before launch, Palzoun and SpinVector will be unveiling the game at this year’s prestigious Lucca Comics and Games event in Italy on 29 th October to 1 st November at the dVGiochi stand.

BANG! will be available worldwide in December 2010 via the iTunes AppStore (iPhone & iPad HD), Intel AppUp (Atom Netbook) and PC direct download.

EAGLE'S WING

Tu, pequeno hombre blanco... yo, gran cazador - Spanish title

Yo, gran cazador - Spanish title
Io, grande cacciatore - Italian title
Adlerflugel - Germn title
Kotkan Siivet - Finnish title
Orle skrzydlo - Polish title
Tuekampen - Swedish title
Eagle’s Wing - English title

A 1979 British production [Peter Shaw Production (London)]
Producer: Ben Arbeid
Director: Anthony Harvey
Story: John Briley
Story Adaptation: Michael Syson
Screenplay: John Briley
Cinematography: Billy Williams [Eastmancolor, CinemaScope]
Music: Marc Williamson
Running tim: 111 minutes

Cast:
Pike - Martin Sheen (Ramon Estevez)
White Bull/Toro Blanco - Sam Waterston (Samuel Waterston)
Henry - Harvey Keitel
‘The Widow’ - Stéphane Audran (Colette Dacheville)
Judith - Caroline Langrishe
priest - John Castle
Red Sky/Cielo Rojo - Jorge Luke
Lame Wolf - José Carlos Ruiz
Miguel - Manuel Ojeda (Jesus Ruiz de la Pena)
Gonzalo - Jorge Russek
José - Pedro Damián
monk - Farnesio de Barnal
girl - Cecilia Camacho
Sánchez - Claudio Brook
Don Luis - Julio Lucena
shaman - Enrique Lucero

Pike, a young greenhorn trapper, who has deserted from the army teams up with Henry, a seasoned trapper. While packing up their traps the two are attacked and Henry is killed. Pike alone on the plains of New Mexico witnesses a duel between a group of Indians, one a chief riding a magnificent white horse named Eagle’s Wing. Pike manages to capture the horse but has it stolen from him by a lone Indian named White Bull. Pike pursues the horse and the thief.

All the while a group of rich impetuous white travelers are attacked by a group of Indians. After White Bull takes all the jewels and gold-hewn hand-mirrors from the group of white travelers and ‘The Widow’. Pike finds them stranded in the desert but is still intent on saving his white stallion, not the white travelers and leaves them stranded.

A group of men from a local mission set out to search for the travelers. White Bull sets traps for the men by leaving a trail with the stolen jewels and they all die from the hidden traps. Pike fights White Bull on horseback and loses, even though both are wounded. The white man is no match on horseback for the Indian, even when he had a sword. White Bull goes back to his home with Pike's white stallion and leaves ‘The Widow’ behind.

Happy 90th Birthday Amerigo Gengarelli

Italian cinematographer Amerigo Gengarelli was born on October 30, 1920, in Rome. A cameraman and cinematographer he was involved in only 13 films and TV series. Among them “Duel of the Champions” (1961), “Taras Bulba, il cosacco” (1963) and three Euro-westerns: “The Last Gun” (1964) with Cameron Mitchell, “Death Rides Alone” (1967) and “A Hole in the Forehead” (1968). Today we celebrate Amerigo Gengarelli’s 90th birthday.

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing with locations from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. After passing through the checkpoint at Apache Canyon, Tuco and Blondie arrive at Mission San Antonio. This mission is actually Cortijo Del Fraile built in the 18th century. The location was the site of a murder called the ‘Crime of Nijar’ and was the inspiration for the book “Blood Wedding” written by Lorca. It was only used for the exterior shots while the interiors were filmed near the location of the battle for the bridge and will be shown in a later posting. The dirt road to the left of the photo above leads to Los Albaricoques (Agua Caliente). Even though this mission is a Spanish historical location and part of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, it continues to fall into disrepair to say the least. Several walls have fallen, the roof which was used as the location site for the prison where El Indio escaped from in “For a Few Dollars More” has collapsed, and still the Spanish government has done nothing to stabilize the building or reconstruct it. Truly one of the best locations in all of the genre seems destined to disappear into a pile of rubble shortly.

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi “Garringo” Yasuda’s excellent website: http://garringo.cool.ne.jp/

I’ve included a short video link to see the plight that Cortijo Del Fraile is in today and the attempt by local Spaniards to call attention to the government for help in restoring this historic site.
YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laCeJEFR2RQ

Guess Who I Am

I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1933 and appeared in only one Euro-western, Guess who I am.

I appeared in "Bridge on the River Kwai" and "Catch 22". Guess who I am.

I was one of the “Implacable Three”. Guess who I am.

Biltmore correctly guessed this week's photo is of actor Geoffrey Horne.

DYNAMITE JOE

Joe l’implacable - Italian title
Dinamite Joe - Italian title
Dinamita Joe - Spanish title
Joe de onverbiddelikje - Belgium title
Vier Halleluja für Dynamite Joe - German title
Der Tod reitet mit - German title
Joe, o dynamitis - Greek title
Dynamite Joe - English title

A 1966 Italian, Spanish co-production [Seven Film, "De Paolis-Incir" (Rome), P.C. Hispamer (Madrid)]
Producer: Giuseppe Franconi, Cleto Fontini
Director: Anthony Dawson (Antonio Margheriti)
Story: María del Carmen Martínez Román
Screenplay: María del Carmen Martínez Román
Cinematography: Manuel Merino (Manuel Rodriguez) [Technicolor, Techniscope]
Music: Carlo Savina
Songs: “Dyna Mighty”, “Love Song” sung by Lillian Terry
Running time: 100 minutes

Cast:
Jon/JoeFord/’Dynamite Joe’ - Ricky Nutter/Rik Van Nutter (Friedrich Von Nutter)
Elizabeth/Betty - Halina Zalewska (Alina Zalewska)
Senator Senneth/Stinson - Santiago Rivero
Jury Nelson/Nensa - Renato Baldini
Cigno/Swan - New Fuzzy (Bernabé Barri)
Brunetta/Eva - Merce Castro (Mercedes Castro)
Sheriff Stanton - Alfonso Rojas (Alfonso González)
Foster Brothers - Dario DeGrassi, Claudio Scarchilli
El Sol - Ricardo Palacios (Ricardo Díez)
Frank - Aldo Cecconi
Charlie - Vincent Roc (Vincente Roca)
professor - Sarturno Cerra
telegrapher - Franco Gulà (FrancescoGulà)
saloon brawler - Juan Olaguivel
Nelson henchman - Juan Olaguivel
Pa - Rufino Inglés (Rufino Garcia)
with: Barbara Davy, Mario Luchino

