[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]
Supposedly Tony Bland’s real name is Antonio Bland. This is his only film credit and his only Euro-western in an uncredited role. No biographical information that I can find.
BLAND, Tony (Antonio Bland) – film
actor.
A Wreath for the Bandits – 1967
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 be 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 “Djurado”
[(I) Italian, (S) Spanish, (G) German, (F) French, (E) English]
Djurado / Jim Golden Poker - Montgomery Clark (I) Renato Izzo
Barbara Donovan – Scilla Gabel (I) ?
Tommy's Wife Dorianne - Mary Jordan (I) ?
Ducaine the Tucan – Luis Induni (I) Sergio Rossi
Don José Rafael – Goyo Lebrero (I) Pino Colizzi
Marshal Ray Daller - Isarco Ravaioli (I) Giorgio Piazza
Mitzy – Margaret Lee (I) Mirella Pace
Giorgio Piazza (1925 – 2010)
Giorgio Piazza was born in in Rome on July 16, 1925. After graduating from the National Academy of Dramatic Art, he worked in various companies including that of Tino Carraro. In the early fifties he joined Vittorio Gassman's company, with whom he remained for a long period; At the same time, he began his dubbing career at CDC, later became president of CID, and then returned to SEFIT-CDC. In his long career, he worked on the dubbing of a large number of foreign actors, including William Holden, James Mason, Ray Milland, Dirk Bogarde, Michel Piccoli, Henry Fonda, and also Italians.
Gifted with a timbre of voice similar to that of
Gualtiero De Angelis, he was James Stewart's regular dubber, in the eighties
Piazza was responsible for the redubbing of the films “The Glenn Miller Story” (1954),
“Rear Window” (1954) and “The Woman Who Lived Twice” (1958). In the 1970s, he
began his career as a dubbing director, curating, among others, the Italian
versions of “Silverado” (1985), “Dances with Wolves” (1990), “Waterworld”
(1996), “Godzilla” and some television series including ‘The Octopus 4’ and ‘The
Octopus 5 - The Heart of the Problem’. His activity as a film actor was limited
to a few films, but he was very prolific as a dubbing director, from the
beginning of the seventies until the beginning of the 2000s. He died in Rome on
July 3, 2010, of an aneurysm, just 13 days before his 85th birthday.
[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]
Ricardo Blanco was born José Blanco Yegres in Cumaná, Sucre, Venezuela on February 19, 1940. He was an actor, director and theater teacher. actor, teacher. He came from a large family of 8 children. Among his most famous works are “Don Quixote”, “The Diary of Anne Frank”, and several plays by Tennessee Williams. He played in various TV productions and telenovelas of RKTV and Venevision. Sometimes he acted under the name Ricardo Blanco. In recent years, he was engaged in teaching, and on August 18, 2004, he passed away in Caracas from cancer at the age of 64.
Blanco’s only Euro-western was in the DEFA Indianer film “Tödlicher Irrtum” (Fatal Error) as Small Eagle in 1969.
BLANCO, Ricardo (aka Sixto Blanco) (José Blanco
Yegres) [2/19/1940, Cumaná, Sucre, Venezuela – 8/18/2004, Caracas,
Venezuela (cancer)] – film, TV actor.
Fatal Error – 1969 (Small Eagle)
“Killer Cailbre 32”
(Killer Caliber .32)
(1967)
Director: Alfonso Brescia
Starring: Peter Lee Lawrence, Hélène Chanel
Country: Spain
Label: Mon inter
Blu-ray
BD-R, gray market
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Languages: Spanish, German, English
Subtitles: Spanish
Running time: 94 minutes
ASIN: B0CV46BF2V
Release date: February 28, 2024
Javier de Rivera Corsini was born on July 29, 1901, in Las Palmas, Grand Canary Islands, Spain. Javier was a Spanish actor and film director. He appeared in around 200 films, alternating roles as protagonists, supporting actors and extras.
At the age of twenty, after finishing his degree as a commercial surveyor, he moved to Madrid to develop his true passion: interpreting. He began as an extra for a series of films by José Buchs: “Victim of Hate” (1921), “The Useless Miss” (1921), “The Paloma Festival” (1921), “Jailers” (1922) and “The Moorish Queen” (1922).
