Friday, April 17, 2026

RIP Alexander Morton

 


Scottish radio, TV and film actor Alexander Morton died in the U.K. on April 15th in Bath, Somerset, England. He was 81. Born in Glasgow on March 24, 1945. Morton began working in the 1970s in London and Scotland and he built a long and varied career on stage and screen. He made an impact as the villain Andy Semple in the Scottish Television soap opera ‘Take the High Road’, a part he played for 14 years between 1980 and 1994. His stage roles included Macbeth, Robert Burns and William Wallace. Morton appeared in two episodes of the Canadian, Scottish TV series “The Campbells” in 1987 and 1988 once as a cellmate and the other as Thomas.

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ August Diehl

[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.]

August Ferdinand Diehl was born in Berlin, Germany on January 4, 1976. Diehl is a German actor who has occasionally crossed over into Hollywood films. Diehl was born to a costume designer mother and an actor father, Hans Diehl. Diehl got his start on screen in a starring role, as Karl Koch in the Hans-Christian Schmid thriller "23," in 1998. He had a main part in his first cross-cultural film, the multilingual German-American crime-romance "Love the Hard Way," which starred Adrien Brody. After a string of German films, in 2005 Diehl took another role in a multilingual film, as Tiger in the Ellen Page-starring drama "Mouth to Mouth." In 2007, Diehl landed another major part, in the critically acclaimed crime drama "The Counterfeiters," about counterfeiting in Nazi-era Berlin. Based on a true story, the film won numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2008. In 2009, Diehl became even more visible to American audiences, through his appearances as Major Hellstrom in Quentin Tarantino's well-publicized, high-profile Nazi farce "Inglourious Basterds," and then as Mike Krause in the 2010 Angelina Jolie-starring action-thriller "Salt," about a double agent Russian spy. Diehl was back in German films that same year, with yet another major part, in the Lars Kraume sci-fi film "The Coming Days."

August Diehl appeared in two Euro-westerns: “The Adventures of Huck Finn” in 2012 as Pap Finn and as Hans in 2022’s “Sauerdogs”.

DIEHL, August (August Ferdinand Diehl) [1/4/1976, Berlin, Berlin, Germany -     ] – writer, film actor, singer, son of actor Hans Diehl [1940-2024], brother of composer, actor Jakob Diehl[1978-    ], married to author, producer, actress Julia Malik [1976-    ] (1999-2016) father of Elsa-Augusta Diehl [2009-    ], a son [2012-    ], a child with actress Marie Bäumer (Henrike Marie Bäumer) [1969-    ].

The Adventures of Huck Finn – 2012 (Pap Finn)

Sauerdogs – 2022 (Hans)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Gianni Crea

Gianni Crea is an Italian director, assistant director, writer and actor. He was born in Siderno Calabria, Italy on January 4, 1938. He was an assistant director on one film in 1965, wrote seven screenplays between 1969 and 2006 but was best known as a director. He directed ten films between 1969 and 2000. His reputation comes from the five Spaghetti westerns he directed in the 1960s and 1970s. “Legge della violenza – tutti o nessuno” (The Law of Biolence) in 1969, “Se t’incontro, t’ammazzo” (Finders Killers) in 1971, “Il magnifico west” (The Magnificent West), “…e il terzo giorno arrivò il Corvo” (on the Third Day Arrived the Crow) and “I sette del gruppo Selvaggio” (7 Devils on Horseback) all in 1972.

CREA, Gianni (aka Perry Dell) [1/4/1938, Siderno, Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy – 2010, Italy] – director, assistant director, writer, actor.

The Law of Violence – 1969

Finders Killers – 1971

Judge Them Quickly, Hang Them High and Bury Them Deep – 1971 [film was never

     made.]

The Magnificent West – 1972

On the Third Day Arrived the Crow - 1972

Seven Devils on Horseback – 1972


Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Walter Brough

Walter Brough was an American television and film writer and producer known for his contributions to iconic series including ‘Mission: Impossible’ (both the original 1960s run and the 1980s revival), ‘The Fugitive’, and ‘Dr. Kildare’. His work often spanned action, drama, and adventure genres, establishing him as a reliable contributor to episodic television during the mid-20th century and beyond.

Walter John Brough was born in Wallingford Pennsylvania on December 19, 1925, Brough served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before pursuing higher education, earning degrees from La Salle University and a master's in drama from the University of Southern California.  He relocated to California to launch his writing career, which extended from the late 1950s through the 1990s and included both produced and unproduced scripts across television and feature films. Notable credits also encompass ‘Route 66’, ‘Heart of the City’, ‘Spenser: For Hire’, and ‘Hunter’, along with films such as “Funeral for an Assassin” and “The Desperados”. In addition to writing, he occasionally took on producing roles and contributed to international productions filmed in locations including South Africa and Europe.

