Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Bruno Bozzetto

Bruno Bozzetto is an Italian cartoonist, animator and film director who was born in Milan, Italy on March 3, 1938. He is known for his political and satirical productions. He created his first animated short, "Tapum! the Weapons' Story" in 1958 at the age of 20. His most famous character, a hapless little man named "Signor Rossi", has been featured in many animated shorts as well as starring in three feature films: “Mr. Rossi Looks for Happiness” (1976), “Mr. Rossi's Dreams” (1977), and “Mr. Rossi's Vacation” (1977).

Since 1999, Bozzetto turned to flash cartoons, most notably with the award-winning Europe and Italy, a commentary on European vs. Italian socio-cultural attributes. He also laid inspiration for the countryballs meme.

Bruno Bozzetto has animated three Euro-westerns: “Fantasia Indiana” in 1954, ‘Unca Dunca’ (TV series) 1961-1970, “West and Soda” with Attilio Giovannini in 1964 and ‘Far West’ in 1999.

BOZZETTO, Bruno (aka Bozzetto) [3/3/1938, Milan, Lombardy, Italy -     ] – producer, director, writer, animator, cinematographer, son of actor Umberto Bozzetto, married to actress Valeria Ongaro (197?-    ) father of director Fabio Bozzetto [1975-    ].

Fantasia Indiana - 1954

Unca Dunca (TV) – 1961-1970

West and Soda – 1964 (co)

Far West (video) - 1999

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Albert Band

Albert Band was born in Paris, France on May 7, 1924. Alfredo Antonini was an alias he used and not as is often found in books his real name. Albert was the son of artist Max Band [1901-1974]. His mother was born in Marijampolė, and his father was from Kudirkos Naumiestis. His family heritage is Jewish. He escaped from Paris to the United States with his family prior to the occupation of France during World War II. There he graduated from Hollywood High School.

Interested in film, he became an apprentice at Warner Bros. where he developed contacts eventually becoming an assistant director on John Huston's “The Asphalt Jungle”, then adapting the story “The Red Badge of Courage” for Huston's film of the same name.

He made his debut as a producer and director in “The Young Guns” (1956), combining the two then-popular genres of Westerns and juvenile delinquent films. In the late 1950s, he moved to Europe, producing a variety of films, beginning in Sweden with “Face of Fire” (1959), based on another of Stephen Crane's stories, The Monster.

Albert wroter screenplays and stories for eleven films between 1951 and 1979 six of them were for westerns. He is the father of filmmaker Charles Band and of film composer Richard Band.

Albert Band died in Los Angeles, California on June 14, 2002, from complications from stomach blockage and lung infection. He was 78.

Band wrote screenplays for five Spaghetti westerns: “Duello nel Texas” (Gunfight at Red Sands) with Ricardo Blasco and Don Prindle and “Massacro al grande Canyon” (Massacre at Grande Canyon) with Sergio Corbucci both in 1963, the story with Ugo Liberatore for “I crudeli” (The Hellbenders) and the screenplay with Liberatore for “Gli uomini dal passo pesante” (The Tramplers) both in 1966 and the screenplay and story with Liberatore and Louis Garfinkle for 1968’s “Un minuto per pregare, un istante per morire” (A Minute to Pray a Second to Die).

BAND, Albert (aka Alfredo Antonini) [5/7/1924, Paris, Île-de-France, France – 6/14/2002, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. (complications from stomach blockage and lung infection)] – producer, production manager, director, assistant director, writer, son of artist Max Band [1901-1974], married to actress Jacquelyn Band (Jacquelyn Lois Richardson) [1927-2012] (19??-2002), father of producer, director, writer, actor Charles Band (Charles Robert Band) [1951-    ], producer, production manager, assistant director, writer, composer, songwriter, actor Richard Band (Richard Howard Band) [1953-    ], grandfather of actress Taryn Band (Taryn Lynn Band) [1977-    ], producer, composer, songwriter, actor Alex Band (Alexander Max Band) [1981-    ], actor Harlan Band (Harlan Stefano Band) [1991-    ], actor Zalman Band (Zalman Kerrigan Band) [1995-    ].

Gunfight at Red Sands – 1963 (co) [as Alfredo Antonini]

Massacre at Grande Canyon – 1963 (co)

The Hellbenders – 1966 (co)

The Tamplers – 1966 (co)

A Minute to Pray a Second to Die – 1968

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Gerard Brissaud

Gerard Brisseau was a French cameraman and cinematographer producer and writer. He worked on twenty-nine films as a cinematographer from 1964-1980, five as a cameraman from 1960-1967, one film as a producer in 1950, writer in 1973 and twenty-four in the sound department 1943-1971. He was sometimes credited as Gerard Brissaud.

He worked mostly in adult films and there is very little information available other than his filmography. When and where he was born in unknown as is whether he’s still living.

Gerard was the cinematographer on one Euro-western: 1974’s “Convoi de femmes” (Convoy of Women).

BRISSAUD, Gérard (Gérard Brisseau) [French] – cinematographer, cameraman, screenwriter, producer, writer.

Convoy of Women - 1974