Gradually, he began to get roles of greater importance and in 1925 he obtained leading roles in films such as “El señor feudal”, “Ruta gloriosa” by Fernando Delgado, “La niena del cura” by Luis R. Alonso and “Madrid en el año 2000” by Manolo Noriega, the latter one of the few science fiction genre films in Spanish cinema.
He was famous by 1926, but with the arrival of the Franco regime, his acting career was paralyzed, so in the moment he took advantage of it to try his luck as a director, directing “The Tempest” (1944) and “Yebala” (1948), both with little box office success. From then on, he began to work as a dubbing director at the Cinearte Studios in Madrid.
In the 1960s he revived his career as an actor, although in secondary roles and even as an extra. As a curious note, it should be noted that he shared the cast with his countrymen Fabián Conde in “El ángel” (1969) by Vicente Escrivá and with Charles Quiney in “Plomo sobre Dallas” (1970), in “Los rebels de Arizona” (1970), both by José María Zabalza and in “Ivanna” (1970) and “La última aventura del Zorro” (1970), both by José Luis Merino.
On January 29, 1977, he received the A Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Entertainment Union
He died on March 31, 1993, in Madrid at the age of 91 in precarious conditions and practically forgotten.
Javier de Rivera appeared in a dozen Spaghetti westerns from “In a Colt's Shadow” in 1965 as Williams and was billed as Xavier de Rivera. His final appearance in a Spaghetti western was as a cameo role as a poker player in 1974’s “Patience Has a Limit, We Don’t”.
de RIVERA, Javier (aka Javier de Ribera,
Xavier de Rivera, Javier de la Rivera, Javier Rivera) (Javier de Rivera
Corsini) [7/29/1901, Las Palmas, Grand Canary Islands, Spain –
3/31/1993, Spain] – director, film actor.
In a Colt's Shadow – 1965 (Williams) [as Xavier de
Rivera]
Johnny West - 1965
Django Kill – 1966 (Oak henchman)
The Fury of Johnny Kid - 1966 [as Javier Rivera]
Rattler Kid – 1967 (prisoner)
Tierra Brava – 1968 (farmer)
Zorro the Conqueror – 1968 (village leader) [as Javier
Rivera]
Rebels of Arizona – 1969 (railroad formeman) [as Javier
Rivera]
$20,000 for Every Corpse – 1969 (railroad superintendent)
[as Javier Rivera]
Another Dollar for the McGregors – 1970 (poker player)
Bullets Over Dallas – 1970 (carpenter) [as Javier Rivera]
Patience Has a Limit, We Don’t – 1974 (poker player)
Robert Heymann (writer) would have been 145 today but died in 1946.
José Sepúlveda (actor) would have been 115 today
but died in 1969.
Harry Harris (actor) is 100 today.
Hilton McRae (actor) is 75 today.
Juan Yebra (actor) is 70 today.
Bret Davidson (actor) would have been 65 today but
died in 2017.
[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]
Pablo Blanco Soto is/was a Spanish character actor. According to the IMDb he appeared in fourteen films and TV appearances between 1967 to 1977. Among them were two Spaghetti westerns “Kitosch l’uomo che veniva dal nord” (Kitosch, the Man Who Came from the North) as the captain in 1966 and as a bartender in “uno, dos, tres… dispara otra vez” (Tequila) in 1972.
Whether he’s still living or not is unknown as there’s no biographical information on him that I can find.
BLANCO, Pablo (Pablo Blanco Soto)
[Spanish] – film, TV actor.
Kitosch, the Man Who Came from
the North – 1966 (captain)
Tequila! – 1972 (bartender)
The Sacred Tunnel Manuscript
Le manuscrit du tunnel sacré –
French title
The Sacred Tunnel Manuscript –
English title
A
2023 Spanish production [Studios Carre Films (Almeria), Sweetwater, Chilishop
2]
Producer:
Toni Carre, John and Janine Hutchins
Director:
Didier Methivier
Story:
Didier Methivier
Screenplay:
Didier Methivier
Cinematography:
Didier Methivier [color]
Music:
Didier Metnhivier, various
Running
time: 88 minutes
Story:
A man finds himself confronted with his past through a woman who fell from the
sky. His grandfather will help him in his investigations.