Brough's archive, preserved by the Writers Guild Foundation, documents his extensive body of work through drafts, production materials, and research, reflecting a prolific career in Hollywood's television landscape. He passed away in 2013.

Walter Brough wrote the screenplay for one Spaghetti western, “La marca de Cain” (The Desperados!) in 1969

BROUGH, Walter (Walter John Brough) [12/19/1925, Wallingford, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. –10/4/ 2013, Thousand Oaks, California, U.S.A.] – producer, writer, married to Frances G. Brough [1940-    ] (19??-2013) father of actress Alexis Demangelaere (Alexis Marcel Brough) [1969-    ], Emily Katherine Brough [1977-    ].

The Desperados! – 1969


Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Gerry Fisher

Gerry Fisher' is a British cinematographer known for his prolific career and especially his acclaimed collaboration with director Joseph Losey on films including “Accident” (1967) and “The Go-Between” (1971). He created distinctive visual atmospheres—moody and atmospheric in Accident, warm and nostalgic in “The Go-Between”—that enhanced the thematic depth of the projects he photographed

Born in London on June 23, 1926, Fisher entered the film industry in 1946 after wartime service in the Royal Navy, starting as a clapper boy and progressing through roles as camera assistant, focus puller, and camera operator on major productions such as “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957) and “Cleopatra” (1963). His breakthrough as director of photography came with “Accident”, when Losey invited him to step in, leading to a partnership on eight films including “The Romantic Englishwoman” (1975), “Mr. Klein” (1976), and “Don Giovanni” (1979). [1] He also worked with other notable directors such as Sidney Lumet on “The Offence” (1972) and “Running on Empty” (1988), Billy Wilder on “Fedora” (1978), John Huston on “Escape to Victory” (1981), and Russell Mulcahy on “Highlander” (1986).

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Fisher photographed over 60 feature films before retiring after “Furia” (1999).  His work earned him BAFTA nominations for “The Go-Between” and “Aces High” (1976), a César nomination for “Monsieur Klein” (1976), appointment as Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France in 1997, and the British Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.  Fisher died in Reading, Berkshire, on December2, 2014 aged 88.

Gerry Fisher was the cinematographer on one Euro-western, “Man in the Wilderness” in 1971

FISHER, Gerry (Gerald Fisher) [6/23/1926, London, England, U.K. - 12/2/2014, East Molesey, London, England, U.K.] – cinematographer, cameraman, married to Jean Hawkins [19??-2014] (1951-2014) father of cinematographer, cameraman Cary Fisher, appointed Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres [1997], British Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award [2008].

Man in the Wilderness – 1971


Franco Nero, who he is and what he does today: "In Italy they don't let me work" | Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame...

il Sussidiario

By Jacopo D'Antuono

April 5, 2026

Franco Nero, who he is and what he does today. From career successes to the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: "In Italy I'm a fish out of water..."

Today, Sunday 5 April, there is also the legendary Parma actor Franco Nero on Domenica In, guest of Mara Venier. Italian actor, producer and director, he is ready to talk about his career and private life, dreams and great goals achieved in the world of cinema, in particular in spaghetti westerns. Famous for playing the title character in Django (1966), he has starred in over 100 films, working with world-renowned directors. On the love life front he has practically always been linked to the actress Vanessa Redgrave, married in 2006. The couple had a son, Carlo Gabriel Nero.

In Hollywood he got his star on the Walk of Fame, yet in Italy he continues to be little considered compared to his career value. At the age of eighty-four, Franco Nero shrugs, on the other hand he has taken great satisfaction. "The Hollywood Walk of fame star is a great honor, because it means that I have sown well," he said in a beautiful interview with the Corriere website.

Franco Nero out of the 'circle': "That's why they don't let me work..."

In his passage to the well-known newspaper, Franco Nero also dwells on the fact that Italy has snubbed him a bit over the years. A skepticism that he cannot fully understand, but which he thinks is due to the fact that he is out of the 'right circle'.

"I'm a fish out of water compared to certain circles, but today is a day of celebration...", said the actor, thanking the Undersecretary for Culture Lucia Borgonzoni and Tiziana Rocca of Filming Italy Los Angeles. No desire to make controversy against his country which, as often happens, is not able to appreciate and recognize his talents.


Voices of the Spaghetti Westerns ~ “The Moment to Kill”

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.









