Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Federico Caddeo

 Federico Caddeo was born in Rome on March 27th and is a director who works in the field of documentary and social cinema. He is interested — among other things — in themes related to the cinematic past, genre, countercultures, and films considered "cult".

Among his most important works we remember here “Around the World in 16 Years” (2016), a docufilm on Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi, screened at the Lucca Film Festival.

In 2019 he shot the documentary “All the Colors of Giallo”, telling the story of the Italian thriller. “In the Name of Hate” (2025), written, produced and directed by him, is a tribute to the film “Shaved Heads” (1993, directed by Claudio Fragasso, scripted by Rossella Drudi), and is dedicated to Rossella Drudi herself. "Painted Screams" (2025) is a tribute to the film “The House with Laughing Windows” (1976) by Pupi Avati, which is considered a cult of Italian horror cinema. Among the testimonies in the documentary there is an unpublished interview with Lino Capolicchio, the lead actor of the original film, who worked with Avati.

Federico directed seventeen Spaghetti western short documentaries: “Cinevento 2007: In Memory of Francesco De Masi”, “A History of Dollars”, Memories of the Near West”, “Profession: Acrobat – a Afternoon with Riccardo Pizzuti”, “Sydne in Wonderland” and “They Called Him Ringo” all in 2008, “An Indian Named Joe”, “Back in the Saddle”, “A Greek Western Tragedy”, “On Behalf of American Indians” and “Vengeance Rides a Horse” all in 2009, “My Name is Bud” in 2011, “Giuliano Gemma ein mann der tat” in 2012, “His Name Is Sabata” in 2013, “Once Upon a Time in Texas” in 2015, “Giorgio Doesn’t Forgive” in 2016, “The Sheriff is in Town” in 2018.

CADDEO, Federico [3/27/1978, Rome, Lazio, Italy –     ] – producer, director, assistant director, writer, cinematographer, cameraman, film editor, actor, founded ‘Freak-O-Rama’ Productions [2006].

Cinevento 2007: In Memory of Francesco De Masi – 2008

A History of Dollars – 2008

Memories of the Near West – 2008

Profession: Acrobat – a Afternoon with Riccardo Pizzuti - 2008

Sydne in Wonderland – 2008

They Called Him Ringo - 2008

An Indian Named Joe – 2009

Back in the Saddle – 2009

A Greek Western Tragedy – 2009

On Behalf of American Indians – 2009

Vengeance Rides a Horse – 2009

My Name is Bud – 2011

Giuliano Gemma ein mann der tat - 2012

His Name Is Sabata – 2013

Once Upon a Time in Texas - 2015

Giorgio Doesn’t Forgive – 2016

The Sheriff is in Town – 2018

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Lloyd Battista

Lloyd McAteer Battista was born May 14, 1937, in Cleveland, Ohio. Battista studied acting at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He was active on Broadway and off-Broadway stages, appearing in productions of plays such as “Sexual Perversity” in Chicago and “The Homecoming”. His television roles ranged from the CBS soap opera ‘Love of Life’ in the 1950s and the mini-series James A. Michener's ‘Texas’ in 1994. He appeared in movies such as “Chisum” (1970), “Love and Death” (1975), and “In Hell” (2003).

As we all know Lloyd appeared in several Spaghetti Westerns with Tony Anthony that he wrote the screenplays for. Battista also wrote the screenplay for Anthony's “Treasure of the Four Crowns” but did not appear in the film.

On the radio, Battista was heard between 1974 and 1982 on the ‘CBS Radio Mystery Theater’. He also wrote The Nose Knows, a guide to Los Angeles area restaurants.

In all Lloyd co-wrote screenplays for four Spaghetti westerns: “Lo straniero di silenzio” (The Silent Stranger) with Vincenzo Cerami, Giancarlo Ferrando and Tony Anthony in 1968, “Il pistolero cieco” (Blindman) with Piero Anchisi, Tony Anthony Vincenzo Cerami and Ferdinando Baldi in 1971, “Get Mean” with Ferdinando Baldi, and Wolf Lowenthal in 1975 and “Yendo hacia ti” (Comin’ At Ya!) with Esteban Cuenca Sevilla, Ramón Plana Castell, Gene Quintano and Wolfe Lowenthal.

BATTISTA, Lloyd (aka Lloyd Batista, Llyod Batista) (Lloyd McAteer Battista) [5/14/1937, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. –     ] - screenwriter, film, radio, TV actor, poet, author.

The Silent Stranger – 1968 (co)

Blindman – 1971 (co)

Stranger in the Middle Kingdom – 1974 [Film was never made.]

Get Mean – 1975 (co)

Comin’ at Ya! – 1980 (co)

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Paul Castanet

Paul Castanet was a French silent film cinematographer who worked on thirty-six films from 1912 to 1924. Other than that, I can find no biographical information on him.

Castanet’s only European western was as a cinematographer on “Onésime sur le sentier de guerre” (Onésime on the Warpath) in 1913.

CASTANET, Paul [French] – cinematographer, cameraman, actor.

Onésime on the Warpath - 1913