In order to put an end to the robbery of gold shipments that are threatening the finances of the U.S. government, a Senate Commission accepts the proposal of a member, Stinson, to entrust agent Joe Ford with the next shipment of a substantial amount of gold. Joe Ford, aka Dynamite Joe because of his fondness for explosives, with Betty, a beautiful aristocrat, miraculously escapes several assassination attempts. Arriving in Mine City, Joe builds a carriage made of gold, but this secret is revealed by the director of the federal bank and Senator Stinson, which is the brains of the criminal organization, and forms an alliance with the bandit ‘El Sol’ to get hold of the golden coach. Arriving at Fort Brent, which is temporarily abandoned by the garrison, Dynamite Joe defends himself from the attacks of El Sol’s gang, with the help of his trusted weapon, dynamite. Joe doesn’t last long and ends up a prisoner of the bandits, while Stinson runs away with what he believes is the golden carriage, openly demonstrating his betrayal. Soon after, summoned by telegram from Ford, army reinforcements arrive on the site with the members of the Senate Commission, to which Joe delivers the true golden carriage and uncovers the mysteries of the robberies which have been perpetrated for so long.

Who are Those Guys? - Don Backhurst

                    [Don Backhurst is pictured second from right]

Don Backhurst was born in 1925 in Cranleigh, England. Don grew up in Normandy and Stoughton attending Northmead Boys’ School and then the Central School in Guildford. Seeking adventure he quit school and found work on a P&O liner to South Africa. Returning to England he worked as a postman until becoming a paratrooper in World War II. He participated in the D-Day invasion, landing in a swamp, he spent most of the day avoiding being shelled by the Americans. After the war he worked as a lifeguard and then as manager of Hepworth’s in Guildford. In the 1960s he moved to Amsterdam and became a musician playing the flute. Becoming a participant of the ‘Swingin’ Sixties’ he let his grew hair grow long and toured Europe. Returning again to Guildford he became a manager for various local bands then pursued a modeling career and appeared in several films, TV and music videos. He was always the eternal rebel and was proud of it. Don appeared in one Euro-western as the Indian chief in “North Star” in (1996) with James Caan and Christopher Lambert. Don Backhurst died on 8/26/1999 in Surrey, England.


BACKHURST, Don (Donald Backhurts)1925, Cranleigh, Surrey, England, U.K. - 8/26/1999, Surrey, England, U.K.] - TV actor.

North Star - 1996 (Indian chief)

DYNAMITE JIM

Dinamite Jim - Italian title
Dinamita Jim - Spanish title
Jim el dinamita - Spanish title
Dynamiitti Jim - Finnish title
Loa Alamos - Greek title
Dynamite Jim - English title

A 1966 Italian, Spanish co-production [Lux Film, SIAP (Rome), P.C. Balcazar (Barcelona)]
Producer: Remo Odevaine
Director: Alfonso Balcazar
Story: Alfonso Balcazar, José Antonio de la Loma Hernández (José Hernández), Mario Pasca
Screenplay: José Antonio de la Loma Hernández (José Hernández), Alfonso Balcazar
Dialogue: Mario Pasca, Alberto Liberati [Italian dialogue]
Cinematography: Victor Monreal (Victor Sarto) [Eastmancolor, Deltascope]
Music: Nico Fidenco
Song: “Dynamte Jim” sung by I Cantori Moderni
Running time: 85 minutes

Cast:
‘Dynamite Jim’ Farrell - Luis Davila (Hector Ferrantino)
Pablo Reyes - Fernando Sancho (Fernando Les)
Margaret - Rosalba Neri
Slade/Slate - Aldo Sambrell (Alfredo Brell)
Lupita - Maria Pia Conte (Maria Vaccarezza)
Lieutenant Williams - Michael Riva (Miguel de la Riva)
Thomas Ferguson - Oswald Genazzoni (Osvaldo Genazzani)
Clint Sherwood - Marcel Selmie (Marcello Selmi)
hotel clerk - Victor Israel (José Vilanova)
Gurko - Jack Rocha (Moisés Rocha)
preacher/undertaker - Pajarito (Murriz Brandariz)
with: Charles Solá (Carlos Solá), Joaquin Diaz (Joaquin Muntané), Giovanni Scratuglia (Ivan Scratuglia), Amparo L. Rubio, Óscar Carreras, Charito Vallés, Indio González (Gaspar González), Adalbert Rossetti, José Maria Caffarel (José Fabregas)

In 1865, during the American Civil War, ‘Dynamite Jim’ Farrell, a Northern spy, encounters a mysterious character who enlists his help for an important mission. Jim’s hired to transport a great treasure hidden in a coffin. To reach his final destination he must cross dangerous Southern lines. Jim hopes to elude the Confederate Army while keeping the gold on its course. Accompanied by Margaret, a beautiful dancer, who will guide him through the territory, and Pablo Reyes, a Mexican whose very interested in the treasure. The trio encounters several adventures with a crooked banker, a Mexican bandit and greed amongst themselves before reaching the elusive location.

New CD release

BANDIDOS

Composer: Egisto Macchi
Label: Mask #MK704
Country: Italy
Tracks: 12 [3 previously unreleased]
Available 11/16/2010

No track listing avaible

Remembering Guido Leoni

Director, screenwriter, Guido Leoni was born on October 25, 1920 in Verona, Italy. While still a law student Leoni took an interest in writing radio plays. This lead to his screenwriting career which began in 1949 with "Vogliamoci bene!" and in 1952 with"L’eroe sono io di" which results in his association with actor Renato Rascel [1912-1991] for which he would write a number of TV productions. Sometimes using the alias Robert Bradley, Guido begins his directing career in 1949 and among his 20+ film credits is a screen writing credit for one Euro-western "Zorro the Fox" (1968) starring George Ardisson and directed by Guido Zurli. Today we remember Guido Leoni on what would have been his 90th birthday.