Today we’ll cover “The Moment to Kill”

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

Lord – George Hilton (I) Pino Locchi, (S) Gonzalo Uriarte, (G) Rainer Brandt

Bull – Walter Barnes (I) Corrado Gaipa, (S) Juan Rodríguez-Guisán, (G) Martin Hirthe

Jason Forrester – Horst Frank (I) Nando Gazzolo, (S) ?, (G) Christian Brückner

Regina Forrester – Loni von Friedl (I) Fiorella Betti, (S) Mariles Jimenez, (G) Renate Küster

Trent – Renato Romano (I) Mario Feliciani, (S) Antonio Simón, (G) Lothar Grützner

 








Juan Rodríguez-Guisán  [1931 – 2008]

Juan Rodríguez-Guisán was a Spanish actor, director, and pioneer in Galician dubbing known for his contributions to film, television, and theatre in Galicia, Spain. Often regarded as the unofficial father of dubbing in the Galician language, he played a foundational role in developing dubbing practices and training in the region alongside his on-screen and stage work. Born in 1931 in A Coruña, Galicia, he appeared as an actor in Spanish films such as “Malapata” (1979) and “Los locos vecinos del 2º” (1980), directed “Bésame, tonta” (1982), and provided dubbing voices including for the film “Tango” (1993). Guisán also worked in television series like ‘Estudio 1’ and was a respected theatre director and teacher who inspired generations of students in Galicia through his dedicated instruction and encouragement. Juan Guisán entered the field of dubbing and voice acting around 1980. His career as a voice actor spanned until 2000, during which he participated in dubbing projects primarily in the 1980s and 1990s. He initially worked in the dubbing industry in Madrid during the 1970s and 1980s before returning to Galicia.This early phase in Madrid provided his introduction to voice acting for audiovisual productions, though public records of specific initial roles remain limited. Documented dubbing participations begin from 1980 onward, reflecting his active involvement in the profession throughout the subsequent years. His work during this entry period laid the groundwork for his later contributions to the Galician audiovisual landscape. Juan passed away on September 8, 2008, in A Coruña.


Special Birthdays

Rudolf Schündler (actor) would have been 120 today but died in 1988.








Sergio Sollima (director, writer) would have been 105 today but died in 2015.








Bill Ramsey (actor) would have been 95 today but died in 2021.









Douglas Frey (actor) would have been 90 today but died in 2003.







Manuel Esteba (director, writer) would have been 85 today but died in 2010.



Thursday, April 16, 2026

Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Giulio Dicorato

[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.]

Giulio Dicorato was born in Garganico, Puglia, Italy in 1964. He appeared in nine films and television series between 2017 and 2025. Dicorato began his career as a dancer for Rai and Mediaset in the early 1980s. A dancer "coming from the street", as he liked to remember, but with a great talent that made him much loved by his audience and insiders.

Not only Italy but also Spain and business meetings with great personalities from the world of television. Giulio Dicorato has, in fact, collaborated with Raffaella Carrà, Milva, Renato Zero and many others, reaching the great national and international stages.

With Milva he has trodden the biggest international stages, working as a dancer on her world tour. After his career as a dancer, he took on the role of actor as a figurator, before meeting director Mirko Alivernini at Cinecittà.

Dicorato died in Rome on December 13, 2022, at the age of 58.

Giulio Dicorato appeared in two Spaghetti westerns: “Il silenzio di Jill” in 2018 as the old man and as a cantina patron in “Oro e Piombo” (The Dutchman” in 2019.

DICORATO, Giulio [1964 Rodi Garganico, Puglia, Italy - 12/13/2022, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – dancer, film, TV actor.

Il silenzio di Jill – 2018 (old man)

The Dutchman – 2019 (cantina patron)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Frank Hall Crane

Frank Hall Crane was an American actor and film director known for his extensive work in silent cinema during the early 20th century.

Born on January 1, 1873, in San Francisco, California, Crane initially pursued a career on the stage before transitioning to film, making his screen debut in 1909 with the film “Ten Nights in a Barroom”. He appeared in more than 70 films, typically in supporting roles, and directed numerous silent features, including “The Stolen Voice” (1915), “The Family Cupboard” (1915), and “Tons of Money” (1924) [2].

Crane emerged as a prolific director during the silent film era, with his directing career concentrated between approximately 1915 and 1926. Sources attribute approximately 50–55 directing credits to him in this period, with variations across filmographies due to incomplete records of shorts.

He worked with several production companies, including Thanhouser, Vitagraph, Pathé, Astra, and the British firm Stoll Pictures. His directing credits also include collaborations with notable performers such as Irene Castle in films like “Vengeance Is Mine” and “Stranded in Arcady” (both 1917). Crane was married to Irene M. Titus, and he died on September 1, 1948, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.

