Spaghetti Western Director, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director – Alfonso Balcazar

Alfonso Balcázar Granda was born in Barcelona, Spain on March 2, 1926. The son of a furrier of Valladolid origin who had made his fortune in Barcelona, in 1950 he decided to leave the prosperous family business to dedicate himself to film production with his brother Jaime. The new activity was inaugurated with the financing of “Catherine of England” (1951), a film that was almost unfinished due to the bankruptcy of the original production company and which was followed by some titles of modest budget and clearly commercial vocation, such as the football comedy “Eleven Pairs of Boots” (1954). In the middle of the decade, co-productions with European countries and Mexico began, although it should be noted that from the administrative point of view they were not entirely "transparent" operations, in the sense that, for example, the credits did not refer to Mexican producers or French or Italian companies were created that, in the end, they were simple branches of Balcázar in Paris (Jam Films) or Rome (Enalpa). Alfonso progressively delegated the productive tasks to his brother to devote himself to directing, making his debut in 1959 with “La encrucijada”, a drama about the Civil War that offered a relatively impartial vision of the conflict and without excessive concessions to the propaganda of the victors. As Alfonso was aware that he lacked adequate professional training, from the first moment he surrounded himself with a team of efficient collaborators, especially scriptwriters such as Miguel Cussó or José Antonio de la Loma and assistants such as Paco Pérez-Dolz or the Italian Romolo Guerrieri

In the 1960s he dedicated his career to the western genre that was dominating the European cinemas. He and his brother were two of the biggest names in Spanish western film productions.

Alfonso Balcazar directed some 30 films between 1959 and 1983, wrote for 50 during that same time period and produced 21 films.  

Alfonso directed eight Spaghetti westerns and was sometimes credited as Al Bagran: “Doc, manos de plata” (The Man Who Came to Kill), “Los pistoleros de Arizona” ($5,000 on One Ace), “Que viva Carrancho!” (The Man from Canyon City) all in 1965, “Dinamite Jim” (Dynamite Jim) in 1966, “Clint, el solitario” (Clint the Stranger) in 1967, “Sartana no perdone” (Sonora) in 1968, “Hijos de pobres, pero deshonestos padres… le llamaban Calamidad” (Now They Call Him Sacramento” and “Judas... ¡toma tus monedas!” (Watch Out Gringo! Sabata Will Return) both in 1972.

BALCAZAR, Alfonso (aka Albagran, I. Albagran, Al Bagran, A. Balcazar, Alfred Balcazar) (Alfonso Balcázar Granda) [3/2/1926, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain – 12/28/1993, Sitges, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain] – producer, director, writer, brother of producer, director, assistant director, writer Jaime Jesús Balcázar (Jaime Jesús Balcázar Granda) [1934-    ], married to Celestina Bertrand Bertrand [1929-2005] (1949-1993) father of seven children, founded P.C. Balcazar Productions, Filmax Distribution Co. and built Espulgues City Studios.

The Man Who Came to Kill - 1965

$5,000 on One Ace – 1965 [as Al Bagran]

The Man from Canyon City – 1965

The Tavern of Sin – 1965 [Film was never made.]

Dynamite Jim – 1966

Clint the Stranger – 1967

Sonora -1968 [as Al Bagran]

Now They Call Him Sacramento – 1972 [as Al Bagran/Alfonso Balcazar]

Watch Out Gringo! Sabata Will Return – 1972 (co) [as Al Bagran]

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter – Piero Anchisi

Piero Giovanni Anchisi was born on June 29, 1928, in Gattinara, Piedmont, Italy. He was known as an actor and screenwriter, where he worked in 1973 as a screenwriter and writer in the biographical film entitled “Giordano Bruno” directed by Giuliano Montaldo. In 1976, again with director Giuliano Montaldo, he starred in the film “L'Agnese va a morire” in the part of Toni and in 1984 he wrote the screenplay for “One Hundred Days in Palermo” directed by Giuseppe Ferrara.

From 1965 to 2006 Anchisi acted in thirty-five films and television programs. He wrote 13 screenplays from 1968 to 1999.

Anchisi died in Rome on September 15, 2012, at the age of 84.

He co-wrote the screenplays for three Spaghetti westerns: “Il pistolero dell’Ave Maria” (The Forgotten Pistolero) with Ferdinando Baldi, Vincenco Cerami, Federico De Urrutia and  Mario di Nardo, “L'odio è il mio Dio” (Hate is My God) with Vincenzo Cerami, Claudio Gora both in 1969 and “Il pistolero cieco” (Blindman) with Tony Anthony, Lloyd Battista, Vincenzo Cerami and Ferdinando Baldi in 1971

ANCHISI, Piero (aka Piergiovanni Anchisi, Pietro Anchisi, Piero Anghisi, Piero Archisi) (Piero Giovanni Anchisi) [6/29/1928, Gattinara, Piedmont, Italy – 9/15/2012, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – writer, actor.

The Forgotten Pistolero – 1969 (co)

Hate Is My God 1969 (co) [as Pietro Anchisi]

Blindman – 1971 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer - André Bac

André Bac was a French director, screenwriter and cinematographer/cameraman born in Paris, France on December 14, 1905. He was a cinematographer and cameraman on 100 plus films and television programs from 1933 to 1973. He also directed the 1957 short film “Sérénade à l'aventure”

For a man with such a large resume little is known about him.

André Bac died in Paris on May 31, 1989, at the age of 83.

Bac was the cinematographer on one Spaghetti western “Terreur en Oklahoma” in 1951.

BAC, André (aka Bac, A. Bac, Jane Dee, Molly, Sofi, Susie, Ulyana, Vera) [12/14/1905, Paris, Île-de-France, France 5/31/1989, Paris, Île-de-France, France] – director, cinematographer, cameraman,

Terreur en Oklahoma – 1951