RIP Geoffrey Foot

British film editor Geoffrey Foot died on September 9, 2010, Over his legendary career he worked with such notables as David Lean, Walt Disney and Peter Sellers. He was among the last of his breed: the gentleman editor, a man whose passion for cinema and whose knowledge of film technique immeasurably aided every picture he worked on. His name and achievements were little known to the picture-going public. Born Geoffrey Macadam Foot on May 19, 1915 in Putney, southwest London. His mother was a teacher and his father Evelyn Foot was editor of the Daily Herald. Always interested in film he was hired by Bill Lott at Ealing Studios and quickly became a cameraman and soon a second assistant to editor Thorold Dickinson where he worked on Gracie Fields “Sing as We Go” (1934). He perfected the process of cutting to actors in transitional shots and eliminating time-passing dissolves. After leaving Ealing Foot worked on “Lady X” (1938) and a series of films for Mayflower such as “Vessel of Wrath” (1938), “St. Martin’s Lane” (1938) and “Jamaica Inn” (1939).

During World War II and Foot joined the Crown Film Unit where he edited film and directed documentaries.
After the war he worked on “Take My Life” (1947) and “Blanche Fury” (1948). He then began a long professional relationship with David Lean, working on “Madelein” (1950), “The Sound Barrier” (1952), “Rob Roy” for Walt Disney followed. Foot was given the task by Iring Allen to get the film “The Trials of Oscar Wilds (1960) out in nine weeks before a rival film was released. Foot was able to edit the pre-recorded score by Ron Goodwin and the quickly finished filming sequences by director Ken Hughes. The production was an all-around triumph and paved the way for a distinguished international career for Foot. He then worked on such films as “Another Time, Another Place” (1958), “Stolen Hours” (1963), “The Long Ships” (1964), “Genghis Kahn” (1965) and “The Prisoner” TV series with Patrick McGoohan. Other top notch films were “The Watcher in the Woods” (1980) “The Black Arrow” (1985) both for Disney. Among his films were two Euro-westerns “The Desperados” (1969) with Jack Palance and Vince Edwards, “Man in the Wilderness” (1971) with Richard Harrison and John Huston.

Remembering Ignacio Iquino

Ignacio Farrés Iquino was born on Ocotber 25, 1910 in Valls, Catalonia, Spain.Over his long, prolific career as a film director, Ignacio F. Iquino worked in a variety of low-budget genres, ranging from Italian/Spanish Westerns to softcore exploitation. Iquino was the son of actress Teresea Iquino and film composer Ramón Ferrés (who would later score many of his son's films). He studied painting and music in Barcelona and later found work as a cartoonist, photographer, and draftsman for several Spanish periodicals. After a brief period in Paris, Iquino returned to Barcelona and opened a photography studio. In 1933, he started directing short films and made his feature debut a year later with “Al Margen de la Ley”(“Out of the Law”) (1935); the film had been completed in 1934, but as it was based on actual events, censorship problems delayed its release and the original title, “El Crimen del Expreso de Andalucía”, had to be changed. Following the Spanish Civil War, Iquino teamed with producer Aureliano Campa to make a string of popular comedies. In 1943, Iquino helped launch Emisora Films and through this company directed films through the end of the decade. In 1949, Iquino founded an independent film production company, I.F.I. España S.A. (IFISA). IFISA soon began churning out low-budget films, primarily thrillers and comedies, many of which were directed by Iquino himself while he continued to manage a studio and distribution company. During the '60s, Iquino expanded into low-budget Westerns, and by the late '70s, he had come to specialize in softcore exploitation films. Throughout his career, Iquino used the pseudonyms Steve McCohy and Steve McCoy. He has occasionally been identified as John Wood, but this alias was used by Spanish director Juan Bosch. Iquino has also been mistakenly identified as Italian director Nick Nostro. Iquino has often been referred to as the Spanish Roger Corman. Ignacio was married to screenwriter Juliana San José de la Fuente (aka Jackie Kelly) [1928-2000]. Iquino was involved in 12 Euro-western as either film editor, screenwriter, director or producer. Some of his better known titles are “El Puro” (1969) with Robert Woods, “Stagecoach of the Condemned” (1970) with Richard Harrison, “The Fabulous Trinity” and “The Fat Brothers of Trinity” with Chris Huerta, Ricardo Palacios and Tito Garcia. Iquino died on April 29, 1994 in Barcelona, Spain. Today we celebrate what would have been Ignacio Iquino’s 100th birthday. [biography written by Sandra Brennan]


A recent biography of Iquino has been released “Ignacio F. Iquino, hombre de cine” by Angel Comas in 2003.

Spaghetti Western Locations

Continuing with locations from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". The tables have turned again on Tuck. He and Blondie have discovered the location of buried gold, with each of them knowing only have of the secret. Tuco’s vengeance has left Blondie near death and he must get him to help. Knowing his brother, a monk, is at a nearby mission he loads up Blondie and heads for it’s location. On the way they are stopped by a Confederate detachment guarding Apache Canyon. This location avoided remained the last of the locations to be discovered. It is a night scene so the surrounding area could not be detected in the film only the building in the background. The location is a private residence and has undergone a few changes which left it very difficult to find. Luckily Regis Cluseau and my friend Yoshi Yasuda confirmed the lost sight. The location is Cortijo Monterreal and was also used in the film "Johnny Yuma" with Mar Damon. It is located off of route A-349 near the town of Pago Aguilar Bajo north of Tabernas.

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi “Garringo” Yasuda’s excellent website: http://garringo.cool.ne.jp/

DURANGO IS COMING PAY OR DIE

Arriva Durango, paga o muori - Italian title
Durango, paga o muori - Italian title
Na mira do Colt... paga ou morre - Brazilian title
Durango encaisse on tue - French title
Aí vem Django, pagas ou morres - Portuguese title
Durango is Coming , Pay or Die - English title

A 1970 Italian, Spanish co-production [Three Star Films (Rome), D.I.F.I. (Madrid)
Producer: Gisleno Procaccini
Director: Luis Monter (Roberto Montero)
Story: Mario Guerra, Vittoriano Vighi
Screenplay: Mario Guerra, Vittoriano Vighi
Cinematography: Mario Mancini [Easmancolor, CineScope]
Music: Coriolano Gori
Running time: 94 minutes

Cast:
Durango - Brad Harris (Bradford Harris)
El Tuerto - José Torres
Ferguson - Gino Lavagetto (Luigi Lavagetto)
Arellana - Giovanni Cianfriglia
Margot - Gisela Hahn (Gisela Drenkhan)
Jane - Maretta (Maretta Procaccini)
Peter - Attilio Dottesio
Manuel Bienvenido - Salvatore Puntillo
poker player - Fortunato Arena
Arellana gang members - Emilio Messina, Roberto Messina
with: José Jaspe (José Rivas), Gabriella Giorgelli, Erika Blanc (Enrica Colombatto), Gino Rini (Gino Molo), Andrea Scotti, Franco Pasquetto (Gianfranco Pasquetto), Emilio Zago, Claudio Trionfi, Irio Fantini, Ivan G. Scratuglia (Ivan Giovanni Scratuglia), Gis Cooper (Gisleno Procaccini)

Durango, a reputed gunman, who specializes in collecting unpaid debts. Durango arrives in Tucson after being hired by the town boss Ferguson. He foils a robbery by a Mexican bandit named El Tuerto and his gang, but when Ferguson refuses to pay him the reward he takes it by force. Ferguson manages to have Durango jailed for murder and theft but he escapes with the help of El Tuerto. Durango joins the gang of Arellana a friend of El Tuerto. Together they steal a gold shipment going to Ferguson. To avoid paying his debts the ruined Ferguson arranges a fake suicide and a mock funeral. Durango foils Ferguson’s plans and returns the stolen gold to the citizens of Tucson.


YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8dD0PWbQac

Remembering Mariano Vidal Molina

Mariano Rodolfo Vidal Molina was born on October 23, 1925 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His first appearance was in the Argentinian film “El vampiro negro” in 1953. Molina appeared in 12 more films in Argentina before moving to Spain in 1963. Mariano picked up where he left off appearing in the Euro-western “Apache Fury” (1964). Molina would go on to appear in a total of 65 TV and film appearances until his last one in an episode of the TV series “Historias del otro lado” (1991). Molina acted under such pseudonyms as Vidale Molina, Mariano Vidal and Tom Griffith. In the 16 western films he made he used the names Vidal Molina and Mariano Vidal Molina. For whatever the reason Molina never rose to more then a supporting actor. He had the looks and the authoritarian demeanor to be a star and held his own in appearances with such actors as Anthony Steffen, Guy Madison, Robert Woods and Frank Latimore. His westerns would be considered ‘B’ films such as “Ballad of a Bounty Hunter” (1966), “Five Giants from Texas” (1966) “Gentleman Killer” (1967), “White Comanche” (1968), “Reverend Colt”. He retired from the screen in 1991 for whatever reason and passed away on February 20, 1996 in Madrid, Spain. Today we remember Mariano Vidal Molina’s 85th birthday.

Guess Who I Am

I’m an American who went to Rome to study art and appeared in several Sword and Sandal films and one Euro-western with Peter Lee Lawrence. Guess who I am.

Antonio Rosa correctly guessed this week's photo as Harold Bradley.

RIP Robert Paynter

Cinematographer Robert Paynter died on Ocotber 20th. Born Robert William Paynter on March 12 1928 in south London and educated at Mercer's School, Holborn, and, during wartime evacuation, Collier's School, Horsham, the town where he later settled.

In the early 1950s he began working for the Central Office of Information's Colonial Film Unit (CFU), making several visits to east Africa. On one trip he was appointed personal cameraman to the Emperor Haile Selassie, the last monarch to rule Ethiopia. Another assignment was to help film the Queen's Coronation, his vantage point being high in the roof space of Westminster Abbey. Moving to become a trainee cameraman with British Transport Films (BTF), Paynter worked alongside contemporaries including David Watkin, who went on to win an Oscar for his cinematography on Out Of Africa (1985), and Billy Williams, who would win an Oscar for On Golden Pond (1981).

Paynter made several shorts for BTF, including Snow Drift at Bleath Gill (1955), depicting the rescue of a goods train trapped by blizzards on the Yorkshire moors. Critics admired Paynter's enduring head-on image of a snowplough charging at full speed into a huge drift, the locomotive spouting smoke and debris in all directions as the lineside workers cheered on the crew.

From the late 1950s and throughout the ensuing decade, Paynter was the cameraman for dozens of television commercials for ITV, promoting brands such as Kellogg's, Mars, Guinness and Oxo, for which he shot several campaigns in his own home.

His career in feature films began with Michael Winner's Hannibal Brooks (1969). Winner's regular cameraman had declared himself too old to be climbing mountains in Austria with heavy equipment, and Paynter was recommended to succeed him.

He remained with Winner throughout the 1970s, on pictures including Lawman (1971); Scorpio (1973) and The Big Sleep (1978). When Marlon Brando starred in Winner's The Nightcomers (1971) he was particularly impressed by Paynter's ability to set and light a shot professionally and at speed. "I never knew you could make films so quickly," the actor remarked.

In the 1980s Paynter worked with John Landis on the comedy-horror An American Werewolf In London (1981); the Eddie Murphy comedy Trading Places (1983); and Spies Like Us (1985). For the director Richard Lester, Paynter also shot Superman II and Superman III (1980 and 1983).

In 1989 he showed off the art of the cinematographer (who oversees the technical side of cameras, film and lenses to achieve the general visual effect required by the director) in When The Whales Came. The film stars Paul Scofield and Helen Mirren, with Paynter employing much soft-focus camerawork to evoke the idyllic island of Bryher in 1914.

His other credits included Strike It Rich (1990), written and directed by James Scott and based on a Graham Greene novella, Loser Takes All (1957). Starring Robert Lindsay as a London accountant who falls for a pretty American (Molly Ringwald), the film gave Paynter an opportunity to vary his palette from the drabness of 1950s London to the garish picture postcard colours of Monte Carlo.

Robert Paynter was admired by his colleagues on both sides of the camera. After a career crafting film shoots, he appeared this year in front of the camera in John Landis's latest film, Burke & Hare, playing a doctor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in 1828.

He married, in 1950, Marjorie Dawson, who died in 2001. Their son and a daughter survive him; another daughter predeceased him earlier this year.

Robert Paynter was cinematographer on two Euro-westerns both directed by Michael Winner: “Lawman” (1971) with Burt Lancaster and “Chato’s Land” (1972) with Charles Bronson.

Remembering Alejandro Ulloa

Alejandro Ulloa was born on October 22, 1910 in Madrid, Spain. Ulloa had a long career in film, theater, radio and as a voice dubber. Alejandro began his career in the theater with Tenorio de Zorrilla at the Romea Theater appearing as many as four times a day. He shared his theater career with his film career starring in such Spanish films as “Es peligroso asomarseal exterior” and was also a cinematographer on numerous films including “Las chicas de la Cruz Roja”, “El dia de los enamorados” and “Las de Cain”. He started his own theater company during the Spanish Civil War and toured the United States. He then returned to Spain and became the director of all of MGM films dubbed in Barcelona, Spain. He started dubbing in 1943 as the Spanish voice of Robert Taylor. Alejandro appeared in two Euro-westerns, “Twenty Paces to Death” (1970) and “Dig Your Grave Friend... Sabata’s Coming” (1971). Ulloa is the father of cinematographer Alejandro Ulloa Jr. [1926- ]. In 1999 he was awarded the Medal of Honor Barcelona. Alejandro died in Barcelona, Spain on April 27, 2004 having been bedridden for seven months after suffering a fall. Today we celebrate what would have been Alejandro Ulloa’s 100th birthday.