Frank Hall Crane directed one Euro-western, “Hutch Stirs ‘em Up” in 1923.

CRANE, Frank Hall (aka E. Crane, Frank Cane, Frank H. Crane, Frank Crayne) [1/1/1873, San Francisco, California, U.S.A. – 9/1/1948, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.] – director, writer, actor, married to ? (1899-190?), married to actress Irene Crane (Irene M. Titus) [1881-19??] (1904-1948).

Hutch Stirs 'em Up – 1923


Spaghetti Western Screenwriters ~ Lino Brocka

Catalino Ortiz Brocka, known professionally as Lino Brocka, was a Filipino film director and activist who directed over 60 feature films, many of which critiqued social inequalities, urban poverty, and political oppression during the Marcos dictatorship.

Born in Pilar, Sorsogon on April 7, 1939, to a poor family, Brocka overcame limited formal education to become a leading figure in Philippine cinema, starting with his debut film “Wanted: Perfect Mother” in 1970 and producing works that blended commercial appeal with realist portrayals of societal ills.

His films, such as “Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” (1975) and “Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim” (1984), earned acclaim at international festivals including Cannes, where “Jaguar” (1979) competed for the Palme d'Or, and faced domestic censorship for exposing corruption and exploitation.

Brocka co-founded the Concerned Artists of the Philippines in 1983 to oppose martial law, participated in protests, and championed constitutional freedom of expression through his advocacy and screen works.

He received the 1985 Ramon Magsaysay Award for employing cinema as a tool for social commentary and public awareness.

Following his death in a Quezon City car accident on May 22, 1991, Brocka was posthumously declared a National Artist of the Philippines for Film by Proclamation No. 1113 in 1997, recognizing his enduring impact on national culture and critique of authoritarianism.

Lino Brocka co-wrote the screenplay for one Spaghetti western “I fratelli di Arizona” (The Arizona Kid) with Luciano Carlos in 1970.

BROCKA, Lino (aka Lino Brooks) (Catalino Ortiz Brocka) [4/7/1939, Pilar, Sorsogon, Luzon, Philippines – 5/22/1991, Quezon City, Philippines (car accident)] – director, writer, actor, uncle of producer, director, writer Q. Allan Brocka (Quenton Allan Brocka) [1972-    ], founded The Concerned Artists of the Philippines [1983], awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award [1985], National Artist for Film [1997].

The Arizona Kid – 1970 (co)


Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Luigi Fiori

Little to nothing is known about Italian director and cinematographer Luigi Fiori. He’s listed in the book Italian Film: A Who’s Who” but only a large filmography is listed. I do know he was born in Italy sometime in 1891 and I’m sure he’s passed on by now but I can find no specific date or place of death.

FIORIO, Luigi [1891, Italy – 19??, Italy] – director, cinematographer, cameraman.

La donna carnefice nel paese dell'oro – 1925

New German DVD “Der Mann aus Texas” (Texas Kid)

 








Der Mann aus Texas” (Texas Kid)

“The Texican”

(1966)

 

Director: Lesley Selander

Starring: Audie Murphy, Broderick Crawford, Diana Lorys

 

Country: Germany

Label: Pidax Film

Region: 2

PAL anamorphic widescreen

Aspect ratio: 16:9, 2.35:1

Languages: Dolby Digital 2.0 mono German, English, Spanish

Running time: 85 minutes

Extras: Reversible cover

ASIN: B0GF66H72Q

Available: April 16, 2026

Agostina Belli, who was her husband Fred Otto Robsahm | From marriage to illness while in prison

Il Sussidiario

By Jacopo D'Antuono

April 5, 2026

Agostina Belli, private life and love for her husband Fred Otto Robsahm: from marriage to illness contracted during detention

For at least fifteen years, in Agostina Belli's life there was a man who made her heart beat faster, it was her husband Fred Otto Robsahm, Norwegian actor and director. Born in Oslo in 1943, brother of actress and director Margarete Robsahm, Fred arrived in Italy at the height of the spaghetti-western season, carving out an important space in the Italian film scene. It was in Italy that he met Agostina Belli, on the set of Buried alive. From there an intense love was born that led them to marriage and a bond that lasted a long time.

A union that the actress herself has always remembered with affection and pain, because it was marked by a cruel fate. In fact, her husband contracted HIV at the end of the eighties, during a period of detention, it is rumored due to an infected syringe used to sedate other prisoners. A story that marked him forever and that ended up overwhelming their relationship as well.