Cast:
Josephine
De L’Akrassay – Elisa Cernel
Farmer
Ize, General Ize – Jean Marc Jeanne
The
Man – John Hutchins
The
Woman – Janine Hutchins
Didier De L’Akrassay - Didier Methivier
Raoul De L’Akrassay - Didier Methivier
With:
Richy Tarroux, Antonio Carreño (José Antonio Carreño), Franky J. Cuadrron,
Antonio Amoruso, Elisa Tampieri, Manuel José Olava, Laura Felices, David
Hubbard, Carlo siebwright, Antonio José Lopez, Cristobal Lopez, José Fernandez
Mezcua, Dalila Lopez, Juan Castro, Les pietons
Giorgio Arlorio (writer) would have been 95 today but died in 2019.
José Corral Martinez (actor) is 60 today.
American character actor Charles Dierkop died February 25th
at Sherman Oaks, after a recent heart attack and bout with pneumonia. He was 87.
After portraying an uncredited pool-hall hood in the Paul Newman-starring “The
Hustler” (1961), Dierkop got to work with Newman again in “Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid” (1969) when he was hired to play Hole in the Wall Gang outlaw
George “Flat Nose” Curry. Dierkop had broken his nose in fights several times
as a kid, so he was rather suited for the part. Charles Richard Dierkop was
born on Sept. 11, 1936, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Dierkop was married to Joan
Addis from 1958 until their 1974 divorce. They had two children, Charles Jr.,
who died in 1990 at age 29, and Lynn. Dierkop appeared in only one Euro-western
as Cooper in 1989’s “Blood Red” starring Dennis Hopper and Giancarlo Giannini.
Czech born Swedish composer Georg Riedel died in
Stockholm on February 25, 2024, at the age of 90. Riedel, a name synonymous
with the enchanting background scores of Astrid Lindgren's cherished tales,
leaves behind a legacy that has been an integral part of Scandinavian
childhoods and beyond. His compositions, including the beloved 'Idas
Sommarvisa,' have not just entertained but also shaped the musical landscape of
children's literature in Sweden. He was born Georg Martin Ludvig Riedel on January
8, 1934, in Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia. Riedel's journey to musical
prominence began upon his family's relocation to Stockholm. Here, a young
Riedel transitioned from the violin to the double bass, uncovering a passion
for jazz that would eventually intertwine with the world of children's stories.
His induction into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame and the recognition with the
Children’s Culture Award are testaments to his enduring impact on children's
films and music. Georg composed the score for the 1964 Euro-western “Wild West
Story”.
[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]
José María Blanco Martínez was born in Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain in 1935. He appeared as an actor in over 135 films and TV series between 1963 and 2004. He also directed three films and wrote screenplays for three films.
Blanco was trained at the Barcelona Theatre Institute, the School of Actors (Barcelona) and the Liceu Conservatory, José María Blanco began his career in radio were followed by 19 jobs in theater, among his various activities is also that of having directed dubbing.
In 2012 he was nominated for the Gaudí Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Open 24 h” by Carles Torras. He was awarded Best Actor for his appearance in “La otra cena” (The Other Supper). He has also won at the 2015 Southampton International Film Festival the Award for Best Editing of a Short Film with the film "Con Quién Sueña Berta", directed by Fco. Gómez Pinteño.
José María Blanco has appeared in three Spaghetti westerns: “Sartana non perdona” (Sonora) in 1968, “Descenso al infierno” (Descent into Hell) in 2012 as the old man and in 2015 he played the sheriff in “La primera Piedra”.
BLANCO, José María (aka José
M. Blanco) (José María Blanco Martínez) [1935, Barcelona,
Barcelona, Spain - ] – director,
assistant director, writer, cinematographer, film editor, film actor.