DUEL IN THE ECLIPSE

Requiem per un Gringo - Italian title
Réquiem para el gringo - Spanish title
Requiem pour Gringo - French title
Requiem für Django - German title
A Justiça de Gringo - Portuguese title
Duelo ao eclipse - Portuguese title
7 Shadows of a Gunfighter - English title
Requeim for a Gringo - English title
Duel in the Eclipse - English title

A 1968 Italian, Spanish co-production [Prodmix Film (Rome), Hispamer (Madrid)]
Producer: Sergio Newman
Director: José Luis Merino (José Boves)
Story: Enrico Colombo, Giuliana Caravaglia
Screenplay: Maria del Carmen Martinez Roman
Cinematography: Mario Pacheco (Mario Pacheco de Usa) [Eastmancolor, widescreen]
Music: Angelo Francesco Lavagnino
Song: “Sandstorm” sung by I Cantori Moderni
Running time: 100 minutes

Cast:
Ross Logan/Gringo - Lang Jeffries (William Loppin)
Alma - Femi Benussi (Eufemia Benussi)
Porfirio Carranza - Fernando Sancho (Fernando Les)
Charley Fain - Aldo Sambrell (Aldo Brell)
Dan Ross - Glenn Saxon (Roel Bos)
Lupe - Giuly Garr (Giuliana Garavaglia)
Ted Corby - Carlo Gaddi
Tom - Rubén Rojo (Rubén Pinto)
Nina - Marisa Paredes (Maria Bartolome)
Samuel - Ángel Álvarez (Ángel Fernández)
with: Carlo Simoni

Returning home town Ross Logan, a man of high fashion who wears a jaguar skin poncho, immediately gets into a conflict with the Carranza gang, which had just crossed the Mexican border and is occupying a nearby hacienda. After Logan’s brother is killed he plans a cold blooded revenge for which he separates the gang's most dangerous members by using their individual weak points and the general discordance amongst them. The time for the final confrontation is set by the astronomically interested Logan amidst a solar eclipse.


YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2C-NiD9dTw

Happy 70th Birthday Diana Lorys

Born Ana Maria Cazorla Vega on October 20th 1940 in Madrid, Spain. We know her as the talented actress Diana Lorys. She studied dance, classical ballet and Spanish flamenco, drama and diction. She made her acting debut in theater productions but has devoted herself to film since 1960. Diana has worked primarily in Spanish productions but also has appeared in Italian films specializing in Horror, Spy Films, Sci-Fi, Adventure and Westerns. The decline of the genre films being made in Spain also led to a downturn in her career. Her last film appearance was in 1978. She apparently married and retired to private life but did pop up in local theater productions in Germany in the late ‘70s and has apparently returned to Spain. With her typical Hispanic beauty and her penetrating stares the small but shapely Lorys was one of the great female stars of the Euro-western appearing in 17 productions. Among her best known were, “Gunfighters of Casa Grande” (1964) “Murieta” (1964), “The Texican” (1966), “Villa Rides” (1967), “Tequila” (1971), “Bad Man’s River” (1972) and “Get Mean” (1976). Today we celebrate Diana Lorys’ 70th Birthday.

RIP Tom Bosley

American actor Tom Bosley died from lung cancer at his Palm Springs, California home today October 18. He was 83. Bosley was born Thomas Edward Bosley on Ocotber 1, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois. He began his acting career on the stage in Chicago and then moved to New York City where he won a Tony for his performance in the 1959 musical "Fiorello!" about the former New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. He then was seen in TV films and series before becoming a star as Howard Cunningham on the hit TV series "Happy Days" (1974-1984). He would later become a co-star with Angela Lansbury on the TV series "Murder She Wrote" (1984-1988) and starring in "The Father Dowling Mysteries" (1987-1991). Bosely appeared in one Euro-western "Bang Bang Kid" (1967) as Merriweather P. Newberry and his robot.

RIP Francesco Scardamaglia

Italian author and screenwriter Francesco Scardamaglia died in Rome on October 17, 2010. He was one of Italy’s most successful writers of historical fiction. Francesco was the son of producer, Elio Scardamaglia [1920-2001] and was born in Varese, Italy on February 23, 1945. Francesco started in films writing the screenplay for peplums such as “Goliath and the Sins of Babylon” starring Mark Forest and “Seven Rebel Gladiators” starring Roger Browne. Then in 1968 he wrote three Euro-western screenplays: “The Moment to Kill” with George Hilton and Walter Barnes, “The Wild and the Dirty” (aka “Johnny Hamlet”) with Chip Corman and Gilbert Roland which was followed by “Kill Them All and Return Alone” with Chuck Connors. He’s also remembered for a series of stories written for Bud Spencer and Terence Hill such as “Watch Out We’re Mad” (1974), “Charleston” (1977), “They Called Him Bulldozer” (1978), “The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid” (1979), “Bomber” (1982). In the later years he turned to television writing such teleplays as “Pope John XXIII”, (2002) “Madre Teresa” (2003), “Renzo & Lucia” (2004) and “Puccini” (2009).

DUEL AT SUNDOWN

Duell vor Sonnenuntergang - German title
Blaue Augen - schneller Colt - German title
Ragazzi sparate a vista su killer kid - Italian title
Sparate a vista su killer kid - Italian title
Killer Kid - Italian title
Killer Kid - Lännen kapinallinen - Finnish title
Duel au crepuscule - French title
Killer Kid - Swedish title
Killer Kid: Shoot on Sight - English title
100 Days of Fury in Arizona - English title
Duel at Sundown - English title

A 1965 West German, Italian, Yugoslavian co-production [Eichberg Film (Munich), Corona Film (Rome), Jadran Film (Zagreb)]
Producer: Leopold Lahola (Leopold Friedmann)
Director: Leopold Lahola (Leopold Friedmann)
Story: Leopold Lahola (Leopold Friedmann), Marek Hlasko
Screenplay: Leopold Lahola (Leopold Friedmann), Anya Corvin
Cinematography: Janez Kalisnik [Eastmancolor]
Music: Z. Borodo (Zvi Borodo)
Running time: 110 minutes

