50th Anniversary of the premier of “Tough Guys of the Prairie”

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the premiere of "The Tough Guys of the Prairie" in Copenhagen, Denmark. "Præriens skrappe drenge" (Tough Guys of the Prairie) is a 1970 Danish comedy film directed by Carl Ottosen and starring Dirch Passer and Paul Hagen. The film premiered in Copenhagen this day in 1970. It was successful enough it spawned a sequel “Guld til præriens skrappe drenge” (Gold for the Tough Guys of the Prairie) which was released the following year in 1971.

Præriens skrappe drenge – Danish title

Pukki villissä lännessä – Finnish title
Hilfssheriff Billy pfeift kein Halleluja – German title
Vier tolle Jungs in der Prarie – German title
Vier aus Texas – German title
Bocken i vilda västern – Swedish title
Prairie Tough Guys – English title
Tough Guys of the Prairie – English title

A 1970 Danish film production [Merry Film, Dansk-Svensk Film (Copenhagen)]
Producer: Henrik Sandberg
Director: Carl Ottosen
Story: Carl Ottosen
Screenplay: Carl Ottosen
Cinematography: Calus Loof [Eastmancolor]
Music: Sven Glydmark
     Song: “Praeriens skrappe drenge” sung by Dirch Passer, Paul Hagen, Preben Krass,

                Willy Rathnov
     Song: “Sally’s Song” sung by Eva Danne
     Song: “Venner venner” sung by Karl Stegger (Carl Sorensen)
Running time: 99 minutes

Cast:
Jonathan Ignasius Salvatore ‘Biggy’ Jones – Dirch Passer
Shorty – Paul Hagen
Ben – Preben Kaas
Sam – Willy Rathnov (Kaj Rasmussen)
Hank Ericson – Karl Stegger (Carl Sørensen)
Art Ericson – Jesper Kelin
Katy Ericson – Sisse Reingaard  (Anne-Marie Reingaard)
Johnson – Miskow Makwarth
Kari Johnson – Lone Lau
Sally – Eva Danné
Dommer – Ove Sprogøe (Ove Petersen)
Slim O’Hara – Lars Lunøe
Gus – Hans-Henrik Krause
Tucky – Peer Guldbrandsen
Brooke – Benny Hansen
Boy – Nat Russell, Jr. (Nathan Russell, Jr.)
O’Hara henchman – Ole Guldbrandsen
Sheriff of Greenville – Carl Ottosen
Deputy Sheriff – Poul Glargard (Poul Rasmussen)
Bartender – Arne Møller
Indian Chief – Bjørn Spiro
Cowboy – Ib Sorenson
Chief’s daughter – Winnie Mortensen
Chief’s wife – Irene Poller
Trader – Esper Hagen (Esper Andersen)
With: Søren Steen

European Western Comic Books ~ Aquila Bianca

Aquila Bianca

(White Eagle)

This comic book series dealt with a sexy heroine of the house of Giurleo, she is the princess of the Beaver and Soomawes tribes. She lives her adventures with the faithful Ervo Lip and the white hunter Rugby. Texts were written by Gian Giacomo Dalmasso, and the artwork and drawings were done by Enzo Magni (Ingam) and Carlo Savi (starting with #24). The publisher created a distinctive lok for each character.

The series began with issue #1 on March 16, 1949 and ended with #28 on Spetember 28, 1949. It was published in Milan, Italy by Casa Editrice A.R.C. under the direction of Pasquale Giurleo and each issue consisted of only 8 black and white pages with color covers.

Titles

01 (16.03.49) - “Il figlio dei castori” (The Son of the Beavers)
02 (23.03.49) - “Urlo nella foresta” (Scream in the Forest)
03 (30.03.49) - “Il mistero della cascata” (The Mysterious Waterfall)
04 (06.04.49) - “I padroni del fuoco” (The Masters of Fire)
05 (21.04.49) - “La carica dei bisonti” (The Charge of the Bisons)
06 (28.04.49) - “La via di ritorno” (The Way Back)
07 (05.05.49) - “Sul sentiero di guerra” (On the War Path)
08 (12.05.49) - “L’arrivo dei visi pallidi” (The Arrival of the Pale Faces)
09 (19.05.49) - “Trofeo di scalpi” Tropy of Scalps)
10 (26.05.49) - “La danza del fuoco” (The Fire Dance)