Agostina Belli and Walter Chiari: a seven-year love story

In addition to the love story with the Norwegian Fred Otto Robsahm, Agostina Belli had a relationship with the actor Walter Chiari. For Chiari, after the end of his marriage to Alida Chelli, Agostina was one of the most important companions in his life. Agostina Belli has never had children and she told it without too many regrets in a beautiful interview with Domenica In, some time ago. "Life has given me so much and taken so much from me. The children didn't come, but I loved it very much," she said.

In other television interviews, always talking about her private life, Agostina Belli said she lives a quieter, more protected life, without a partner by her side. "Today I live peacefully, alone but not alone. I have the affections that matter", his words.


Special Birthdays

Walter Franck (actor) would have been 130 today but died in 1961.








Vjekoslav Radilovic [cinematographer] would have been 100 today but died in 1996.

Maurizio Pradeaux (director, writer) would have been 95 today but died in 2022.









Roberto Dell' Acqua (actor, stunts) would have been 80 today but died in 2019.









Eric Kristy [singer] would have been 75 today but died in 2016.



Wednesday, April 15, 2026

RIP Tony Williams

 


British-born professor of English and Area Head of Film Studies at Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale, Illinois and author Tony Williams died on April 14 in Carbondale, Illinois, he was 80. Born Anthony J. Williams on January 11, 1946 in Swansea, Wales, U.K., Educated at Manchester and Warwick Universities, Tony authored and/or co-authored Italian Western: The Opera of Violence (1975); Jack London: The Movies (1992); Vietnam War Films (1994/2011); Hearths of Darkness: The Family in the American Horror Film (1996); Larry Cohen: The Radical Allegories of an American Filmmaker (1997); Jack London’s The Sea Wolf: A Screenplay by Robert Rossen (1998); The Cinema of George A. Romero: Knight of the Living Dead (2003); Body and Soul: The Cinematic Vision of Robert Aldrich (2004); John Woo’s Bullet in the Head (2009); and James Jones: The Limits of Eternity (2016).).



Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Alessio Di Clemente

[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.]

Alessio Di Clemente was born in Florence, Italy on September 15, 1967. His paternal great-grandfather was a Native American of the Apsarok tribe and his great-grandmother was from Veneto, they emigrated to Canada in the 1920s.

He was a member of NATO special forces for 4 months, between 1991 and 1992 in Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Somalia; He became a sergeant major but did not want to be a professional soldier.

Accompanying his father to a fair, he met a friend of the latter who works in the world of cinema and suggested that he become an actor. Among 800 people who applied to enter the Experimental Center of Cinematography, he was among the 16 admitted. He embarked on a career as an actor, accumulating experience in theater and later also working in cinema and television. Former acting teacher at the Experimental Center of Cinematography where he graduated, he started his profession as an actor's coach and is the artistic director of Blow Up – Cinema and Visual Arts in Ferrara and acting teacher of Entr'Arte in Florence.

Active mainly in the theater, he has taken part in more than 50 plays, for years he has been touring his monologue Suerte.

Also, for television, Alessio has participated in various other fictions such as ‘Dr. Giò’, ‘A Woman as a Friend’, ‘The Team’, The Beauty of Women’ and the Raitre soap opera ‘A Place in the Sun’. From 2007 to 2008 he starred, with the role of Dr. Alberto Curti, in the Raiuno soap opera ‘Incantesimo 9 e 10’.

Alessio Di Clemente has appeared in two Spaghetti westerns: “Doc West” in 2008 as Garvey and as Mezzaluna Jack in “Il vagabond” in 2024.

Di CLEMENTE, Alessio [9/15/1967, Florence, Tuscany, Italy -     ] – theater, film, TV actor, married to producer, director, writer Ylenia Politano [1975-    ] (2008-    ) father of Johann Di Clemente [2005-     ], Eljas Di Clemente [2010-     ].

Doc West – 2008 (Garvey)

Il vagabond – 2024 (Mezzaluna Jack)

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Alex Cox

Alexander B. H. Cox was born in Bebington, Merseyside, England, a on December 15, 1954, and is an English film director, screenwriter, occasional actor, non-fiction author, and broadcaster, best known for his early cult classics “Repo Man” (1984) and “Sid and Nancy” (1986).

Cox's films are characterized by an anarchic punk aesthetic, anti-authoritarian themes, and a rejection of conventional Hollywood narratives, often blending satire, genre elements, and historical revisionism. After initial commercial success with “Repo Man”—a punk-infused sci-fi comedy that won the Grand Prize at the Sundance Film Festival—and the biopic “Sid and Nancy”, which earned Gary Oldman a BAFTA nomination for portraying Sid Vicious, Cox's career pivoted following the critical but box-office flop “Walker” (1987), an anti-imperialist take on the 19th-century filibuster William Walker that alienated studios and prompted his self-exile to independent and international productions.