Cast:
Don McGow - Peter van Eyck (Peter von Eick)
Nancy Parker/Greenwood - Carole Gray
Punch Parker/Greenwood - Wolfgang Kieling
Larry McGow - Mario Girotti
Pastor - Carl Lange
Pa McGow - Walter Barnes
Lord - Jan Hendriks (Heinz Hinz)
Smokey Jim - Todd Martin (Todd Martens)
Quents - Giacomo Rossi Stuart
Sheriff - Kurt Heintel
Baby Face - Klaus Dahlen
Fort Clark rancher - Slobodan Dimitrijevic
Mack - Dieneler Bitenc (Demeter Bitenc)

In 1890 Arizona, rancher Pa McGow has two sons: Don, the eldest, is heads above the rest and Larry, the younger one, lives in his shadow. His silent admiration for his brother slowly changes to hate. To prove to himself and his family that he has become a real man, Larry chooses a path of crime and violence. During a cattle drive Don leaves Larry in charge of the herd and rides off. Later when he learns the herd has been stolen he goes in search of the thief only to discover it’s his kid brother Larry.

Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdbW9aBg0Qg

Remembering Wolfgang Lukschy

Wolfgang Lukschy was born on October 19, 1905 in Berlin, Germany. Wolfgang worked first as a process engraver and later as a film copier. In 1928 he began film lessons with Paul Bildt [1885-1957]. Lukschy became a theater actor appearing in theaters in Berlin, Stuttgart, Würzburg, Munich and Hanover, Germany before returning to Berlin and the Schiller Theater in 1940. His first film role was in Friedrich Schiller’s “Triumph eines Genies” (“Tirumph of a Genius”). After the war Wolfgang continued in film as a director and continued his acting in both theater and in DEFA films. He appeared on stage as Professor Higgins in over 500 appearances of “My Fair Lady”. In the 1960s he appeared in several Edgar Wallace and Karl May films and totaled over 75 film appearances between 1940 and 1979. He’s probably best remembered for his roles as Alfred Jodl in “The Longest Day” (1962) and as Sheriff John Baxter in “Fistul of Dollars” (1964). He also appeared on TV in the crime series “Tatort”. Lukschy’s voice was also in demand as a film dubber and was the German voice of such actors as James Mason, Walter Matthau, Stewart Granger, Gregory Peck and John Wayne. He was the German voice of Gary Cooper in “High Noon”. Luckshy’s son Stefan [1948- ] has carried on the family film tradition as a director. Wolfgang died in Berlin on July 10, 1983. Today we remember Wolfgang Lukschy on what would have been his 105th birthday.

Remembering Werner Wieland

Werner Wieland was born in Leipzig, Germany on October 18, 1910. Werner’s career began in cabarets while taking acting lessons from Detlef Sierck and Peter Stanchina. He worked as a free lance actor not belonging to any particular theater group. After World War II he appeared in Quedlinburg then on the radio in Leipzig. From 1953-55 he attended the Babelsburg Film and Theater University taking lessons in direction. With the role of Gustav Noske in the TV series "Das Lied der Matrosen" he goes on to appear in extensive televison work beginning in 1958. He often played such roles as professors and generals. In all Werner appeared in over 30 film and television series. His only Euro-western was as Goldworth in1968's "Trail of the Falcon" starring Gojko Mitic. Wieland’s last film was 1983's "Zille and Me" fictional episodes about the German painter Heinrich Zille. Werner died on June 9, 1984 in Potsdam, Germany. Today we remember Werner Wieland on what would have been his 100^th birthday.

Who Are Those Guys? - Giancarlo Badessi

Giancarlo Badessi was born Giancarlo Badese on September 21, 1928 in Rome, Italy. The portly character actor started out in the theater and co-wrote a play with Giancarlo Cobelli which was later made into a film directed by Cobelli. He first appeared on screen in 1968's “Tepepa” (aka “Blood and Guns”) and would go on to appear in over 45 films and TV appearances, until his last credited performance in the 1982 “Fuga dall’archipelago maledetto” (aka Tiger Joe) with David Warbeck. Along the way Giancarlo appeared in six Euro-westerns.

BADESSI, Giancarlo(Giancarlo Badese) [9/21/1928, Rome, Lazio, Italy - ] - screenwriter, stage, TV actor.

Ace High - 1968 (fight promoter)
Blood and Guns - 1968 (Sergeant)
Night of the Serpent - 1969 (Ignacio)
The Grand Duel - 1972 (one-eyed man)
The Great Treasure Hunt - 1972 (El Supremo)
Halleluja to Vera Cruz - 1973 (Governor)

DUCK YOU SUCKER

Giu la testa - Italian title
C’era una volt la rivoluzione - Italian title
Los Héroes de Mesa Verde - Argentinian title
Érase una vez la Revolución - Argentinian title
Quando explode a vingança - Brazilian title
Il était une fois la révolution - French Canadian title
Duk dig fjols - Danish title
Maahan, senkin hölmö! - Finnish title
Il était une fois... la révolution - French title
Todesmelodie - German title
Kato ta kefalia - Greek title
Garsc dynamitu - Polish title
Aguenta-te, canalha! - Portuguese title
Agáchate, maldito! - Spanish title
Ducka skitstovel - Swedish title
For hagra havar dynamit - Swedish title
Yabandan gelen adam - Turkish title
Sagni se naivcina - Yugoslavian title
Za saku dinamita - Yugoslavian title
A Fistful of Dynamite - U.S.A. title
Duck You Sucker - English title

A 1971 Italian production [Rafran, San Marco, Mura Produzione (Rome)]
Producer: Fulvio Morsella
Director: Sergio Leone
Story: Sergio Donat, Sergio Leone
Screenplay: Sergio Donati, Sergio Leone, Luciano Vincenzoni
Cinematography: Giuseppe Ruzzolini [Technicolor, Techniscope]
Music: Ennio Morricone
Running time: 160 minutes