11 (02.06.49) - “Il segreto dello stregone” (The Sorcerer’s Secret)
12 (09.06.49) - “Il clan dei ribelli” (The Rebel Clan)
13 (16.06.49) - “La valanga di pietra” (The Stone Avalanche)
14 (23.06.49) - “La morte del vecchio Castoro” (The Death of the Old Beaver)
15 (30.06.49) - “Il caribou d’argento” (The Silver Caribou)
16 (07.07.49) - “Il miraggio dell’oro” (The Golden Mirage)
17 (14.07.49) - “I padroni della Valle Nera” (The Masters of the Black Valley)
18 (21.07.49) - “Rocce Insanguinate” (Bloody Rocks)
19 (28.07.49) - “La sorgente avvelenata” (The Poisoned Spring)
20 (04.08.49) - “Il trionfo di Uklavara” (The Triumph of Uklavara)

21 (11.08.49) - “Una donna fra gli orsi” (A Woman Among Bears)
22 (18.08.49) - “La prova del fuoco” (The Trial by Fire)
23 (25.08.49) - “Il valico aperto” (The Open Pass)
24 (01.09.49) - “La morte misteriosa” (The Mysterious Death)
25 (08.09.49) - “Una partita a poker” (A Game of Poker)
26 (15.09.49) - “Il ritorno di Mente Astuta” (The Return of Cunning Mind)
27 (22.09.49) - “Il supplizio di Ervo” (The Torture of Ervo)
28 (29.09.49) - “Il salto dalla roccia” (The Jump from the Rock)

Special Birthdays

Nada Kasapic (actress) would have been 100 today, she died in 2001.

G.D. Spradlin (actor) would have been 100 today, he died in 2011.

Zack Ward (actor) is 50 today. 

Spaghetti Western Locations for “Day of Anger”

We continue our search for filming locations for “Day of Anger”. Scott, now finished taking care of Talby’s henchmen stands in front of the saloon and calls Talby out. Talby walks out and faces Scott thinking he is still the better gunman. Scott has a different opinion and proves it by out drawing and shooting Talby. Frank asks Scott to get him a horse and he’ll leave town but Scott tells Talby he’s learned all the lessons too well and that, “He has to end it, or it might be that later he’ll try and kill him.” He shoots Talby dead. Scott turns and sees Murph’s lifeless body and says, “You won Murph”. Just then Blind Bill calls out his name and runs to his side. Scott shakes his head, throws his gun away and walks away with Bill. THE END.

This scene was filmed at Cinecitta western town set.

 

For a more detailed view of this site and other Spaghetti Western locations please visit my friend Yoshi Yasuda’s location site: http://y-yasuda.net/film-location.htm and Captain Douglas Film Locations http://www.western-locations-spain.com/

Special Birthdays

Olimpia Cavalli (actress) would have been 90 today, she died in 2012.

Helge Schneider (actor) is 65 today. 

Homage to Tonino Delli Colli in Bologna, Italy

Cinecitta News

8/26/2020

The documentary film 'Il Cinema Ritrovato' (Once Upon a Time ... Tonino Delli Colli Cinematographer) will be screened at the 'Il Cinema Ritrovato' Festival in Bologna, as a national premiere open to the public, a work commissioned by his son, Stefano, to fondly remember one of our greatest directors of film photography.

The film, made by Claver Salizzato and Paolo Mancini (Manafilm production) makes use of numerous testimonies, as well as some unpublished materials taken from Tonino's personal archive, and is inspired by the book Tonino Delli Colli, My Father. Between Cinema and Memories, published by Artdigiland in 2017.

Introducing the screening, scheduled for Saturday 29 August at 18:00 at the Odeon Cinema, will be the directors together with their son Stefano. Also present will be the niece, the film journalist Laura Delli Colli.

