50th Anniversary of the Premier of Thunder at the Border

It was 50 years ago on December 13, 1966 that “Winnetou und sein Freund Old Firehand” (Thunder at the Border premiered at the Universe Theater in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany. Even though the film is vaguely based on the Karl May novels it only has in common with May’s other western adventures the names of the main characters. Another prairie scout is introducer Old Firehand played by veteran American western star Rod Cameron

After four Apaches have been killed by the henchmen of a man named Siler. Ntscho-Tschi who had been severely hurt, barely escapes the killers. Legendary Old Firehand asks his friend Winnetou for help as Siler's brother is locked up in the prison at Miramonte. If he isn’t released by a specific date, Siler threatens to transform the small border town into a sea of flames. Winnetou agrees to help his friend and they head off to Miramonte where Old Firehand meets an old flame and a surprise he was not expecting that will change his life.

Because of the Mexican border town where the action takes place, Mexican bandits and much more shooting in the burning town this is as close as the Winnetou films got to the feel of a Spaghetti western.

Winnetou und sein Freund Old Firehand – German title

Vinnetou a Old Firehand – Yugoslavian title

Trovões na fronteira – Brazilian title

Винету и Олд Файърхенд – Bulgarian title

Old Firehand – Czechoslovakian title

Vinnetou a Old Firehand - Czechoslovakian title

Gringo – hævneren – Danish title

Ukkosata rajalla – Finnish title

Tonnerre sur la frontière – French title

Masacre a la frontiere – French title

Ο κεραυνός με το χρυσό πιστόλι – Greek title

Winnetou és barátja, Old Firehand – Hungarian title

Tempesta all frontiera – Italian title

Winnetou i Old Firehand – Polish title

Tempestade na fronteira – Portuguese title

Trovoes na fronteira -

Hombres desperados – Spanish title

Tormenta en la frontera – Spanish title

Död åt gringos – Swedish title

Winnetou: Thunder at the Border – U.K. title

Thunder at the Border – U.S.A. title

A 196 West German, Yugoslavian co-production [Rialto Film, Preben-Philipsen (Berlin), JadranFilm (Zagreb)]

Producers: Horst Wendlandt, Preben Philipsen

Director: Alfred Vohrer

Story: Karl May

Screenplay: David De Reske, Harald G. Petersson, C.B. Taylor

Cinematography: Karl Löb [Technicolor, Ultrascope]

Music: Peter Thomas

Running time: 100 minutes

Cast:

Old Firehand – Rod Cameron (Nathan Cox)

Winnetou – Pierre Brice (Pierre Baron de Bris)

Nscho-tschi – Marie Versini

Tom – Todd Armstrong (John Armstrong)

Silers – Harald Leipnitz

Robert Ravenhurst – Viktor de Kowa (Viktor Kowarzik)

Michele Mercier – Nadia Gray (Nadia Kujnir-Herescu)

Captain/Sergeant Mendoza – Rik Battaglia

Jace Mercier – Jörg Marquardt

Caleb – Vladimir Medar

Captain Luis Sanchez Quilvera – Miha Baloh (Mihail Baloh)

Derks – Aleksandar Gavric

Puglia – Emil Kutijaro

Moses – Ilija Ivezic

Leon Mercier – Dusan Antonijevic

Billy-Bob Silers – Walter Wilz

Vince – Milan Bosiljcic

German-Joe – Aleksandar Stojkovic

German Joanna – Tana Mascarelli (Tanja Ostojic)

Hernando – Aleksandar Belaric

German-Joanna – Maija Crnobori

Julia – Adela Podjed

Priest – Boris Dvornik

Callaghan – Dado Habazin (Marijan Habazin)

Wirz – Nikola Gec

Metz – Emil Mikuljan (Milan Mikuljan)

Wallace – Stjepan Spoljaric

Kaylurr – Ivo Kristof

Lem – Franc Ursic

Officers – Jovan Vukovic, Zvonko Dobrin (Zvonimir Dobrin)

Desperados – Sime Jagarinac (Simum Jagarinac), Stjepan Spoljaric, Josip Biščan

With: Valent Borovic, Valent Štefanko, Kreso Branković, Zvonimir Brcko, Antun Gorišek, Stjepan Hrgović, Esad Jujić, Zvonimir Kuzmić, Miroslav Šanić, Izidor Štefanko, Franjo Crnečki, Nikola Gec