Sonora – 1968
Descent into Hell – 2012 (old man)
La primera Piedra – 2015 (sheriff)
Django
(1966)
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Starring: Franco Nero, Eduardo Fajardo, Loredana Nusciak,
Jose Bodalo
Country: Spain
Label: Divisa / Mercury Films
Region: 0
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Languages: Mono 2.0 Spanish, Italian, Mono 5.1 English, Spanish
Subtitles: Spanish
Running time: 92 minutes
Extras: Gallery, filmographies, posters
ASIN: B0CS3ZCCH7
Release date: February 26, 2024
The photo below is a screen shot from the Spaghetti westerns “Scalps” made in 1987 in
New Frontier, Tabernas, Almeria, Spain. This is the same
location used for Charles Bronson’s “Chino” (1973) and Alex Cox’s “Straight to
Hell” (1987) filmed the same year. Today nothing exists but a few crumpled
foundations and scraps of wood.
The same location as seen in 2023.
Adventure – Far West Adventures
This comic book series started as a monthly then bimonthly which was published in 1948 in Genoa, Italy by Edizioni Avventure under the direction of Giovanni De Leo. It presents prose stories of the western genre, written by Gian Luigi Bonelli (J. B. O'Selly), Giovanni De Leo (Little John), Renzo Barbieri and William Donald author of Red Killer. The black and white illustrations were drawn by Alvaro Mairani, Aldo Profumo, Epar, A. Todarello, Gallieno Ferri (Fergal). Coverswere created by Alvaro Mairani (Almay) and Aldo Profumo. Beginning with issue #13 The magazine name changed to Far West Adventures. On the August 1950 #15 the date is stamped above May-June 1950, just as the writing A.G.I.R.E. is stamped above the Messaggerie Italiane distributor. Announced but not found the number. #16 "Tomahawk"
The series premiers with issue #1 on October 30, 1948, and
ended with #15 on June 5, 1950. Each issue contained 48 pages.
Titles
01 (30.10.48) - “Quando la morte chiama” (When Death Calls)
02 (30.11.48) - “Sangue sulla frontiera” (Blood on the
Border)
03 (30.01.49) - “Il Ranch Maledetto” (The Cursed Ranch)
04 (28.02.49) - “Il vampiro di Kansas City” (The Kansas City
Vampire)
05 (31.03.49) - “Il rodeo della morte” (The Rodeo of Death)
06 (28.02.49) - “L'implacabile Cow Boy” (The Relentless
Cowboy)
07 (00.07.49) - “La vendetta di Tommy Whiles” (The Revenge
of Tommy Whiles)
08 (00.08.49) - “Frontiere selvagge” (Wild Frontiers)
09 (00.09.49) - “Satan” (Satan)
10 (00.10.49) - “La signora del West” (The Lady of the West)
11 (00.11.49) - “Il bandito” (The Bandit)
12 (01-02.50) - “La legge del sangue” (The Law of Blood)
13 (02-03.50) - “Jane Custer” (Jane Custer)
14 (04-05.50) - “La via della sete” (The Road of Thirst)
15 (05-06.50) - “Pain della morte” (Pain of Death)
Toni Secchi (director, writer, cinematographer) would have been 100 today but died in 2013.
Charles Dumont (composer) is 95 today.
Paolo Ferrari (actor) would have been 95 today but
died in 2018.
Ileana Dunareanu (actress) is 80 today.
[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]
Ángel González Blanco was supposedly a Spanish child actor. He’s credited by the IMDb as playing a young boy in 1971’s “Ciudad llamada bastarda” (A Town Called Bastard).
The problem arises as he’s not credited at all in the films end credits and the only young boys in the entire film are altar boys in the opening scene. One rings the church bell and the other closes the door to the church when the parishioners are all inside. So, which one is Ángel Blanco
BLANCO, Ángel (aka Angel Blanco, Stefano Charelli,
Ángel González) (Ángel González Blanco) [Spanish] –
film, TV actor.
