Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ William Allen Castleman 

William Allen Castleman was an American composer, film producer, and director known for his work in low-budget exploitation, sexploitation, and genre films during the 1960s and 1970s. He often credited under the alias Billy Allen, particularly in his earlier career, and contributed as a composer, producer, music supervisor, and arranger on numerous independent productions characterized by their modest budgets and sensational themes.Castleman's filmography primarily consists of exploitation pictures, where he provided original music scores and helped produce projects that included action, horror, and adult-oriented content. Notable among his credits are composing the score for “The Big Bird Cage” (1972), producing “Johnny Firecloud” (1975), and working on titles such as “Bummer” (1973), “Trader Hornee” (1970), and “The Swinging Cheerleaders” (1974). His music also extended to library production cues and occasional soundtrack work, including for cult films like Space Thing. Born on June 7, 1922, in Santa Monica, California, Castleman was married to his wife Faye for 62 years until her death; he was survived by his son Jeffry, daughter Laurel, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Castleman died on February 5, 2006, in Los Angeles, California at age 83.

William Allen Castleman co-directed one Euro-western, The Erotic Adventures of Zorro with Colonel Robert Freeman in1972.

CASTLEMAN, William Allen (aka Billy Allen, W.A. Castle, William Castleman, William A. Castleman, Wm. A. Castleman, Allen Williams) [6/7/1922, Santa Monica, California, U.S.A. – 2/5/2006, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.] – producer, director, composer, married to Faye Anita Church [1923-2004] (1943-2004) father of musician Jeffry Allan Castleman [1946-    ], Laurel Gale Castleman.

The Erotic Adventures of Zorro – 1972 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Norbert Blake

Aldo Marcovecchio is/was an Italian screenwriter.

Aldo Marcovecchio is/was an Italian screenwriter who wrote stories and screenplays for five films between 1971 and 1983. He sometimes used the alias, Norbert Blake. He’s best remembered for his work on 1971’s “Night of the Damned”

As Norbert Blake he cowrote the screenplay for one Spaghetti western, “Posate le pistole reverend” (Pistol Packin’ Preacher) with Leopoldo Savona in 1971.

BLAKE, Norbert (Aldo Marcovecchio) [Italian] – writer.

Pistol Packin’ Preacher – 1971 (co)

 

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Henri Decaë

Henri Decaë was born on July 31, 1915, in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France. He was a French cinematographer who entered the film industry as a sound engineer and sound editor. He was a photojournalist in the French army during World War II. After the war he began making documentary shorts, directing and photographing industrial and commercial films. In 1947 he made his first feature film.

Decaë's liking for natural light, his ability to work at speed as well as his excellent photographic sensibility led to him working with René Clément on several features beginning with “Plein soleil” (1960). It was Decaë "...who liberated the camera, from its fixed tripod. He made the New Wave possible, backing up Melville, Malle, Chabrol and Truffaut."

Decaë died in Paris on March 7, 1987, at the age of 71.

Henri Decaë was a cinematographer on one Wuro-western “Viva Maria! In 1956

DECAE, Henri (Henri Decaë) [7/31/1915, Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France – 3/7/1987. Paris, Île-de-France, France] – director, cinematographer, cameraman, film editor, actor.

Viva Maria! - 1956