Who Are Those Composers? ~ Gian Piero Reverberi

Gian Piero Reverberi was born in Genoa, Italy on July 29, 1939. He is a composer, arranger, conductor and pianist. He is the brother of Gian Franco Reverberi. He graduated in piano and composition from the Niccolo Pagani Conservatory in Genoa. Under the tutelage of Sergio Lauricella he began performing at the age of 24. At the same time he became interested in popular music. In 1957 he began his career as an arranger with the song La gatta by Gino Paoli. He also worked with Luigi Tenco and Fabrizio De André during the 1960s. He also had important releases with Lucio Battisti. As a producer he was active such groups as the New Trolls and Le Orme. During the 1970s and 1980s he worked with such artists as Mina, Ornella Vanoni, Lucio Dalla, Paul Anks, Patty Pravo and Sergio Endrigo. In 1979 he founded the Rondò Veneziano a group which reached their pinnacle of success by selling 30 million copies throughout Europe, with a repertoire of original themes in the Baroque style on a modern rhythmic basis.

REVERBERI, Gian Piero (aka G.P. Reverberi, Giampiero Reverberi, Gianpiero Reverberi, P. Reverberi) [7/29/1939, Genoa, Liguria, Italy -     ] – composer, conductor, arranger, songwriter, brother of composer, Gianfranco Reverberi [1934-    ], married to Laura Giordano (1966-1976), founder, conductor of ‘Rondo Veneziano’.

A Colt in the Hands of the Devil* - 1967

Viva Django – 1968

Special Birthdays

Yvonne Sanson (actress) would have been 95 today, he died in 2003.

Spaghetti Western Trivia ~ Trinity Stamps

Here’s a photo of postage stamps issued by the Republic of Togolaise to honor the film stars Bud Spencer and Terence Hill.

RIP David S. Cass Sr.

David S. Cass Sr., a top stunt coordinator of the 1980s and 1990s, who segued to a directing career, died August 28, 2020 in Woodland Hills, California of complications from cancer. He was 78. Cass began his movie career as an extra. He transitioned to alternating between acting parts and stunt work, starting with the 1963 John Wayne film McLintock!, on which he performed stunts. He went on to become a sought-after stunt coordinator and second unit director with such credits as Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, Knight Rider 2000, Walker, Texas Ranger and the Desperado TV movie franchise. He directed the 2002 German, U.S.A. co-produced TV western film ‘Johnson County War’ starring Tom Berenger and Burt Reynolds.

Once Upon a Time in Spaghetti Westerns #15 "Tough Guys"

Join Jay Jennings and myself today at high noon PST as we run down and discuss the Spaghetti westerns of several American tough guys who appeared in the genre such as Jack Palance, Telly Savalas, Broderick Crawford and Chuck Connors. Find out about their lives, films and some trivia you may not have been aware. See you at High Noon.

Voices of the Spaghetti Western ~ “Those Dirty Dogs”

As we know most of the Euro-westerns were co-productions from Italy, Spain, Germany and France which incorporated British and American actors to gain a worldwide audience. The films were shot silent and then dubbed into the various languages where they were sold for distribution. That means Italian, Spanish, German, French and English voice actors were hired to dub the films. Even actors from the countries where the film was to be shown were often dubbed by voice actors for various reasons such as the actors were already busy making another film, they wanted to paid additional salaries for dubbing their voices, the actor’s voice didn’t fit the character they were playing, accidents to the actors and in some cases even death before the film could be dubbed.

                                                                                           

I’ll list a Euro-western and the (I) Italian, (S) Spanish, (G) German and (F) French, (E) English voices that I can find and once in a while a bio on a specific voice actor as in Europe these actors are as well-known as the actors they voiced.

Today we’ll cover “Those Dirty Dogs”

[(I) Italian, (S) Spanish, (G) German, (F) French, (E) English]

                          

Korano – John Garko (I) Sergio Graziani, (S) Manuel Cano, (G) Harald Leipnitz
Captain Chadwell Willer – Stephen Boyd (I) Michele Gammino, (S) Arsenio Corsellas, (G) Klaus Kindler
Lieutenant Younger – Howard Ross (I) Mamlio De Angelis, (S) Antonio García Moral, (G) Wolf Goldan
Angel Sanchez – Simón Andreu (I) Pino Colizzi, (S) Constantino Romero, (G) Klaus Löwitsch
Sergeant Washington Smith – Harry Baird (I) ?, (S) Juan Comellos, (G) Fred Klaus
Maria/Melissa Adams – Teresa Gimpera (I) Serena Verdirosi, (S) ?, (G)?
‘El Supremo’ – Alfredo Mayo (I) Carlo Croccolo, (S) Felipe Peña, (G) Eduard Linkers

