Remembering Pedro Sanchez

Pedro Sanchez was born Ignazio Spalla on May 5, 1924 in Siena, Tuscany, Italy. Spalla as Pedro Sanchez was an Italian character actor; active in character parts in films for about fifteen years, he had specialized mostly in the spaghetti western genre playing Mexican characters typically comedic or sidekick roles in the genre.

 
Equipped with a stout body and a face typically harsh and threatening, Spalla was also required to interpret villainous roles and as parody in the western genre; in fact he was often a supporting actor in several Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia films. Spalla appeared in 42 films, 33 of which were Euro-westerns. Beginning with “Two Mafiamen in the Far West” (1964) with Franco and Ciccio to “The Grandson of Zorro” with Franco Franchi. He’s probably best remembered for his appearance in the Sabata trilogy where he plays the sidekick of Sabata.
 
Ignazio Spalla retired from the world of cinema in the late seventies, coinciding with the end of the genre that made him so well known. Outside this genre, Spalla's credits include Eduardo De Filippo's “Shoot Loud, Louder... I Don't Understand” (1966), Lucio Fulci's “Beatrice Cenci” (1969) and Pasquale Festa Campanile's “Hitch-Hike” (1977).
 
Spalla died on Febraury 2, 2005 in Costacciaro, Perugia, Italy. He was 81.
 
Today we remember Ignazio Spalla (aka Pedro Sanchez) on what would have been his 90^th birthday.