Subsequent works like “Highway Patrolman” (1991), filmed in Mexico and praised for its gritty portrayal of corruption, reflect Cox's shift to low-budget filmmaking outside the U.S., where he has directed, written, and acted in projects emphasizing outsider perspectives and critiques of power structures. Despite mainstream marginalization—attributed by Cox himself to his uncompromising style and refusal to conform—his influence endures in indie cinema, with recent reflections underscoring a deliberate farewell to Hollywood's commercial constraints.

Cox is married to Tod Davies, an American writer, producer, publisher, and founder of Exterminating Angel Press. The couple has collaborated professionally on several projects, including script revisions for films such as “Three Businessmen” (1998), where Davies contributed uncredited work alongside Cox. They reside in Colestin, Oregon, a rural area near the California border, where they have lived for over several decades.

Alex Cox has directed five Euro-westerns “The Black Hills” in 1976, “Straight to Hell” in 1986,

“Back to Hell” in 2000, “Eventos en el campo” in 2022 and “Dead Souls” in 2024.

COX, Alex (Alexander B.H. Cox) [12/15/1954, Bebington, Merseyside, England, U.K. –   

     ] – producer, director, assistant director, author, writer, songwriter, cameraman, film editor, married to producer, actress Tod Davies (Todelina Babish Davies) [1955-    ] (2000-    ).

The Black Hills - 1976

Straight to Hell - 1986

Back to Hell – 2000

Eventos en el campo – 2022

Dead Souls - 2024


Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Eduardo Manzano Brochero

Eduardo Manzanos Brochero was born on November 10, 1919, in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He began his career after the Spanish Civil War by publishing a book of poetry. He also wrote several plays such as “Galileo” in 1948. His film career began in 1947 as the producer of “Dulcinea” directed by Luis Arroyo. In 1948 he co-wrote two films “Brindis a Manolete” and “Gente sin importancia” directed by José González de Ubieta.

Brochero became an important screenwriter during the Euro-western genre craze writing screenplays over 15 films between 1964 and 1973. Some of these films were “Charge of the 7th” and “Outlaw of Red River” (both 1964), “Kid Rodelo” (1965) “Ringo the Face of Revenge” (1967), “One by One” (1968), “Dead Men Ride” (1970) and “Fast Hand is Still My Name” (1973).

Eduardo wrote over 50 screenplays, directed 15 films and produced 45 films during his career from 1947 to 1983. He died in Madrid, Spain on September 16, 1987.

“Gli eroi di Fort Worth” (Charge of the 7th) with Alberto De Martino, “L’uomo della velle maledetta” (The Man from the Cursed Valley) with Eduardo Di Lorenzo, “Eduardo Di Lorenzo” (Outlaw of Red River) all in 1964, “Per un pugno nell’occhio” (A Fistful of Knuckles) with Roberto Gianviti and Amadeo Sollazzo, “Fugitivos de Yuma” (Kid Rodelo) with Jack Natteford, “La note del desperado” (Ringo’s Big Night) with Mario Maffei and David Moreno all in 1965, “Ringo, il volto della vendetta” (Ringo the Face of Revenge) with Mario Caiano in 1966, “7 pistole per un massacre” (7 Pistols for a Massacre) with Mario Caino and “Dos cruces en Danger Pass” (Two Crosses at Danger Pass) in 1967, “Tutto per tutto” (Go for Broke) with Nino Stresa and “La salvaje venganza del Gringo” (One by One) with Odoardo Fiory, Marino Girolami and Tito Carpi, “…e intorno a lui fu morte” (Tierra Brava) with Oduardo Fiory all in 1968, “La morte sull alta’collina” (Death on High Mountain) with José Mallorquí Figuerola in 1969, “Una novola di polvere... un grido di morte... arriva Sartana” (Gunman in Town) with Tito Carpi and Ernesto Gastaldi and “Matalo!” Nico Ducci and  Mino Roli both in 1970, “El bandido Malpelo” (The Bandit Malpelo) and “Anda muchacho, spara!” (Dead Men Ride) with Bruno di Geronimo and Aldo Florio both in 1971 and “Mano rápida” (Fast-Hand is Still My Name) with Sergio Ciani, Vittorio Salerno, Alberto Cardone in 1973

BROCHERO, Eduardo Manzanos (aka Silver Bem, E.M. Brochero, Eduardo Brochero, Eduardo M. Brochero, Eduardo Maria Brochero, Edward M. Brochero, Manzanos, E.B. Manzanos [11/10/1919, Madrid, Madrid, Spain – 9/16/1987, Madrid, Madrid, Spain] – producer, production manager, director, writer, married to actress María Luz Galicia (María Luz Galicia Gonzalo) [1940-    ] (19??-1987).