A Town Called Hell – 1971 (young boy)
Im Tal der wilden Rosen – German title
Les exigences du coeur – French title
A vadrózsák völgyében – Hungarian title
La valle delle rose selvatiche – Italian title
En el valle de las rosas silvestres – Spanish title
A 2006-2008 German TV production [Polyphon Film-und
Fernsehgesellschaft (Hamburg),
Videoscope
Fernseh-Film GmbH (Berin)]
Producers: Frank Buchs, Andrea Nedelmann, Claus Beling,
Winka Wulff, Thorsten Ritsch, Dieter Stempnierwsky, Joe Thornton, Frank Huwe
Directors: Oliver Dommenget, Dieter Kehler, Stefan
Bartmann, Michael Keusch
Story: Ann Robinson
Teleplay: Barbara Engelke
Photography: Georgij Pestov, Mike Gast [color]
Music: Hans Günter Wagener
Running time: 90 minutes x 13 episodes
Cast:
Tim Ripley - Maximilian Werner, Ken Calhoun – Ralf Bauer., Doris – Carin C. Tietze, Pastor, Lucas – Alexander Wussow, Sheriff – Andreas Herder, Dr. Keating – James D. Hopkin, Dr. Gears – Jayson Therrien, Dr. Grace Scott – Sonsee Neu, Helen Wilkenbury – Leonore Capell, Casandra ‘Cassie’ Mills – Florentine Lahme, Rachel Bone – Urseula Buschhorn, Melissa Ridings – Denise Zich, Julie Moss – Christina Beyerhaus, Angela Arnett - Katja Weitzenböck, Kate Mulligan – Alexandra Schalaudek, Elizabeth ‘Lily’ Wright – Eva-Maria Grein von Friedl, Julia Richards - Inez Bjørg David, Emily Wheeler – Kathrin Kühnel, Jeremy – Hardy Krüger Jr., James Baker – Patrick Fichte, Robert Ripley – Oliver Bootz Justin Carter – Florian Fitz, Jake Cross – Erol Sander, Darren Scofield – Jochen Horst, Greg Greers – Marcus Grüsser, Cal Withers – Wayne Carpendale, Henry Castleton - Philippe Brenninkmeyer, cattle buyer – Neil Fifer, Michael – Dan Hoch, Sarah Ripley Eva Habermann, Phil Gleason – Hendrik Duryn, Matt Stevens - André Röhner, Ron Berenson – Mirko Lang, Margret ‘Maggie’ – Anne Brendler, Pastor Ben - Moritz Lindbergh, Mary O’Connor Jana Voosen, Charles Anderson - Günther Maria Halmer, Andrew Baker – Jacques Breuer, Alice Greers - Hanna Schwamborn, Walter Cross – Daniele Legler, Dick Mills – Ralf Lindermann, Terence Hudson – Peter Ketnath, Monica - Nina-Friederike Gnädig, Janet Berenson – Janette Rauch, Warren Johnson – Peter Sattmann, Sheriff Joe Carmody - Alexander-Klaus Stecher, David Wilkenbury – Mathias Hermann, Henry – Andreas Brucker, Susan Anderson – Julia Stemberger, Steve Greers – Patrick Rapold, Hazel Brooks – Monika Peitsch, Abraham ‘Abe’ Ross – Helmut Zierl, Shirley – Christine Reinhart , Ted Wheeler – Martin Rapold, Ed Richards - Max Herbrechter, Mildred Johnson – Edda Leesch Mabel Poltrane - Alexandra Reimer-Duffy, Agatha Miller – Anja Kruse, Ruth Abbanat - Eleonore Weisgerber, William Scott – Stefan Gubser, Jack – Patrick Wolff, Tom Cross – Oliver Clemens, Cindy Kaloon – Jessica Boehrs, Polly Waltz – Luise Bähr, Helen Berenson - Ruth-Maria Kubitschek, Big Daddy Cledus Rodham – Rainer Hunold, silk merchant Jerry - Miguel Herz-Kestranek,l Melly Scott – Kim-Sarah Brandts, Charlotte Withers – Gaby Dohm, Michael Perry – Pascal Breuer, Gladys Cross – Kyra Mladeck, Governor - Neithardt Riedel, Russel Davis – Matthias Schlool Graham Parker – Christoph von Friedl, Jane Mulligan – Claudia Rieschel, Caroline Richards – Rosa Lenz, Jenny – Caroline Erikson, Virginia Becker - Marijam Agischewa, Carroll – Alissa Jung, Kevin Spikes – Oliver Breite, Rob – Dieter Montag, Walter – Guntbert Warns, Stanley ‘Stan’ Laken - Peer Jäger, Clive Bartlets - Thomas Anzenhofer, Tommy Blake – Brett McNevn, Anna-Marial - Lisa Karlström, Fredric Ross – Sebastian Deyle, Father of Sarah and Ben - Oliver Törner, Betty – Gerlinde Locker, Caroline - Sylvia Leifheit, maid – Nicole