Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director – Gianfranco Baldanello

Son of Venetian dialect actors Emilio Baldanello and Wanda Vianello (also known as Vanda Baldanello), Gianfranco Baldanello was born in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy on November 13, 1928. He was the brother of the script supervisor Maria Grazia, Baldanello. Gianfranco began his career as an assistant director in the mid-50s, with low-profile films in the historical-mythological genre. In 1965 he directed his first film, "30 Winchester for El Diablo", a western with a fairly simple plot for which he also wrote the screenplay (which he would do in many of his films). In 1966, he released his second western film entitled "Kill Johnny Ringo". We have to wait until 1967 to see him make 3 films: Don't ever say goodbye, a comedy, "The Infernal Ray", an adventure lived between spy plots and futuristic equipment and finally "The Long Days of Hate", a fairly crude western.

In 1968 he made another western film entitled "Black Jack". In 1969 he directed the thriller "Yellow", in 1972 the western "When the Devil Grips a Colt", starring a skilled William Berger and defined by critics as of modest spectacular effectiveness. In 1973, and again with the help of William Berger, he directed the film "The Son of Zorro". In 1974 he directed the film "The Great Adventure". 1975 marks the year in which Baldanello produces his first erotic film, a genre that he will follow with 3 other films. In fact, he will come out with "Quella provincia maliziosa", "L'ingenua" and in 1976 with "What a Doctor Boys!". Finally, with the espionage adventure of "A chi tocca, tocca...!" He made his last film in 1979.

Baldaneelo was often billed under the aliases George W. Breakston, Frank G. Carrol and Paul Elliotts

In all Gianfranco directed eight Spaghetti westerns: “30 Winchester per El Diablo” (Gold Train) and “Uccidete Johnny Ringo” (Kill Johnny Ringo) both 1965, “I lunghi giorni dell’odio” (This Man Can’t Die) in 1967, “Un i dannati della violenza” (Black Jack) 1968, “Una Colt in mano del diavolo” (When the Devil Grips the Colt) 1972, “Dieci bianchi uccisi da un piccolo indiano” (Blood River) and “Il figlio di Zorro” both in 1973 and “Il richiamo del lupo” (The Great Adventure).

BALDANELLO, Gianfranco (aka France Baldanello, Franco Baldanello, Franco Bladanello, George W. Breakston, Frank G. Carrol, F.G. Carroll, Frank G. Carroll, Paul Elliotts. Joseph Rossen) (Gianfranco Baldanello Merano) [11/13/1928, Merano, South Tyrol, Italy - 1/22/1990, Merano, Balzano, Italy] – producer, director, assistant director, writer, film editor, son of actor Emilio Baldanello [1902-1952] and actress Vanda Vianello, brother of assistant director, script supervisor Maria Grazia.Baldanello.

Gold Train – 1965 [as Frank G. Carrol]

Kill Johnny Ringo – 1965 [as Frank G. Carroll]

This Man Can’t Die – 1967

Year of the Tomahawk – 1967 [film was never made]

Black Jack – 1968

When the Devil Grips a Colt – 1972 [as Frank G. Carrol]

Blood River – 1973 [as George W. Breakston

The Son of Zorro – 1973 [as Frank G. Carroll]

The Great Adventure – 1974 [as Paul Elliotts]

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter – Mark Andrew

Mark Andrew was an alias used by Italian director, assistant director, writer and film editor Marcello Andrei. He was born in Rome in 1922; he started his career in the early 1950s as an assistant director. He then made his directorial debut in 1956 with “Borung”, a documentary film set in Indonesia. He is one of the founders of the Festival dei Popoli which has been held in Florence since 1959.

More than likely Andrei has passed away but no I can find no reference to his death. If still living he'd be 103.

As Mark Andrew, he co-wrote the screenplay for “El Macho “Macho Killers” in 1977 with Fabio Pittorru

ANDREW, Mark (Marcello Andrei) [1922, Rome, Lazio, Italy -     ] – director, assistant director, writer, film editor.

Macho Killers – 1977 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer – Juan Julio Baena

Juan-Julio Baena Álvarez was born in Alcázar de San Juan, Spain on July 11, 1925. He was a producer, director cinematographer and cameraman.

Baena started his career in 1949 as a director of film photography, credited with 26 films. Before moving into content acquisition for RTVE where he became famous for having introduced Venezuelan telenovelas into Spain, such as ‘Topacio’ in 1984 (produced by RCTV) and ‘Cristal’ in 1985 (also by RCTV)

Baena became a professor of cinematography in the period 1956-1975.

In the early 1980s, he moved into distribution with Coral Europa (part of RCTV), and in the early 1990s, he was lured by Venevision to form his Vision Europe, both located in Madrid.

Juan died in Madrid on December 31, 2022, at the age of 96.

Baena was the cinematographer on one Spaghetti western 1964’s “Due Mafiosi nel Far West” (Two Mafiamen in the Far West).

BAENA, Juan Julio (aka J.J. Baena, J.Julio Baena) (Juan-Julio Baena Álvarez) [7/11/1925, Alcázar de San Juan, Spain – 12/31/2022, Madrid, Madrid, Spain] – producer, director, cinematographer, cameraman.

Two Mafiamen in the Far West - 1964