MANUEL CANO [1926 – 1994]

Manuel Cano García was born in Zaragoza, Spain on April 5, 1926. He began his career as a radio announcer on Radio Zaragoza, in 1947 . Years later, in 1951, Cano moved to Barcelona, where he began his artistic career as a dubbing actor. After having worked at RNS and Radio Barcelona, he decided to leave radio in 1965 to dedicate himself fully to dubbing films, in which he had started in 1952, at the Voz de España SA studios in Barcelona. His first major role was voicing Stephen Boyd  in "Beh-Hur” (1959). After the lack of work in Barcelona and his disputes with some studios in Barcelona, ​​in the mid-70s, he decided to move to Madrid, where he would double until the end of his career (sometimes returning to Barcelona to dub). His quiet, medium, and supple "handsome boy" voice was just right for dubbing the Hollywood hunk of the 1960s and 1970s. Internationally renowned stars like Steve McQueen, Warren Beatty, Anthony Perkins, George Peppard, Yul Brynner, Sidney Poitier, Glenn Ford, Alain Delon, Lex Barker, Henry Fonda, Michael Caine, Gary Cooper, Tony Curtis, James Garner, Richard Harris, Franco Nero, Gregory Peck, James Caan or Robert Redford. He dubbed Max von Sydow as Jesus of Nazareth in “The Greatest Story Ever Told” in 1965. Cano considered Jack Nicholson the best actor of all time he voiced. He was considered by his colleagues as the voice of the leading man and possibly the most beautiful voice that dubbing has created. At the end of the 1980s he was diagnosed with lung cancer and died on April 14, 1994. in Barcelona, Spain.

Special Birthdays

Irina Wassilchikoff  (actress) would have been 110 today, he died in 1992.

Simon Oakland (actor) would have been 105 today, he died in 1983.

Maurizio Costanzo (screenwriter) is 90 today.

Tomi Cristin (actor) is 55 today. 

Eugene Byrd (actor) is 45 today. 

Carly Pope (actress) is 40 today. 

Who Are Those Gals? ~ Anjanette Comer

Anjanette Comer was born Dawson, Texas on August 7, 1939 to Rufus Franklin Comer and Sue (Perkins) Comer. She attended Dawson High School and then attended the Pasadena Playhouse.

Her first major TV role was a guest appearance on a 1963 episode of ‘Gunsmoke’, followed by several dramatic roles on ‘Dr. Kildare’ and ‘Bonancza’. In 1964 she received and Emmy nomination for her supporting role in an episode of ‘Arrest and Trial’. Her features film debut was in the 1964 comedy “Quick, Before It Melts” followed by a memorable role in the comedy satire “The Loved One”

Although Comer was cast opposite Michael Caine in “Funeral In Berlin” and even appeared in several publicity stills, she had to be replaced because of illness. She had another leading role as a love interest to Marlon Brando and John Saxon in the Western adventure “The Appaloosa” (1966). The film, shot on location in Mexico, presented Anjanette as a Mexican peasant girl, a role she repeated in “Guns for San Sebastian” (1968).

Comer's movie activity dropped off in 1970 after she played Ruth in the film version of John Updike's “Rabbit, Run” (1970). She later claimed she let her love life interfere with her work. Comer's later films include “Fire Sale” (1977) and the made-for-TV ‘The Long Summer of George Adams’ (1983). In subsequent years, she was frequently cast as mysterious or exotic characters.

Anjanette was married to producer, director, writer, actor Walter Koenig and then to Robert Klane from 1976-1983.

COMER, Anjanette (aka Anja Comer) [8/7/1939, Dawson, Texas, U.S.A. -     ] – film, TV actress, married to producer, director, writer, actor Walter Koenig (Walter Marvin Koenig) [1936-    ] (19??-19??), married to producer, director, writer Robert Klane [1940-    ] (1976-1983).

Guns for San Sebastian – 1967 (Kinita)

Special Birthdays

Darry Cowl (actor) would have been 95 today, he died in 2006.

