Who Are Those Guys? ~ Alvaro De Luna

 

Alvaro De Luna Blanco was bornin Madrid, Spain on April 10, 1935. He studied medicine and it was here that his passion for acting was also awakened.

He started out as a stuntman, which gave him the opportunity to work in Hollywood. He dubbed Old West films in productions by Italian director Dino de Laurentiis and action scenes for Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis in Stanley Kubrick's "Spartacus" (1960) and for Anthony Quinn in Richard Fleischer's "Barabbas" (1962). After five years as a professional in this field outside Spain (France, North Africa, Yugoslavia and Italy), Alvaro de Luna dedicated himself entirely to acting, especially in Spanish television and cinema.

He acted in more than one hundred films beginning his career in 1961 with an appearance in the “Colossus of Rhodes” directed by Sergio Leone and starring Rory Calhoun.

He was one of the most seen and recognizable faces in the Spaghetti western genre appearing usually as a Mexican bandit or henchman in 31 films beginning with a small role as a saloon patron in 1962’s “Torrejón City” and ending in 1981’s “Revenge of the Black Wolf”.

However, his popularity came first through television: the series "Curro Jiménez" captivated Spanish homes with those noble bandits that the mountains of Ronda hid. It premiered on 22 December 1976 on TVE and was directed by directors such as Rovira Veleta, Mario Camus, Romero Marchent and Pilar Miró, among others.

He refused to be labeled by his roles and always tried to vary his acting style and the characters he portrayed. He played on both sides of the law in his western appearances from bandits and henchmen to deputy sheriffs and other lawmen.

Alvaro De Luna died on November 2, 2018, from liver cancer.

De LUNA, Álvaro (aka Álvaro de Luna 'El Algarrobo', Alvaro De Luna, Alvaro de Luna, Al Luno) (Álvaro de Luna Blanco) [4/10/1935, Madrid, Madrid, Spain - 11/2/2018, Madrid, Madrid, Spain (liver cancer)] – theater, film, TV, voice actor, married to Carmen Baraja (1970-2018) father of lawyer Andrea de Luna Blanco, biologist Gabriela de Luna.

Torrejón City – 1962 (saloon patron)

Shoot to Kill – 1963 (henchman)

Gunmen of the Rio Grande – 1964 (Williams henchman)

A Fistful of Dollars – 1964 (Rojo gang member)

Hour of Death – 1964 (Burns)

Minnesota Clay – 1964 (Miguel)

Seven from Texas – 1964 (Burt/Burns)

A Fistful of Knuckles – 1965 (Sergeant Black)

In a Colt’s Shadow – 1965

Kid Rodelo – 1965 (Indian scout)

7 Hours of Gunfire – 1965 (Utter)

The Christmas Kid – 1966 (Burt Froelich) [as Al Luno]

The Hellbenders – 1966 (Bixby)

The Man from Nowhere – 1966 (Watch henchman)

Navajo Joe – 1966 (Sancho Ramirez)

Day of Anger – 1967 (Wild Jack henchman)

For a Few Dollars More – 1967 (Paco)

I Do Not Forgive... I Kill! – 1967 (outlaw)

15 Scaffolds for a Killer – 1967 (deputy sheriff)

For a Few Bullets More – 1967 (Aguador)

Cemetery Without Crosses – 1968 (deputy)

15 Scaffolds for a Killer – 1968 (deputy)

I Do Not Forgive... I Kill! - 1968 (bandit)

The Mercenary – 1968 (Ramón)

Cemetery Without Crosses – 1969 (deputy sheriff)

Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid – 1969 (Bad Jim henchman)

Companeros! – 1970 (John’s henchman)       

Sabata the Killer – 1970 (Garfield henchman)

Santana Kills Them All – 1970 (Patrick Kirby)

Sonny & Jed – 1972 (lawman in bowler)      

Revenge of the Black Wolf - 1981

Spanish Western – 2014 [himself]