Little Known Western Actors ~ Paco Catala

[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.]

Francisco J. Catalá Ibañez was born on April 25, 1945, in Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain. Also credited as Francisco Caralá, Francisco Catala, Paco Catala, Patxi Catala, Francisco Catalá or Pachi Catalá, he had more than a hundred films in his filmography, in most of which he was a secondary or character participant. He worked in all kinds of titles and genres, and under the direction of some of the most outstanding directors of Spanish cinema. He made his debut in "El asfalto", a famous episode broadcast in 1966 of the television series’ Historias para no dormir’ (1964-1968), created by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador. After several uncredited films, his name appears for the first time on the big screen in “Pim, pam, pum... ¡fuego!” directed by Pedro Olea in 1975. He specialized in characters from marginal environments and humble backgrounds thanks to his very characteristic physical features. He combines popular titles such as “The Crazy History of the Musketeers” directed by Mariano Ozores in 1983, “El Cid cabreador” by Angelino Fons in 1983, “Sea Serpent” by Amando de Ossorio in 1984 and in films by emerging directors who make up the new landscape of Spanish cinema with the arrival of democracy.

Paco Catala died in Madrid on August 7, 2020, at the age of 75.

Paco appeared in four Euro westerns: “El regreso de los siete Magnificos” (The Return of the Seven) in 1966, “Al oeste de Río Grande” in 1983, “The New Zorro TV series and “Trinita & Bambino… e adesso tocca a noi” (Sons of Trinity) in 1994 as Porfirio

CATALA, Paco (aka Frank Catal, Francisco Catala, Francisco Catala, Pachi Catala, Paco Catalá, Patxi Catala, Patxy Catala, Pachi Catalá) (Francisco J. Catalá Ibañez) [4/25/1945, Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain – 8/7/2020, Madrid, Madrid, Spain] – film, TV actor.

The Return of the Seven - 1966

Al oeste de Río Grande – 1983

The New Zorro (TV) – 1990, 1991, 1992 [Season 2, episode 15 “The Marked Man’

     (lancer Perez), season 3, episode 11 ‘The Old Flame’ (Perez), season 3, episode 21

     ‘One Special Night’ (Perez)

Sons of Trinity – 1994 (Porfirio)