Spaghetti Western Location ~ Dino De Laurentiis Studio

Dino De Laurentiis Studio was located southwest of Rome, Italy. Starting in 1947 De Laurentiis produced a number of classic films including “Three Days of the Condor”, “Serpico”, “Ragtime”, “Conan the Barbarian”. King Kong” and Federico Fellini's “La Strada”. In the 1960s he set up his own studio which collapsed in the 1970s. Today Cinecitta World sits on the former site of the studio

Western filmed partially or entirely at Dino De Laurentiis Studios

The Hills Run Red (1966)

Navajo Joe (1966)

Bandidos (1967)

Bang Bang Kid (1967)

Death Walks in Laredo (1967)

The Belle Starr Story (1968)

Death Rides Alone (1968)

The Man Who Cried for Revenge (1968)

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die (1968)

A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof (1968)

Vengeance (1968)

Boot Hill (1969)

I Am Sartana Your Angel of Death (1969)

Hey Amigo… a Toast to Your Death (1970)

A Man Called Sledge (1970)

Duck You Sucker (1971)

Return of Sabata (1971)

The Ballad of Ben and Charlie (1972)

Deadly Trackers (1972)

It Can Be Done Amigo (1972)

Special Birthdays

Joaquim Díaz (actor) would have been 90 today, he died in 2013.

The iconic guns used by Clint Eastwood in his Classic Spaghetti Westerns

Country Thang Daily

By Arden Lambert

July 7, 2020

Clint Eastwood’s early career started with a series of what became known as “Spaghetti Westerns” made by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone. The films are titled A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966). 

The series has become known for inspiring the creation of many more Spaghetti Western films. No wonder why the three films are consistently listed among the best rated Western films in history. But what made these three films more interesting were all the gun used by Clint Eastwood’s character, the “Man with No Name.”

Here they are!

 

To begin with, Eastwood used just one revolver in the first installment of Dollars Trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars, in 1964. That’s a Colt 45 Single Action Army or known as the Single Action Army or Peacemaker. 

This is a single-action revolver that consists of a revolving cylinder that holds six metallic cartridges. It was designed by Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company (which is now the Colt’s Manufacturing Company) for the U.S. government service revolver trials in 1872. It was adopted as the standard military service revolver until 1892.

The revolver was popular with lawmen, ranchers, and outlaws alike. Though Colt has canceled its production twice, they brought it back due to popular demand. 

 

Clint Eastwood returned as the same character in the sequel For a Few Dollars More in 1965. In this film, he carries the same a Colt 45 Single Action Army revolver. However, Eastwood briefly got his hands on a new rifle, one that’s a bit more out of the ordinary than a Henry or Winchester: a Volcanic Repeater rifle.

This relatively obscure gun, manufactured starting in 1853, was a lever-action pistol designed for target shooting. During that time, the weapon was one of the most innovative weapons. It had a very high rate of fire and has a higher capacity compared to its contemporaries. 

However, the gun had some shortcomings. It was prone to gas leakage around the breech and multiple misfires. It was also bulky and difficult to operate without using both hands. This was likely the final nail in the Volcanic’s coffin as the company was led to bankruptcy in August 1856.

Still, one of the world’s largest gun companies and the world’s most popular cartridge are here because of this obscure pistol. 

Sharps 1874, Winchester 1866 Yellow Boy Lever-Action Rifle, COLT 1851 (Cartridge Conversion).

 

Eastwood returned for his last, and probably the most famous film with Leone in 1966: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. The actor also got more time on a rifle in this film than in either of the others. He used a Sharps 1874 rifle with a ladder elevated sight to sever the rope around a bad guy’s neck as he was hanged in a graveyard as part of a bounty scam they’ve been running under a loose agreement.

Later in the film, Eastwood used a Winchester 1866 Yellow Boy lever-action rifle to make the same shot, though he only skimmed the rope with the first shot. The wooden forend of the gun has been removed to make it appear like a Henry 1860 rifle, but you can tell it’s a Winchester because of the loading gate on the receiver’s side. On a Henry, the cartridges were loaded at the front of the magazine tube. There was also no magazine tube loading break switch, which would be present on a Henry of that era.

Though his revolver still has a silver coiled snake on the grip, it has become a larger Colt 1851 Navy cartridge conversion revolver in this film.

Special Birthdays

Hayford Hobbs (actor) would have been 130 today, he died in 1957.

Leonardo Scavino (actor) would have been 115 today, he died in 1987.

Giacomo Rossi Stuart (actor) would have been 95 today, he died in 1994.

Sean Connery (actor) is 90 today.