Zylstra, Bruce Franklin – Eric Langner, hotel owner -Thomas Rudnick, Cris Nannarone, Susannah Carter – Erika Walter, Ernest Miller – Peter Bongartz, Ben Harper – Thomas Douglas, country fair goer – Adam Bergquist, Abby – Jeanne Tremsal, chef Trudi - Irmgard Jedamzik, ticket clerk – Michael Hamper, Anwalt – Gerry Hennessey, Violet Bottoms – Anna Clarin, Elizabeth – Airyn Street, Madeleine – Julia Maxwell, Nora – Grit Boettcher, Cooper – Cliff Liknes, Becky Johnson – Lauren Calvert, sawmill foreman – Mitchell Verigin, nurse – Michelle Hang, foreman Bob – Patrick J. MacEachern, iron monger – Gerald Matthews, Lee – John Hoogstraten, Eve Spikes – Bryn Robertson, customer – Emile Bertrand, Lucy Arnett – Julia Meier, builder – Matthew Overall, Native American woman - Ruby Englechilds, Big Daddy’s maid – Shaima Hand, Jimmy – Clayton Smith, mother of Jake – Kayla Popp, with Nick Stanwood
The focus is on women who ventured into new territory in the pioneering era of the 19th century and built a new life with hard work and had to fight for survival. It shows women who practice practical professions (doctor, midwife, seamstress), but also women with artistic professions (writer, photographer). On several occasions, the young lovers have been contrasted with a love affair in their parents' generation. Some characters, such as the village priest Lucas, the grocer's wife Doris, the officer and Major Calhoun, or the old Indian Nakota, appear in two films in the television series.
[Episode list 1) What the Heart Commands, 2) Renunciation
Out of Love, 3) To the Ends of the Earth, 4) Heart in the Wind, 5) Triumph of
Love, 6) In the Heart of Truth, 7) Legacy of Love, 8) Ride to Happiness, 9)
River of Love, 10) Peak of Love, 11) Examination of the Heart, 12) Torn Hearts,
13) The Power of Love]
The TV series was shot at Calgary's CL Western Ranch in Alberta, Canada.
[submitted by Michael Ferguson]
We continue our search for locations for “Face to Face”. As the men go through the mail looking for money Brad finds one with over $1000 and a letter from the old couple who are sending the money from the sale of the ranch to their son. Beau tells him to stop reading the letter as it begins to hit his conscience. Beau tells Brad he can leave if he doesn’t like their line of work. Brad says he can’t, he’s burned his bridges. Brad’s chosen the life of an outlaw.
This scene was shot Puerto de Navacerrada, Navacerrada, Madrid, Spain.
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/
Anton Reimer [voice actor] would have been 120 today but died in 1970.
Josef Mach (director) would have been 115 today but
died in 1987.
Bernard Bresslaw (actor) would have been 90 today
but died in 1993.
Roland Knappe [voice actor] is 80 today.
Léonie Thelen (actress) is 65 today.
[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]
George Paul Blagden was born in London, England on December 28, 1989. Blagden was raised near to Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and began singing at age 13, performing in various choirs and his own rock band. After studying at Old Buckenham Hall School, Suffolk, he was accepted into Oundle School with a drama scholarship, and appeared in the school's Stahl Theatre in such roles as “The Baker in Into the Woods” and “Marc in 'Art'”. Also while at Oundle, Blagden became a member of the National Youth Theatre and was selected as one of four students to participate in a masterclass with Sir Ian McKellen. Following his graduation, he studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which he graduated in 2011. He has a younger sister, Katie, who is a writer and filmmaker.