Cast:
Juan Miranda - Rod Steiger (Rodney Steiger)
Sean/John H. Mallory - James Coburn
Doctor Villega - Romolo Valli
Adelita - Maria Monti (Maria Monticello)
Santerna - Rick Battaglia (Caterino Battaglia)
Governor Don Jaime/General Huerta - Franco Graziosi
Juan’s father - Goffredo Pistoni
landowner - Roy Bosier
American - John Frederick
notary - Anthony Vernon (Antonio Casale)
priest - Jean Rougeul
Pancho Miranda - Vincenzo Norvese
Sebastian - Corrado Solari
Benito Miranda - Biagio La Rocca
Pepe - Renato Pontecchi
Napolean Miranda - Fra nco Collace
Miguel - Giulio Battiferri
peon - Amelio Perlinik
coach guard - Michael Harvey
Colonel Guttierez/Reza - Antonio Domingo (Antoine St. John)
Sean Nolan - David Warbeck (David Mitchell)
Coleen - Vivienne Chandler
revolutionary - Poldo Bendandi (Leopoldo Bendandi)
Captain of the firing squad - Aldo Sambrell (Alfredo Brell)
executed café owner - Furio Meniconi
train engineer - D. Andres Lupianze Orphan
conductor - Simon van Collem
girl on bus - Leonora Carney
with: Conrado San Martin (Conrado Prieto), Omar Bonaro, Amato Garbini, Nazzareno Natale, Stefano Oppefisano, Benito Stefanelli, Franco Tocci, Sergio Calderon

The setting is 1913 Mexico at the time of the Revolution. Juan Miranda, a Mexican thief leading a bandit family, meets John (Sean) Mallory, an early Irish Republican explosives expert on the run from the British. Noting his skill with explosives, Juan relentlessly tries to make him join a raid on the Mesa Verde national bank. John in the meantime has made contact with the revolutionaries and intends to use his dynamite in their service. The bank is hit as part of an orchestrated revolutionary attack on the army organized by Doctor Villega. Juan, interested only in the money, is shocked to find that the bank has no funds and instead is used by the army as a political prison. John, Juan and his family end up freeing hundreds of prisoners, causing Juan to become a "great, grand, glorious hero of the revolution".

The revolutionaries are chased into the hills by an army detachment led by Colonel Günther Reza. John and Juan volunteer to stay behind with two machine guns and dynamite. Much of the army's detachment is destroyed while crossing a bridge which is machinegunned by them and blown to bits by John. Col. Reza who commands an armoured car, survives. After the battle, John and Juan find most of their comrades, including Juan's family and children, have been killed by the army in a cave. Engulfed with grief and rage, Juan goes out to fight the army singlehanded and is captured. John sneaks into camp where he witnesses executions of many of his fellow revolutionaries by firing squad. They had been informed on by Dr. Villega, who has been tortured by Col. Reza and his men. This evokes in John memories of a similar betrayal by Nolan, his best friend, whom John kills for informing. Juan faces a firing squad of his own, but John arrives and blows up the squad and the wall with dynamite just in time. They escape on a motorcycle John is driving.

John and Juan hide in the animal coach of a train. It stops to pick up the tyrannical Governor Don Jaime, who is fleeing (with a small fortune) from the revolutionary forces belonging to Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. As the train is ambushed, John, as a test of Juan's loyalty, lets him choose between shooting the Governor and accepting a bribe from him. Juan kills Jaime, and also steals the Governor's spoils. As the doors to the coach open, Juan is greeted by a large crowd and again unexpectedly hailed as a great hero of the revolution, the money taken away by revolutionary General Santerna.

On a train with commanders of the revolution, John and Juan are joined by Dr. Villega, who has escaped. John alone knows of Villega's betrayal. They learn that Pancho Villa's forces will be delayed by 24 hours and that an army train carrying 1,000 soldiers and heavy weapons, led by Col. Reza, will be arriving in a few hours, which will surely overpower the rebel position. John suggests they rig a locomotive with dynamite and send it head on. He requires one other man, but instead of picking Juan, who volunteers, he chooses Dr. Villega. It becomes clear to Villega that he knows of the betrayal. John nonetheless pleads with him to jump off the locomotive before it hits the army's train, but Villega feels guilty and stays on board. John jumps in time and the two trains collide, killing Villega and a number of soldiers.

The revolutionaries' ambush is successful, but as John approaches to meet Juan, he is shot in the back by Col. Reza. An enraged Juan riddles the Colonel's body with a machine gun. As John lies dying, he continues to have memories of his best friend, Nolan, and a young woman both apparently loved. John recalls killing Nolan after being betrayed by him to the law. Juan kneels by his side to ask about Dr. Villega. John keeps the doctor's secret and tells Juan that he died a hero of the revolution. As Juan goes to seek help, John has a flashback to his time in Ireland with Nolan and a girl whom they both were in love with; knowing his end is near, sets off a second charge he secretly laid in case the battle went bad. The film ends with Juan staring at the burning remains, asking forlornly: "What about me?"


YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THn36Mwmv7U

Spaghetti Western locations

Continuing with locations used in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. After Tuco locates and captures Blondie he takes him to the desert and makes him walk to the next town. At this time they encounter the ‘carriage of the spirits’. The dunes used in this scene were not natural but sand was brought in for the filming of “Lawrence of Arabia”. The dunes are almost completely gone now, used for building and construction purposes, with only a few sandy areas visible today. The location is called Dunas de Las Almoladeras and

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi “Garringo” Yasuda’s excellent website: http://garringo.cool.ne.jp/

Guess Who I Am.

I appeared in 25 Euro-westerns from 1964-1972, playing Mexican and Indians. Guess who I am.

Adrian correctly guessed this week's photo as that of Venezuelan actor José Torres.

RIP Simon MacCorkindale

Actor Simon MacCorkindale dies

British actor and longtime star Simon MacCorkindale has died at the age of 58 after a long struggle with cancer, his agent Max Clifford said Friday. MacCorkindale, who played British lawyer Greg Reardon in the eighties soap "Falcon Crest" which also starred Jane Wyman, Lorenzo Lamas and Mel Ferrer, also appeared in "Death On The Nile" and spent six years on the British medical drama "Casualty." The actor died Thursday night October 14th surrounded by his family in a private Harley Street clinic. He had been diagnosed with bowel cancer four years ago, which had later spread to his liver. His wife, the actress Susan George, said he had fought valiantly against the ravages of the disease. "He fought it with such strength, courage and belief. Last night, he lost this battle, and he died peacefully in my arms..to me, he was simply the best of everything, and I loved him with all my heart." MacCorkindale produced and appeared in an episode of "Queen of Swords" in 2001. This female Zorro series was filmed at Texas Hollywood in Almeria, Spain.

RIP Nils Hallberg

Actor Nils Hallberg has died after a brief illness.

Hallberg appeared, during his nearly 60-year career, in 105 films and about forty plays. Hallberg was 89 years.

Nils breakthrough came when he was a 13-year-old and starred in the film "Anderssonskans Kalle" in 1934. Through the years he appeared as Tim in "Hemsöborna" in 1955 and Tom in Arne Mattsson's "Love's Bread" in 1953. Hallberg left films during the ‘70s and then worked in the theater.

