.Westerns...All'Italiana!: Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Friday, March 27, 2026

Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Robert Ruiz Cespedes

Robert Ruiz Cespedes was born in Santander, Cantabria, Spain in June of 1987. Roberto is a novelist, screenwriter and director. He has a diploma in Film Direction from the KINEMA film school in Bilbao (first of his class and awarded with the final year project in 2008-2011). Master’s Degree in Screenwriting for Film and TV from the TAI school in Madrid (Remarkable High, 2011-2012). He has worked on 30 projects in the directing and producing department.

Roberto has written and directed 20 short films, two experimental feature films and one feature film (2021). His first commercial film is “Stoyan”, a psychological horror thriller. Roberto has published three novels. The latest Marma Rabbit Boy (2020), published by the Editorial Amarante. The first Los Jimenez como Quieren (2017) and the second Mero Firamento (2018), both published by Ediciones Camelot.

Roberto has written 20 feature films, miniseries and series on projects, in the development phase.

Cespedes directed three Spaghetti westerns: “Toma ParteR” in 2007, “Negativa” in 2008 and “La armónica y el cielo” 2010 [as Roberto Ruiz]

CESPEDES. Robert Ruiz (Roberto Ruiz Céspedes) [6/?/1987, - ] – producer, director, assistant director, novelist, writer.

Toma ParteR – 2007

Negativa – 2008

La armónica y el cielo – 2010 [as Roberto Ruiz]

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Adriano Bolzoni

Adriano Bolzoni was an Italian screenwriter and journalist known for his extensive contributions to 1960s and 1970s Italian genre cinema, particularly Spaghetti Westerns and poliziotteschi films. Born on April 14, 1919, in Cremona, Lombardy, he began his career as a war correspondent during World War II and later worked in various journalistic roles, including as director of the weekly magazine Reporter in the late 1950s.

He transitioned to screenwriting in the early 1960s and gained prominence for co-writing the screenplay of Sergio Leone's landmark Spaghetti Western “A Fistful of Dollars” (1964), which helped define the genre. Bolzoni went on to pen scripts for numerous popular films, including the political Western “The Mercenary” (1968), the giallo “Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key” (1972), and several entries in the long-running Flatfoot police comedy series starring Bud Spencer, such as “Flatfoot in Egypt” (1980). He occasionally directed films, among them “The Fourth Wall” (1969) and “The Incredible Challenge” (1970).

Adriano was an active contributor to the spaghetti western genre throughout the 1960s and into the late 1970s. Bolzoni frequently worked with director Sergio Corbucci, beginning with “Minnesota Clay” (1964), where he supplied the story and co-wrote the screenplay with Corbucci. He continued his contributions with the story and screenplay (credited as A. Bolzoni) for “Johnny Oro” (also known as Ringo and His Golden Pistol, 1966). In 1967, he handled the screenplay and dialogue for “Requiescant”. His collaboration with Corbucci extended to The “Mercenary” (1968), where he contributed to the screenplay and dialogue. Later in the genre's evolution, Bolzoni wrote both the story and screenplay for “Silver Saddle” (1978). His work often appeared under variations of his name or pseudonyms, reflecting common practices in Italian genre cinema of the era. These credits highlight his role in shaping narratives central to spaghetti westerns, though he was typically one of several writers on collaborative projects.

His work extended into later decades with credits on television miniseries and international co-productions, including “Christopher Columbus” (1985) and “Beyond Justice” (1991). Bolzoni died in 2005. He was 86.

“Io sono il capataz” (The Return of Pancho Villa) with Marcello Marchesi and Vittorio Metz in 1950, “Per un pugno di dollari” (A Fistful of Dollars) with Victor A. Catena, Fernando di Leo, Jaime Comas, Duccio Tessari, and Tonino Valerii and “Minnesota Clay” both I 1964, “Que viva Carrancho!” (The Man from Canyon City) in 1965, “Il mio nome è Pecos” (My Name is Pecos) with Maurizio Lucidi, “Johnny Oro” (Ringo and His Golden Pistol) with Franco Rossetti and “Ringo del Nebraska” (Savage Gringo) with Jesús Navarro Carrión, Antonio Román all in 1966,

“Con lui cavalca la morte” (Death Rides Along) Augusto Caminito and Fernando di Leo, “Requiescant” (Kill and Pray) with Lucio Battistrada, Armando Crispino, “Pecos è qui: prega e muori” (Pecos Cleans Up) with Augusto Caminito, Ferdnando di Leo all in 1967, “Un buco in fronte” (A Hole in the Forehead) and “Il mercenario” (The Mercenary) with Sergio Corbucci, Sergio Spina and Luciano Vincenzoni both in 1968, “Prega il morto e ammazza il vio” (Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead) in 1970, “Il 13 e’sempre Giuda” (The Last Traitor) in 1971, “Alleluia e Sartana, figli di… Dio!” (Alleluia and Sartana, Sons of God), J. and S. – storia criminale del far west (Sonny & Jed), “Così Sia” (They Called HimAmen) with Alfio Caltabiano, “Trinità e Sartana figli di...” (Trinity & Sartana Those Sons of Bitches) all in 1972 and “Sella d’argento” (Silver Saddle) in 1978.

BOLZONI, Adriano (aka Bolzoni A. Bolzoni, A. Bonzzoni, William McCahon, Robert McMahon, Marc Saltzer) [4/14/1919, Cremona, Lombardy, Italy – 2005, Cremona, Lombardy, Italy] – director, writer.

The Return of Pancho Villa – 1950 (co)

A Fistful of Dollars – 1964 (co) [as A. Bolzoni]

Minnesota Clay – 1964 (co)

The Man from Canyon City – 1965

My Name is Pecos – 1966 (co)

Ringo and His Golden Pistol – 1966 (co) [as A. Bolzoni]

Savage Gringo – 1966 (co)

Death Rides Along – 1967 (co)

Kill and Pray – 1967 (co)

Pecos Cleans Up – 1967 (co)

A Hole in the Forehead – 1968

The Mercenary – 1968 (co)