Charge of the 7th – 1964 (co)

The Man from the Cursed Valley – 1964 (co)

Outlaw of Red River - 1964

A Fistful of Knuckles – 1965 (co)

Kid Rodelo – 1965 (co)

Ringo’s Big Night – 1965 (co)

Ringo, the Face of Revenge – 1966 (co)

7 Pistols for a Massacre – 1967 (co) [Eduardo M. Brochero]

Two Crosses at Danger Pass – 1967 (co)

Go for Broke – 1968 (co) [as Eduardo Maria Brochero]

One by One - 1968 (co) [as Eduardo M. Brochero]

Tierra Brava – 1968 (co)

Death on High Mountain – 1969 (co)

Gunman in Town – 1970 (co)

Matalo! – 1970 (co) [as Eduardo Manzanos]

The Bandit Malpelo – 1971 [as Edward M. Brochero]

Dead Men Ride – 1971 (co) [as E.M. Brochero]

Fast-Hand is Still My Name – 1973 (co) [as Eduardo M. Brochero]


Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Mario Fioretti

Mario Fioretti was an Italian cinematographer known for his work in Italian cinema and television during the 1960s and 1970s.

Born on October 16, 1924, in Rome, Italy, Fioretti developed a career as a director of photography on a range of projects, from genre films to historical and biographical television productions. He frequently collaborated with renowned director Roberto Rossellini, serving as cinematographer on notable works such as “Blaise Pascal” (1972) and “Augustine of Hippo” (1972). His other credits include “African Story” (1971), “The Big Game” (1973), and “The Spy with Ten Faces” (1966), showcasing his versatility across different styles and genres. He continued working until later in his career and remained based in Rome throughout his life. He married poetess Emilia Brebbia in 1945 and they had a son named Carlo born in 1947.

Fioretti died on June 3, 2008, in his native city at the age of 84.

Mario Fioretti was a cinematographer on four Spaghetti westerns: “I sentieri dell’odio” (Bullets and Flesh) with Manuel Berenguer in 1964, “Due rrringos nel Texas” (Two R-R-Ringos from Texas) in 1967, “Un i dannati della violenza” (Black Jack) in 1968 and “Le juge Roy Bean” (Judge Roy Bean) in 1971.

FIORETTI, Mario (aka M. Fioretti) [10/16/1924, Rome, Lazio, Italy – 6/3/2008, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – cinematographer, cameraman, married to poetess Emilia Brebbia (1945-2008) father of Carlo Fioretti [1947-    ].

Bullets and Flesh – 1964 (co)

2 RRRingos no Texas - 1967

Black Jack – 1968

Judge Roy Bean – 1971

When the Wild West conquered Turin: Buffalo Bill's incredible days under the Mole

The show was set up in the old Piazza d'Armi, in the area where the Polytechnic stands today

Quotidiano Piemontese

By Gabriele Farina

April 3, 2026

In April 1906, Turin stopped being a sober industrial capital for a few days and turned into something decidedly more exotic: an American frontier, populated by cowboys, Sioux Indians, galloping horses and overseas myths. The merit? Of Buffalo Bill, born William Frederick Cody, who with his famous "Wild West Show" brought the Wild West to the heart of Piedmont.

The arrival of a global myth

When Buffalo Bill arrived in Turin, he was no longer a cowboy, and he was not simply an artist: he was a true international celebrity. A former bison hunter, scout and showman, he had already conquered Europe and the United States with his traveling show, a gigantic show that mixed theater, circus and historical re-enactment.

His arrival in the city, between 22 and 26 April 1906, was preceded by a real media campaign: posters, articles and word of mouth ignited the curiosity of all social classes, from nobles to commoners.

Turin, already undergoing great industrial and cultural transformations, was overwhelmed by the event.

A city invaded by the Wes

The show was set up in the old Piazza d'Armi, in the area where the Polytechnic stands today. In a few hours, an entire portion of the city was transformed into a western village.

The numbers were impressive:

Over 800 artists and extras

about 500 horsepower

a 12,000-seat grandstand

three trains loaded with equipment and sets

A gigantic organizational machine, which anticipated the great modern events by decades. To think that everything was assembled in a few hours literally left the Turinese speechless.