In 2011, Blagden received his first acting role as Andy in the feature film “After the Dark”, which was released in 2014. He has since appeared in “Wrath of the Titans”, “Les Misérables”, “Vikings”, and as the lead character of Louis XIV in the drama series ‘Versailles’.
Blagden married actress Laura Pitt-Pulford on 29 September 2019.] The couple have a son, Arlo Peter Blagden born in October 2020.
George Starred in the Euro-horror western “Blood Moon” in 2014 as Jake Norman.
BLAGDEN, George (George
Paul Blagden) [12/28/1989 London, England, U.K. - ] – theater, film, TV actor, singer,
brother of writer, filmmaker Kate Blagden [199?- ], married to actress Laura Pitt-Pulford
[1983- ] (2019- ) Arlo Peter Blagden [2020- ].
Blood Moon – 2014 (Jake Norman)
'Fun West', the piece of the Wild West hidden among the mountains of El Campello
De Alicante
By Jorge Verdú
February 20, 2024
The peculiar town transports its visitors to the nineteenth century with its buildings and decorations, being the scene of multiple productions.
Nestled between the semi-desert mountains of El Campello, a village in the far west remains calm. The sheriff is not in his office, there are no bandits in the jail, the hospital seems closed and there are no believers in the church, the armory has no customers to sell shotguns to, and the only one waiting at the bank door is a donkey that brays if any stranger approaches.
"It's the alarm here," says a man in the restaurant behind the well and near the gallows. He is the owner of the land, but he does not have a hat. Ramon Rodriguez has just fired a visitor who plans to do on-site activities to foster relationships among his company's workers.
Rodríguez receives EL ESPAÑOL de Alicante while enjoying the calm of his domains in the beautiful setting of the Barranc d'Aigües, only interrupted by calls to his phone from clients interested in using the sets of the 'Fun West' estate for photo shoots, filming, events, weddings...
This piece of the Far West in Alicante opened in 1985 and has 250,000 square meters, of which more than 120,000 is occupied by the peculiar theme park, the first in the entire province. The similarity of its sets with the towns near the Mississippi River in the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century makes it a lure for directors, producers, artists, bikers, birthday boys or anyone who wants to travel back in time.
Its unique enclave, between mountains and without any building, factory, or highway in sight to take its visitors out of the charm, make it a jewel built from wooden planks. "Everything has been filmed here, movies, music videos, series and even adult films," says the owner.
Some of the most important productions that have chosen the 'Fun West' as a setting have been the Amazon Prime series Sin Huellas (Without Traces), Bala Perdida, a 2003 feature film, or music videos by groups such as Sweet California. "Pedro Almodóvar was last summer looking at him for one of his projects," adds the owner.
The facility also features a Western-style lounge and restaurant, as well as teepee tents for actors to rest while filming, and swimming pools cool guests off for parties or celebrations during the summer.
Rodriguez says he is negotiating with foreign companies to bring tour buses to the area, which also has a small circuit where car companies test their new models. The great activity of the estate makes El Campello benefit and fill its hotels and restaurants when the village is reserved for large events.
Nestled between the semi-desert mountains of El Campello, a village in the far west remains calm. The sheriff is not in his office, there are no bandits in the jail, the hospital seems closed and there are no believers in the church, the armory has no customers to sell shotguns to, and the only one waiting at the bank door is a donkey that brays if any stranger approaches.
"It's the alarm here," says a man in the restaurant behind the well and near the gallows. He is the owner of the land, but he does not have a hat. Ramon Rodriguez has just fired a visitor who plans to do on-site activities to foster relationships among his company's workers.
Rodríguez receives EL ESPAÑOL de Alicante while enjoying the calm of his domains in the beautiful setting of the Barranc d'Aigües, only interrupted by calls to his phone from clients interested in using the sets of the 'Fun West' estate for photo shoots, filming, events, weddings.