He passed away peacefully with family around him. It was quiet and nice, "said his son, the comedian Messiah Hallberg. He is survived by wife, three children and four grandchildren.

Nils Hallberg appeared as the barber in the 1964 Euro-western “Wild West Story”.

DRUMMER OF VENGEANCE

Il giorno del giudizio - Italian title
An Eye for an Eye - U.K. title
Kuoleman rummut - Finnish title
Kuolemanloukku - Finnish title
Le jour du jugement - French title
Zeig mir das Spielzeug des Todes - German title
Tag der Vergeltung - German title
T’ Onoma mou einai edikisi - Greek title
Tambores de la venganza - Spanish title
För en Handfull Dynamit - Swedish title
Dodens Hamnare - Swedish title
Day of Judgment - English title
Doomsday - English title
Drummer of Vengeance - English title

A 1971 British, Italian production [Times Films Production (London)]
Producer: Robert Paget (Mario Gariazzo)
Director: Robert Paget (Mario Gariazzo)
Story: Mario Gariazzo
Screenplay: Franco Daniele, Mario Gariazzo, Nello Rossati
Cinematography: Alvaro Lanzoni [Eastmancolor]
Music: General Music of Rome (Ennio Morricone), Claudio Trionfi)
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:
‘The Stranger’ - Ty Hardin (Orton Hungerford II)
sheriff - Rosano Brazzi
O’Connor - Craig Hill (Craig Fowler)
Deputy Sheriff Norton - Gordon Mitchell (Charles Pendleton)
Prairie Fowler - Edda Di Benedetto
Rising Sun - Rosalba Neri
Clay - Lee Burton (Guido Lollobrigida)
mayor - Umburto Raho (Umberto Raho)
circus girls - Jenny Atkins, Renata Black
circus Indian - Andrew Robertson (Andrea Fantasia)
dancing girls - Patricia Patterson, Marilyn Rudi
Deputy Steve Miller - Stelio Candelli
Deputy Bill Jenkins - Giuseppe Castellano
Deputy Burt - Rick Boyd (Federico Boido)
Jason - Ralph Baldassare (Raffaele Baldassarre)
Frank - Bruno Corazzari
Bill - Vittorio Moroni
John Mason - Ken Wood (Giovanni Cianfriglia)
barman - Tony Stevens
Mr. Higgins - Pinuccio Ardia (Rodolfo Ardia)
town officials - Luciano Vincenzi, Robert Whitman, Paolo Perone
Steve Miller henchman - Attilio Severini
poker player - Nino Vingelli
with: Ugo Adinolfi, Fedel Gentile, Tony Norton (Antonio Monselesan), Nello Palladino (Aniello Palladino), Riccardo Pizzuti, Aldo Sala, Gaetano Scala, Luigi Trioeano, Adriano Vitale, Nando Poggi (Ferdinando Poggi)

A Civil War soldier who switched sides finds his Indian wife and son murdered when he returns home. The stranger, a little toy drummer, and his six-shooter go on a trail of vengeance against the six murderers. Using the disguise of a bible spouting preacher, he roams the town finding clues and links to the killers. When he locates a killer he winds up the toy drummer and then faces them in gundowns. He’s aided by a sympathetic sheriff who it ends up was the leader of the gang.

Happy 80th Birthday Philippe Leroy

Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu was born on October 15, 1930 in Paris, France. He made his film acting debut in Jacques Becker’s “Le Trou” (1960). Moving to Italy he then took on five to six film appearances a year for the next four decades. Among his most famous films were “55 Days in Peking” (1963), “The Night Porter” (1974), “La Femme Nikita” (1990), “In Love and War” (1996) and in “Mother of Tears” (2007). Leroy appeared in three Euro-westerns, “Yankee” (1966), “Panhandle .38" (1972), and “A Man Called Blade” (1977). He’s recently been a regular as Vescovo on Terence Hill’s popular Italian TV series “Don Mateo”. Leroy is the father of a actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu [1963- ]. Today we celebrate the 80th birthday of Philippe Leroy.

Happy 85th Birthday Aurora Battista

Aurora Bautista Zunel was born on Ocotber 15, 1925 in Villanueva de los Infantes, Spain. Aurora becam a stage actress after studing at Instituto del Teatro in Barcelona. She then became a popular film actress in the 1940s. When she married Hernán Ramón Cristerna, a Mexican doctor in 1963, she left her acting career for a number of years. She reappeared as Aurora Battista from 1966 until 1969. Among those films were three Euro-westerns. “Deguello” (1965), “$20,000 on Number 7" (1967) and “One by One” (1968). She is often credited for an appearance in “$20,000 for Seven” with Brett Halsey, but this has been confused with “$20,00 on Number 7". Today we celebrate Aurora Battista's 85th birthday.

Remembering Henri Verneuil

Henri Verneuil was born Achod Malakian in Rodosto, Turkey on Ocotber 15, 1920. He migrated with his family to Marseille, France in 1925 and became a naturalized French citizen. After his schooling Verneuil became an engineer and then a journalist before turning his life to film. He produced about 30 short films before attempting a full length motion picture. He became a popular director in the 1950s often working with French comedian Fernandel and later Alain Delon, Jean Gabin, Jean-Paul Belmondo. Some of his films include “The Sicilian Clan” (1969), “The Brain” (1971) and his only Euro-western “Guns for San Sebastian” (1969) with Charles Bronson and Anthony Quinn. Verneuil died of a heart attack on January 11, 2002 in Bagnolet, France. Today we celebrate what would have been Henri Verneuil’s 90th birthday.

RIP Jiri Krizan

Czech screenwriter Jiri Krizan dies at age 68
The Associated Press, October 14, 2010

PRAGUE (AP) -- Jiri Krizan, a Czech screenwriter who served as an adviser to President Vaclav Havel, has died. He was 68.

Jan Krystof, a regional manager of the TOP 09 party, says Krizan died of a heart attack on Wednesday in the eastern village of Branky.

Born Oct. 26, 1941, Krizan was not allowed by the communist regime to study until 1960s. His father was executed following a political trial in 1951.

Krizan wrote screenplays to more than a dozen movies, including "Shadows of a Hot Summer," which was directed by Frantisek Vlacil and won the top award at the 1978 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

After the 1989 collapse of communism, Krizan became Havel's adviser and served as deputy interior minister from 1992 until 1995, when he returned to screenwriting.

Jiri Krizan wrote the screenplays for three Czech western short films: "The Claim at Deaf Creek", "A Canyon Full of Gold", "David Sandel's Last Shot" all filmed in 1972.