The show: between myth and reality

The "Wild West Show" was an immersive experience ante litteram. On stage there were:

Assaults on stagecoaches

Battles between cowboys and Native Americans

Demonstrations of skills on horseback and with weapons

Among the protagonists were real Native Americans, including famous bosses such as Sitting Bull, who played ... themselves.

And here comes one of the most surprising curiosities: during the performances, it seems that some of them shouted insults at the audience ... without anyone understanding a word. The Turinese, unaware, applauded enthusiastically.

A small cultural short circuit that today makes you smile.

Success: record numbers

In just five days, about 80,000 spectators attended the show.

An extraordinary result for the time, which shows how powerful the myth of the West was also in Europe. For many Turinese, it was the first opportunity to see live a world until then known only through stories and newspapers.

Turin that sings the West

The impact of the event was such that it immediately entered popular culture. The Piedmontese storyteller Eugenio "Veritas" dedicated a song in dialect to the show: "Buffalo Bill in Turin".

The song told a semi-legendary story: a certain Rosina who, with the excuse of the show, indulges in a romantic getaway with a member of the troupe.

Truth or invention? It's hard to say. But the fact that the story has become a song tells a lot about the social impact of the event.

A meeting of worlds

The arrival of Buffalo Bill represented something more than a simple show: it was the meeting between two imaginaries.

On the one hand, the America of the frontier, epic and wild.

On the other, an elegant Turin but in full transformation, suspended between tradition and modernity.

For a few days, these two realities merged. And under the Mole Antonelliana, among dust, horses and Indian drums, the people of Turin were able to live – perhaps for the first and only time – the dream of the Far West.


Who Are Those Gals? ~ Agata Flori

 

Agata Flori as born on April 15, 1938. She is an Italian film actress renowned for her leading roles in Spaghetti westerns and Eurospy films during the 1960s and 1970s.

Born in Tunis, French Protectorate of Tunisia (now Tunisia), Flori entered the Italian cinema scene amid the boom of genre films, where she portrayed strong female characters in low-budget productions that defined the era's popular entertainment. Her career highlighted the international flavor of European filmmaking, with her Tunisian origins adding a layer of exoticism to her on-screen presence in roles often involving adventure and intrigue. Flori's performances contributed to the cult following of films like “Seven Guns for the MacGregors” (1966), where she played a key supporting role, and “Operation Kid Brother” (1967), a James Bond spoof that showcased her versatility in action sequences.

Flori entered the Italian film industry in the mid-1960s, making her professional debut with minor roles in comedic productions. Her first credited appearance came in 1964's anthology film “Extraconiugale”, where she portrayed Ileana in the segment "Il mondo è dei ricchi," a supporting role in a lighthearted exploration of marital infidelity. That same year, she appeared uncredited as a woman in an interracial relationship in the comedy “Primitive Love”, marking one of her initial forays into cinema as a newcome

Agata’s involvement in Spaghetti westerns during the late 1960s and early 1970s represented a peak in her acting career, where she frequently portrayed strong-willed female characters amid the genre's rugged, action-oriented narratives. Building on her earlier supporting roles, Flori transitioned into more prominent parts that capitalized on the Euro-western boom, often collaborating with producers like her husband, Dario Sabatello, who backed several of her projects. Her characters typically embodied romantic interests or resilient women navigating perilous frontier settings, contributing to the genre's blend of drama, humor, and stylized violence.

Agata Flori retired from acting following her appearance in the 1974 comedy “Pasqualino Cammarata... capitano di fregata”, marking the end of a career that spanned over a decade in Italian cinema

In her personal life, Flori was married to Italian film producer Dario Sabatello, whose work in the industry likely influenced her career trajectory within the vibrant spaghetti western milieu. After a series of appearances in titles such as “They Call Me Hallelujah” (1971) and “The Nephews of Zorro” (1968), she gradually withdrew from acting, leaving a legacy tied to the golden age of Italian genre cinema.

FLORI, Agata (aka Agata Flory, Agatha Flory) [4/15/1938, Tunis, French Protectorate of Tunisia -     ] – film actress, married to producer, writer Dario Sabatello [1911–1992] (19??-1992).

Seven Guns for the MacGregors – 1965 (Rosita Carson)

Up the MacGregors – 1966 (Rosita Carson) [as Agatha Flory]

I Came, I Saw, I Shot – 1968 (Rosario Fuentes)

The Nephews of Zorro – 1968 (Carmencita) [as Agata Flory]

Guns for Dollars – 1971 (Sister Anna Lee/Lieutenant Donovan)

The Return of Hallelujah – 1972 (Fleurette/Flori)