This piece of the Far West in Alicante opened in 1985 and has 250,000 square meters, of which more than 120,000 is occupied by the peculiar theme park, the first in the entire province. The similarity of its sets with the towns near the Mississippi River in the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century makes it a lure for directors, producers, artists, bikers, birthday boys or anyone who wants to travel back in time.
Its unique enclave, between mountains and without any building, factory, or highway in sight to take its visitors out of the charm, make it a jewel built from wooden planks. "Everything has been filmed here, movies, music videos, series and even adult films," says the owner.
Some of the most important productions that have chosen the 'Fun West' as a setting have been the Amazon Prime series Sin Huellas (Without Traces), Bala Perdida, a 2003 feature film, or music videos by groups such as Sweet California. "Pedro Almodóvar was last summer looking at him for one of his projects," adds the owner.
The facility also features a Western-style lounge and restaurant, as well as teepee tents for actors to rest while filming, and swimming pools cool guests off for parties or celebrations during the summer.
Rodriguez says he is negotiating with foreign companies to bring tour buses to the area, which also has a small circuit where car companies test their new models. The great activity of the estate makes El Campello benefit and fill its hotels and restaurants when the village is reserved for large events.
"A gathering of 3,000 bikers filled up a lot of hotels, just like when they come to shoot a movie that has hundreds of extras," he says. In addition, its use also extends to airsoft games and role-playing games.
Maintaining this treasure is not easy. "You have to paint it and change the boards when they break to be careful as when it was created," says the manager. He acquired it in 1999 and reopened it after the death of its creator after falling in love with it when he visited it for the first time.
"The specialists who worked here would come to my gym and always invite me to see them, until one day they stopped coming and I went. You could already see that it was in low hours, but I liked it a lot, although it didn't have roads, parking lots or electricity, and I did everything for it, with an underground light system so that it wouldn't break the image," says Rodríguez.
The owner has refused to build during all this time, "my intention has always been to maintain it and make an environment with a western atmosphere, but from the beginning they have put obstacles in my way," he laments. The problems with the City Council of El Campello have been going on for a long time and have even ended up in court for urban planning issues.
"The urban planning of 1986 hid the 'Fun West', and when they wanted to expand the municipality 30 years later, the only land disqualified was this one and, as it was not protected, they gave it to a third party to build on," he says about a duel that continues to this day.
Finally, it has not been built after "knocking down" the campellero plan and returning to the old ordinance by legal means, so now the consistory "puts impediments to make me leave and speculate with the land. Being the only beautiful thing they have in the village; they don't support any project.
The owner believes that the Guardia Civil is also trying
to "throw him out of there" with controls on the door and giving the
place a bad reputation "when nothing illegal has ever happened here".
The "plan drawn up" by the municipality against him wants to
"make me bored and leave, and they are not going to achieve that with me,
because I don't do it for money, but for hobby and to have it beautiful for the
people," he stresses.
María de los Dolores Ciga Rizo was born in Cartagena, Murcia, Spain on September 20, 1937. Under the stage name Mara Laso she is a Spanish film actress, who appeared in twenty-seven films during her film career that spanned from the 1950s to the 1970s. Her career started with “Red Cross Girls” (1958), a comedy from her native country, but she didn’t really step out from behind bit parts until she landed in a movie that allowed her to shred her bit parts. That film is “The Awful Dr. Orlof” (1962), directed by Jesus Franco. The Orlof of the title is a former prison doctor who abducts beautiful women to harvest their skin to repair his fire-scarred daughter’s face. Mara was one of his victims. Mara continued to work for decades and was last seen on screen in another thriller, “The Night of the Executioner” (1992)
Her musical side was much less well known, although he released three singles during the 1960s.
Mara’s only Euro-western film was an appearance as Peggy in 1962’s “Torrejón City” where she also sings “Oh Sheriff” on the soundtrack.
LASO, Mara (aka Mara Lasso) (María de los
Dolores Ciga Rizo) [9/20/1937, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain - ] – actress, singer.
Torrejón City – 1962 [sings: “Oh Sheriff”]
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